Document,Record,Archive(s)的源语境释义

The Meanings of Document,Record,and Archive(s) in Their Source Contexts

笼统地说,我国语境中的"文件"、"档案"这两个词对应着北美语境中的三个词,即document,record,archive(s)。因此,在将它们翻译成中文时,需要根据上下文来理解和把握,很难做到绝对的准确。为了使我国的档案工作者更加准确地了解document、record和archive(s)在源语境,特别是美国语境中的含义,特将美国档案工作者协会2005年出版的《档案与文件术语词典》[1]中对这3个术语的"定义"、对"定义"的"注释"以及对"定义"做进一步解释的"引文"翻译成中文。需要指出的是,英语句子结构严谨,词义灵活,《档案与文件术语词典》中所列术语一词多义现象普遍。不仅如此,正如该《词典》前言中所说的:"随着我们观念的变化,用来表述这些观念的词语的含义也在变化"。

Generally speaking,the two terms ＇wenjian＇ and ＇ dangan＇ used by Chinese archival community correspond to such three English terms as＇document, ＂record, ＇and＇archive（s）＇used in archival profession of United States and Canada. Therefore,when doing the translation,it requires a good under- standing of and careful attention to both the source and target contexts in which the terms were used,and it＇s often difficult to achieve absolute accuracy.In order to help Chinese archivists and records managers to get a better understanding of the meanings of the three terms in their original context,particularly Ameri- can context,I take A Glossary of Archival ＆ Records Terminology,published by the Society of American Archivists in 2005,as source text,and have translated into Chinese the definitions,notes and citations for the three terms provided in the Glossary. Be noted that,comparing with Chinese,English is characterized by its rigorous sentence structure and flexible meaning of word.The Glossary documents the different ways a term is used within and outside the American archival profession. Moreover,just as the author mentioned in the preface,＂As our understanding of ideas changes,so do the meanings of words we use to represent those ideas.＂