愚人節的前世今生

北外網院

Unlike most of the other nonfoolish holidays， the history of（1）April Fools Day，sometimes called All Fools Day，is not totally clear. There really wasnt a “first April Fools Day” that can be（2）pinpointed on the calendar. Some believe it（3）sort of evolved simultaneously in several cultures at the same time， from celebrations involving the first day of spring.

（1）April fool：愚人節當天受愚弄的人，中文多譯為“四月傻瓜”。

（2）pinpoint：確定……的位置（性質、原因等），確認。沒有人能夠在日歷上準確標出第一個愚人節，即沒有人知道第一個愚人節是什么時候開始的。

（3）sort of：（口）近似，有那么點。有些人認為它可能是同時從幾種文化演變而來的，源自與春季第一天有關的慶祝活動。

The closest point in time that can be identified as the beginning of this tradition was in 1582，in France.（4）Prior to that year，the new year was celebrated for eight days，beginning on March 25. The celebration culminated on April 1. With the reform of the calendar under（5）Charles IX，the Gregorian Calendar was introduced，and New Years Day was moved to January 1.

（4）prior to：在……之前。

（5）Charles IX：查理九世，法蘭西國王（1560～1574）；Gregorian Calendar：格列高利歷，即目前全世界通用的陽歷。查理九世在位期間進行了歷法改革，引進了陽歷，并把新年第一天移至1月1日。

（6）However， communications being what they were in the days when news traveled by foot，many people did not receive the news for several years. Others，（7）the more obstinate crowd，refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate the new year on April. These backward folk were labeled as “fools”by the general populace. They were subject to some ridicule， and were often sent on “fools errands”or were made the（8）butt of other practical jokes.

（6）然而，在那個消息還要靠徒步旅行傳播的年代，有許多人過了好幾年后才得知這個消息。

（7）一幫冥頑不化的家伙拒絕接受新歷法，依舊在4月1日這天慶祝新年。

（8）butt：（嘲弄等的）對象，笑柄；practical joke：惡作劇。他們受到嘲笑，并且經常被派去做只有笨蛋才做的差事或者成為惡作劇的對象。

This harassment evolved，over time，into a tradition of（9）prank-playing on the first day of April. The tradition eventually spread to England and Scotland in the eighteenth century. It was later introduced to the American colonies of both the English and French. April Fools Day thus developed into an international fun（10）feast，so to speak，with different nationalities specializing in their own brand of humor at the expense of their friends and families.

（9）prank：胡鬧，惡作劇。這種折磨人的行為隨著時間慢慢演變成在4月的第一天搞惡作劇的傳統。

（10） feast：節日，盛宴。

Practical jokes are a common practice on April Fools Day. Sometimes， elaborate practical jokes are played on friends or relatives that last the entire day. The news media even gets involved. April Fools Day is a“for-fun-only”observance. Nobody is expected to buy gifts or to take their（11）“significant other” out to eat in a fancy restaurant. Nobody gets off work or school. Its simply a fun little holiday，but a holiday on which one must remain forever（12）vigilant，for he may be the next April Fool！

（11）significant other：伴侶。

（12）vigilant：警覺的，警惕的。endprint