【精英翻譯】的部落格

The Small but Mighty Kiwi  紐西蘭國寶——奇異鳥

精英翻譯社轉自https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0058/346466/web/

Many countries choose national animals that represent their culture for the rest of the world to see. Some are powerful beasts like tigers and wolves. Some have wings like eagles and dragons. New Zealand, on the other hand, chose the kiwi. Why would a country want to be known for a cute but small bird that can’t even fly?

許多國家會選擇代表他們文化的國家動物讓世界其他地方了解。有些是像老虎和野狼等威武的野獸。有些則有翅膀，像是老鷹和龍。而另一方面，紐西蘭選擇了奇異鳥。為什麼會有國家想要以可愛卻甚至連飛也不會飛的小鳥來讓人知道呢？

These days, “Kiwi” is a term for a person from New Zealand. But the origins of the kiwi as the national bird come from the culture of the native Maori people. The Maori have long held the bird in high regard, going so far as to use the bird’s feathers to make special cloaks worn by chiefs and other people of high rank. Maoris believed kiwis to be the “hidden bird” of the god of the forest.

現今，Kiwi這個詞用來指從紐西蘭來的人。但奇異鳥作為國鳥的起源來自原住民族毛利人的文化。毛利人長久以來都很看重這種鳥，甚至用牠的羽毛做成特殊的斗篷來給酋長和其他位高權重者穿。毛利人認為奇異鳥是森林之神的「隱藏鳥」。

To New Zealanders, the kiwi symbolizes their uniqueness. This bird is not found anywhere else in the natural world and is unusual in many ways. For example, kiwi chicks leave the nest after only five days and feed themselves instead of depending on their parents.

對紐西蘭人而言，奇異鳥就象徵他們的獨特性。這種鳥不會在其他地方的大自然中見到，而且在許多方面都很特別。例如，奇異鳥的雛鳥在出生後僅僅五天便離開鳥巢、自己養活自己，而不依賴父母。