英语写作准确用词的四“C”标准
<p>准确用词关系到表达的正确和地道，一般而言涉及四个<span word="C">C</span>：</p><p>第一个<span word="C">C</span>为<span word="connotation">connotation</span>(内涵)。</p><p>它比<span word="meaning">meaning</span>(意义)更为深入。例如，<span word="discount">discount</span>的意思为折扣，但英语中30%<span word="discount">discount</span>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(<span word="mistake">mistake</span>)，有时候会闹大笑话(<span word="blunder">blunder</span>)实<span word="blunder">blunder</span>是强调错误的严重和非故意，<span word="howler">howler</span>才和大笑话对应。</p><p>第二个<span word="C">C</span>为<span word="collocation">collocation</span>(搭配)。</p><p>它除了影响地道性(如<span word="big">big</span> <span word="rain">rain</span>不如<span word="heavy">heavy</span> <span word="rain">rain</span>地道)，还与词义有关，例如<span word="apply">apply</span>与<span word="for">for</span>和<span word="to">to</span>搭配时意思分别为申请和运用。须注意的是<span word="entitle">entitle</span>若和<span word="to">to</span>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。<span word="be">be</span> <span word="entitled">entitled</span> <span word="to">to</span>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)。</p><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="andthere">andthere</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>
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