残奥会的英文为什么是Paralympic Games？- 21英语教师网

众所周知，残奥会的英文是“Paralympic Games”或“Paralympics”，但paralympics这个词原意是脊髓病患者举行的运动会。

七八十年以前，瘫痪病人的寿命普遍被认为很难超过两年，但偏偏有一个名为路德维希·古特曼（Ludwig Guttmann）的医生坚定着他不同寻常的想法，从英国小村斯托克曼德维尔“试航”，让残奥会最终与奥运会并驾齐驱，用体育改变了无数残疾人的命运。

It's hard to imagine how miserable it could be if someone was paralyzed during the 1940s as the life expectancy for him or her was no more than two years. However, Professor Guttmann, a German-born British neurologist had his own ideas about life expectancy and insisted on the treatment and rehabilitation in his way, which included sports.

1948年伦敦奥运会开幕当天，斯托克·曼德维尔医院16名下肢瘫痪的病人坐在轮椅上拉弓、瞄准，进行了一场射箭比赛。组织这场比赛的正是从德国逃难至英国的神经科医生路德维希·古特曼（Ludwig Guttmann）。他在英国政府的授意下于曼德维尔医院建立了脊柱损伤科，同时为此注入了在当时看来不可思议的个人理想：不只为让那些伤员更舒服地度过所剩不多的时日，而是要让他们有尊严地活得更长久。所以当时路德维希·古特曼（Ludwig Guttmann）就把这个运动命名为“Paralympic Games”。这个词由paraplegic（半身瘫痪的）和Olympic组合而来。

The British government asked Guttmann to establish a Spinal Injuries Unit at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital in 1943. The patients under his care began playing bowls on wheelchairs with broomsticks on the ward, then an archery competition on the very day of the opening ceremony of the 1948 London Olympic Games. When 16 paraplegic patients drew their bows on wheelchairs at Stoke Mandeville in England more than 70 years ago, they were just fighting for a better and longer life.

斯托克·曼德维尔医院外的“残奥会之父”——医生古特曼的雕像。

1960年，古特曼创办的比赛第一次走出斯托克曼德维尔，在罗马奥运会后于相同的场馆举行，这随后也被认定为历史上首届残奥会。

Twelve years later, the Mandeville originated Games was held abroad for the first time and was in the Olympics venue immediately after the Olympic Games. The 1960 Games in Rome was then recognized as the first Paralympic Games.

后来随着不同残障人士的加入，有人对Paralympic的准确性提出了质疑。但最终这个词被沿用了下来，因为它被赋予了新的释义：

Para来自希腊语前置词，等同于beside或alongside（并列、肩并肩），意思是“平行的奥林匹亚”，如果用中文翻译，应该是“同奥会”“平奥会”“偕奥会”。1988年，在韩国首尔举办的奥运会上，Paralympic一词首次被官方正式使用。

世卫组织估计，全球逾10亿人（约占世界人口的15%）患有某种形式的残疾。2010年全国人口普查显示，中国有8500多万残障人士，占总人口的6.4%以上，其中30%为重度残障。

在2021年12月3日的国际残疾人日，联合国秘书长安东尼奥·古特雷斯（António Guterres）说：

As the world recovers from the pandemic, we must ensure that the aspirations and rights of persons with disabilities are included and accounted for in an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 world. This vision will only be achieved through active consultation with persons with disabilities and their representative organizations.

在世界从疫情中恢复的过程中，我们必须确保残疾人的愿望和权利被纳入一个包容、无障碍和可持续的后疫情世界并得到体现。只有与残疾人及其代表组织积极协商，才能实现这一愿景。

虽然在今天看来，残障人士参加奥运会是很自然的事，但实际上在几百年前，遭受歧视的他们是被隔离在体育运动之外的。下面的视频带您了解残奥会的发展历史。

拓展学习

paralyze

The fall paralyzed the old man from the waist down. 这一跤摔得老人腰部以下瘫痪了。

The storm has paralyzed the airport. 暴风雪使机场陷入瘫痪状态。

be paralyzed with fear 被吓蒙；被吓瘫

treatment

He is receiving emergency treatment. 他在接受急救。

This book’s treatment of modern urban life is detailed and realistic. 本书对现代都市生活的论述详尽而真实。

sewage treatment 污水处理

We didn’t ask for any special treatment. 我们没有要求任何特殊待遇。

disability

physical/mental disability 生理/心理缺陷

children with severe learning disabilities 有严重学习障碍的儿童

Public places in China are becoming more accessible to people with disabilities. 在中国，公共场所越来越方便残障人士出入。

（参考：《新编英汉学习词典》）

关键词：残奥会