英語歧義

2011-11-26 11:01

「英語非常精確」

看見某人得勢就阿諛奉承，中國人很普遍。對洋文化和洋語言亦如是。因此很多中國人發表意見，認為英語是很精確、非常精確、世上最精確的語言。所以現代科學文明就要學英語，漢語留來吟詩作對啦，這是鄙視漢語又否認的掩人耳目說法。

英語其實是一種歧義十分之多的語言。這類研究很多，怎樣利用一語雙關也是一門學問。又有人把英語的多義性說成是優點。

網上搜集英語的歧義，資料豐富，開帖安置一下這些網上文章。

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2011-11-26 11:02

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambiguity：

The British comedian Ronnie Barker said that he loved the English language because there are so many jokes you can make using ambiguity.

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2011-11-26 11:03

《英漢比較與翻譯》，編者陳定安，商務印書館，第171頁：

一詞多義的根源是詞義的演變。一個詞產生新的詞義後，舊義可能消亡，也可能保存。一詞多義是語言的普遍現象，只不過英語比其他語言多。在《牛津大詞典》中，“cut”作為動詞將近一百五十個義項。介詞“of”有六十三個義項；動詞“take”有一百二十三個義項。根據韋氏大學字典（Webster's Collegiate Dictionary)所列單詞意義，“lead”有33個意義，“make”有41個意義，“light”有47個意義，“run”有54個意義。詞的多義性給我們理解和翻譯英語帶來了許多困難。因此，結上下文，正確地辨析詞義，對於理解原文，忠實地表達原作，保證譯文質量，具有頭等重要的意義。

「一詞多義是語言的普遍現象，只不過英語比其他語言多。」

「詞的多義性給我們理解和翻譯英語帶來了許多困難。」

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2011-11-26 11:04

Lexical ambiguity:

the word "bank" has several distinct lexical definitions, including "financial institution" and "edge of a river".

"I bought herbs from the apothecary". This could mean you actually spoke to the apothecary (pharmacist) or went to the apothecary (pharmacy).

"Biweekly" can mean "fortnightly" (once every two weeks – 26 times a year), OR "twice a week" (104 times a year).

“Good,”can mean "useful" or "functional" (That’s a good hammer), "exemplary" (She’s a good student), "pleasing" (This is good soup), "moral (a good person versus the lesson to be learned from a story), "righteous", etc. " I have a good daughter" is not clear about which sense is intended.

"unlockable" can mean "capable of being unlocked" or "impossible to lock".

Syntactic ambiguity:

"He ate the cookies on the couch" could mean that he ate those cookies which were on the couch (as opposed to those that were on the table), or it could mean that he was sitting on the couch when he ate the cookies.

Phonetic ambiguity:

"ice cream" and "I scream".

Semantic ambiguity:

"You could do with a new automobile. How about a test drive?"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambiguity

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2011-11-26 11:05

1.1 語音歧義

1.1.1 連讀引起的語音歧義

He is eating an ice cake.
He is eating a nice cake.

My younger brother had a grade A.（我弟弟考了A。）
My younger brother had a grey day.（我弟弟那天不太順利。）

1.1.2 同音異義引起的語音歧義

Throw the flower away. (把花扔掉。)
Throw the flour away.（把麵粉扔掉）

He is sowing now. (他正在播種。)
He is sewing now. （他正在做縫紉活。）

1.1.3 重音位置不明確引起的語音歧義

a green ′house (綠色的房子)
a ′green house （溫室）

He ′voted for ′John.(他代表John投票。)
He ′voted ′for ′John.(他投票支持John。)

1.2 詞匯歧義

1.2.1 一詞多義引起的詞匯歧義

She didn't take his tip.
a. 她沒有接受他的建議，忠告。
b. 她沒有接受他的小費。

She can't bear children so she never talks about them.
a. 她不能生孩子，所以也從不談論孩子。
b. 她不能忍受孩子，所以也從不談論這個話題。

He is a sweet salesman.
a. 他是一個糖果推銷員。
b. 他是一個和藹可親的推銷員。

We saw the light.
a. 我們看見了燈。
b. 我們明白了。

1.2.2 詞語的粘合程度不同導致的歧義

They ordered cheese and cucumber sandwiches.
a. 他們點了奶酪和黃瓜三明治。
b. 他們點了奶酪三明治和黃瓜三明治。

He decided on the boat.
a. 他決定乘這隻船。
b. 他在這隻船上做出了決定。

1.2.3 詞義變化引起的歧義

Only some of the visitors gained admittance into the cleanroom.
「cleanroom」本來有「潔淨的房間」的意思，但現在可以專指「無塵室」。如不了解cleanroom一詞增添了新義，就很容易將該句理解為：只有一部分來賓獲准進入這一潔淨的房間。

If the fluid reacts with active metals, such as silver and copper alloys, pump and valve designs must change.
詞典上「design」的詞義是「計劃、設計」，所以「pump and valve designs」譯成「泵和閥的設計」似乎理所當然。但從專業性而言此譯法則不太符合邏輯，因為「流體和活潑金屬發生反應」只能改變泵和閥的「形狀」，而不是「設計」。

1.2.4 英美英語用法不同而引起的歧義

The project will cost a billion dollars.
「billion」在英式英語中是「萬億,兆」，在美式英語中是「十億」。

We will table the motion.
我們要把這項議案列入日程（英國英語）
我們要把這項議案擱置起來（美國英語）。

1.3 句法結構引起的歧義

1.3.1 修辭關係不明而引起的歧義

1.3.1.1 定語引起的歧義

「more+形容詞+名詞」結構中，more 修飾層次不明確。
There are more beautiful buildings here.（更漂亮的樓房/更多的漂亮樓房）
more修飾beautiful還是修飾buildings呢？

「形容詞+名詞+名詞」結構中，形容詞修飾層次不明確。
Modern language teaching is important.（現代的語言教學/現代語言的教學）

定語從句作定語時，其修飾層次不明確
Mary likes the vase on the cupboard which she bought yesterday.
從句which she bought yesterday可以認為是修飾the vase也可看作是修飾the cupboard。

1.3.1.2 狀語引起的歧義

個別副詞出現在句子中時易產生歧義
Take the big one upstairs.
「upstairs」既可以看成是狀語，修飾動詞「take」，又可以看成是定語修飾「the big one」。全句可譯為「把這件大的拿到樓上去」「去拿樓上的那件大的」 。

介詞短語的可移動性產生歧義
The policeman hit the robber with a stick.
介詞短語with a stick可作為狀語修飾hit，故此句可譯為「警察用棍子打那個搶劫犯。」也可理解為定語修飾the robber，譯為「警察打手持棍子的那個搶劫犯。」

1.3.2 某些詞的特殊用法功能引起的歧義

1.3.2.1 帶雙賓語或複合賓語引起的歧義

He found John an experienced doctor.
句中及物動詞found既可以作雙賓語的及物動詞，又可作複合賓語及物動詞。
此句可理解為：
He discovered that John was an experienced doctor. (他發現約翰原來是一位有經驗的醫生。)
He succeeded in finding an experienced doctor for John.（他為約翰找了一位有經驗的醫生。）

1.3.2.2 由句子成分關系不明引起的歧義

Jack asked the teacher who won the first prize.
句中wh-clause既可以作ask的賓語，意思為：「Who won the first prize?」 Jack asked the teacher. 又可作為賓語從句，修飾the teacher，意思為：The teacher won the first prize, Jack asked the teacher.

1.3.3 因省略而引起的歧義

1.3.3.1 比較狀語引起的歧義

He loves the dog more than his wife.
可理解為：
He loves the dog more than his wife does. (他比妻子喜歡狗。)
He loves the dog more than he loves his wife. (他愛狗勝過愛妻子。)

1.3.3.2 並列結構的簡化引起的歧義

Tom thought Jack went to France and Roger did too.
此句可理解為：
Tom thought Jack went to France and Roger thought too. (Tom認為Jack去了法國，Jack也這樣想。)
Tom thought Jack went to France and Roger went too.(Tom 認為Jack去了法國，Roger也去了法國。)

1.3.4 被動語態的歧義

The mirror was broken.
此句作為被動句理解則可譯為：「鏡子被打破了。」
如果作為系表結構理解則可譯為：「鏡子是破的。」

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2011-11-26 11:06

漢語一樣有歧義，但
1.2.1 一詞多義引起的詞匯歧義
就沒英語那麼多。

而且漢語沒有以下的歧義：
1.1.1 連讀引起的語音歧義
1.1.3 重音位置不明確引起的語音歧義
1.3.1.1 定語引起的歧義
1.3.1.2 狀語引起的歧義
1.3.2.2 由句子成分關系不明引起的歧義
1.3.4 被動語態的歧義

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2011-11-26 11:07

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the 500 words used most in the English language each have an average of 23 different meanings.

The word "round," for instance, has 70 distinctly different meanings.

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2011-11-26 11:08

http://www.mianfeilunwen.com/Yingyu/Jiaoxue/46060.html

1.語音歧義(Phonetic Ambiguity)

同音異形異義詞
break(破壞)、brake(刹車),fair(公平的)、fare(費用),right(正確的)、write(寫),die(死亡)、dye(染色),cell(細胞)、sell(賣)
I didn't make a ［seil］ last week
英語中的sail和sale的發音均為［seil］
可理解為:「上周我沒制作船帆」或「上周我沒賣出去貨物」。

同形同音異義詞
fan(扇子/愛好者),long(長的/渴望),kind(善良的/種類),mean(卑鄙的/意味)

連音造成相連的詞或詞組之間的音位切分的變化
My brother had a ［greidei］
［greidei］既可以理解為「grade A」,也可以理解為「gray day」。

重讀和弱讀在語音層次上產生歧義
Why don't you have lunch with us?
可以理解為
Why don't you come along and have lunch with us?
Why don't you have lunch with us rather than supper?

2.詞彙歧義(Lexical Ambiguity)

一詞多義
The boy broke the glasses last week.
這個男孩上周打碎了玻璃/這個男孩上周打碎了眼鏡
He is running after her
「running after」既可以理解為「追趕」,也可以理解為「追求 」。

異音同形異義詞
bow (弓/鞠躬),lead(鉛 /引導),tear(眼淚/撕開)

同音同形異義詞(組)
Mary can't bear children
瑪麗不能忍受孩子們/瑪麗不能生孩子
She turned out an efficient secretary
她趕走了一個能幹的秘書/她原來是一個能幹的秘書

詞義的轉移
Many scientists and technicians are engaged in the recovery techniques.
「recovery」原意指「復得、痊愈」,但隨著現代技術的發展,「recovery」意指「人造衛星等的回收」,「(廢物利用的)提取」或「(擊劍、劃船等)預備姿勢的還原」等。

3.句法歧義(Syntactic Ambiguity)

美國語言學家Roberts曾經指出:「這種因句法規則使用不當而引起的語法歧義是由於人們忽視使用表明句子結構的句法代號而引起的」。句法代號是指限定多義詞用法的詞綴、單詞或結構等,如用情態動詞或一般過去時的後綴限定動詞的詞性,用定冠詞限定名詞的詞性等。句法歧義現象往往出現在一個可以理解為不同層次或可以變換的結構體中, 下面是幾種常見的句法結構引起的歧義現象。

平行結構引起的歧義
The boy answered the question which his teacher asked without hesitation
這個男孩毫不遲疑地回答老師問他的問題/老師毫不猶豫地提問,這個男孩在作答

省略結構引起的歧義
He knows more about literature than Mary
他比瑪麗更懂文學/在文學和瑪麗之間,他更了解文學

狀語和形容詞界限不清引起的歧義
The policeman punished the robber with a stick
警察用警棍懲罰這個盜賊/警察懲罰這個拿著棍子的盜賊

介詞和副詞界限不清引起的歧義
The doctor looked over my head
醫生檢查了我的頭/醫生從我的頭頂看過去

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2011-11-26 11:09

# We must polish the Polish furniture.
# He could lead if he would get the lead out.
# The farm was used to produce produce.
# The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
# The soldier decided to desert in the desert.
# This was a good time to present the present.
# A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
# When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
# I did not object to the object.
# The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
# The bandage was wound around the wound.
# There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
# They were too close to the door to close it.
# The buck does funny things when the does are present.
# They sent a sewer down to stitch the tear in the sewer line.
# To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
# The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
# After a number of injections my jaw got number.
# Upon seeing the tear in my clothes I shed a tear.
# I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
# How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

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2011-11-27 01:38

English is a Silly Language!

Lets face it, English is a stupid language.
There is no egg in the eggplant.
No ham in the hamburger.
And neither pine nor apple in the pineapple.
English muffins were not invented in England.
French fries were not invented in France.

We sometimes take English for granted.
But if we examine its paradoxes--
We find that Quicksand takes you down slowly.
Boxing rings are square.
And a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

If writers write, how come fingers don't fing.
If the plural of tooth is teeth,
shouldn't the plural of phone booth be phone beeth?
If the teacher taught,
Why didn't the preacher praught.

If a vegetarian eats vegetables
What does a humanitarian eat!?
Why do people recite at a play
Yet play at a recital?

You have to marvel at the unique lunacy
Of a language where a house can burn up as
It burns down
And you fill in a form
By filling it out
And a bell is only heard once it goes!

English was invented by people, not computers
And it reflects the creativity of the human race
(Which of course isn't a race at all)

That is why:
When the stars are out they are visible
But when the lights are out they are invisible
And why it is that when I wind up my watch
it starts but when I wind up this poem
it ends?

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