He waited in the wings?

Reader question:

Please explain this sentence: “He waited in the wings before being called to speak at the conference.” In the wings? What wings?

My comments:

If you’re doing translation work and want to put this into Chinese, all you need to do is to say that “he patiently waited for his turn to speak”.

In other words, you won’t miss much by ignoring “the wings”, at least in this case.

“The wings”, you see, is an old idiom which originated from theatre. They refer to both sides of the stage where actors do their makeup, rehearse their lines before taking center stage. The center stage, of course, is where the limelight is, where performers entertain the audience and get applauded for what they can do.

The wings, in short, are the backstage.

Two things to note about this idiom, wait in the wings. First, Wings, not wing. Wings, in plural form. Plural because, as a bird has a pair of wings, the stage, too, has two wings. One on each side of the center stage, behind each curtain.

Second, since actors waiting in the wings are ready to perform, this idiom metaphorically often implies that those who are “waiting in the wings” are ready to take action once the opportunity comes for them to do so.

Or it may imply that they are patient, as it is the case in the above example, where “he” has to patiently wait for his turn to speak at the conference, just as an actor would need patience while waiting for his turn behind the curtains because he’s not supposed to show up before the actor before him finishes performing. If he did, the other performer would have been upstaged (yes, that’s the word), which would turn both of them into a laughing stock of the audience.

Or for another example, a crown prince is often described as having been waiting in the wings, to succeed the throne. The heir apparent, as he is sometimes called, may have been waiting in the wings for years. But he has to have patience to keep waiting because, apparently (pardon the pun), he cannot succeed the crown before the old man dies (or formally step aside due to poor health or some other reason).

In other words, wait in the wings, be ready and be patient. Your moment will come. All in good time.

Alright, here are media examples of this very useful idiom, “wait in the wings”, both literally and figuratively:

1. The sign of a good partner is one who lets their love shine on an important evening, and that’s just what Justin Theroux did for girlfriend Jennifer Aniston tonight.

The 40-year-old actor waited in the wings while his A-list lady walked the red carpet at Skylight Soho in New York City Monday to promote her labour of love film, Five.

Although he shyly refused to steal her limelight by posing together, he did show off his influence: the power couple were dressed in identical black outfits.

- He’s a shy guy! Justin Theroux waits in the wings as Jennifer Aniston joins her friends on the red carpet, MailOnline, September 27, 2011.

2. Jon S. Brumley, the 39-year-old chief executive of the oil and gas producer Encore Acquisition, waited in the wings while his father, I. Jon Brumley, who cofounded the company, ran the show. Then when Brumley Sr. stepped down in December 2005, the baton passed to the son.

- America’s 15 Most Powerful CEOs 40 And Under, Forbes.com, February 10, 2010.

3. As seven Republican candidates for president prepared for a June 13 debate in New Hampshire and others waited in the wings, there were signs that religion will play as big a role in the 2017 election as it has in other recent campaigns.

Many of the declared or potential candidates lined up in Washington June 3-4 to address a “strategy briefing” sponsored by the Faith & Freedom Coalition, an organization headed by Christian Coalition founder Ralph Reed, and to pledge their commitment to the coalition’s views on abortion, same-sex marriage and similar social issues.

- Religion may play crucial role in 2017 campaign, as it has in past, USCatholic.org, June 10, 2011.

4. New Jersey’s Supreme Court has a new face today after attorney Anne Patterson was sworn in as its newest member.

Patterson, 52, of Mendham, replaces Justice Roberto Rivera-Soto whose seven-year term ended Wednesday. He did not seek renomination to the seven-member bench.

A partner in the law firm Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland & Perretti, Patterson originally was nominated last year to replace Justice John Wallace Jr., whom Gov. Chris Christie declined to reappoint, touching off a firestorm of disapproval from Democrats. Senate President Stephen Sweeney, a Democrat from Wallace’s Gloucester County, refused to advance her nomination.

Patterson waited in the wings until earlier this year when Christie suggested she fill Rivera-Soto’s spot. He also agreed not to fill Wallace’s vacancy until the former justice’s term expires in March.

Chief Justice Stuart Rabner administered the oath of office while Patterson’s husband, James Patterson, held the Bible for her, said Winnie Comfort, a spokeswoman for the Administrative Office of the Courts.

- Anne Patterson sworn in to N.J. Supreme Court, NJ.com, September 01, 2011.

About the author:

Zhang Xin is Trainer at chinadaily.com.cn. He has been with China Daily since 1988, when he graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Write him at: zhangxin@chinadaily.com.cn, or raise a question for potential use in a future column.