翻译考试优秀短文翻译：英译汉13

　　Apologise is one of those words which has effectively reversed its original meaning. Its origin, in the Greek lawcourts, was jurisprudential: it signified the speech for the defence in which the prosecution's case was answered point by point. It retained its original meaning until at least the 16th century. Thus Sir Thomas More, after resigning from office, drew up his "Apologie of Syr Thomas More, Knyght; made by him, after he had geuen ouer the office of Lord Chancellor of Englande". Today we would say vindication. Only gradually did the word acquire the connotation of excuse, withdrawal, admission of fault and plea for forbearance. It still bore its original meaning in theology: Newman's Apologia pro Vita Sua was not an apology at all but a vigorous rebuttal of Charles Kingsley's charges. Dickens's unfortunate statement about his reasons for splitting up with his wife, which his friends begged him not to publish, was self-destructive precisely because it was halfway between the two meanings: half defiant vindication, half admission of guilt.

　　有那么一些词儿，已经彻底演变得与本义完全相反，“Apologise”即是其中之一。该词的本义，在希腊法庭上，具有法理学意义：该词即指辩护词，在辩护过程中，对于诉讼方的指控，逐一予以回答。其原义至少到了16世纪还一直保留着。托马斯·莫尔爵士在挂印辞官之后，就是这样撰写了他的“托马斯·莫尔爵士之辩护词;辞去英格兰大法官之职后所作。”今天我们会使用“Vindication”(辩白，辩护)一词。只是渐渐地“Apologise”这个词才获得了“原谅、撤回所说的话、承认错误并请求宽恕”之含义。在神学中该词仍保留原来的意义：纽曼的《为吾生辩》(Apologia pro Vita Sua)根本就不是什么道歉，而是对查尔士·金斯菜的指控所作的强硬辩驳。讲狄更斯与其妻分手理由的那篇倒霉的陈词(其友人求他不要发表)，就是自毁其身，恰恰是它介于两个意义之间：一半是倔强的辩白，一半是承认有愧。