主题：每日新词之插图版temperament（20060516）

temperament 名词 气质，性情

此主题相关图片如下：

WASHINGTON - FEBRUARY 16: Describing his temperament as "controlled rage," Rep. Gene Taylor (D-MS) questions U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff during a hearing titled "Disasters and the Department of Homeland Security: Where Do We Go From Here?" on Captiol Hill February 16, 2006 in Washington, DC. Chertoff addressed his decisions and the challenges the department faced while tackling the biggest natural disaster to strike the U.S. in decades.

「氣質」英文怎麼說? 蘇正隆 July 26 , 2004
Published by Time Studies September 2004 / No.81

中文裡許多常見的詞語，如「氣質」、「肉麻」之類要翻成英文是挺困難的，因為兩種不同文化之間很少有真正對等的詞彙。但這並不表示這些詞語是無法翻譯，在翻譯上並沒有所謂「 不可譯」的問題 ，我們譯不出來並不表示別人也譯不出，現在譯不出並不表示將來也譯不出。幾十年前，譯界有人認為 privacy 一詞無法翻譯，後來何偉傑先生一下子就提出了十幾種相當貼切的中文譯法。再如在中文裡，喝茶、喝酒與喝水的杯子都通稱為杯子。不似英文喝茶用的稱為 “cup”，喝葡萄酒用的稱為 “glass”，有把手、喝啤酒用的大杯稱為 “mug”。而 “mug”一詞本來並無適切的中文譯名，直到後來 “馬克杯” 這一譯名出現，廣為大眾所接受，就成了標準的譯名。由此可知，隨著不同文化間頻繁的互動，過去難以翻譯的詞語後來也許可以找到大家都可接受的翻譯。

底下我們來看看中文的「氣質」英文要怎麼說?

女孩子 「有氣質」、「氣質美」可以說: She has an aura of elegance.請見以下二例 ：

1. ... Rei … is one of my ideal role models of beauty. She has an aura of elegance and mystery about her.
( 瑞，是我心儀的美女典範，有氣質美與神秘感 。)

2. …Prettiest female skater under 18 I picked Ann Patrice because she has an aura of elegance about her and when she smiles her whole face seems to light up. ..
( 18 歲以下的漂亮溜冰選手中，我挑選了安．帕翠絲，因為她有氣質 .... )

女孩子「有氣質」也可以說: a girl with class. 請見以下四例：
1. I like a girl with class, smiles, and the mutual appreciation of adventure, health, and the finer things in life.
(我喜歡有氣質的女孩，有笑容，以及彼此都能欣賞冒險、健康及生活中的美好事物。)

2. His Ideal Lady: "I like a girl with class. You know what I mean, she would choose TC over IHOP anyday. She should also be straightforward about how she feels....
(他理想中的女人：我喜歡有氣質的女孩，你知道我的意思，任何時候她都會選擇上館子而不是吃路邊攤....)

3. Personally, I try and date girls with class. (probably why I' m single) And if this little fiasco upset you, you should probably look for classy girls too. You may ask, “Striegel, where do I find classy ladies?”
(我個人是想交有氣質的女孩 -- 這也許是為什麼我還單身 ....)

4. A girl with class is a girl who doesn't dare to be the same but dares to be different dares to step out of the cloud and rather walk on top of it she wants ....
(有氣質的女孩不是她也敢跟人家一樣，而是敢跟人家不一樣 .... )

以上前三個例子的「氣質」也有「品味」、「格調」 的意味，而第四例則有「有個性」的意味。

至於「有錢沒氣質」可以說: have lots of money but lack class， 請見下例：

There was a time when a 5-star hotel was an acceptable substitute for a home away from home, and a meeting place for people having class, sophistication and culture. Instead today, these bastions of luxury are swamped by hordes who have an abundance of money but lack class.
(曾經有一度五星級飯店被我們當作是另一個家，是有品味、有涵養的人士聚會的地方。而如今這些豪華的場所則充斥著一大批有錢沒氣質的傢伙。)

跟個性有關的氣質英文叫 "temperament", 如「性格與氣質」 可以說: character and temperament，如：

1. ... His inner character and temperament show that he is not warlike by nature nor do they suggest that he desires the status of a mighty imperial ruler.
(...他內在的性格與氣質顯示本質上他不好戰，也看不出他想成為武功顯赫的君主。)

2. ... it is a person's character and temperament that matters (more so than ability and relative intelligence) ...
( 一個人的性格與氣質最要緊 -- 比能力和智力更重要。)
他們「氣質不同」，這裡的氣質，英文可以說: disposition and nature ，例如：

1. But look a little deeper and you find that each of us is like a fingerprint; no two are exactly alike. Everyone is unique in character, disposition and nature. Like each of us, a dance school has a personality all its own.
(...深入了解後你會發現就像指紋，每個人的個性、氣質都是獨一無二的...。

2. The crescent ... symbolises the influence of feminine disposition and nature on the well-being of the society and State. ...
(新月象徵女性氣質 [陰]對社稷邦國福祉的影響。)

有「領袖氣質」、「領袖魅力」可以說: charisma；影歌星受歡迎、有人氣也叫 charisma。分別見下面兩例：

1. Some politicians have charisma, others do not.
(…有些政治人物有領袖氣質，有些則無。)

2. Eminem has charisma, Detroit has character.
( 阿姆有人氣，底特律有個性。)

男性丰度翩翩、有氣質，可以說: debonair，如：

John Barrymore ... who is remembered both for his roles as a debonair leading man and for his interpretations of Shakespeare' s
Richard III and Hamlet.
( ..大家都記得他擔任丰度翩翩、有氣質的男主角，以及[成功的]詮釋 / 演出莎士比亞的理察三世和哈姆雷特。)

時尚女人的「高貴氣質」，或所謂的「上流美」，可以說: chic，「時尚」和「高貴」，是所謂「上流美」的兩大要素。
參見下面諸例：

Jones: "It's chic. It has the 'I roll around in money' signature."....
( 很有高「貴」氣質 ，散發 「我在錢堆裡打滾」的氣味。)

It's chic and upscale and fits perfectly with the mall's image. ....
(很有氣質、很高檔，非常適合這個購物中心的形象。)

It's chic and it's stylish, a retro heart warmer filled with likable
characters ....
(這地方很有氣質，又有格調，復古溫馨，到處都是氣味相投的人。)


「氣質」、「肉麻」之類的抽象名詞、形容詞等不像蘋果、西瓜、馬克杯等具象名詞，比較難在英文裡找到完全的對應詞(equivalent)，但在翻譯時如能依語境（context）所提供的訊息來尋找英文在同樣環境下對應的表達法，也可以找到相當接近的說法。

註：以上例句都是透過網路蒐集而來，只有刪節，未經改寫。

Personally, I think the simple way to describe a 「有氣質」 lady can

be "elegant" (高雅的；端莊的) or "graceful" (優美的；典雅的).

Below is an article by Prof. 郭岱宗 (from 2005-10-28/聯合報/C8版/教育．文化),

in which "disposition" is translated as 「氣質」. In fact, "disposition"

refers to (指的是) "the particular type of character which a person naturally

has." (先天氣質；人與生俱來的某一性格/特性). For more info, please go check

the English definition (定義)of the online Cambridge dictionary at

thttp://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=22530&dict=CALD
_______________________________________________________________________

No More Faux Pas! 不再失態! 2005-10-28/聯合報/C8版/教育．文化
淡江大學英語系副教授郭岱宗

display 展現
disposition 氣質、舉止
consequence 後果
observance 遵循
dissimulation 虛假
courtesy 禮貌
geniality 和藹、愉悅
gain ground 穩健地前進
abstain 棄絕
fuss 大驚小怪
grumble 發牢騷
evoke 激發
induce 誘出
wholesome 健全的
from within and without 裡裡外外
rebellious 叛逆的
decided 果斷的

對話
A: Your children display a very special disposition. They are the happiest, most confident, and best mannered kids I've ever seen! How did you do it
你的孩子身上有一股很特別的氣質。我從未見過別的孩子像他那麼快樂、有自信、又有禮貌，你是怎麼教的？

B: Thank you. They are simply aware that they are not the only persons of consequence and that they should learn to narrower views of their own needs and wider those of others.
謝謝你誇獎。我只是讓他們知道，自己所做所為可能影響到別人，做事要少想自己，多想想別人。

A: But aren't social observance and dissimulation too heavy for them
但這些社會規範和惺惺作態對他們而言，會不會太沉重？

B: As a matter of fact, courtesy, geniality and grace are so winning and charming that children gain more ground by abstaining from fussing and grumbling. All children have this royal nature in them!
其實，孩子們有禮貌、愉悅、優雅，會使他們在社會中站得更穩，他們也不習慣鬧情緒、發脾氣。每個孩子都有這種高貴的情操。

A: Really How can we evoke it and induce this noble attitude
真的？那我們要怎樣才能把這種情操和態度激發出來？

B: Treat them with due respect in the mind and in the manners and with a little wholesome discipline. Then their manners and morals can be gradually formed from within and without.
你的內心、態度都要尊重孩子，再配合一些適當管教。他們的態度、品性會從裡到外改變。

A: My children are rebellious, rude, unconfident and unhappy. How can I help them?
我的孩子既不聽話，又沒禮貌；既沒自信、也不快樂。該怎麼幫他們？

B: Manners, morals and characters act together and react up-on one another. Children can't be happy without the three.
其實，態度、品性和個性都會被影響，少了任何一項，孩子都不會快樂。

A: From you I've learned that wise, loving and decided parents teach in specific, forgiving, positive and consistent ways.
我從你身上看到，一個明智、慈愛、果斷的父母，教孩子的態度是：凡事說清楚、願意原諒孩子、也常肯定孩子，且教育方法是從不前後矛盾。

B: Then you'll see how children adapt themselves with great rapidity, pride and security.
然後你就可以看到孩子會多麼迅速轉變，還充滿自信和安全感。