每日一句英译英：“疫情控制”是control还是contain?
每日一句英译英：“疫情控制”是control还是contain?
control a disease和contain a disease的区别
一、 体验英语：
说到“控制疾病”，我们从我们的英语学习“记忆”中“调用”的第一个英语词汇就是We must make our great efforts to control the disease.
然而，面对“新冠状病毒”，我国官方媒体英语表述则是：
1. CGTN:Wuhan is on lockdown to contain the spread of a new coronavirus outbreak.
用词：contain
2. CGTN: Hong Kong's Disneyland and Ocean Park closed Sunday until further notice in order to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus.
用词：prevent the spread of (a disease)
3. 美国President D Trump在他的Twitter中：President Donald Trump thanked China on Twitter Friday for its efforts to contain the disease.
"China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency(透明度). It will all work out well.
其它：
4. Farms in the area have been closed off in an attempt to contain the disease.
5. More police were sent to help contain the violence.
英语学习的问题来了：“控制疾病”到底是to cotrol it还是to contain it?
二、我们还是“英译英”吧，用英语一看：意思一清二楚。
1) To contain a disease:
1. Well,when we try to contain a disease,or something harmful,we try to keep it within limits and not allow it to spread:
口语：Okay.Got you:within limits and not allow it to spread就是要能记会说的key words
2. Well,when we try to contain a disease,we try to halt the spread or development of it,we try to check it,we try to curb it.
口语：Okay.Got you. Try to halt the spread or development of it.We can also say to check it,to curb it.
Check在英语里给人国际象棋里“将军！”的语义联想。Curb给人街道两旁的“马路牙子”联想。
2) To control a disease
1.Farmers used a pesticide(农药) to control insects(害虫).
2. Fire fighterd controlled the fire by dousing(浇水) it with water.
口语：Okay.Got you.When we try to control something,including a dusease, we try to reduce or prevent the spread of it.
也有prevent the spread of之意
结论：control a disease和contain a disease都可以，只是control一般翻译成“控制，contain一般翻译成“遏制，一“控”一“遏”，用词程度不同，看个人使用意图而定。
别忘了，上世纪五六十年代，美国为首的西方国家就是采取contain China=to check China=curb China，遏制中国政策，可不是简单的“控制中国”，它(内部)控制control不了在外部contain是可以的，比如关闭孔子学院。
三、Control的固定搭配
1.政府部门“疾病防控中心”都是固定说Disease Control and Prevention 的，不说contain一词。在此无需做过多的语言同义词辨析和使用考虑。
2.研究实验法里的“控制组”和“实验组”也分别是 control group and experimental group固定用词。