谈谈quarantine(隔离)

• 作 者: 邹尚操
• 机 构: 黑龙江省望奎县第一中学 152100
• 出 处: 英语知识
• 发表日期: 2003年08期
• 关键词: Death quarantine 及物动词 疾病传播 isolation 通讯地址 nationwide impose lives isolate

quarantine(隔离)这个词有一个有趣的历史。它来源于意大利的quarantina(40天的一段时间)。14世纪的欧洲流行黑死病(Black Death)时,船只要进入港口时,得等40天才能被允许入港以免造成黑死病的传播。在1609年quarantina进入英语时,变成了quarantine。意思也从“特殊的一段时期”变成了“留住某人”。

The word quarantine (isolation) has an interesting history. It comes from Italy’s quarantina (a period of 40 days). In the 14th-century European Black Death, when a ship entered the port, it had to wait 40 days before it was allowed to enter Hong Kong to avoid the spread of the Black Death. When quarantina entered English in 1609, it became quarantine. The meaning also changed from “a special period of time” to “retaining someone.”