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英語陷阱(8) We should adopt an effective economy measure.
我們應當采取一項有效的節約措施.
----------------------------------------------------- 此句不能譯作:"我們應當采取一項有效的經濟措施." 如要表達此義, 應該說:
We should adopt an effective economic measure.
在現在英語里, 用名詞代替形容詞或分詡作定語, 以修飾其后的名詞, 這種現象是很普遍的.
例如用a luxury liner替代a luxurious liner(豪華的郵船)
以a prestige scholar替代a prestigious scholar(有名望的學者)
用race discrimination替代racial discrimination(種族歧視)
以gold watch替代golden watch(金表)
用lead ship替代leading ship(領艦)
以launch pad替代launching pad(發射台)
這種以名詞替代形容詞,分詞或動名詞的現象雖然已日趨普遍, 但決不能隨意濫用.
因為在某些場合下, 用名詞作定語和用與其相應的形容詞作定語, 在涵義上是大不相同的,
economy measure和economic measure就是一例, 前者是"節約措施"; 后者是"經濟措施". 下面例句中的riot picket和riotous picket在涵義上也是大相徑庭. 請看:
To put down the strike, the bosses have sent out a troop of riot pickets.
為了鎮壓罷工, 老板們派出一隊防暴糾察.
To put down the strike, the bosses have sent out a troop of riotous pickets. 從例句可見, riot pickets和riotous pickets的涵義恰好相反. 請注意, riot的原義是"暴亂",
"騷動", 但riot pickets 卻不譯作"暴動糾察", 而是譯為: "防暴糾察". 在英語里, 類似的例詞不少, 例如:
gas mask 防毒面具(不譯作"毒氣面具")
flu mask 衛生器皿(不譯作"流行性感冒口罩")
fire engine 救火車(不譯作"點火機器")
fire office 火災保險公司(不譯作"失火辦公室")
fire wall 防火牆(不譯作"火牆")
skid chain 防滑鏈(不譯作"滑鏈")
lightning rod 避雷針(不譯作"閃電針")
personnel mine 防步兵地雷(不譯作"人雷")
mosquito bomb 滅蚊彈(不譯作"影子炸彈") 順便在此指出, 在英語中還有另一種奇怪的現象, 即某些詞語同時兼有恰好相反的兩個意義. 例如:
fireman既可表示"消防隊員"(fire fighter)的意思, 也可表示"伙夫"或"燒火工人"
(a man who looks after the fire in a furnace or steam-engine). biweekly既可作"兩周一次"解,
亦可作"一周兩次"解; occasionally既可表示"偶爾"之意, 亦可表示"時而"(now and then)之意.
這時候, 我們只有根據上下文的情況去判定其義下面舉一個例子, 以說明英語中的"同詞反義"現象:
It's terrific!
這是美國人常說的口頭禪. 如用上海方言表達, 此語有"嚇壞人"和"瞎嗲"兩個截然相反的詞義.
但在下列的對話中, 我們可以根據具體情景, 一望而知它是近乎上海話的"嗲"或北京話的"帥"和廣東話的"靚". "I'll see if my good suit fits me," said Ralph.
"Oh, I expect it will," said Martha. "I'll be terrific!"
-----Writer's Review 現在讓我們再回到本題所探討的economy和economic兩個詞.
為了測試讀者是否已掌握這兩個字的區別和用法, 請在閱讀下列一段文章后,
用一個正確的字眼(economy或economic)填入括弧中: In the past week, the US ( ) news could hardly have been better:
brisk retail sales, a big jump in factory orders and even a significant
decline in the unemployment rate. With all these signs of an ( ) rebound,
some might wonder why President Bill Clinton is gong ahead with a program to
give the backsliding economy an extra shove -- a move that could add US $
31 billion or so to a budget deficit already headed into the stratosphere.
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