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Japanese
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04:24 |
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J01 |
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Words and Their Stories -- a program in Special English. Like every
language, American English is full of special expressions -- phrases that
come from the day-to-day life of the people and develop in their own way.
Our expression today is "to face the music."
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J02 |
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When someone says, "Well, I guess I'll have to go face the music," it does
not mean he is planning to go to a concert. It is something far less
pleasant -- like being called in by your boss to explain why you did this
and did that, and why you did not do this or that. Sour music, indeed, but
it has to be faced. At some time or another, every one of us has had to
face the music, especially as children. We can all remember Father's angry
voice: "I want to talk to you." And only because we did not obey him, what
an unpleasant business it was! The phrase, "to face the music," is
familiar to every American, young and old. It is at least 100 years old.
And where did the expression come from?
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J03 |
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The first explanation comes from the American novelist, James Fenimore
Cooper. He said in 1851 that the expression was first used by actors while
waiting in the wings to go on the stage. When they got their cue to go on,
they often said, "Well it's time to go face the music," and that is
exactly what they did -- face the orchestra which was just below them. An
actor might be frightened or nervous as he moved on to the stage in front
of an audience that might be friendly, or perhaps hostile -- especially if
he forgot his lines -- but he had to go out. If he did not, there would be
no play. So, the expression, "to face the music, " came to mean having to
go through something, no matter how unpleasant the experience might be,
because you knew you had no choice.
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J04 |
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Other explanations about the expression go back to the army. When the men
faced inspection by their leader, the soldiers would be worried about how
well they looked. Was their equipment clean, shiny enough to pass
inspection? Still, the men had to go out and face the music of the band as
well as the inspection. What else could they do?
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J05 |
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Another army explanation is more closely related to the idea of facing the
results and accepting the responsibility for something that should not
have been done. As for example, when a man is forced out of the army
because he did something terrible, he is dishonored. The band does not
play. Only the drums tap a sad slow beat. The soldier is forced to leave
facing the music such as it is and facing the back of his horse.
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Voice of America
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