middle passage（n.）
"大西洋的一部分，位于西印度群岛和非洲西海岸之间"，1788年，在反对跨大西洋奴隶贸易的鼓动中，来自 middle（形容词）+ passage（通道）。
It is clear that none of the unfortunate people, perhaps at this moment on board, can stand upright, but that they must sit down, and contract their limbs within the limits of little more than three square feet, during the whole of the middle passage. I cannot compare the scene on board this vessel, to any other than that of a pen of sheep; with this difference only, that the one have the advantages of a wholesome air, while that, which the others breathe, is putrid. [Thomas Clarkson, "An Essay on the Slavery and Commerce of the Human Species," 1788]
很明显，这些不幸的人中，也许此刻正在船上，没有一个人能站直，他们必须坐下来，将肢体收缩在不到三平方英尺的范围内，在整个中途停留期间。我无法将这艘船上的场景与其他场景进行比较，除了一只羊圈，只有一个区别，那就是一方拥有健康的空气，而另一方呼吸的空气是腐臭的。[托马斯·克拉克森，《论人类物种的奴隶制和商业》，1788年]
该词起源时间：1788年