王逢鑫:双语加油站二十七
关于代表
有人将“三个代表”的理论,译成“three delegates” theory,这是严重的错误。delegate 是个名词,意思为 someone who has been elected or choose to speak, vote or take decisions for a group,这种“代表”是“被选举或挑选出来为一个群体发言、投票或做出决定的人”。而“三个代表”的理论”中的代表是个动词,反映和体现一种方向、需求和利益,有着严格的界定和内含。应该译为“three represents” theory,其具体内容为:The Party should always represent the development needs of China’s advanced social productive forces, always represent the onward direction of China’s advanced culture, and always represent the fundamental interests of the largest number of the Chinese people.
汉语的“代表”作为动词使用,有四层意思。一是,甲是乙的简略说法,
这个意思在英语中用 to stand for或 to be the short form/abbreviation of
表示。例如:
1. UN代表联合国。
1) UN stands for United Nations.
2) UN is the short form of United Nations.
3) UN is the abbreviation of United Nations.
“代表”的第二层意思是“支持、主张或赞同某种思想、价值观或原则”,英语用 to stand for 表示,即to support or be in favour of a particular set of ideas, values or principles。而“希望”是不能“支持、主张或赞同的”,因此不能说to stand for hope。例如:
2. 我要先知道他是代表什么的,才能投他的票。
I want to know what he stands for before I’ ll vote for him.
3. 他反对资本主义及其所代表的一切。
He opposes capitalism and all that it stands for.
4. 青-人代表着希望。
误译:Young people stand for hope.
正译:
1) Young people represent hope.
2) Young people are a representation of hope.
3) Young people symbolize hope.
4) Young people are a symbol of hope.
解释:“代表”的第三层意思是“人或事物表示某种意义、概念或象征”,即
“甲象征着乙”。“青-人代表着希望”的意思就是“青-人象征着希望”。这个意思在英语中用 to represent, to be a representation of, to symbolize或 to be a symbol of表示。例如:
5. 儿童代表着祖国的未来。
1) Children represent the future of our motherland.
2) Children are a representation of the future of our motherland.
3) Children symbolize the future of our motherland.
4) Children are a symbol of the future of our motherland.
6. 红心代表着爱情。
1) The red heart represents love.
2) The red heart is a representation of love.
3) The red heart symbolizes love.
4) The red heart is a symbol of love.
“代表”的第四层意思是“体现或反映表示某种需求、方向或利益”,英语
中用 to represent表示。例如:
7. 党代表了中国先进文化的前进方向。
The Party represents the onward direction of China’ s advanced culture.
8. 党代表了中国人民最大多数人的根本利益。
The Party represents the fundamental interests of the largest number of the Chinese people
(编辑:youke)