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主题:重要新词翻译探讨:Westlessness -- 红军迷

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家园 看来造这个词的本意并不是要说什么“西方的衰落”

网上有篇美国人写的评论(见下面的附文),我认为看出了其中端倪。简而言之,这是美国的欧洲盟友们对于西方阵营不再团结的焦虑和抱怨,而矛头正是指向特朗普及其“不负责任”的态度。其主旨并非是要探讨“西方的衰落”。甚至可以说,这就是德法为首的欧洲在向美国人喊话:你们要是再这么胡折腾,咱们就没有什么联盟了,而且都得玩完,你们看着办吧!所以,他们造出这个新词,是抱怨也是警告。因此“西方阵营的消失”也许才是正确的译法。

对于中国而言,好的一面是西方阵营相互协调一致对外状态已是几乎完结了。中国应该乐见并暗助这一趋势。同时值得警惕的是欧洲还在劝告美国政府回归阵营首领角色,最大的目标之一当然就是中国了。

What is Westlessness ?

Submitted by mimi on Sat, 02/15/2020 - 6:01pm

There I read about the Munich Security Conference, where I heard the expression "Westlessness" for the first time. Well, what I thought at the first moment about it, was not what it meant by those who used it.

This article gives some details in English:

Munich: Steinmeier sees ‘Destructive Dynamics in Global Policy’

Frank-Walter Steinmeier has been part of the Munich Security Conference before, but as Foreign Minister. As President of the Federal Republic of Germany, it was his first participation. He talked about “Westlessness”, this year’s motto, which is supposed to mean the West’s influence in the world is crumbling for two reasons. With Trump, America is moving away from peacemaking and peacekeeping in the world. And Europe is dealing with its own problems more than anything, even though issues in countries outside its area might become its own tomorrow. ...

President Steinmeier said international agreements would be broken these days. With this statement, he criticized the United States for pulling out of the ‘Iran Deal’ Europe is still clinging to. He also said the United Nations were losing influence in the world. There were “destructive dynamics in global policy”. And the competition between the big powers was back.

So, let's see what Pompeo had to say at the MSC.:

(sorry, I have not found a transcript yet and he talks so much I had no courage to even try to excerpt some of his words. Sorry for that)

Now, lets see what Macron has to say: Pompeo, Macron present opposing visions at MSC

Macron calls for better long-term relations with Russia, oh, oh, Pompeo might not like that.

hmm, to be honest, when I heard the expression "Westlessness" I thought to myself, yeah, finally we could have less of Westernism and frankly I was all for it.

Of course, I got all wrong again as usual.

Or may be not?

The annual Munich Security Conference brings together some 35 heads of state and government. Among their top issues are the West's role on the international stage and the conflict in Syria's Idlib province. With the US under President Donald Trump becoming ever more unreliable, 'Westlessness' is increasing and French President Emmanuel Macron is eager to take the helm.

Westlessness is the way to go, right?

Hopefully some of you professionals can write up something better about this conference. It's beyond my capabilities. This is just to hint at some of you to write something about it. Looks like something is cooking between the West and the not-so-West Europeans.

慕安会的初衷是探讨跨大西洋伙伴关系,这是理解这个词的一个重要线索。参见:

新闻背景:慕尼黑安全会议

2019-02-15 来源: 新华网

  新华社德国慕尼黑2月15日电 新闻背景:慕尼黑安全会议

  新华社记者李萌 乔继红

  第55届慕尼黑安全会议(慕安会)于本月15日至17日举行,欧洲自主发展、跨大西洋合作、大国竞争成为本届慕安会的重要议题。

  慕安会前身为德国人冯克莱斯特于上世纪60年代创办的以跨大西洋伙伴关系为重点议题的国际防务大会。1963年,首届国际防务大会在德国南部的慕尼黑举行。

  国际防务大会成立初期,与会者仅数十人,会议主要作为联邦德国与美国及其他北约成员国对话的非官方平台,常被称作“跨大西洋的家庭聚会”。

  随着冷战结束,国际防务大会更名为慕尼黑安全政策会议,与会者数量逐步增加,并向非北约成员国扩展。同时,会议关注重点不再局限于跨大西洋伙伴关系,而是更多关注全球安全问题,包括打击恐怖主义、防止核扩散、维护地区稳定等。

  1995年,慕尼黑安全政策会议首次邀请俄罗斯代表与会,并首次提出北约东扩原则。20世纪90年代末以来,这项活动的开放程度越来越高。1999年,会议首次向中东欧国家和商界代表开放,中国也首次派代表参会,亚太地区的发展与和平成为重要议题之一。

  2009年,慕尼黑安全政策会议更名为慕尼黑安全会议。

  慕安会如今已发展成为国际战略和安全领域的重要年度论坛之一,是各国高级防务问题官员及专家就国际重大安全问题阐述立场、交换意见的重要平台。由于明确的“纯论坛”定位,慕安会没有决议,没有宣言,与会者要做的就是发表观点、畅所欲言,不同主张和观点在这里激烈交锋。

由这个讨论得出一个关于翻译的感想,也是多年来从事这个职业的最重要心得之一:任何词语、任何句子,都必须结合文章的背景、具体的上下文去理解、去翻译,切不可拘泥于、局限于字词或句子的表面意思或惯常译法。否则就是缘木求鱼,往往南辕北辙。

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