【 活動精彩回顧】文字煉金術：英文字彙中的希臘與拉丁根源 

114年3月25日，政大英語教學資源中心成功舉辦了一場精彩的英語講座，主講人為國立政治大學英國語文學系 專案助理教授暨英語教學資源中心 EMI教師吳承翰博士。在這場以「希臘文與拉丁文對英文詞彙的影響」為主題的 EMI 講座中，語言不僅是知識的載體，更是我們理解世界、連結文化的重要鑰匙。

吳承翰教授以風趣生動的講授風格，帶領大家穿梭於古老語源與現代英文之間，讓參與者不只是學單字，更深入了解背後的故事與文化脈絡。從 bio-（生命）到 aqua-（水），從拉丁文字根到英文詞彙的結構組成，一步步揭開語言的歷史軌跡。

更有趣的是，吳教授巧妙地結合動畫與流行文化作為引子：像是《睡美人》中的黑魔女 Maleficent，其字首 mal- 即源自拉丁文，意指「壞的、邪惡的」；漫威角色 Thanos 的名稱中 than- 則來自希臘文，代表「死亡」。這些生活中熟悉的角色與詞語，讓同學們在笑聲與驚呼中重新認識英文的深層意涵。

此外，講座還從希臘神話延伸，介紹如 Sisyphean task（徒勞無功的任務）等文化片語，引發大家對語言與神話、歷史的連結思考。原來熟悉的英文裡，竟藏著這麼多值得挖掘的文化密碼！

活動中安排的小組互動與討論，更進一步激發了同學們的參與與熱情。不少人表示，在這樣輕鬆有趣的氛圍中，學得不僅快，記得也更牢，真正感受到「語言的魔法」。

這不只是一場語言學習講座，更像是一段穿越時空的文化探險，帶來嶄新的視角與啟發。感謝所有參與的師生，讓這場講座圓滿成功！未來，EMI資源中心將持續舉辦更多精彩的學術活動，促進跨領域的交流與合作，期待下次再與大家相見！

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On March 25, 2025, the EMI Resource Center at National Chengchi University successfully hosted a captivating EMI lecture. We invited Dr. Cheng-han Wu, assistant Professor of the Department of English, NCCU and EMI Teacher of the NCCU EMI Resource Center to be our speaker. The lecture centered on the theme “The Influence of Greek and Latin on English Vocabulary,” which highlighted how language serves not only as a vehicle for knowledge, but also as a vital key to understanding the world and connecting with different cultures.

Dr. Cheng-han Wu delivered an engaging and dynamic lecture that took participants on a journey through the roots of modern English. From bio- (life) to aqua- (water), students explored how Latin and Greek word elements form the foundation of many English words, gaining insights into the logic and structure behind the language.

What made the session especially memorable was Dr. Wu’s creative use of stories from popular culture. For instance, the name Maleficent from Disney’s Sleeping Beauty contains the Latin root mal-, meaning “bad” or “evil.” Similarly, Thanos, the iconic Marvel villain, derives from the Greek root than-, referring to “death.” These familiar references sparked strong resonance and curiosity among the participants.

Adding to the richness of the session, Dr. Wu also introduced culturally loaded expressions rooted in Greek mythology, such as a Sisyphean task—a phrase that refers to a futile, never-ending effort. These stories unveiled the deeper cultural layers hidden in everyday English and encouraged students to reflect on the intersection between language, history, and identity.

Interactive group activities further energized the atmosphere, prompting lively discussions and hands-on applications. Many students commented that they absorbed new vocabulary effortlessly and found the learning process both fun and meaningful.

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