假冒伪劣的“官方网站”
自1996年起,互联网(internet)一词被广泛的流传,为普通人所熟知。经过多年的发展,互联网已经在社会的各个层面为全人类提供了便利。电子邮件、即时消息、视频会议,网络日志(blog)、网上购物等已经成为越来越多人的一种生活方式;而基于B2B,B2C等平台的电子商务,跨越洲际的商务会谈以及电子政务等等为商业与政府办公创造了更加安全,更加快捷的环境。
但是,多年以来,一直存在着一个困惑好啊好啊的问题,那就是中文的“官方网站”一词。身为正宗业外人士的好啊好啊认为官方网站一词是从official website或者official site的英文翻译过来的。但是,无论如何,看着这个中文的词就觉着那么别扭。
英文的website一词翻译成为网站,这并没有什么问题。不过就是指在互联网上,根据一定的规则,使用HTML等工具制作的用于展示特定内容的相关网页的集合。简单地说,网站是一种通信工具,就像布告栏一样,人们可以通过网站来发布自己想要公开的信息,或者利用网站来提供相关的网络服务。人们可以通过网页浏览器来访问网站,获取自己需要的信息或者享受网络服务。
可是将official website翻译成为官方网站,就不那么让人感到名副其实了。不知道是什么人对official website这个词进行翻译的。但是,好啊好啊觉得可以肯定的是,他/她一定是一位深受尊敬的中国互联网事业的先驱者。可能是纯技术人员出身的缘故吧,文学修养带有瑕疵,这个词的翻译不是那么精准确切。违背了清末新兴资产阶级启蒙思想家、翻译大师严复提倡的“信,达,雅”的标准。
何谓“信”“达”“雅”?严复在《天演论》中的“译例言”讲到:“译事三难:信、达、雅。求其信已大难矣,顾信矣不达,虽译犹不译也,则达尚焉。”“信”指意义不背原文,即是译文要准确,不歪曲,不遗漏,也不要随意增减意思;“达”指不拘泥于原文形式,译文通顺明白;“雅”则指译文时选用的词语要得体,追求文章本身的古雅,简明优雅。在中国的翻译界,自严复首标“译事三难:信、达、雅”之后,又有“忠实、通顺和美”、“不增不减”、“神似”、“化”等说法提出。主张虽多,又各据其理,然就其可操作性来看,鲜有如“信达雅”之可触可摸,可施可行者。
而“official website”也就是一个技术词组,在翻译过程中,本不存在在“达”的方面理解的困难,同时也不存在着“雅”的方面表达的障碍。可是,一不留神,现在广为流传使用的翻译而来的中文“官方网站”一词却在第一重要的“信”上出了一些问题,那就是并没有准确地表达的意思,有着歪曲其意的现象存在。虽然无论如何理解那都是无意的。
中文中的“官”字,甲骨文字形,从“宀”(mián),以冖覆众,则有治众的意思。流传到今大体上有以下的意思:在政府担任职务的人;属于国家的或公家的。
再来看看英文中的official一词的意思,在英文中大体上是如此描述的,An official is someone who holds an office (function or mandate, regardless whether it carries an actual working space with it) in an organization or gavernment and participates in the exercise of authority (either his own or that of his superior and/or employer, public or legally private). 这是作为名词来描述的,该词还具有形容词的性质,其意思就附带有和官有关的意思了。在中文词典中,我们可以看到以下的意思:n. 行政官员;公务员;[体]裁判;高级职员;adj. 官方的,法定的;公职的,公务的;官气十足;正式的。嘿嘿,
很明显,official website中的official一词在这里是作为形容词使用的。的确,在中文翻译中有很多的官字以及和官有关的文字在那里摆着,显得该词万分“官气十足”。但是,当我们看中文的众多的官方网站时,的确可以看到很多各级政府以及和国家政权有关的单位的网站,好啊好啊绝对认为这是毫无错误的。可是,除了这些政府以及和国家政权有关的单位的网站之外,在中文的互联网汪洋大海的世界中,个人和非政府的网站,博客,微博等等均冠以“官方”二字,这些个人以及非政府单位(如公司)和“官”是扯不上任何关系的。而其网站,博客和微博前竟然赫赫地冠以“官方”二字,在好啊好啊看来真的有几分挂羊头、卖狗肉的样子,滑稽十足,嘿嘿!
official 这个英文单词来源于拉丁语,其词根为fic,fact,fect,feas,feat词根组,意思相当于英文的make,do,中文就表示“做,制作”的意思。office就是简单而言是做事的地方,但是,这不是普通一般人为自己做事的地方,而是约定俗成地表示正式地为大家办事、做事的地方,进而引深为办公室,营业处,政府机关,官职。从而official也就成为了行政官员,公务员了。
为了了解official website的确切定义,好啊好啊将此词组输入google进行搜索,屏幕显示,用时0.18秒找到约 159,000,000 条结果,也许是好啊好啊资质鲁钝,或者太懒而没有好好翻页寻找,竟然没有找到一条该词组的解释或定义。无奈之下,只好求助英文版的维基百科全书,然而,令人失望的是竟然没有一个official website的定义或解释。只不过是在英文版的维基百科全书中找到了一个和official相关的website的解释,那就是celebrity website这个词组,可是这似乎是名人网站的的意思。这个词组的英文解释就更说明了这个问题,A website whose information revolves around a celebrity. This sites can be official (endorsed by the celebrity) or fan made (run by his/her fan, fans, without implicit endorsement).。
无奈之下,借助于自己略懂一点儿的日语,想看看日语中official website是如何翻译的。结果得知是“公式ウェブサイト”这么一个乱七八糟的东东,嘿嘿。日文解释是:公式ウェブサイト(こうしきウェブサイト)は、法人や著名人などが、広報・広告・PR・販売・顧客対応などを目的として自ら公開しているウェブサイトである。公式サイト、オフィシャルサイトとも呼ぶ。翻译成中文后就是“公式网站”,其意思是法人或者著名的人以报道、广告、宣传、出售、以及为顾客服务为目的公开的网站,也叫公式サイト(公式网站,相对应official site)、オフィシャルサイト(这是日语中official website的一种表达方式,可以读出近似的读音来)。这样看来和英文的celebrity website近似,可又有不同。从elebrity website是个人的,而日文中的公式ウェブサイト除了个人的之外,还有各种法人团体。但是,从日文中可以看出来,并没有官方的意思。
不仅网站如此,博客,微博等中国特色的和互联网关的事物都被赋予“官方”色彩,可是,在好啊好啊眼里看到的往往大多数是和中文的“官”毫无关系的一些个人呀组织呀或单位在那里活动。每每总是给人贻笑大方的感觉。
好啊好啊认为,在对official website一词进行翻译时,最好保持一个平常心,忽视那“官气十足”的一大堆和官有关的中文解释,而将英汉词典上那个排位靠后、毫不起眼的“正式的”引来应用,翻译成为“正式网站”,可能更为恰当一些。这样翻译的话,可以让中文和英文的意思近乎相同,表里一致,词达其意,名副其实。
从这个词来看,当然,最初的译者有文学素质微有瑕疵的感觉,但是,本质上反映了中国传统文化中“官文化”,“官本位”的问题。
“官文化”是资本主义文化出现之前,人类农业社会时最深厚、广博、系统的文化,它在中华大地上的诞生,主导了中华帝国的形成演变,凝聚中华民族的统一延续。“官本位”是一种以官为本、以官为贵、以官为尊为主要内容的价值观。
自夏商周以来,与国王或皇帝同父异母的人都定为同姓亲王,有功的人都封为异姓王、公、侯什么的,拥有皇帝分给他们的大量土地。国王和皇帝以及这些王、公、侯们任命一些管理人员,这些人员就是官员。
即使从秦、汉开始建立了中央集权体制,从州、郡、县到中央,通过官来集权,实行金字塔结构,这样的社会必定导致“官本位”。
而更为重要的是中国的农业社会皇权至上,普天下皆为皇土,一切都是皇帝的,一切都由皇帝说了算。皇帝任命的官员就在当地代表皇帝管理那个地区,官员的权威性不容挑战,从而将“官本位”推向上了极致,现在“官本位”的土壤就是来自中国经历了三千年的农业社会。这一切,都为中国三千年的农业社会管理进行了必要的保障。
最初,官员都是从有功人员中选拔任命的,或为有权利者推荐有才能的人。后来,到了隋、唐开始了通过考试来选拔官吏的制度,也就是科举制度。科举知道是古代中国的一项重要政治制度,对中国社会和文化产生了巨大影响,直接催生了不论门第、以考试产生的“士大夫”阶层。为从前报国无门的非富贵阶层的人们,开了一个参与治理国家的一个窄缝,为国家管理阶层增添了新鲜血液和能量。但是,从改善“官文化”,“官本位”的角度来说,却没有什么意义。
农业社会过去了,现在中国进入了工业社会,在民众尚还完全没有适应工业社会所衍生的一些列文化特征,中国海一只脚已经踏入了后工业社会。而与此同时,农业社会所产生的“官文化”的先进性荡然无存,它的现代变种官僚资本主义所集合的反民主势力成为中华民族进步发展的主要障碍。一百多年来总有人试图以资本主义文化取代官文化,将中国纳入资本统治的工业文明,由于官文化和官僚资本主义的抵制破坏,由于资本主义文化的局限,这种努力流于空想。而今资本统治日渐衰落,资本主义文化的腐朽、反动充分展现。导引中国发展的文化源于中国的社会矛盾。现实中国的社会矛盾要求新文化,中国人有必要也有能力创造新文化。以劳动者为主体的劳动社会主义自由文化确立民主的权威,排除资本主义文化的腐朽,批判和克服官文化,导引政治、经济变革,中国就能振兴并再度领先于世界。中国两千多年的封建专制文化致使这种思想意识深入中国社会的层层面面,甚至可以说是中华文化的一部分,即“糟粕”的那部分。
官本位的其他方面就不在这里一一进行探讨了。好啊好啊只是感到遗憾的是,如此一个常见的词汇,确实实在在地是一个假冒伪劣的词汇。表明了这么一位有成就的从事专业工作的人,其骨子里也透着官气十足的“官文化”。
嘿嘿,
好啊好啊!
附:来自英文维基百科的各种网站。带下划线的就是celebrity website。
Websites
can be divided into two broad categories - static and interactive. Interactive sites are part of the Web 2.0 community of sites, and allow for interactivity between the site owner and site visitors. Static sites serve or capture information but do not allow engagement with the audience directly.
Type of Website Description Examples Affiliate
Affiliate Agency
A site, typically few in pages, whose purpose is to sell a third party's product. The seller receives a commission for facilitating the sale.
Affiliate Agencies
Enabled portal that renders not only its custom CMS but also syndicated content from other content providers for an agreed fee. There are usually three relationship tiers. (e.g., Commission Junction), Advertisers (e.g., eBay) and consumer (e.g., Yahoo!).
Archive site
Used to preserve valuable electronic content threatened with extinction. Two examples are: Internet Archive, which since 1996 has preserved billions of old (and new) web pages; and Google Groups, which in early 2005 was archiving over 845,000,000 messages posted to Usenet news/discussion groups. Internet Archive, Google Groups.
Attack site
A site created specifically to attack visitors' computers on their first visit to a website by downloading a file
(usually a trojan horse). These websites rely on unsuspecting users with poor anti-virus protection in their computers.
Blog (web log)
Sites generally used to post online diaries which may include discussion forums (e.g., blogger, Xanga). Many bloggers use blogs like an editorial section of a newspaper to express their ideas on anything ranging from politics to religion to video games to parenting, along with anything in between. Some bloggers are professional bloggers and they are paid to blog about a certain subject, and they are usually found on news sites. WordPress
Brand building site
A site with the purpose of creating an experience of a brand online. These sites usually do not sell
anything, but focus on building the brand. Brand building sites are most common for low-value, high-volume fast moving consumer goods (FMCG).
Celebrity website
A website whose information revolves around a celebrity. This sites can be official (endorsed by the celebrity) or fan made (run by his/her fan, fans, without implicit endorsement).
jimcarrey.com
Click-to-donate site
A website that allows the visitor to donate to charity simply by clicking on a button or answering a question correctly. An advertiser usually donates to the charity for each correct answer generated. The Hunger Site, Freerice, Ripple (charitable organisation)
Community site
A site where persons with similar interests communicate with each other, usually by chat or message boards. Myspace, Facebook, orkut
Content site
Sites whose business is the creation and distribution of original content. (e.g., Slate, About.com).
Classified Ads site
Sites publishing classified advertisements gumtree.com
Corporate website
Used to provide background information about a business, organization, or service.
Dating website
A site where users can find other single people looking for long range relationships, dating, or just friends. Many of them are pay per services such as eHarmony and Match.com, but there are many free or partially free
dating sites. Most dating sites today have the functionality of social networking websites.
Electronic commerce (e-commerce) site
A site offering goods and services for online sale and enabling online transactions for such sales.
Forum website
A site where people discuss various topics.
Gallery Website
A website designed specifically for use as a Gallery, these may be an art gallery or photo gallery and of commercial or non-commercial nature.
Government Site
A website made by the local, state, department or national government of a country. Usually these sites also
operate websites that are intended to inform tourists or support tourism. For example, Richmond.com is the geodomain for Richmond, Virginia.
Gripe site
A site devoted to the criticism of a person, place, corporation, government, or institution.
Gaming website /Gambling website
A site that lets users play online games. Some enable people to gamble online.
Humor site
Satirizes, parodies or otherwise exists solely to amuse.
Information site
Most websites could fit in this type of website to some extent many of them are not necessarily for commercial purposes RateMyProfessors.com, Free Internet Lexicon and Encyclopedia. Most government, educational and nonprofit institutions have an informational site.
Media sharing site
A site that enables users to upload and view media such as pictures, music, and videos Flickr, YouTube, Google Videos
Mirror site
A website that is the replication of another website. This type of websites are used as a response to spikes in user visitors. Mirror sites are most commonly used to provide multiple sources of the same information, and are of particular value as a way of providing reliable access to large downloads.
Microblog site
A short and simple form of blogging. Microblogs are limited to certain amounts of characters and works similar to a status update on Facebook.Twitter
News site
Similar to an information site, but dedicated to dispensing news, politics, and commentary. cnn.com
Personal website
Websites about an individual or a small group (such as a family) that contains information or any content that the individual wishes to include. Such a personal website is different from a Celebrity website, which can be very expensive and run by a publicist or agency.
Phishing site
a website created to fraudulently acquire sensitive information, such as passwords and credit card details, by
masquerading as a trustworthy person or business (such as Social Security Administration, PayPal) in an electronic communication (see Phishing).
p2p/Torrents website
Websites that index torrent files. This type of website is different from a Bit torrent client which is usually a stand alone software. Mininova, The Pirate Bay, IsoHunt
Political site
A site on which people may voice political views, show political humor, campaigning for elections, or show information about a certain political party or ideology.
Porn site
A site that shows sexually explicit content for enjoyment and relaxation. They can be similar to a personal website when it's a website of a porn actor/actress or a media sharing website where user can upload from their own sexually explicit material to movies made by adult studios.
Question and Answer (Q&A) Site
Answer site is a site where people can ask questions & get answers. Yahoo! Answers, Stack Exchange Network (including Stack Overflow)
Rating site
A site on which people can praise or disparage what is featured.
Religious site
A site in which people may advertise a place of worship, or provide inspiration or seek to encourage the faith of a follower of that religion.
Review site
A site on which people can post reviews for products or services.
School site
a site on which teachers, students, or administrators can post information about current events at or involving their school. U.S. elementary-high school websites generally use k12 in the URL
Scraper site
a site which largely duplicates without permission the content of another site, without actually pretending to be that site, in order to capture some of that site's traffic (especially from search engines) and profit from advertising revenue or in other ways.
Search engine site
A website that indexes material on the Internet or an intranet (and lately on traditional media such as books and newspapers)and provides links to information as a response to a query. Google Search, Bing, GoodSearch, DuckDuckGo
Shock site
Includes images or other material that is intended to be offensive to most viewers Goatse.cx,
rotten.com
Showcase site
Web portals used by individuals and organisations to showcase things of interest or value
Social bookmarking site
A site where users share other content from the Internet and rate and comment on the content. StumbleUpon and Digg are examples.
Social networking site
A site where users could communicate with one another and share media, such as pictures, videos, music, blogs, etc. with other users. These may include games and web applications. Facebook, Orkut, Google+
Warez
A site designed to host or link to materials such as music, movies and software for the user to download.
Webmail
A site that provides a webmail service. Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo!
Web portal
A site that provides a starting point or a gateway to other resources on the Internet or an intranet. msn.com, msnbc.com, yahoo
Wiki site
A site which users collaboratively edit its content. Wikipedia, WikiHow, Wikia
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