​戏说英文 | FOX用这个词恶心佩洛西,胜似“窜访”

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文刀君7月31日曾探讨“窜访”一词的译法(参见旧文)。“窜访”是中国特色词汇,多用在涉台、涉藏某些标志性人物身上,“窜”字本义早已与现实脱节,更多地起情感修饰作用。从翻译角度而言,各种译法尝试都不尽如人意,读者也总觉得不过瘾。

英文用词方面,我们其实还得多向外媒取经。美国保守派媒体福克斯新闻网(Fox News)8月10日文章批佩洛西访台,用词虽与“窜访”不同,但也着实把佩洛西恶心了一把。请看:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Wednesday defended bringing her son on a recent congressional junket to Taiwan and other Asian countries. 

何为“junket”?来看几部权威英英词典释义:

If you describe a trip or visit by an official or businessman as a junket, you disapprove of it because it is expensive, unnecessary, and often has been paid for with public money. (Informal) 《柯林斯高阶英语词典》

(informal disapproving, especially AmE) a trip that is made for pleasure by sb who works for the government, etc. and that is paid for using public money 《牛津高阶英语词典》

(disapproving)an unnecessary trip by a government official which is paid for with public money: 《剑桥词典》

“junket”有时可拿来翻译“公费旅游”,但“公费旅游”却不足以涵盖“junket”的全部。

美国部分共和党议员批佩洛西访台“徒增中美紧张态势(only served to heighten tensions between the U.S. and China)”,“junket”一词既表达了“unnecessary trip”之意,又撩拨了美国纳税人的心弦。

有意思的是,除了FOX News,朝鲜外务省也用“junket”批佩洛西,称此举“惹怒了中国人民”。请看朝中社8月6日发布的声明:

“Pelosi, the worst destroyer of international peace and stability... incurred the wrath of the Chinese people for her recent junket to Taiwan.”

“junket”不似“窜访”,胜似“窜访”。看来,骂美国政客还得看美国媒体。当然,朝鲜有时也不惶多让。

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