Unit 2 Diction (遣词用字kiyomi什么意思)
Some background information about this unit:
a) No context, no text.
b) 基泰英What is context?
Context, as the term suggests, refers to all the different situations involved in language communication.
语境，就是产生语言活动的环境，包括时间、空间、语言交际参与者及语言活动的目的等，反映在文字材料中也称上下文。语境是一切语言活动存在的前提。
Firth: each word when ud in a new context is a new word.
gmenting
Some examples:
▪ I’ll finish the book next week.
▪ “我”是谁？finish的具体措辞究竟是：看完、写完、审完？
▪ Tension is building up.
形式紧张起来。/ 张力在增大。/ 电压在增加。/ 压力在增强。/ 血压在增高。/ 气压在加强。/ 情绪越来越紧张。/ 紧张局势在加剧。
Without context, both “tension” and “build up” may have various explanations.
▪ I’m through.
通话完毕，结束了。 (AmE)
电话接通了。(BrE)
1. Equivalence between English and Chine at Word Level
1.1 Word-for-word equivalence
This is most shown in proper nouns and technical terms.
▪ Marxism 马克思主义
▪ 我会很想你Aspirin 阿司匹林
▪ whatLar 激光
▪ Leukemia 白血病
1.2 One word with multiple equivalents of the same
This is a common ca in translation.
▪ Wife: 妻子、老婆、夫人、老伴、媳妇、爱人、内人……
▪ Potato: 马铃薯、土豆、洋芋、山药蛋……decadent
▪ 人：human being, man, people, person…
bargains
▪ 犬：dog, hound, spaniel, mastiff, pointer, tter, retriever, terrier…
1.3 One word with veral equivalents of different meanings
This is also very common in translation.
▪ cousin: 堂兄、堂弟、堂姐、堂妹、表哥、表弟、表姐、表妹……
▪ president: 总统、主席、总裁、董事长、议长、会长、社长、校长……
▪ carry: 搬、运、送、提、拎、挑、担、抬、背、扛、抱、搂、举、端、夹、捧……
▪ 走：walk, saunter, amble, stride, trudge, shamble, prance, scamper, clump, tiptoe.
▪ 羊：sheep, goat, ram, ewe, lamb
1.4 Equivalents interwoven with one another
1.5 Words without corresponding equivalents
In this ca, an explanation is given instead of an equivalent.
▪ teenager: 13到19岁的青少年
▪ cyber slacker: 利用工作时间在公司上网、做与工作无关的事情的雇员
▪ 阴：yin (in Chine thought) the soft inactive female principle or force in the world
▪ 阳：yang (in Chine thought) the strong active male principle or force in the world
2. Methods of discriminating the original meaning of a given word
2.1 According to word formation
▪ parabiospheric: 外生物层的
para- (outside), bio- (biologic), spheric (having the form of a phere)
▪ pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokoniosis 肺尘病，硅酸盐沉着病
pneumono (of lung) ultra (beyond) micro (very small)
scopic (of viewing or obrving) silico (of silicon) volcano (of volcano)
coni (koni, of dust) osis (forming the name of a dia)
2.2 According to the reference
In many cas the meaning of a pronominal word may be judged from the references.
▪ He [father] nt John to the university and was eager to have him distinguish himlf.
他送约翰上大学，巴望儿子能出类拔萃。
▪ cmctHealth is above wealth, for this cannot give so much happiness as that.
健康比财富更重要，因为后者不能像前者那样给人那么多幸福。
▪ I hate blue shirts; white shirts suit me but gray is the most preferable.
我讨厌穿蓝衬衫，喜欢白衬衫，最喜欢灰衬衫。
2.3 According to the context and collocation
▪ Tension is building up.
▪ “Story”
[1] This war is becoming the most important story of this generation. (event)
保加利亚语这场战争将成为这一代人所经历的最大历史事件。
[2] It is quite another story now. (situation) 现在的情况完全不同了。
[3] Some reporters who were not included in the ssion broke the story.
有些未获批准参加那次会议的记者把内情捅出去了。(inside information)
[4] He’ll be very happy if that story holds up. (statement)
如果这一说法当真，那他就太高兴了。
[5] Tom’s story is one of the saddest. (experience) 汤姆的遭遇算是最惨的了。
[6] What a story! I don’t believe a word of it. (lie) 弥天大谎！我只字不信。
食火鸡[7] Last December the Post first reported that probes were being made in each of tho cities, but officials refud to confirm the story. (news)
去年12月《邮报》首先报道了调查工作已经在那些城市里进行，但官员们拒绝证实这条消息。
[8] The story about him became smaller and by and by faded out from American TV.
报道中对他的渲染减少了，不久他就从美国电视上销声匿迹了。(report)
▪ Delicate：
delicate difference 讲不大清楚的差别，细微的差别
delicate diplomatic question 微妙的外交问题
delicate ear for music 对音乐有鉴赏力
delicate features 清秀的五官
delicate food 可口的食物
delicate health 虚弱的身体
delicate living 奢侈的生活
delicate porcelain 精致的瓷器
delicate n of smell 灵敏的嗅觉
delicate skin 娇嫩的皮肤
delicate surgical operation 复杂的外科手术
delicate stomach 容易吃坏的胃
delicate upbringing 娇生惯养
delicate touch 生花妙笔
delicate va 易碎的花瓶
2.4 According to different branches of learning and specialties
▪ The lathe should be t on a firm ba. (machinery) 车窗应安装在坚实的底座上。
▪ As we all know, a ba reacts with an acid to form a salt. (chemistry)
众所周知，碱与酸反应生成盐。
▪ A transistor has 3 electrodes, the emitter, the ba and the collector. (electronics)
