同義詞的選擇（二）

　　另外一組同義詞組是“Agreement”、“Pact”和“Accord”，它們在文中先后出現(xiàn);同時我們也順便談一談“Treaty”、“Covenant”和“Convention”的用法。顯然“Agreement”是最基本的一個詞，可以用于所有的場合，只要是雙方或多方就某一問題取得一致意見，就算是達成一項“Agreement”了。在外交場合幾乎外交官們天天都在達成這樣或那樣，大的或小的，組織之間的或國家之間的“Agreement”，我們可以統(tǒng)統(tǒng)看成是“協(xié)議”。但是根據(jù)這種協(xié)議的性質、場合、范圍、級別、慣例等因素，要選用不同的詞組。

　　我們先看一看“Pact”和“Accord”這兩個詞。從網上(realdictionary.com)所給的簡明定義來看，這兩個詞都是指“A written agreement between two states or sovereigns”，并無意義上的重大區(qū)別。我們從一些中型詞典得到的定義是：

　　Pact: A formal agreement between two people or groups of people/An agreement between two or more nations or states usually less elaborate than a treaty but nearly equivalent thereto. 例句：The US and Canada have signed a free-trade pact. The Liberal Democrats may form a pact with Labour to try to beat the Conservatives in the next election.中文對應的解釋是：契約、協(xié)議;條約、公約、盟約。

　　Accord: A formal agreement/An amicable arrangement between parties, especially between peoples or nations, a less formal agreement. 例句：An accord signed by the two sides in January brought a formal end to the war in Bougainville. On 31 May the two leaders signed a peace accord. Before 1987, the accord between the labour government and the Union was a simple affair.中文對應的解釋是諒解;協(xié)議、條約。

　　Agreement: A compact entered into by two or more nations or heads of nations.這個定義說明“Agreement”這個詞，可以用于指高層次的協(xié)議。其中文的對應的解釋是：協(xié)定、協(xié)議;契約。

　　我們從一些新近網上獲得的例子，再體味一下這幾個詞的用法。在第一組例句中，美國國防部部長就朝鮮問題所作的努力時，有兩則報道，其中一個報道使用了“Formal Pact”而另一個報道卻是使用“Formal, Written Agreement”。

　　Powell seeks formal pact with N. Korea.

　　US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Friday he is trying to satisfy North Korea securing concerns through a formal, written agreement in which that country’s neighbors would participate.

　　從言外之意來看，既然是“Formal X”那么，“Pact”和“Agreement”在一般情況下是非正式的用法，當然會有例外，而“Agreement”則是一個所指最寬泛的詞。有時，我們又會見到“Accord”、“Pact”、“Agreement”同時出現(xiàn)，如下面的例子：

　　Debates Ethiopia and Eritrea Sign Formal Peace Accord. Ethiopia … statement. SEVERAL COMMISSIONS TO IMPLEMENT PACT. The six-article agreement commits both sides to a permanent cessation of military activities along their border.

　　甚至是出現(xiàn)在同一短語中：

　　For Immediate Release Statement of Senator Chris Dodd On Possible Peace Accord Agreement in Kosovo June 3, 1999, “All of us want to see a political settlement that results in peace in Kosovo. While there are promising signals out of Belgrade …”