有人問「最大公約數」英文怎麼說?
中文常用「最大公約數」比喻「最多數人可接受的(條件/方式…)」,如:「xxx仍是黨內派系可接受的最大公約數」,「...政治最大公約數,…是多數黨和少數黨兩方都不滿意,但都可以接受的。」
在數學上,公約數(commondivisor)是可共同整除其他整數(integer) 的約數 (factors),如:1,2, 3, 6都可同時整除12,18,30,而6為其最大公約數(greatest common divisor或HighestCommon Factor)。
那麼要英譯「解決問題的最大公約數」,可說 *"Isthere the greatest common divisor?" 或 "greatest common divisor for the problem"嗎?
找不到"Is there the greatest common divisor" 的結果。(Google, Sept 30, 16)
找不到"greatest common divisor for the problem" 的結果。
為何不行? 因為英文在這種譬喻 (metaphorical expression) 情境下會說 “a common denominator”,如:
“Is there a common denominator … to prevent this from happening?”
“So I ask: is there something we can agree on … a commondenominator that we can get behind that unites us and allows us to finallybring our potential ...”
“These groups differed considerably but they found a commondenominator in the struggle against the Communist government.”
"they found a common denominator" 約有 135,000項結果
"Is there a common denominator that"約有 19,400 項結果
有人會說commondenominator數學上是「公分母」啊! 可是英文在說「最多數人可接受的(條件…)」習慣就是這麼比喻,就好像中文「雞皮疙瘩」,英文卻叫goosebumps。這類中英語言與文化差異是翻譯上諸多困難點之一,有待大家共同努力。 (JeromeSu, Sept 30, 2016, Revised, Oct 18, 2016)