口译讲评 Comments on Interpretation

1．“都无法视而不见，听而不闻”，“视而不见”和“听而不闻”实际是一个意思，意译为 “overlook”。有时汉语用词重叠，同义反复，口译时需要减词或合并，这句话译为：“can’t afford to overlook”。
2．“但社会秩序持续动荡”，口译时采用反译法，将肯定句译为否定句，“but order has NOT returned.”
3．“安全问题”有多种译法。口译时不一定见到“问题”都译成 “problem”。该短语可译为：“security concerns”，“security issues” 或 “security threats”。
4．“方式更加隐蔽，手段更为残忍”。 翻译时如果将“方式”直译为 “approaches” 或 “ways”，难免显得生硬，有翻译腔。此句的翻译应在充分理解原文的基础上，根据英文习惯，意译为 “their activities are becoming more secretive, and means more brutal.”
5．“安全问题已广泛涉及政治、经济、军事、金融、科技等领域”。“广泛涉及”可译为 “split over to a wide range of” 。
6．“共同的利益和挑战把我们捆绑在一起”。这里不能生硬地直译“捆绑”，可以根据中文意思，寻找英文中的对应词来表达，比如，“put us in the same boat”。
7．“冷战结束以来，从促成纳米比亚独立到实现柬埔寨和平、从推动两伊停火到解决海湾危机，从缓和刚果局势到平息印巴核危机，安理会在维护国际和平与安全方面发挥了不可替代的作用”：这句话很长，如果采取顺译，不但不符合英文“先主要后次要”的表达习惯，而且容易造成语义不清，所以口译时，要对原文结构进行调整，先说主要的，必要时做适当补译，另起一句。具体译法详见参考译文。
8．“当今世界的问题错综复杂，单枪匹马是无法应对的”。翻译这句话并不难，可以字对字顺译，但如果口译时能准确把握和体现两个分句的因果逻辑关系，译文就更流畅、地道了。该句译为：“Given the complexity of the world’s problems, no one can take on the challenge single-handedly.”
9．“安理会拥有《宪章》赋予的神圣权力。它代表会员国意志行事，其通过多边协商达成的决定，体现了国际社会的共识，在政治和道义上具有高度权威性”。处理这一句时需要对原文的结构进行调整，如果能迅速抓住两个主语，“安理会”和“决定”，就能确定译文的框架，并译为：“The Security Council, with its sacred power under the UN Charter, acts on behalf of the member states. Its decisions reached through multilateral consultation reflect the common aspiration of the international community.”
10．“安理会的任何决定必须由成员国共同决定。安理会成员在公平地域分配原则的基础上，由各地区民主选举产生”。这两句话都不长，而且都有“成员（国）”，口译时把两句合并为一个定语从句，更符合英文的行文习惯。本句译为： “Any decision of the Security Council must be made jointly by all its members, who are democratically elected by respective regions in accordance with the principle of equitable geographic distribution.”
11．“安理会是惟一经过《联合国宪章》的权力机关，可以决定是否在国际关系中使用武力”。这里首先要抓住主干“安理会是机关”，然后理清两个主要定语的逻辑关系，“可以决定是否在国际关系中使用武力”实际上是对“授权”的补充说明，全句译为：“The Security Council is the only organ with the mandated power under UN Charter to decide on the use of force in international relations.”
12．“安理会是推动国际关系法制化的重要渠道”。“国际关系法制化”如果直译成“legalization /institutionalization of international relations”，都不太好，可意译为： “a law-based pattern of international relations”。
13．“无以规矩，不成方圆”。在口译中文习语时，为便于听众理解，有时应加上适当的说明。这里就可以在前面补一句“As a noting Chinese saying goes, ⋯”。

篇章译文：

Some major events have taken place in recent months. None of us, from politicians to people in the street, can afford to overlook. The war in Iraq is over, but order has not returned. The Middle East conflict drags on, and bloodshed continues unabated. Terrorism remains rampant and unpredictable. Globalization hasn't made everyone a winner, and in the fields of finance, information, health and others, there exist hidden security threats. The international situation is really undergoing a complicated and profound transformation, which is on the whole characterized by the following features:

First, security threats have taken on multiple dimensions. Traditional security concerns such as ethnic or religious conflicts and border or territorial disputes still exist, while non-traditional security threats are quickly growing. Non-traditional security problems such as terrorism, cross-border crimes, environmental pollution, population explosion, drug trafficking and infectious diseases have become the major problems impeding the human development. The interweaving and mutual conversion between the two kinds of security issues has brought new challenges to the international peace and security.

Second, security threats have a complex nature. Non-traditional security threats have complicated causes and diverse manifestations. Terrorists go after their goals through violence, their activities are becoming more secretive, and means more brutal. The use of biological, chemical, cyberspace and other high-tech means makes terrorists more and more dangerous. As such, the security issue has spilt over to a wide range of areas of politics, economy, military, finance, science and technology.

Third, security threats have obtained global proportions. Today, with the deepening of globalization, countries are more interdependent. Security is no longer a local issue bearing on individual countries or regions, but a global one that threatens to impede peace and development of the world. No country can keep itself out. As a Chinese old saying goes, no individual can simply "clean the snow on his own doorsteps while turning a blind eye to others".

We are living in an interdependent world. Our common interests and common challenges have put us in a same boat. No peace and security can be achieved unless the international community joins hands in cooperation. Upholding the international collective security mechanism is the fundamental guarantee for a more stable and prosperous world.

According to the Charter of the United Nations, the UN Security Council is the core of such a mechanism and the most authoritative and legitimate institution of the multilateral security regime. Ever since the end of the Cold War, the United Nations Security Council has played an irreplaceable role in maintaining world peace and security. There are ample evidence of its accomplishments, such as facilitating the independence of Namibia, bringing peace to Cambodia, mediating the ceasefire between Iran and Iraq, resolving the Gulf crisis, or easing the situation in Democratic Republic of Congo and defusing the nuclear crisis between India and Pakistan. The unique features of the Security Council have enabled it to continue to play a pivotal part in the future world configuration.

First, the Security Council is the principal venue for multilateral cooperation. Given the complexity of the world's problems, no one can take on the challenge single-handedly. The development in Iraq shows that unilateral approaches can bring neither peace nor security, and will only put trust and cooperation among countries in jeopardy.

Security Council Resolution 1511 and other resolutions passed by consensus have testified that only multilateralism can serve both as a sharp tool and a strong shield in the world's common endeavors to achieve peace and development. The Security Council, with its sacred power under the UN Charter, acts on behalf of the member states. Its decisions reached through multilateral consultation reflect the common aspiration of the international community. An institution, as such, surely enjoys high authorities both politically and morally.

Second, the Security Council is a key platform for democracy in international relations.Any decision of the Security Council must be made jointly by all its members, who are democratically elected by respective regions in accordance with the principle of equitable geographic distribution. This collective decision-making mechanism gives an effective guarantee for consultations among parties in problem-solving exercises.

Third, the Security Council is a core institution for peaceful settlement of disputes. As the only organ with the mandated power under UN Charter to decide on the use of force in international relations, the Security Council advocates peaceful settlement of disputes and deploys peacekeeping operations. When special circumstances require, it makes compulsory intervention. Therefore, it is a powerful tool to keep the international relations stable.

Fourth, the Security Council is also an important vehicle to promote a law-based pattern of international relations. As a noting Chinese saying goes, "you cannot draw squares and circles without the compass and square". In governance at the national level, rule of law is essential. When it comes to the conduct of international relations, the rule of the international law should also be viewed as a reliable safeguard. Many good decisions and practices of the Security Council have become important ingredients and rationale of international activities.