commitment的译法

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commitment的译法

【问】

  美国约翰逊总统在美国教育周的文告中说 In the last decade,however,we have sought to fulfill the goal with greater zeal,greater commitment,and greater success than at any period in our history,句中的 commitment 一字,不知应如何译法,因字典上的解释似乎都不适用呢。

【解答】

  commitment 是动词 commit 变来的名词,意义有:

(1)犯,行,作,如 commit a crime(犯罪),commit a blunder(犯错),commit adultery(通奸),commit murder(杀人),commit suicide(自杀)等。

(2)委托,付诸,如 commit a thing to a friend for safekeeping(托友保管一物),commit some funds to the care of trustees (委托资金与保管委员),commit a body to the earth(flames)(埋葬)(火葬),commit a bill(议会将议案交付委员审查),commit thoughts to writing(将想法写出来),commit something to memory(暗记某事),commit a man to prison (将一人下狱),Liu Bei committed his son to the care of Zhuge Liang(刘备托孤于诸葛亮),The man was committed to a lunatic asylum(那人已被送入疯人院)等。

(3)承担,如 If you agreed to give a number of lectures,help to pay your brother's school expenses,and give your wife $500 a year for clothes,you have quite a lot of commitments.(如果你同意去作一连串的讲演,答应给弟弟的学费,又说定给太太每年五百元添置新衣,那末,你就承担了不少的义务。)

(4)(由束缚身体之意转为)牵累,陷入,献身(devote oneself wholly to),如 Do not commit yourself.(勿自陷累,不要束缚自己),commit oneself to a promise(受诺言的拘束),He would not commit himself in any way(他不愿受任何方面的约束。)He has committed himself to the cause of education.(他献身于教育事业。)

上面第四种解释,正是问题中所需要的。全句可译作:

“在过去十年中,我们比历史上任何时期都力求更加热心地,更加献身地,更加成功地来达到这个目标。”

新加坡的李光耀总理为新加坡人所下的定义说:

A Singaporean is a person who feels committed to upholding society as it is—multi-racial,tolerant,accommodating,forward-looking—and who is prepared to stake his life for the community. (一个新加坡人就是一个对现存的多元种族、容忍互助而又高瞻远瞩的社会,以献身的精神来支持它,并准备为它付出生命的人。)

句中用了 committed 一字,报纸上把它译成“献身的”,是译得很正确的。

I believe that both candidates should make it absolutely clear that they share a basic commitment to the success of the negotiations now taking place in Paris. — Democratic presidential nominee Hubert Humphrey

(我相信两党的总统候选人,都应绝对明确地表示,他们对于促成现在巴黎举行的商谈成功,具有基本的言约。)因候选人非当权者,目下当无权问政,只能用言语约束。“言约”为中国成语,见《后汉书·徐登传》。

Mr. Roy Wilkins said “I definitely think we're on our way to a national commitment” to full social justice for Negro Americans

(美国黑人促进总会主席威尔金斯说“我确实认为我们正走向一个举国一致的承诺”,要使黑种美国人充分得到社会的公平待遇)。这是说大家都答应这样,所以译为“承诺”。

The second imperative of our policy for peace is that we must meet our commitments and keep our promises to use our strength to oppose aggression.— President Johnson (我们的和平政策的第二条诫命,就是我们必须尽我们的义务,守我们的诺言,竭尽所能,反抗侵略。)

Vietnam may be a bitter hoax or it maybe a major commitment in the defense of freedom,but it will not go away because we yell “foul”,it will not fade because we blow retreat.— Republican vice presidential nominee Agnew

(越南可能是一种痛苦的玩笑,也可能是在保卫自由中的一个大的牵累,它不会因为我们大叫讨厌而走开,也不会因为我们鸣金收兵而消失。)美国在越南战争中进退维谷,故译“牵累”。

The report sad that new commitments of US $50.7 million during fiscal year 1968 raised total investments of the International Finance Corporation(I.F.C's)in private enterprises in its member countries to US $271.8 million in 39 countries.

(一九六八会计年度新的投资计有五千零七十万美元,使得国际金融公司在其会员国的私人企业中的总投资额,三十九个国家共达二亿七千一百八十万美元。)又 IFC's commitment consists of a 12-year loan of U.S. $2.45 million and a share subscription of U.S. $1.01 million.(国际金融公司的投资包括为期十二年的二百四十五万美元的借款,及加入一百零一万美元的股金。)交付的资金,故译为“投资”。

The Japanese have faithfully observed their surrender commitments.

(日本人忠实地遵守了投降的条件。)投降时规定要做的,故曰“条件”。

其他如 an all-out commitment,(全面的约束),to give a precipitate commitment(给以轻率的言约),the commitment of a petition for consideration and report(请愿书交给委员会去审查并作出报告。)