Context and Word Meaning Selection

The term "context" refers to the discourse that precedes or accompanies any specific unit of reference. Some divide context into narrow and broad senses. Narrow context involves the linguistic factors of the communication process, while broad context is a summary of non-linguistic factors, encompassing all aspects outside of language. Semantics depend on context for their existence. For a word's meaning, without context, there is no definite meaning (No context, No meaning). Merely looking up the corresponding definition of a word in a dictionary is entirely insufficient; the selection of word meaning is always inseparable from the textual context.

Co-textual context refers to the actual linguistic environment in which a word is situated in the original text and is the primary factor constraining word meaning. Co-textual context can be divided into two types: inter-sentence context and intra-sentence context.

Inter-sentence context refers to the context formed between one sentence and others. It requires the translator to consider the internal semantic coherence and cohesion from a macro perspective, adhering to basic or common semantics, ensuring clear and coherent semantics between sentences, and complete semantic information in the context.

Intra-sentence context refers to the context generated by the combination of different elements within the same sentence. Specifically, the same word can have different meanings in different collocations, and once the usual collocations and positions change, the meaning of a word can deviate from its basic or common meaning, or even be completely opposite. In such cases, translation must start with the changes in the sentence to find the most appropriate meaning. For example, the word "factor" has different meanings in the sentences "Lack of cash is a limiting factor" and "He could never be a factor in her calculations." In most cases, "factor" is used as a noun meaning "factor," often paired with "limiting" to indicate a "limiting factor," so the first sentence can be translated as "A lack of cash is a limiting factor." However, the second sentence is more special; the meaning of "factor" is associated with "calculations," and it can be translated as "He could never be a piece in her calculations." Another very common word is "last," which often has different semantic meanings in different contextual environments and must be chosen based on its connection with the context.

Example 1: He was the last one to arrive. (他是最后一个到的。)

Example 2: He is the last person to tell a lie. (他是最不可能撒谎的人。)

Example 3: He is the last person for such a job. (他最不适合担任这份工作。)

Example 4: This is the last place where I expected to meet you. (我怎么也没想到会在这个地方见到你。)

As Peter Newmark said, "Context is the most important factor in all translation." The understanding of word meaning and sentence meaning must always be placed within the entire context to ensure that the translation remains faithful to the original text.

◀️：The Importance of Common Sense in the Translation Process

▶️：Research and Verification in Translation