父親節(jié)的由來

江西 戴劍國

◆語篇導讀

父親節(jié)是感恩父親的節(jié)日，最廣泛的日期是在每年6月的第三個星期日。節(jié)日里有各種各樣的慶祝方式，大部分都與贈送禮物、家族聚餐或活動有關。這一天，孩子通常一大早就起床給父親做一頓豐盛的早餐，端到父親的床頭，感謝父親的養(yǎng)育之恩。你想知道父親節(jié)的由來嗎？

Father’s Day,contrary to popular misconception,was not established as a holiday in order to help greeting card manufacturers sell more cards.In fact when a“Father’s Day”was first proposed there were no Father’s Day cards!

The origin of Father’s Day is not clear.Some say that it began with a church service in West Virginia in 1908.Others say the first Father’s Day ceremony was held in Vancouver,Washington.

Regardless of when the first true Father’s Day occurred,the strongest promoter of the holiday was Mrs.John B.Dodd of Spokane,Washington.Mrs.Dodd first proposed the idea of a “Father’s Day”in 1909.She wanted a special day to honor her father William Smart,whose wife died while giving birth to their sixth child.Mr.Smart was left to raise the newborn and his other five children by himself on a rural farm in eastern Washington State.It was after Mrs.Dodd became an adult that she realized the strength and selflessness her father had shown in raising his children as a single parent.

The first Father’s Day was observed on June 19,1910 in Washington.And it was in 1966 that President Lyndon Johnson declared the 3rd Sunday of June as Father’s Day.In 1972,President Nixon officially signed a parliamentary resolution for the establishment of Father’s Day.This festival has finally been established in the form of law and has been used to this day.

Father’s Day has become a day to not only honor your father,but all men who act as a father figure.Stepfathers,uncles,grandfathers,and adult male friends are all honored on Father’s Day.

◆詞語積淀

misconception/,m?sk?n'sep?(?)n/n.誤解；錯覺

manufacturer/,m?nju'f?kt?(?)r?(r)/n.制造商；制造廠

ceremony/'serim?ni/n.典禮；儀式

regardless of不管；不顧

newborn/'nju:b?:n/adj.（嬰兒）新生的；n.嬰兒

rural/'r??r(?)l/adj.鄉(xiāng)下的；農(nóng)村的

parliamentary/,pɑ?l?'mentri/adj.議會的；國會的

resolution/rez?'lu??(?)n/n.決議；決心

honor/'?n?(r)/v.尊敬；對……表示敬意

◆典句賞析

1.She wanted a special day to honor her father William Smart,whose wife died while giving birth to their sixth child.她希望有一個特殊的日子來向她的父親——威廉·斯瑪特表示敬意，他的妻子在生他們第六個孩子時因難產(chǎn)而死。

whose用作關系代詞引導定語從句，并在從句中作定語；give birth to是固定詞組搭配，意為“生（孩子）；分娩”。

【即時嘗試】他住在一個窗戶面朝南的房間里。

2.It was after Mrs.Dodd became an adult that she realized the strength and selflessness her father had shown in raising his children as a single parent.多德太太成年后才意識到她的父親一個人養(yǎng)大孩子所表現(xiàn)的力量和無私。

It was...that...是表強調(diào)的句型，意為“正是……；那是……”，強調(diào)after引導的時間狀語從句；raise one’s children是常見的詞組，意為“撫養(yǎng)……孩子”。

【即時嘗試】正是因為他生病了，所以他昨天沒來上學。

3.Father’s Day has become a day to not only honor your father,but all men who act as a father figure.父親節(jié)現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)成為向父親及所有扮演父親角色的人表達敬意的節(jié)日。

not only...but(also)...為并列連詞，意為“不但……而且……”，連接兩個并列成分，also可省略。not only...but(also)...連接兩個主語時，謂語動詞的人稱和數(shù)與其最近的主語保持一致。

【即時嘗試】不但是學生們，而且老師也反對這個計劃。

譯文助讀

父親節(jié)與普遍的誤解不同的是，它并非是一個為了幫助賀卡制作廠商銷售更多賀卡的節(jié)日。事實上，當“父親節(jié)”的提議首先被提出時，父親節(jié)賀卡根本就不存在。

父親節(jié)的起源尚不清楚。有人說,它始于1908年在西弗吉尼亞州的教會服務。還有人說，第一個父親節(jié)儀式在華盛頓的溫哥華舉行。

無論父親節(jié)從哪年開始，這一節(jié)日最積極的倡導者要屬華盛頓州斯波坎的約翰·布魯斯·多德夫人了。多德夫人在1909年首先提出了設立“父親節(jié)”的提議。她希望有一個特殊的日子來向她的父親——威廉·斯瑪特表示敬意，他的妻子在生他們第六個孩子時因難產(chǎn)去世。斯瑪特先生在華盛頓州東部鄉(xiāng)下的農(nóng)場里獨自養(yǎng)大了六個孩子。多德太太成年后才意識到她的父親一個人養(yǎng)大孩子所表現(xiàn)的力量和無私。

1910年6月19日，人們在華盛頓慶祝了第一個父親節(jié)。林登·約翰遜總統(tǒng)于1966年宣布每年6月的第三個星期天為父親節(jié)。1972年，尼克松總統(tǒng)正式簽署了建立父親節(jié)的議會決議。這個節(jié)日終于以法律的形式確定了下來,并一直沿用至今。

父親節(jié)現(xiàn)已成為向父親及所有扮演父親角色的人表達敬意的節(jié)日。繼父、伯父、祖父及所有成年男性都將在父親節(jié)受到尊敬。