為什麼我們會害怕13號星期五和數字13？：英語精讀講義

For centuries, we've been wary of the number 13. 講解

幾個世紀以來，我們一直對數字13心存畏懼。

We've built office blocks and condominiums with 12 and 14 floors, but no 13th.

我們建造了12層和14層的辦公大樓和公寓，卻沒有13層。

And Winston Churchill,

而溫斯頓·邱吉爾，

considered by many to be one of the most rational and pragmatic historical figures, 文法

被許多人認為是歷史上最理性、最務實的人物之一，

refused to sit in the 13th row at the theater.

在劇院看戲時也拒絕坐在第13排。

Even some airlines like Continental,

甚至連一些航空公司，如美國大陸航空、

Air France and Ryanair,

法國航空和瑞安航空，

don't have a 13th row.

都沒有第13排。

We both fear and respect the number 13. 文法

我們對數字13既敬畏又恐懼。

But just what is triskaidekaphobia, 表達脈絡

但是，十三恐懼症究竟是什麼，

the fear of the number 13,

對數字13的恐懼，

and where does it originate from?

它是從哪裡起源的呢？

Today we'll find out in this episode of The Infographics Show, 片語動詞

今天我們將在《資訊圖解秀》的這集裡一探究竟，

why are we afraid of Friday the 13th and the number 13?

我們為什麼害怕13號星期五和數字13？

First of all, 表達脈絡

首先，

we must consider the number 12 as the perfect number.

我們必須將數字12視為完美的數字。

The ancient Sumerians produced a numeral system based on the number 12

古蘇美爾人創造了基於數字12的數字系統，

that we still enjoy today.

直至今日我們仍在沿用。

Calendars have 12 months,

日曆有12個月，

the day is halved by two sets of 12.

一天由兩套12小時平分。

12 is a whole, complete,

12是一個完整的、圓滿的、

perfectly divisible number.

可以完美整除的數字。

So why then is 13 so sinister?

那麼為什麼13會如此險惡呢？

Is it just that 12 is so ideal 文法

難道僅僅是因為12太過理想，

that we must find something inherently bad in 13?

以至於我們必須在13中尋找某種天生的惡嗎？

As any theology student will tell you, 表達脈絡

任何神學生都會告訴你，

there were 13 disciples at the Last Supper, 文化背景

最後的晚餐上有13位門徒，

and the 13th person to take his seat was probably Jesus,

且第13位落座的很可能就是耶穌，

although some say it was the backstabbing Judas 慣用語

儘管也有人說，是那個背信棄義的猶大

who took chair number 13.

坐了第13個位子。

Whoever took that last 13th seat came to a sticky end. 慣用語

無論誰坐了最後這第13個位子，下場都很慘。

Matthew says that Judas committed suicide after the crucifixion,

馬太說猶大在耶穌受難後上吊自殺，

while the early Christian leader Papias says that Judas walked around in the world,

而早期基督教領袖帕皮亞斯則說，猶大在世間四處遊蕩，

a sad example of impiety,

成了一個可悲的不虔誠的例子，

for his body having swollen to such an extent 文法

因為他的身體腫脹得如此厲害，

that he could not pass where a chariot could pass easily.

以至於連戰車能輕易通過的地方，他都過不去。

So Judas may well have grown to a size 13. 文法

所以猶大很有可能長到了13號那麼大。

The Last Supper took place on the 13th day of the month,

最後的晚餐發生在那個月的第13天，

and the crucifixion occurred on Friday the 13th.

耶穌受難發生在13號星期五。

The Knights Templar, 文化背景

聖殿騎士團，

protectors of the Holy Grail, 文化背景

也就是聖杯的守護者，

the cup Jesus drank from at the ominous shindig, 用詞

（即耶穌在那場不祥的聚會上使用的那個杯子），

were all slaughtered on order from Pope Clement on, yes,

都是在教宗克勉的命令下被屠殺的，沒錯，

Friday the 13th.

就在13號星期五。

13 is also an unlucky number

13也是一個不吉利的數字，

if you find yourself unfortunate or guilty enough 文法

如果你發現自己不幸或罪孽深重，

to be sentenced to hang for a crime.

因為某項罪行被判處絞刑。

There were 13 long steps up to the gallows,

走上絞刑架有13級長長的台階，

and only one short cut down. 慣用語

只有一條墜落的捷徑。

A coven of witches has 13 members, 用詞

一個女巫集會有13名成員，

and if there are 13 letters in your name,

如果你的名字裡有13個字母，

you are surely cursed to damnation.

你肯定會被詛咒下地獄。

Jack the Ripper,

開膛手傑克、

Jeffrey Dahmer, and Charles Manson

傑佛瑞·達默和查爾斯·曼森

all had 13 letters in their birth names.

他們的出生名字裡都有13個字母。

And it's not just on planet Earth 文法

而且，不僅僅是在地球上，

that the number 13 is considered unlucky.

數字13才被認為是不吉利的。

Apollo 13, 文化背景

阿波羅13號，

the seventh manned mission in the Apollo space program,

阿波羅太空計畫中的第七次載人任務，

was launched in 1970 from the Kennedy Space Center,

於1970年從甘迺迪太空中心發射，

but the lunar landing was aborted

但在氧氣罐爆炸後，

after an oxygen tank exploded,

登月計畫被迫中止，

and the astronauts were lucky to return to Earth

太空人們很幸運地在六天後

six days later with their lives intact. 片語搭配

保住了性命，返回地球。

Even in space the number 13 is the unluckiest number.

甚至在太空中，數字13也是最不吉利的數字。

In tarot, the 13th card in the deck is death.

在塔羅牌中，牌組中的第13張牌是死神。

To draw the death card in the tarot

在塔羅牌中抽到死神牌

doesn't mean that you will die straight away.

並不意味著你會立刻死去。

Death in the tarot sense is more about change, rebirth, and creation. 文化背景

塔羅牌意義上的死神更多的是關於改變、重生和創造。

But if you do draw the death card 文法

但是，如果你真的

on the 13th day of the month

在每月的13號抽到了死神牌，

and see a black cat crossing your path 文化背景

又看到黑貓從你面前穿過，

and the moon is full and you happen to be superstitious, 片語搭配

並且剛好滿月，而你又碰巧很迷信，

you may potentially have an unlucky day.

那麼你可能會度過倒楣的一天。

But you probably won't die,

但你可能不會死，

not that day anyway.

至少那天不會。

But why is Friday considered the unlucky day?

但為什麼星期五被認為是不吉利的日子呢？

In biblical terms, Friday has had a checkered history. 慣用語

從聖經的角度來看，星期五有一段波折的歷史。

Jesus was crucified and Eve tempted Adam

耶穌被釘死在十字架上，夏娃誘惑亞當

on a lazy Friday afternoon.

都在一個慵懶的星期五下午。

Abel was slain by Cain,

亞伯被該隱殺害，

and the great floods began on a Friday.

以及大洪水都始於星期五。

Historically, Friday doesn't fare well either. 片語搭配

在歷史上，星期五的境況也好不到哪去。

Citizens were executed in Rome on a Friday,

在羅馬，公民會在星期五被處決，

and also on a Friday in Britain people were usually hung, 慣用語

在英國，人們也通常在星期五被絞死，

meaning that on Saturday people were usually hung over

這意味著在星期六，人們通常會宿醉，

after merrily watching one of their fellow men be eliminated the night before.

因為他們前一天晚上愉快地觀看了自己的同胞被處決。

Fridays in theological and historical texts usually spells bad news. 慣用語

無論在神學還是歷史文獻中，星期五通常意味著壞消息。

The number 13 isn't totally unlucky wherever you go in time in history.

在歷史長河中，無論你走到哪裡，數字13並不完全是不吉利的。

The ancient Egyptians considered 13 fortuitous.

古埃及人認為13是吉祥的。

China has a deep fear of the number four,

中國人對數字4有深深的恐懼，

the Japanese avoid the number nine,

日本人避諱數字9，

and the unluckiest number in Italy is 17.

而在義大利最不吉利的數字是17。

Indians have a deep distrust of 26,

印度人對26有深深的不信任感，

and in Bulgaria the number is 0888888888

在保加利亞，0888888888這個數字

is the one to be most terrified of

則是最讓人感到恐懼的

all numbers following the acquisition of that jinxed phone number

一串數字，因為在獲得這個倒楣的電話號碼之後，

by a number of high-profile people who subsequently died

有幾位知名人士隨後死亡，

according to urban myth. 表達脈絡

至少都市傳說是這麼說的。

The former US flag had 13 red and white stripes

以前的美國國旗有13道紅白條紋，

and 13 stars representing the first 13 colonies that founded the country.

還有13顆星，代表建立該國的首批13個殖民地。

Christopher Columbus landed on the Western Hemisphere on October 13th,

克里斯多福·哥倫布於10月13日登陸西半球，

although deliberately changed the official date to the 12th of October

儘管他故意將官方日期改為了10月12日，

to avoid the scandal of a cursed landing.

以避免遭到詛咒登陸的流言蜚語。

Sikh religion believes the number 13 is special.

錫克教認為數字13很特別。

In Punjabi, 13 translates to yours or I am yours, 文化背景

在旁遮普語中，13翻譯為你的或我是你的，

my lord, and is considered divinely lucky.

我的主，並且被認為是神聖幸運的。

Moreover, in bakery circles, 慣用語

此外，在烘焙界，

13 is also considered lucky.

13也被認為是幸運的。

A baker's dozen, or 13, 慣用語

麵包師的一打，即13，

is the ordinarily 12 with one added just for luck.

就是通常的12個再額外加上一個，只是為了討個吉利。

The number 13 also represents femininity

數字13也代表女性特徵，

as the number of lunar or menstrual cycles

因為月亮週期或月經週期

in a year is often around 12 or 13.

一年中的次數通常在12或13次左右。

In China, women make offerings of mooncakes

在中國，女性會供奉

with the number 13 imprinted on them

印有數字13的月餅，

as 13 denotes blood, fertility, and lunar potency,

因為13代表血液、生育能力和月亮的能量，

and good luck from the great female goddess.

以及來自偉大女性女神的好運。

13 represents the life cycle and the rhythm of nature and the moon.

13代表著生命週期以及自然和月亮的節奏。

So although considered unlucky by some, 文法

因此，儘管有人認為不吉利，

the number 13 represents the very thing that brought us all here to watch this episode,

數字13代表的正是讓我們相聚在此觀看本集影片的東西，

so perhaps 13 isn't that unlucky after all. 表達脈絡

所以也許13並沒有那麼倒楣。

So what do you think about the number 13,

那麼你認為數字13怎麼樣，

lucky or unlucky?

幸運還是不幸？

Let us know why in the comments.

請在留言區告訴我們原因。

Also, be sure to check out our other video called Taboos Around the World.

另外，一定要去看看我們另一部叫《世界各地的禁忌》的影片。

Thanks for watching and as always,

感謝觀看，一如既往，

don't forget to like, share, and subscribe.

別忘了按讚、分享和訂閱。

See you next time.

我們下次見。