英文准确用词的四C标准（二）
<p>第三个<span word="C">C</span>为<span word="contest">contest</span>(上下文)。</p><p>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<span word="contest">contest</span>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<span word="Far">Far</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="wide">wide</span> <span word="trade">trade</span> <span word="booms">booms</span>;<span word="here">here</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="there">there</span> <span word="money">money</span> <span word="comes">comes</span>，但在正式场合译为<span word="Home">Home</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="abroad">abroad</span> <span word="business">business</span> <span word="thrives">thrives</span>;<span word="hither">hither</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="thither">thither</span> <span word="profit">profit</span> <span word="arrives">arrives</span>更好，因为这样用词较为庄重和古雅(<span word="hither">hither</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="thither">thither</span>是<span word="here">here</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="there">there</span>在古英语中的说法)。</p><p>第四个<span word="C">C</span>为<span word="culture">culture</span>(文化)</p><p>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<span word="dog">dog</span>-<span word="eat">eat</span>-<span word="dog">dog</span>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<span word="as">as</span> <span word="faithful">faithful</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="dog">dog</span>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(<span word="storm">storm</span> <span word="petrel">petrel</span>)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<span word="pioneer">pioneer</span>， <span word="vanguard">vanguard</span>，<span word="gazelle">gazelle</span>或<span word="bellwether">bellwether</span>等词替代。</p>
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