英文疑难详解续篇
钱歌川
Ⅰ 名 词
1. company的含义及用法
“If you can neither receive nor bestow benefit,you had better leave that company at once.”一句译成“如果你既不能得到好处,也不能给与好处,你最好马上离开那家公司”。不知对否?又,请将company的含义及用法举例说明。
【解答】问题中的英文句子应译作“如果你交的朋友对你无益,你也不能对他有所帮助,你就得马上离开他”。因为句中的company一字,意为交友而误为公司,所以因一字之差而全文皆错。
英文的company有下列九种用法:
(1)一群人(a group of people),例如:
A great company came to the exhibition.(许多人来看展览会。)
(2)为某种目的而集合的人(a number of people combined,esp. one with a common purpose),例如:
The company are now enjoying a feast.(会众正在宴会中。)
(3)同伴,陪伴(companionship),例如:
He kept me company.(他陪伴了我。)
(4)交友(companions),例如:
A man is known by the company he keeps.(看他所交的朋友,就可知道一个人的好坏。近朱者赤,近墨者黑。)
His father asked him to avoid bad company.(他父亲要他别交损友。)
(5)宾客,来宾(a number of invited guests),例如:
We are expecting company next week.(下星期我们要请客。)
We have company…