Now, the VOA Special English program, Words and Their Stories.

Baseball is America’s national sport. So it is not unusual that many popular expressions come from baseball. But first, let me explain a little about the game.  

Each baseball team has nine players. The pitcher of one team throws the ball to a batter from the other team. The batter attempts to hit the ball. If he misses, it is called a strike. If a batter gets three strikes, he loses his turn at bat and is called out. The batter also is out if he hits the ball in the air and an opposing player catches it. But if the batter hits the ball and it is not caught, the batter tries to run to one or more of the four bases on the field. The batter can run to all four bases if he hits the ball over the fence or out of the ballpark. Such a hit is called a home run.

Now, here are some common expressions from baseball. Someone who is on the ball is intelligent and able to do a good job. But a person who threw a curve ball did something unexpected. Someone who steps up to the plate is ready to do his or her job. A pinch hitter takes the place of someone else at a job or activity.

A person who strikes out or goes down swinging attempted something but failed. We also might tell the person that three strikes and you are out. But someone who hit a home run or hit it out of the park did something extremely well.  

Sometimes I have to give information quickly, without time to think it over. Then I would say something right off the bat. If someone is doing an extremely good job and is very successful, you might say he or she is batting one thousand.  

If I say I want to touch base with you, I will talk to you from time to time about something we plan to do. I might say I touched all the bases if I did what is necessary to complete a job or activity. And if I covered my bases I was well prepared. However, someone who is way off base did something wrong or maybe even dishonest or immoral. A person with strange ideas might be described as out in left field.

Let us say I want to sell my car but I do not know exactly how much it is worth. If someone asks me the price, I might give a ballpark figure or a ballpark estimate.  

If someone offers me an amount that is close to my selling price, I might say the amount is in the ballpark. However, if I say we are not in the same ballpark, I mean we cannot agree because my ideas are too different from yours.

Finally, when a situation changes completely, we say that is a whole new ballgame.

Baseball Terms: This Is a Whole New Ballgame  

Now, the VOA Special English program, Words and Their Stories.

해석과 스크립트
Baseball is America’s national sport. So it is not unusual that many popular expressions come from baseball. But first, let me explain a little about the game.

야구는 미국의 국가스포츠입니다.  따라서 많은 일상 표현들이 야구에서 유래되었다는 사실은 전혀 이상하지 않습니다. 하지만 먼저 야구경기에 대해 알아보도록 하겠습니다.

Each baseball team has nine players. The pitcher of one team throws the ball to a batter from the other team. The batter attempts to hit the ball. If he misses, it is called a strike.
야구팀에는 9명의 선수가 있습니다. 한쪽 팀 투수가 상대편의 타자에게 공을 던집니다. 타자는 그 공을 치려고 노력합니다. 만약 그가 공을 치지 못한다면 스트라이크가 되는 것입니다.

If a batter gets three strikes, he loses his turn at bat and is called out. 
한 타자가 세 번의 스트라이크를 당하게 되면, 타석에서의 기회를 박탈당하게 되며, 이를 ‘아웃’이라고 부릅니다.

The batter also is out if he hits the ball in the air and an opposing player catches it. But if the batter hits the ball and it is not caught, the batter tries to run to one or more of the four bases on the field.
타자가 친 공을 공중으로 날아가 상대팀 선수가 그 공을 잡아도 아웃입니다. 하지만 타자가 친 공이 잡히지 않는다면, 타자는 3개의 누(壘) 또는 홈을 향해 달려갑니다.

The batter can run to all four bases if he hits the ball over the fence or out of the ballpark. Such a hit is called a home run.

타자가 친 공이 담장이나 경기장 밖으로 나간다면, 타자는 전루(全壘)를 돌아 홈으로 들어오게 될 것입니다. 이것은 홈런이라고 불립니다.

Now, here are some common expressions from baseball. Someone who is on the ball is intelligent and able to do a good job.
이제 야구에서 유래된 몇 가지 일반적인 표현들을 알려드리겠습니다. 만일 누군가가 on the ball이라고 한다면, 그 사람은 영리하고 일을 잘 처리할 수 있다는 것을 의미합니다.

But a person who threw a curve ball did something unexpected. Someone who steps up to the plate is ready to do his or her job.
하지만 누군가 throw a curve ball을 했다면, 이것은 그 사람이 예기치 못한 일을 했다는 것을 의미합니다. step up to the plate를 한 사람은 자신이 맡은 일을 할 준비가 된 것을 의미합니다.

A pinch hitter takes the place of someone else at a job or activity.

pinch hitter(대타)는 어떤 일을 대신하게 되는 사람을 가리킵니다.

A person who strikes out or goes down swinging attempted something but failed. We also might tell the person that three strikes and you are out.
누군가 strike out되거나 go down swinging 했다면, 이것은 그 사람이 무언가를 시도해 보았지만 실패했음을 의미합니다. 우리는 또한 누군가에게 three strikes and you are out(당신은 삼진아웃 되었습니다)라고 말할 수도 있습니다.

But someone who hit a home run or hit it out of the park did something extremely well.

하지만 만약 누군가 hit a home run( 홈런을 치다)했다면, 그 사람이 어떤 일을 매우 훌륭히 해냈음을 의미하게 되는 것입니다.

Sometimes I have to give information quickly, without time to think it over. Then I would say something right off the bat. If someone is doing an extremely good job and is very successful, you might say he or she is batting one thousand.  

우리는 때로 정보를 재빨리 주어야 할 때가 있습니다. 생각할 겨를도 없이 말입니다. 이럴 때 우리는 something right off the bat이라고 말할 수 있습니다. 만약 누군가가 어떤 일을 매우 훌륭히 처리했다면 우리는 그 사람을 두고 batting one thousand라고 말할 수 있는 것입니다.

If I say I want to touch base with you, I will talk to you from time to time about something we plan to do. I might say I touched all the bases if I did what is necessary to complete a job or activity.
만약 우리가 "I want to touch base with you"라고 말한다면, 이는 우리가 계획하고 있는 일에 대해 이따금씩 이야기를 나누자는 것을 의미합니다. 우리가 어떤 일을 완수하는 데에 필요한 것을 모두 했을 때에도 우리는 I touched all the bases라고 말할 수 있습니다.

And if I covered my bases I was well prepared. However, someone who is way off base did something wrong or maybe even dishonest or immoral. A person with strange ideas might be described as out in left field.

 만약 우리가 I covered my bases라고 말한다면 우리는 어떤 일에 대해 만반의 준비가 된 것입니다. 하지만 누군가 way off base 한 상태라면, 이것은 그 사람이 무언가 잘못된 일을 하였거나, 부도덕한 일을 한 경우일 것입니다. 한편 이상한 생각을 갖고 있는 사람은 out in left field라고 부를 수 있습니다.

Let us say I want to sell my car but I do not know exactly how much it is worth. If someone asks me the price, I might give a ballpark figure or a ballpark estimate.  

만일 제가 제 차를 팔고 싶은데, 제 차의 가격이 얼마나 나갈지를 모른다고 칩시다. 만약 누군가 저에게 그 차의 가격을 묻는다면, 저는 그 사람에게 ballpark figure 또는 ballpark estimate(대략적인 금액)을 알려줄 것입니다.

If someone offers me an amount that is close to my selling price, I might say the amount is in the ballpark.
만약 누군가가 내가 판매하는 금액에 가까운 가격을 제시한다면, 저는 그 액수가 in the ballpark하다라고 말할 수 있습니다.

However, if I say we are not in the same ballpark, I mean we cannot agree because my ideas are too different from yours.

하지만 만약 제가 we are not in the same ballpark라고 말한다면 이것은 당신과 나와의 생각이 너무 다르기 때문에 동의할 수 없다는 것을 의미하게 됩니다.

Finally, when a situation changes completely, we say that is a whole new ballgame.

마지막으로 완전히 바뀌게 된 상황을 두고 우리는 a whole new ballgame이라고 부릅니다.