鬼月有好多禁忌，比如不能游泳啦，晚上不能洗衣服啦。鬼月和中元節的起源是什麼，如今的人又怎麼過鬼月呢? ICRT的Jane, Hope and Tim在播客節目中聊到這些古老的傳統，還有世界其他地方的類似節日。ICRT “新聞說分明”是輕鬆有趣的播客節目，不但增進對某項新聞事件的了解，同時順便學一點英文表達方式。端一杯咖啡或是好茶，來聽聽新聞說分明。

Ghost Month-Vocabulary

Offering 供品

People go to temples bearing offerings for the deity. 人們帶著供品去廟裡貢獻給神。

good brothers 好兄弟

傳說鬼月時從地府中出來的遊魂不喜歡被稱為[鬼]，於是有了好兄弟這種稱呼。

Water lamp 水燈

To celebrate the Ghost Festival in Keelung, people would float water lanterns or lamps in the harbor to light up for the hungry spirits or ghosts so that they know the way to enjoy offerings.

基隆的中元節會在港邊放水燈，照亮落難水鬼的路，好讓他們也能享用祭品。

Buddhist and Taoist 佛教徒與道教徒

The origin of the Ghost Festival in Taiwan is a combination of traditions of Buddhist and Taoist festivals. 台灣的中元節起源融合了佛教和道教的傳統節日。

Mix up 混和

English is a language that mixed up several other European languages.

英文混和了好幾種歐洲語言。

Indigenous 本土的

The Paiwan, who mainly live in the southern parts of the island, are an indigenous people in Taiwan. 排灣族是台灣原住民，主要居住在台灣南部。

Taboo 禁忌

One of the taboos during the Ghost Month is to go swimming in the rivers or the sea for fear that some ghosts may be looking for scapegoats.

鬼月禁忌之一是鬼月時去河裡或是海裡游泳，怕有水鬼會抓替死鬼。

Superstition 迷信

A: Many people believe that black cats are bad luck.

很多人相信黑貓會帶來厄運。

B: That’s a superstition! Black panthers are so beautiful!

那是迷信! 黑豹非常漂亮!