准确用词关系到表达的正确和地道,一般而言涉及四个C:
第一个C为connotation(内涵)。
它比meaning(意义)更为深入。例如,discount的意思为折扣,但英语中30%discount指原价100元现在卖70元;而汉语中三折指原价100元现在卖30元。汉语表达的很多意思在英语中没有完全对应的说法,但可以尽量找接近的,以提高表达的精确度,一篇讲词汇知识的文章说有时候会犯些小错(mistake),有时候会闹大笑话(blunder)实blunder是强调错误的严重和非故意,howler才和大笑话对应。
第二个C为collocation(搭配)。
它除了影响地道性(如big rain不如heavy rain地道),还与词义有关,例如apply与for和to搭配时意思分别为申请和运用。须注意的是entitle若和to搭配意思就不是通常的冠名,命名,而是拥有某种权利、地位、荣誉等。be entitled to的用法首先出现于1995年研究生入学考试第25题,2003年上海高考第53题再现时答对率仅11%(显然其中还有许多是猜对的)。
第三个C为contest(上下文)。
上下文会影响词的意义,笔者曾讨论过不同上下文中词义截然相反的情况(本报2003.10.3)。当然,广义的contest还包括场合。例如,生意兴隆通四海,财源茂盛达三江可以简单地表达为Far and wide trade booms;here andthere money comes,但在正式场合译为Home and abroad business thrives;hither and thither profit arrives更好,因为这样用词较为庄重和古雅(hither and thither是here and there在古英语中的说法)。
第四个C为culture(文化)。
这需要考虑使用不同语言的人的思维方式、风俗习惯和可能的心理反应等因素。例如,东西方对狗的情感态度不同,狗在西方并不像在东方一样可鄙。英语中dog-eat-dog并不像汉语中狗咬狗一样带有鄙夷甚至幸灾乐祸的感情色彩,而是强调残酷甚至有点痛惜。这一差异在英译汉的时候尤其应该重视。口译时若把as faithful as a dog译为像狗一样忠实很容易引起东方人的反感,活译为像老黄牛一样忠诚则效果会好得多。又如,海燕(storm petrel)在中、俄两国是进步和新锐力量的象征,但在西方经济界则指引起恐慌和震荡的人或事物,因此可以视具体情况用pioneer,vanguard,gazelle或bellwether等词替代。
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