VOA慢速英语--韩国曲棍球联合队克服语言障碍

Joint¹ Korean Hockey Team Overcomes Language Divide

North and South Koreans face a widening language divide caused by 70 years of separation. That is creating some communication problems for the two countries’ first joint Olympic team as it prepares for the Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea.

So, the joint women’s hockey team has created its own dictionary. The three-page document translates important hockey terms from English into South Korean, and then into North Korean.

Canadian Sarah Murray is the team’s coach. She says the document has helped everybody communicate.

Team Korea was formed just two weeks ago after the two Koreas decided² to suddenly cooperate during the Olympics. Twelve players from North Korea were then added to the 23-member South Korean team.

South Korea has incorporated³ many English words and phrases into its language. North Korea has removed foreign words and created substitutes from Korean words. To many South Koreans, the substitutes sound funny.

Language experts say about one-third of the everyday words used in the two countries are different. The divide is wider with technical language, like that used for medical and sports industries.

For example, South Korean hockey players use the English word "pass," but their North Korean teammates say "yeol lak" or "communication."

North Koreans say "nahl gay soo" meaning "wing player." South Koreans call that position "wing," like in English. South Koreans say "block shot" while North Koreans say "buhduh make," or "stretching to block."

Murray admits that there are still some problems in communication even with the new dictionary. She said her South Korean assistant coach plays an important part in bridging the divide.

Some in South Korea have criticized the partnership⁵. They argue that the addition of players from North Korea players may prevent South Korean players from playing as much. One early public opinion study found that about 70 percent of South Koreans opposed the joint team.

However, that opposition⁶ appears to be lessening⁷ as the Olympics near.

On Sunday, the joint Korean team had its first match. It played the team from Sweden, which ranks fifth in the world. A crowd of 3,000 people watched the match at a sports center in the city of Incheon. Team Korea lost 3-1. Still, many consider it a good result as neither Korea is among the world’s top 20 hockey teams.

The players wore the same uniforms, each adorned⁸ with an image of a "unification flag." The teammates stood together for the playing of a traditional Korean song. But the North and South Koreans live in separate buildings in the athletes’ village.

The International Olympic Committee has permitted 22 North Korean athletes to take part in the games. They plan to march with South Korean athletes under the "unification flag" during the opening ceremony.

Murray said the North and South Korean players are getting along much better than she had expected. She also said she is enjoying having the North Korean players on her team. She said they are "are absorbing everything like sponges¹⁰."

The North and South Korean players did not eat together at first. So, Murray said she asked them to do so.

"We sat together at the next meal and the players were laughing. They are just girls ... you know ... they are just hockey players. They are all wearing the same jersey¹¹ and we are on the same team now," Murray said. "Hockey really does bring people together."

I'm Ashley Thompson.

Words in This Story

dictionary - n. a reference¹² book that contains words listed in alphabetical¹³ order and that gives information about the words' meanings, forms, pronunciations, etc.

translate - v. to change words from one language into another language

incorporate⁴ - v. to include (something) as part of something else

match - n. a contest between two or more players or teams

uniform - n. a special kind of clothing that is worn by all the members of a group or organization (such as an army or team)

adorn⁹ (with)- v. to improve the appearance of something by adding something extra

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 incorporated   

a.结合的，并为一体的

参考例句：

• Many of your suggestions have been incorporated in the plan. 你的很多建议已纳入计划中。
• These conditions must be expressly incorporated into the contract of employment. 这些条件都必须明确地写进雇佣合同之中。

4 incorporate   

vt.包含，加上，吸收；把…合并，使并入

参考例句：

• Paints incorporate with oil.颜料与油混合在一起。
• We had to incorporate the company for tax reasons.由于纳税的原因，我们不得不把那家公司合并了。

5 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

6 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

7 lessening   

减轻，减少，变小

参考例句：

• So however much he earned, she spent it, her demands growing and lessening with his income. 祥子挣多少，她花多少，她的要求随着他的钱涨落。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
• The talks have resulted in a lessening of suspicion. 谈话消减了彼此的怀疑。

8 adorned   

[计]被修饰的

参考例句：

• The walls were adorned with paintings. 墙上装饰了绘画。
• And his coat was adorned with a flamboyant bunch of flowers. 他的外套上面装饰着一束艳丽刺目的鲜花。

9 adorn   

vt.使美化，装饰

参考例句：

• She loved to adorn herself with finery.她喜欢穿戴华丽的服饰。
• His watercolour designs adorn a wide range of books.他的水彩设计使许多图书大为生色。

10 sponges   

n.海绵( sponge的名词复数 )；海绵动物

参考例句：

• Sponges absorb water. 海绵吸水。 来自辞典例句
• Ice bags and alcohol sponges help to reduce fever, especially in children. 用冰袋和洒精擦浴有助于降体温，尤其是对儿童。 来自辞典例句

11 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

12 reference   

n.提到，说到，暗示，查看，查阅

参考例句：

• We spent days going through all related reference material.我们花了好多天功夫查阅所有有关的参考资料。
• I like to have my reference books within my reach.我喜欢把参考书放到伸手可取的地方。

13 alphabetical   

adj.字母（表）的，依字母顺序的

参考例句：

• Please arrange these books in alphabetical order.请把这些书按字母顺序整理一下。
• There is no need to maintain a strict alphabetical sequence.不必保持严格的字顺。