A Stradivarius is a violin — or sometimes a viola or cello — made by Antonio Stradivari, an Italian maker who worked in the town of Cremona and died in 1737. Players believe his instruments sound better than any made since, and only about 500 or so survive, so one can sell for millions of US dollars.

A Stradivarius Stradivarius is a violin是一把小提琴 — or sometimes a viola or cello有時是中提琴或大提琴 — made by Antonio Stradivari由安東尼奧·史特拉底瓦里製作, an Italian maker who worked in the town of Cremona and died in 1737他是一位在克雷莫納鎮工作、於1737年過世的義大利製琴師。Players believe his instruments sound better than any made since演奏家相信他做的樂器比之後任何一把都好聽, and only about 500 or so survive而且現存的大概只有五百把左右, so one can sell for millions of US dollars所以一把可以賣到好幾百萬美元。

Because of that, the word has stopped being only a name. It is a capital-letter noun for a thing, like Kleenex or Toyota, and you can say 'a Stradivarius' or 'two Stradivariuses'. People shorten it to a Strad when they are being friendly about it.

Because of that因為這樣, the word has stopped being only a name這個字已經不只是個人名了。It它 is a capital-letter noun for a thing變成一個首字母大寫、指東西的名詞, like Kleenex or Toyota就像Kleenex或Toyota一樣, and you can say 'a Stradivarius' or 'two Stradivariuses'你可以說「a Stradivarius」或「two Stradivariuses」。People shorten it to a Strad大家會把它簡稱為a Strad when they are being friendly about it想講得親切一點時。

And it has become a way of saying 'the finest example there is' — someone might call a certain camera the Stradivarius of cameras.

And it has become a way of saying 'the finest example there is'它也變成一種說「這是最頂尖的例子」的方式 — someone might call a certain camera the Stradivarius of cameras有人可能會把某台相機稱作「相機界的Stradivarius」。

Though actually the sound part is not as settled as people say. Careful tests where listeners cannot see the instrument have often failed to show that a Stradivarius beats a good modern violin. So a teacher should be honest here: the price and the fame are real facts, and the magic sound is a belief that many players hold strongly but that science has not confirmed.

Though actually不過其實 the sound part is not as settled as people say聲音那部分並沒有大家說的那麼確定。Careful tests where listeners cannot see the instrument讓聽眾看不到樂器的仔細測試 have often failed to show常常無法證明 that a Stradivarius beats a good modern violin Stradivarius真的贏過一把好的現代小提琴。So a teacher should be honest here所以老師在這裡應該誠實一點: the price and the fame are real facts價格和名氣是真實的事實, and the magic sound is a belief that many players hold strongly但那種神奇的音色只是很多演奏家堅信的一種信念 but that science has not confirmed科學上並沒有證實。