为何《复仇者联盟》的英文是The Avengers,不是The Revengers?
说到《复仇者联盟》,喜爱超级英雄的电影迷想必并不陌生。但你是否曾经疑惑过:明明revenge 跟avenge 都是「复仇」,为什么《复仇者联盟》的英文是The Avengers 而不是The Revengers?revenge 跟avenge 的涵义和用法有什么不同吗?
一、revenge、avenge 的涵义差别
虽然revenge 跟avenge 都有「复仇、报复」的意思,但实际上两个字有着细微差别:
1. revenge
根据英英字典,revenge 的定义是:
inflicting pain or harm to retaliate for real or fancied wrongs (使遭受痛苦或伤害,来报复真实或虚构的不公义对待。)to harm someone as a punishment for harm that they have done to you (去伤害某人,作为他对你做的错事的一种惩罚。)
换句话说,revenge是「复仇、报复」的意思,且偏向是因自身遭遇而去报复。
例如:
He swore to revenge his humiliation.
(他发誓要报复他所受的屈辱。)
2. avenge
至于avenge 的定义则是:
inflicting punishment as an act of retributive justice (使遭受惩罚,视为一种报复式正义。)to do harm to or punish the person responsible for something bad done to you or your family or friends in order to achieve a fair situation (为了达到公正,而去伤害或惩罚对你或你亲人好友做过错事的人。)
换句话说,avenge隐含「为公平正义,为自己或他人讨回公道」的意思。
例如:
The victims were avenged when the murderer was sentenced to life in prison.
(当杀人犯被判处无期徒刑,受害者的正义获得了伸张。)
所以,我们回到电影《复仇者联盟》。因为当中成员主要不是为了私怨而去报复,而是为了公平正义而战,因此用avenge延伸出的avengers(复仇者)去形容他们会更加恰当,也更能传达出「框扶正义」的这层涵义喔!
二、revenge、avenge 的用法差别
除了意思上的细微差异,两个字在用法上也有不同。
1. revenge
可以作为「动词」或「名词」。「动词」的用法并不常见,
例如:
His madness was driven by the desire to revenge.
(他的疯狂行为是受到报复欲望所驱使。)
当做名词时,revenge 有几个常见的搭配词,像是:
(1)want revenge 想要报复
He couldn't swallow his pride and wanted revenge on his coach.
(他吞不下这口气,想要报复他的教练。)
(2)seek revenge 寻求报复
He sought revenge on his ex-girlfriend for breaking his heart.
(他因为前女友伤透他的心而寻求报复。)
(3)take revenge on 报复、复仇
The serial killer took revenge on anyone who had done him wrong.
(这名连环杀手向所有亏待他的人复仇。)
(4)in revenge for 报复、复仇
The shooting attack was in revenge for alleged bullying at school.
(这场枪击疑似是为了要报复校园霸凌。)
2. avenge
Avenge 则是「动词」,没有「名词」的用法。
例如:
The two brothers swore to avenge the person who framed their father.
(两兄弟发誓要让诬陷他们父亲的人付出代价。)
The woman is determined to avenge her husband's death.
(这位女士决意要为她丈夫的死讨回公道。)
虽然revenge 跟avenge 的差别很细微,但只要厘清,下次写作时用字就能更加精准啰!