【精英翻譯】的部落格

The Colorful Lilac-Breasted Roller

夢幻彩色鳥

精英翻譯社轉自https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0062/350183/web/

This amazing African bird is named for its color and its impressive moves.

因色彩繽紛與驚人飛行動作而得其名的絕美非洲鳥。

Native to Africa, the lilac-breasted roller can be found throughout a large part of the African continent. They are so abundant in Kenya that they are the country’s national bird. This bird is also an important part of African folklore, and it has a very unique and colorful appearance. In fact, lilac-breasted rollers can have dazzling color combinations of up to eight colors, including dark blue, reddish brown, turquoise, yellow, green, and, of course, lilac.

紫胸佛法僧為非洲特有，可在大部分的非洲大陸見到。牠們在肯亞數量多到足以成為該國國鳥。這種鳥也是非洲民俗中一個重要的部分，而且牠擁有十分獨特且色彩繽紛的外貌。事實上，紫胸佛法僧的炫目色彩可能結合了多達八種顏色，包括深藍色、紅棕色、藍綠色、黃色、綠色，當然也有淡紫色。

The lilac-breasted roller gets part of its name from its pale purple coloring, but where does the roller part of the name come from? To impress females, males will perform flying tricks. One of these tricks is rolling from side to side while flying at high speeds and making loud cries.

紫胸佛法僧的名字部分來自牠的淡紫色，但牠名字中 roller（編按：意指「翻滾者」）的由來又是什麼呢？它源自於為了打動雌鳥，紫胸佛法僧公鳥會表演飛行特技。其中一種特技是在高速飛行時從一側翻滾到另一側，同時發出嘹亮的叫聲。

Lilac-breasted rollers are also a key part of some African traditions. For example, one African tribe creates chains out of lilac-breasted roller feathers. When a couple wants to get married, they are tied together with one of these colorful chains. The chain tests their ability to work together. If it falls apart, then they can’t get married.

紫胸佛法僧也是一些非洲傳統中重要的一環。例如，有一個非洲部落會用紫胸佛法僧的羽毛製作鏈子。一對新人想結婚時，就會用這樣一條多彩的鏈子把他們繫在一起。鏈子考驗他們攜手合作的能力。如果鏈子斷裂，他們就不能結婚。