父亲节的由来

江西 戴剑国

◆语篇导读

父亲节是感恩父亲的节日，最广泛的日期是在每年6月的第三个星期日。节日里有各种各样的庆祝方式，大部分都与赠送礼物、家族聚餐或活动有关。这一天，孩子通常一大早就起床给父亲做一顿丰盛的早餐，端到父亲的床头，感谢父亲的养育之恩。你想知道父亲节的由来吗？

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.

◆词语积淀

misconception/,mɪskən'sepʃ(ə)n/n.误解；错觉

manufacturer/,mænju'fæktʃ(ə)rə(r)/n.制造商；制造厂

ceremony/'seriməni/n.典礼；仪式

regardless of不管；不顾

newborn/'nju:bɔ:n/adj.（婴儿）新生的；n.婴儿

rural/'rʊər(ə)l/adj.乡下的；农村的

parliamentary/,pɑːlə'mentri/adj.议会的；国会的

resolution/rezə'luːʃ(ə)n/n.决议；决心

honor/'ɒnə(r)/v.尊敬；对……表示敬意

◆典句赏析

1.She wanted a special day to honor her father William Smart,whose wife died while giving birth to their sixth child.她希望有一个特殊的日子来向她的父亲——威廉·斯玛特表示敬意，他的妻子在生他们第六个孩子时因难产而死。

whose用作关系代词引导定语从句，并在从句中作定语；give birth to是固定词组搭配，意为“生（孩子）；分娩”。

【即时尝试】他住在一个窗户面朝南的房间里。

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识到她的父亲一个人养大孩子所表现的力量和无私。

It was...that...是表强调的句型，意为“正是……；那是……”，强调after引导的时间状语从句；raise one’s children是常见的词组，意为“抚养……孩子”。

【即时尝试】正是因为他生病了，所以他昨天没来上学。

3.Father’s Day has become a day to not only honor your father,but all men who act as a father figure.父亲节现在已经成为向父亲及所有扮演父亲角色的人表达敬意的节日。

not only...but(also)...为并列连词，意为“不但……而且……”，连接两个并列成分，also可省略。not only...but(also)...连接两个主语时，谓语动词的人称和数与其最近的主语保持一致。

【即时尝试】不但是学生们，而且老师也反对这个计划。

译文助读

父亲节与普遍的误解不同的是，它并非是一个为了帮助贺卡制作厂商销售更多贺卡的节日。事实上，当“父亲节”的提议首先被提出时，父亲节贺卡根本就不存在。

父亲节的起源尚不清楚。有人说,它始于1908年在西弗吉尼亚州的教会服务。还有人说，第一个父亲节仪式在华盛顿的温哥华举行。

无论父亲节从哪年开始，这一节日最积极的倡导者要属华盛顿州斯波坎的约翰·布鲁斯·多德夫人了。多德夫人在1909年首先提出了设立“父亲节”的提议。她希望有一个特殊的日子来向她的父亲——威廉·斯玛特表示敬意，他的妻子在生他们第六个孩子时因难产去世。斯玛特先生在华盛顿州东部乡下的农场里独自养大了六个孩子。多德太太成年后才意识到她的父亲一个人养大孩子所表现的力量和无私。

1910年6月19日，人们在华盛顿庆祝了第一个父亲节。林登·约翰逊总统于1966年宣布每年6月的第三个星期天为父亲节。1972年，尼克松总统正式签署了建立父亲节的议会决议。这个节日终于以法律的形式确定了下来,并一直沿用至今。

父亲节现已成为向父亲及所有扮演父亲角色的人表达敬意的节日。继父、伯父、祖父及所有成年男性都将在父亲节受到尊敬。