Ceremony – English Lyrics

• By: New Order

Lyrics & Translation

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
events /ɪˈvɛnts/ B1	noun - a thing that happens or takes place, especially one of importance
unnerve /ʌnˈnɜːrv/ C1	verb - to make someone feel nervous or frightened
story /ˈstɔːri/ A1	noun - an account of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment
wheels /wiːlz/ A2	noun - a circular object that revolves on an axle and is fixed below a vehicle or other object to enable it to move easily over the ground
turning /ˈtɜːrnɪŋ/ B1	verb - to move in a circular direction around an axis or center noun - a place where a road or path bends or forks
strength /strɛŋθ/ B2	noun - the quality or state of being physically strong
hold /hoʊld/ A2	verb - grasp, carry, or support with one's hands
world /wɜːrld/ A1	noun - the earth, together with all of its countries, people, and natural features
travel /ˈtrævəl/ A1	verb - make a journey, typically of some length
lean /liːn/ B1	verb - be in or move into a sloping position
break /breɪk/ A2	verb - separate or cause to separate into pieces as a result of a blow, shock, or strain
mercy /ˈmɜːrsi/ B2	noun - compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm
heaven /ˈhɛvən/ A2	noun - a place regarded in various religions as the abode of God or the gods and the good after death
frail /freɪl/ B2	adjective - weak and delicate
avenues /ˈævənjuːz/ B2	noun - a broad road in a town or city, typically having trees at regular intervals along its sides
lined /laɪnd/ B1	verb - to form or mark with a line
trees /triːz/ A1	noun - a woody perennial plant, typically having a single stem or trunk growing to a considerable height and bearing lateral branches at some distance from the ground
grow /ɡroʊ/ A1	verb - to increase in size or develop

Key Grammar Structures

• This is why events unnerve me

  ➔ Inversion for Emphasis

  ➔ Normally, it would be "Events unnerve me. This is why." The inversion puts emphasis on "This is why".

• Notice whom for wheels are turning

  ➔ Archaic/Poetic Relative Pronoun Usage

  ➔ "Whom" is used as a relative pronoun. In modern English, "who" would often be used instead, even when referring to the object of a preposition.

• All she asks is the strength to hold me

  ➔ Subjunctive Mood (implied)

  ➔ The sentence implies "All she asks is that she *have* the strength to hold me." The word *have* (subjunctive) is often omitted in modern English.

• Heaven knows, it's got to be this time

  ➔ Ellipsis

  ➔ The phrase "Heaven knows" is a shortened version of "Heaven only knows". The word "only" is omitted for brevity.

• Too frail to wake this time

  ➔ Elliptical Clause/Reduced Clause

  ➔ This is a shortened form of a clause. It could be interpreted as "She is too frail to wake this time" or "(Being) Too frail to wake this time."

• Avenues all lined with trees

  ➔ Adjectival Phrase

  ➔ "Lined with trees" acts as an adjective describing the avenues. It's a participial phrase functioning as an adjective.

• Watching love graw, forever

  ➔ Non-finite Clause with Verb + Object

  ➔ "Watching love graw" uses a present participle "watching" followed by the object "love", and modifying verb "graw", acting like a clause without a subject. The misspelling of "grow" is artistic license.