包機一詞並不是個陌生的詞,近些年來每當中國公民在海外面臨重大困難和危機時,中國政府都會組織包機撤僑,使中國公民免於遭受可能的不測和風險,充分彰顯了中國政府維護海外中國公民權益,保障人民生命和財產安全的能力和實力。尤其是最近兩天,正值全國抗擊新型冠狀病毒感染肺炎疫情的嚴峻時刻,中國政府又一次安排包機把滯留海外的湖北及武漢籍中國公民接回家,再一次用中國的能力和實力保障了中國公民的生命安全、公民尊嚴與合法權益。此時,作為英語學習者和愛好者學習包機的英語說法,閱讀相關的英語新聞,不僅僅是很好的英語學習機會,也可以通過英語的學習和運用感受國家擔當、公民責任和家國情懷。
一、charter的詞性和詞義與漢語翻譯
1.名詞:
1.1.憲章:說明某部分民眾應有權利的書面聲明(a written statement describing the rights that a particular group of people should have)
1.2.章程:表明某一組織之宗旨和原則的書面聲明(a written statement of the principles and aims of an organization)
1.3.特許狀,許可證:統治者或政府發布的準許成立新的組織、城鎮、大學等並授予特別權利的公文(an official document stating that a ruler or government allows a new organization, town or university to be established and gives it particular rights)
2. 動詞:
2.1.特許設立;給予…特權;發給許可證(to state officially that a new organization, town or university has been established and has special rights )
2.1.租用飛機、船舶等(to hire/rent a plane, boat, etc. for your own use)
根據以上關於charter一詞的詞性和釋義,可以看到charter兼具名詞和動詞的詞性,而且具有不同的含義,但基本的意義包含明示的和特許的權利,因而在用於表示租用大型交通工具如飛機、船舶等的時候就含有租用者所擁有的獨享的權利,而漢語用「包」這個詞表示「約定的,專用的」的意義,恰好可以與英語的意義相對應。因此,charter可以單獨作為名詞或動詞表示漢語的包機的意義,也可以作為修飾詞和其它詞搭配聯用如charter/chartered planes/flights表示「包機」的意義。
二、關於charter flights的英語段落和新聞
1.
What is a charter flight?
A charter flight is a private flight scheduled to meet the needs of specific passengers or organizations. While public commercial flights leave at regular intervals with tickets being purchased up to the day of departure by the general public, charter flights are arranged by request. They can be used for a variety of purposes, like flying time-sensitive cargo, moving passengers, or emergency air transport.
譯文:
什麼是包機?
包機是為滿足特殊乘客或機構的需要而安排的私人航班。包機是根據要求安排的,而公共商業飛機是需要公眾在起飛前購買機票的定期航班。包機可以用於多種用途,包括時效性貨運、運送乘客、緊急空運等。
2. Chinese Authorities Send Charter Flights Globally to Return Wuhan Residents - Foreign Ministry
China sent two planes to Malaysia and Thailand on Friday to bring 「stranded」 Hubei province residents back to the virus-stricken city of Wuhan, authorities said.
There are 117 nationals from Hubei province in Bangkok and 100 in Kota Kinabalu who are 「willing to take the chartered flights back to Wuhan as soon as possible」, the CAAC said in a statement.
The charter flights are expected to arrive in Wuhan at 1200 and 1300 GMT on the same day.
China's foreign affairs ministry said earlier on Friday that the country would bring Wuhan residents back from overseas 「as soon as possible」 due to the 「the practical difficulties that Chinese citizens from Hubei, especially Wuhan, have faced overseas」.
譯文:
外交部:中國政府安排包機從世界各地接回武漢旅客
中國政府表示,中國於周五派出兩架飛機前往馬來西亞和泰國將「滯留」的湖北籍旅客接回正在遭受病毒侵襲的城市武漢。
中國民用航空總局發布聲明,目前湖北籍旅客在曼谷的有117位,在哥打基納巴盧的有100位,他們「願意儘快乘坐包機返回武漢」。
包機預計將在同一天的格林威治時間12:00和13:00到達武漢。
中國外交部說在周五的早些時候說,鑑於「湖北籍,尤其是武漢籍旅客在海外面臨實際困難」,國家將「儘快」把他們接回來。