mokusatsu, One Word, Two Lessons语言歧义与跨文化.pdfVIP

UNCLASSIFIED Mokusatsu: One Word, Two Lessons B~ (b) (3)-P.L. 86-36 Unclassified 11;- (1\ mokusatsu ..., l1-suru, v. take no notice of; treat (anything) with silent contempt; ignore [by keeping silence]; remain in a wise and masterly inactivity. -Kenkyushas New Japanese - English Dictionary, p.1129. The story of how an ill-chosen translation of the Japanese word mohusatsa led to the United States decision to drop the worlds first atomic bomb on Hiroshima is well known to many linguists. But perhaps it would not be amiss to retell it briefly just in case some reader of this essay is unfamiliar with the word-and in the hope that readers may be inspired to avoid the two tragic linguistic errors that the story points up. In July of 1945 allied leaders meeting in Potsdam submitted a stiffly-worded declaration of surrender terms and waited anxiously· for the Japanese reply. The terms had included a statement to the effect that any negative answer would invite prompt and utter destruction. Truman, Churchill, Stalin, and Chiang Kai-Shek stated that they hoped that Japan would agree to surrender un- conditionally and prevent devastation of the Japanese homeland and that they patiently awaited Japans answer. Reporters in Tokyo questioned Japanese Premier Kantaro Suzuki about his governments reaction to the Potsdam Declaration. Since no formal decision