The origin of the New Year's resolution
Happy New Year! For many in the UK, if the New Year means anything, it means starting with a clean slate and turning over a new leaf. And to do this, many of us make New Year's resolutions – a list of ways that we intend to improve ourselves in the year ahead.
We reflect on our past transgressions and resolve not to do them again. Refraining from smoking is ever popular, as is a vow to take up more exercise or spend more time with family. But where does the idea of a New Year's resolution come from?
The answer might lie 4,000 years ago in ancient Babylonia, according to History.com. The Babylonians are believed to be the first to hold recorded celebrations for the New Year.
The 12-day-long celebration, Akitu, allowed them not only to reaffirm their loyalty to the king, or crown a new one, but also to pledge to the gods to pay their debts and return borrowed objects. For their 'good behaviour', they believed the gods would bestow favour upon them for the year to come. If not, there would be divine consequences!
The Romans too had similar traditions. New Year's Day was a time when senators would swear they had upheld the laws and city leaders and soldiers would take an oath of loyalty to the emperor.
Incidentally, the month of January, is named after the Roman god Janus. He is the god of beginnings, transitions and time, among other things and is depicted as having two faces – one looking to the past and the other facing forward to the future.
The Romans may be long gone, but their legacy lives on. Come the turn of the year, our eyes turn inwards. We look at self-improvement, review our past mistakes, confess our wrongdoings, seek atonement and try to sharpen up in general. Ultimately, much like the Babylonians and Romans, we seek to reaffirm the best parts of ourselves, while leaving the dross behind.
Whether you're looking at a quick behavioural tweak, or a huge personality overhaul, you're taking part in a tradition that goes back centuries. I wish you all the best sticking to your resolutions. Happy New Year!
词汇表
start with a clean slate [sleɪt] 从头开始，既往不咎
turn over a new leaf 翻开新篇章，改过自新
New Year's resolution [ˌrezəˈluːʃn] n. 新年决心，新年愿望，新年计划
transgression [trænsˈɡreʃn] n. 过错，罪过，违规行为
resolve [rɪˈzɒlv] v. 下定决心，决定，决意
refrain from [rɪˈfreɪn] 戒除，克制，避免
vow [vaʊ] n. 誓言，誓约
ancient Babylonia [ˌbæbɪˈləʊniə] n. 古巴比伦（古代西亚国家）
Babylonian [ˌbæbɪˈləʊniən] adj. 巴比伦的；n. 巴比伦人
Akitu [əˈkiːtuː] n. 阿基图节（古巴比伦新年庆典）
reaffirm [ˌriːəˈfɜːm] vt. 重申，再肯定，再次确认
crown [kraʊn] vt. 为…加冕，立…为王
pledge [pledʒ] v. 立誓，承诺，保证
bestow favour upon [bɪˈstəʊ] 赐予恩惠，施恩于
divine consequences [dɪˈvaɪn ˈkɒnsɪkwənsɪz] 神的惩罚，天谴
senator [ˈsenətə(r)] n. 元老院议员，参议员
swear [sweə(r)] vt. 发誓，宣誓
uphold [ʌpˈhəʊld] vt. 维护，遵守（法律、原则等）
take an oath [əʊ] 宣誓，立下誓言
incidentally [ˌɪnsɪˈdentəli] adv. 顺带一提，附带地
Janus [ˈdʒeɪnəs] n. 雅努斯（罗马神话中的开端与过渡之神）
depict [dɪˈpɪkt] vt. 描绘，描画
confess [kənˈfes] v. 坦白，承认（过错）
wrongdoing [ˈrɒŋduːɪŋ] n. 过失，不良行为
atonement [əˈtəʊnmənt] n. 弥补，补偿，赎罪
sharpen up [ˈʃɑːpən] 改进，改善
dross [drɒs] n. 糟粕，废物，无用之物
tweak [twiːk] n. 微调，稍稍调整
overhaul [ˈəʊvəhɔːl] n. 大修，彻底改造，全面改革
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