“宣传”用英语怎么说?
在汉语中,“宣传”这个词十分常用,但译成英文时总存在误用的情况。汉语的“宣传”,强调对公众讲明一件事情。英语一般用propaganda、publicity来表示。
Propaganda的意思为 ideas or statements that may be false or exaggerated and that are used in order to gain support for a political leader or party, or to influence public opinion,即指的是可能是虚假或夸张的想法或说法,以及用来为某个政治领导人或政党获取支持或影响民意的想法或说法,显然是一个贬义词。例如:
1. 这种广告只不过是宣传说教。
This kind of advertising is nothing but propaganda.
而publicity则有两层意思:
一是the attention that is given to someone/something by media,是“媒体给予的关注”,即“宣传报道”,是一个中性词。例如:
2. 这个案件已在这个国家引起了大量的宣传(报道)。
The case has generated enormous publicity in this country.
二是the business of attracting the attention of the public to someone/something, the things that are done to attract attention,是“引起公众关注的事情”,即“宣传工作”。例如:
3. 他是干宣传(工作)的。
He works in publicity.
4. 一部新电影的露面,总是伴随着大量的宣传。
1) The appearance of a new film will always be accompanied with a lot of publicity. 或
2) The appearance of a new movie will always go together with a great deal of publicity.
由此可见,“宣传部”就可以翻译为“Department of Publicity”或“Publicity Department”。“中共中央宣传部”的标准英文译名则为“the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China”。对外宣传,也就是通常所说的“外宣”可用international communication来表示,如“中共中央对外宣传办公室”就可译为“the International Communication Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China”。