“先生”用法刍议

语言的恰当使用,必须同时考虑语法、修辞等因素。＂先生＂一词在现代汉语中的用法,尤其需要考虑修辞、习惯等。谨提出三点以供讨论：1）在现代汉语中称谓古昔先贤时不宜用＂姓名＋先生＂的格式,称呼他们另有习惯;2）在现代汉语中,可以将＂先生＂用为男士的专称,不宜提倡不加性别区分地用以称呼女性;3）在汉英翻译过程中,＂先生＂不宜一律译为英语中的＂Mister＂,两个词在两种语言中的意义并不对等。

Usage of ＂Xiansheng＂ in Modern Chinese

The appropriate use of language should take into consideration of grammar,rhetoric and social conventions as well.The use of "Xiansheng"(the usual English equivalent is "Mister",but not precise) in Modern Chinese can give a good example of it.When addressing the person in the long past history,it is not appropriate to use the form of "First name + Second name + Xiansheng",because there are other more appropriate conventional forms of addressing.We propose that "Xiansheng"should be used as a title of gentlemen,not appropriate for ladies any more in Modern Chinese.In the translation,it is also not right to render the "Xiansheng" in any case to "Mister" in English,for these two words are not precisely equivalent in the two languages.