Main Translations

English: Barrage

Thai: การโจมตีกระหน่ำ (Kan johm tee krahan)

Phonetic: [Gahn johm tee krà-hăn]

Detailed Explanation: The term "barrage" primarily refers to a concentrated and overwhelming attack, often in a military context, such as a rapid series of artillery fire. It conveys a sense of intensity, urgency, and force, evoking emotional connotations of chaos, defense, or overwhelming pressure. Usage scenarios include military strategies, metaphorical descriptions in everyday language (e.g., a barrage of questions in a debate), and even sports commentary. Semantically, it emphasizes volume and persistence, making it a nuanced word for situations involving sustained effort or assault.

Thai: กำแพงกั้นน้ำ (Kamphaeng gan nam)

Phonetic: [Kăm-pɛ̂ng gàn nám]

Detailed Explanation: As a secondary translation, "barrage" can mean a man-made barrier or dam used to control water flow, such as in engineering or environmental contexts. This usage is more neutral and practical, with connotations of stability and control rather than aggression. Scenarios include discussions on flood control, irrigation systems, or infrastructure projects. Semantically, it highlights protection and regulation, differing from the military sense by focusing on defensive or constructive applications rather than offensive ones.

Overview of Usage Scenarios

"Barrage" is a versatile word with primary applications in military and engineering fields, but it is also used metaphorically in everyday language. In military contexts, it describes intense, coordinated attacks, often implying high stakes and rapid action. In engineering, it refers to physical barriers for water management, emphasizing practicality and safety. Metaphorically, it appears in business, media, or social situations to denote an overwhelming influx, such as a barrage of emails or criticisms. This word's nuances make it common in formal writing, news reports, and casual conversations, reflecting themes of intensity, defense, and abundance across scenarios.

Example Sentences

Example Sentences in Different Scenarios

Business Scenario

English: The company faced a barrage of complaints from customers after the product recall.

Thai: บริษัทต้องเผชิญกับการโจมตีกระหน่ำของคำร้องเรียนจากลูกค้าหลังจากเรียกคืนสินค้า (Brorchit dtong per chern gap kan johm tee krahan khor kwam rong riang chak luk kha lang jaak riak keun sing).

Grammatical Breakdown: "Barrage" functions as a noun (object of the preposition "of"), describing the complaints. "Faced" is the main verb in past tense, indicating an action. The sentence structure includes a subject ("The company"), verb phrase, and prepositional phrase for detail.

Structural Analysis: This is a simple declarative sentence with a subject-verb-object pattern. The metaphorical use of "barrage" adds emphasis on volume, making it suitable for business contexts to highlight crisis management and customer relations.

Leisure Scenario

English: During the concert, the audience unleashed a barrage of cheers and applause.

Thai: ระหว่างคอนเสิร์ต ผู้ชมได้ระเบิดการโจมตีกระหน่ำของเสียงเชียร์และการปรบมือ (Rian waan khon-sert, poo chom dai ra-bet kan johm tee krahan khor siang chearn lae kan pob meu).

Grammatical Breakdown: "Barrage" is a noun modifying "cheers and applause." "Unleashed" is the verb in past tense, showing action. The sentence includes a prepositional phrase ("During the concert") for context.

Structural Analysis: This compound sentence builds excitement, using "barrage" metaphorically to convey enthusiasm in leisure settings. It demonstrates how the word adapts to informal, positive scenarios while maintaining its core meaning of intensity.

Formal Occasion

English: The politician endured a barrage of tough questions during the press conference.

Thai: นักการเมืองต้องทนต่อการโจมตีกระหน่ำของคำถามที่ยากลำบากในการแถลงข่าว (Nak karn meuang dtong tan tor kan johm tee krahan khor kwam tham thi ya glambak nai kan thlang khao).

Grammatical Breakdown: "Barrage" acts as a noun (subject complement). "Endured" is the verb in past tense, with "of tough questions" as a prepositional phrase providing specification.

Structural Analysis: A complex sentence that uses "barrage" to emphasize pressure in formal events, highlighting its role in professional or political discourse for added dramatic effect.

Informal Occasion

English: My inbox was hit by a barrage of memes from my friends after the game.

Thai: กล่องจดหมายของฉันถูกโจมตีกระหน่ำด้วยมีมจากเพื่อนๆ หลังจบเกม (Glong chot mai khor chan tuk johm tee krahan duay meem chak peuan peuan lang job gem).

Grammatical Breakdown: "Barrage" is a noun as the object of the preposition "by." "Was hit" is the passive verb phrase in past tense.

Structural Analysis: This informal sentence employs "barrage" lightly for humor, showing its flexibility in casual conversations while maintaining a structure that flows naturally in digital communication.

Example Sentences in Different Sentence Types

Declarative Sentence

English: The soldiers set up a barrage to protect the base.

Thai: ทหารตั้งการโจมตีกระหน่ำเพื่อปกป้องฐาน (Ta han dtang kan johm tee krahan pheu pak bong taan).

Grammatical Breakdown: "Barrage" is a direct object noun. "Set up" is the phrasal verb in past tense.

Structural Analysis: A straightforward declarative sentence that states a fact, ideal for educational or narrative contexts.

Interrogative Sentence

English: Did the engineers build a barrage to prevent flooding?

Thai: วิศวกรสร้างกำแพงกั้นน้ำเพื่อป้องกันน้ำท่วมหรือไม่? (Wit sa wak sa ng sraang kamphaeng gan nam pheu bpong thern nam thoom reu mai?)

Grammatical Breakdown: "Barrage" is the object of the verb "build." The sentence ends with a question mark, indicating interrogation.

Structural Analysis: This interrogative form probes for information, using "barrage" in an engineering context to engage in discussions or debates.

Imperative Sentence

English: Prepare for the barrage of holiday shoppers tomorrow!

Thai: เตรียมพร้อมสำหรับการโจมตีกระหน่ำของนักช็อปช่วงเทศกาลพรุ่งนี้! (Dtriam prom sam rap kan johm tee krahan khor nak chop chud tesaganprung nee!)

Grammatical Breakdown: "Barrage" is a noun in the object phrase. "Prepare" is the imperative verb.

Structural Analysis: An imperative sentence that commands action, leveraging "barrage" for urgency in motivational or warning scenarios.

Exclamatory Sentence

English: What a barrage of fireworks that was!

Thai: นั่นเป็นการโจมตีกระหน่ำของดอกไม้ไฟที่น่าตื่นเต้นอะไรเช่นนั้น! (Nan pen kan johm tee krahan khor dok mai fai thi naa dteun ten ar chun nan!)

Grammatical Breakdown: "Barrage" modifies "fireworks" as a noun phrase. The exclamation mark denotes strong emotion.

Structural Analysis: This exclamatory sentence expresses amazement, using "barrage" metaphorically to heighten excitement in leisure or celebratory contexts.

Example Sentences of Different Difficulties

Simple Sentence

English: The barrage stopped the enemy.

Thai: การโจมตีกระหน่ำหยุดศัตรู (Kan johm tee krahan yud sat ru).

Grammatical Breakdown: "Barrage" is the subject. "Stopped" is the verb in past tense.

Structural Analysis: A basic subject-verb-object structure, easy for beginners to understand in military contexts.

Intermediate Sentence

English: After the barrage, the team regrouped to assess the damage.

Thai: หลังจากการโจมตีกระหน่ำ ทีมงานได้รวมตัวเพื่อประเมินความเสียหาย (Lang jaak kan johm tee krahan, tim ngan dai rum tua pheu bpra meun kwam si a hai).

Grammatical Breakdown: "Barrage" is part of a prepositional phrase. "Regrouped" is the main verb.

Structural Analysis: This compound sentence adds complexity with sequencing, suitable for intermediate learners in strategic scenarios.

Complex Sentence

English: Although the barrage was effective in holding back the floodwaters, it required constant maintenance to prevent structural failures.

Thai: แม้ว่ากำแพงกั้นน้ำจะมีประสิทธิภาพในการกั้นน้ำท่วม แต่ก็ต้องมีการบำรุงรักษาอย่างสม่ำเสมอเพื่อป้องกันการล้มเหลวของโครงสร้าง (Mae wa kwa kamphaeng gan nam ja mee bpra sit ti phap nai kan gan nam thoom tae gor dtong mee kan ba rung rak yaang sam samueo pheu bpong thern kan lom luay khor kraw sang).

Grammatical Breakdown: "Barrage" is the subject of the subordinate clause. Subordinating conjunctions like "although" create dependency.

Structural Analysis: A complex sentence with multiple clauses, ideal for advanced users in engineering discussions to explore cause-effect relationships.

Related Phrases and Expressions

Synonyms/Near Synonyms:

• Salvo – Used for a simultaneous discharge of weapons or a burst of activity, often in military or metaphorical contexts (e.g., a salvo of criticisms).
• Onslaught – Refers to a fierce attack or surge, similar to barrage but with a stronger emphasis on violence or overwhelming force.

Antonyms:

• Trickle – Describes a slow, sparse flow, contrasting barrage's intensity (e.g., a trickle of information versus a barrage).
• Sparse – Indicates scarcity or infrequency, highlighting the opposite of barrage's abundant nature.

Common Collocations:

• Artillery barrage – Refers to a military bombardment, commonly used in historical or strategic discussions.
• Media barrage – Describes an overwhelming amount of media coverage, often in news or public relations contexts.

Cultural Background and Usage Habits

Cultural Background:

• Cultural Point 1: In Western literature and media, "barrage" often appears in war narratives, such as World War I accounts, symbolizing the horrors of modern warfare. For instance, it reflects themes of resilience and destruction in cultures influenced by military history, like in British or American contexts, where it evokes memories of trench warfare.

Usage Habits:

• Habit 1: "Barrage" is frequently used in formal and professional settings, such as news reports or academic writing, but less so in everyday casual talk. It is popular among educated groups like journalists, military personnel, and engineers, with high frequency in English-speaking countries during discussions of conflict or environmental issues.

Grammar Explanation

Grammatical Function: "Barrage" is primarily a noun, functioning as a subject, object, or part of a prepositional phrase in sentences. For example, it can be the subject in "The barrage began at dawn" or the object in "They launched a barrage."

Tense and Voice: As a noun, "barrage" does not change with tenses. However, it can appear in sentences with verbs in various tenses (e.g., "The barrage is ongoing" in present tense). In passive voice, it might be used as in "A barrage was ordered by the commander," where the focus shifts to the action involving it.

References

Etymology and History:

The word "barrage" originates from the French "barrage," meaning a dam or barrier, derived from the verb "barrer" (to bar or obstruct). It entered English in the 19th century, initially referring to engineering structures, and evolved during World War I to denote artillery fire. This evolution reflects historical shifts from defensive infrastructure to military tactics, making it a word tied to technological and wartime advancements.

Literary References:

• From Erich Maria Remarque's "All Quiet on the Western Front" (1929): "The barrage roared like a thousand thunderclaps." This passage illustrates the word's use in depicting the chaos of trench warfare, sourced from a seminal anti-war novel.
• From Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" (1899): "A barrage of sounds from the jungle overwhelmed us." Here, it metaphorically conveys sensory overload, highlighting its adaptability in literary descriptions of exploration and imperialism.