Why Is This Bird a 'Burden'?
2023-04-30
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1And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
2On this program we explore words and expressions in the English language.
3We give examples, notes on usage, and sometimes we use them in short conversations.
4Many English expressions come from the world of animals.
5And, today we talk about a seabird called an albatross.
6An albatross is a large web-footed seabird.
7In fact, this family of seabirds includes some of the largest.
8They have long thin wings and are excellent gliders.
9To glide means to move smoothly, silently, and effortlessly.
10Considering that an albatross can fly seemingly without effort, it is a bit surprising how we use the word in conversations.
11An albatross describes something - a burden - that weighs heavily on us and prevents us from accomplishing something.
12It can be a problem that does not go away.
13This problem makes it difficult or impossible to do or achieve something.
14An albatross can also be something that gets in our way - a roadblock that keeps us from getting what we want.
15It hinders us. Or if you prefer the noun - it is a hinderance to our success or to our ability to be happy.
16Some describe an albatross as a mental burden.
17For example: Her never-ending search for fame and fortune became an albatross to a normal, happy life.
18Here is another example: His albatross was his huge credit card debt.
19It weighed heavily on every decision he made.
20So, how did the name of this large, graceful bird come to have this meaning?
21On Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, experts explain that this usage of the word comes from European sea mythology.
22Albatrosses are known for following ships at sea.
23They can glide for long periods of time without flapping their wings.
24So, some sailors had superstitious beliefs about the birds.
25A superstition is a belief that certain things or events will bring good or bad luck.
26In Samuel Taylor Coleridge's 1798 poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, a sailor kills an albatross that had been following his ship.
27As punishment and proof that he killed the bird, the crew hung the large seabird from the sailor's neck.
28To this day, the albatross remains a symbol for something that causes extreme guilt or something that is a great burden.
29And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories.
30Until next time ... I'm Anna Matteo.
1And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English. 2On this program we explore words and expressions in the English language. We give examples, notes on usage, and sometimes we use them in short conversations. 3Many English expressions come from the world of animals. And, today we talk about a seabird called an albatross. An albatross is a large web-footed seabird. In fact, this family of seabirds includes some of the largest. They have long thin wings and are excellent gliders. To glide means to move smoothly, silently, and effortlessly. 4Considering that an albatross can fly seemingly without effort, it is a bit surprising how we use the word in conversations. 5An albatross describes something - a burden - that weighs heavily on us and prevents us from accomplishing something. It can be a problem that does not go away. This problem makes it difficult or impossible to do or achieve something. 6An albatross can also be something that gets in our way - a roadblock that keeps us from getting what we want. It hinders us. Or if you prefer the noun - it is a hinderance to our success or to our ability to be happy. Some describe an albatross as a mental burden. 7For example: Her never-ending search for fame and fortune became an albatross to a normal, happy life. 8Here is another example: His albatross was his huge credit card debt. It weighed heavily on every decision he made. 9So, how did the name of this large, graceful bird come to have this meaning? On Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, experts explain that this usage of the word comes from European sea mythology. 10Albatrosses are known for following ships at sea. They can glide for long periods of time without flapping their wings. So, some sailors had superstitious beliefs about the birds. A superstition is a belief that certain things or events will bring good or bad luck. 11In Samuel Taylor Coleridge's 1798 poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, a sailor kills an albatross that had been following his ship. As punishment and proof that he killed the bird, the crew hung the large seabird from the sailor's neck. 12To this day, the albatross remains a symbol for something that causes extreme guilt or something that is a great burden. 13And that's the end of this Words and Their Stories. 14Until next time ... I'm Anna Matteo. 15Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English. 16____________________________________________________________ 17Words in This Story 18glide - v. to move smoothly, continuously, and effortlessly 19hinder - v. to make slow or difficult the progress of something 20fame - n. the fact or condition of being known to the public 21fortune - n. a very large sum of money 22mythology - n. stories dealing with the gods and heroes of a particular people 23flap - v. to move or cause to move with a beating motion 24symbol - n. something that stands for something else especially : something real that stands for or suggests another thing that cannot in itself be pictured or shown 25We want to hear from you. Do you have a similar expressions in your language? In the Comments section, you can also practice using any of the expressions from the story. 26We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: 27Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here.