中文原文：
 

　　互联网给每位网民提供一个与别人自由沟通的渠道。

 

　　错误译文：

 

　　The Internet provides every user with a free channel to communicate with others.

 

　　正确译文：

 

　　1 The Internet provides every user with a channel to communicate freely with others.

 

　　2 The Internet offers every user a channel for his free communication with others.

 

　　翻译加油站：

 

　　作为形容词，free有多重意思，因而容易引起歧义。如果free 修饰channel，意思是“免费渠道”。上面错误译文的意思是：“互联网给每位网民提供一个与别人沟通的免费渠道”，与原文相距甚远； 只有free 修饰communication，意思才是“自由沟通”。

 

　　free基本上有4种含义。第一层意思是able to act as one wants，即“主观上可以随心所欲的自由”， 例如：

 

　　1. 你想上哪儿，就上哪儿。 / 你有想上哪儿就上哪儿的自由。

 

　　1) You are free to go anywhere you wish.

 

　　2) You have the freedom to go anywhere you wish.

 

　　free的第二层意思是not limited in any way, esp. by rule or custom，

 

　　即“客观上不受任何事物，尤其是不受制度或习俗约束的自由”，例如：

 

　　2. 我们的人民有言论自由和出版自由的权利。

 

　　1) Our people have the right to free speech and a free press.

 

　　2) Our people have the right to the freedom of speech and the freedom of a press.

 

　　free的第三层意思是with out payment of any kind，即“免费的, 不花钱的”，例如：

 

　　3. 世上没有免费的午餐。

 

　　1) There’s no free lunch in the world.

 

　　2) There’s no free lunch served / provided in the world.

 

　　3) There is no free lunch available in the world.

 

　　4) There is no lunch free of charge in the world.

 

　　free的第四层意思是not busy或with out work or duty，即“有空闲的”， 例如：

 

　　4. 你有空时，来看我。

 

　　1) Come and see me when you are free.

 

　　2) When you get free Tim, please come to see me.

 

　　5. 现在许多人忙于赚钱，难得有空闲时间。

 

　　1) Now many people are busy making money, thus hardly having any free time.

 

　　2) Many people are now busy making money, thus getting little free time.