反腐倡廉

句子：一個國家的興起與腐敗現象如同水火一樣是不相容的。

誤譯：The rise of a nation is as incompatible with corruption phenomenon as fire is with water.

正譯：The rise of a nation is as incompatible with corruption as fire is with water.

解釋：將“腐敗現象”字對字直譯為corruption phenomenon，有些累贅。譯為 corruption 就夠了。

“腐敗”的第一個意思是“腐朽變質”，即“腐爛”。英語動詞可以譯為to decay, to rot；名詞可以譯為decay, rot；形容詞可以譯為decaying, decayed, rotting, rotten, putrid。例如：1. 后院的樹木好像在腐爛。The trees in the back yard seem to be decaying.2. 這些腐敗食物標簽表明已遠遠超過銷售截止日期。These rotten food labels are well past their sell-by date.3. 千萬不要吃腐敗的食物，因為它能引起嚴重中毒。You can never eat putrid food, as it may cause intense poisoning.

“腐敗”的第二個意思是“思想陳舊或行為墮落”，即“腐朽”。英語可以譯為corrupt, decadent, musty。例如：4. 這個新任命的官員很快就變腐敗了。The newly appointed official soon became corrupt.5. 我們決不向腐敗思想做任何讓步。We will never make any concession to the musty ideology

“腐敗”的第三個意思是“制度、組織、機構或措施混亂與黑暗”。英語形容詞可以譯為rotten, corrupt；名詞可以譯為 corruption。例如：6. 這個組織已腐敗透頂。The organization is rotten to the core. 7. 近年來，學術腐敗一直是中國學術界的一個熱門話題。In recent years, academic corruption has been a hot topic in the Chinese academic community.

“反腐倡廉”，英語可以譯為to combat corruption and build a clean government。例如：8. 反腐倡廉是順利進行改革開放和現代化建設的一個重要保證。To combat corruption and build a clean government is an important guarantee for the smooth reform, opening-up and modernization drive. ▲

（本欄目供稿：王逢鑫教授）