汉字术语近代转换现象辨析——以“经济”、“形而上学”为例

清末民初以降,一批翻译西方概念的汉字新术语应运而生,其间多有成功之作,却也有失当的案例。有些本是内涵明确而稳定的古汉语词,在借以对译西方概念的过程中,既抛弃了该词的汉语古义,也未与西义确切对应,又不能从词形推导出新义。"经济"、"形而上学"便是两个使用频率甚高的误植译词。今天我们有必要追踪误植发生的轨迹,探讨其在何种历史的及文化的背景下失足,以便总结教训,利于当下及今后中外术语对译的健康展开。此一梳理、辨析工作,当为中国近代文化史研究的题中应有之义。

Analysis of Phenomena of Modern Conversion of Chinese Term ---Taking Economy and Metaphysics as Examples

From late Qing and early republic of China,large number of new Chinese terms translated from western concepts came into being.There were more for success,but were inappropriate cases.Some of the terms which were originally ancient Chinese words had stable and explicit content,thus abandoning the ancient Chinese meaning,not corresponding the western meaning exactly,and not deriving the new meaning from morphology.Economy and metaphysics were two incorrect translated-words which had high frequency in using them.It is necessary to track the trajectory of change and to learn lessons through exploring the history and culture of its slip,in order to make the translation of terms develop healthily in the present and the future.