中国社会科学院语言研究所词典编辑室编写的《现代汉语词典》对作动词用的“负责”二字所做的注释是：

一、“担负责任”；

二、“对工作尽到应尽的责任；认真踏实”。

这部词典还分别给了两个例句，它们是：

1．这边的事由你负责。

2．他对工作很负责。

通过对比例句和体察注释，人们不难悟出上述例句中“负责”二字的不同含义：

例1）中的“负责”指的是“为管理而承担责任”，强调的是“责任性”；

例2）中的“负责”表明的却是“工作态度”，强调 “实干精神”，即所谓的“责任心”。

本文就是在剖析这一细微差别的基础之上，对动词“负责”的多种英译法进行归类的。

（一）译为带名词charge的惯用短语：

1．be in charge of．．．

2．be left in charge of．．．

3．take charge of．．．

4．have charge of．．．

5．put．．．under one’s charge

在深层含义上上述惯用表达法只能与表示责任性的“负责”等值对应，即指的全是

“have the management of．．．”。遣用时，请注意体会细微差异：be in charge of．．．侧重于强调“状态”；take charge of．．．强调的是“动态”，即“承担起责任”；have charge of．．．表示的是“现状”，即“负有现实责任”；put．．．under one’s charge表示的是“把……事交给某某人负责”；be left in charge of．．．有被动含义，即表示的是“被指定对……事负责”

例句：

1．你负责（承担起管理责任）这个班怎么样？

How would it be for you to take charge of this class？

2．父亲去世后，家务事全由她负责了。

She took charge of the family business when her father died．

3．他负责整个办公室的工作已有十年之久。

He has been in charge of the whole office for 10years．

4．谁负责这项工作？

Who is in charge of this work？或Who is having charge of this work？

5．保卫工作由他负全责。

He is in full charge of security affairs．

6．老板生病期间，王先生被指定全权负责公司业务。

Mr．Wang was left in full charge of the company’s business while his boss was ill．

7．总经理让我全权负责处理一切。

The general manager put everything under my full charge．

Sth. is under the charge of me.

（二）译为带名词responsibility的短语：

名词responsibility是一个极为活跃的词，与某些动词搭配可构成一系列与“对……负责”有关的短语。试看：

1．bear responsibility for．．．对……负有责任

2．take（up）responsibility负起责任

3．take the responsibility for（of doing）sth．负起对（做）某事的责任

4．lack responsibility不负责任

5．admit responsibility for．．．对……承担责任

6．shoulder the responsibility for．．．对……担负责任

7．assume responsibility承担责任

8．accept（或undertake）the responsibility for．．．对……负责任

例句：

1．成功的领导无论在感情上还是在理智上都着眼未来而不眷恋过去。他们渴望负责、改革、开拓。

Successful leaders are emotionally and intellectually oriented to the future—not wedded to the past．They have a hunger to take responsibility，to innovate，and to initiate．

2．他对自己的工作不负责任。

He is lacking responsibility in his work．

3．我们必须对自己的行为勇于承担责任（敢于负责）。

We must bravely shoulder the responsibility for our own acts．

4．我们大家都同意一起承担责任（一起负责）。

All of us want to share the responsibility with you．

5．对此事我不负责。

视语境不同，可译为：

1．I cannot accept（或undertake）the responsibility for this．

2．I can bear no responsibility for this（或I cannot bear any responsibility for this）．

3．I cannot take up my responsibility for this．

4．I cannot take upon myself the responsibility for this．

5．I decline all responsibility for this．

6．I cannot assume the responsibility for this．

7．I do not admit any responsibility for this．

（三）译为形容词responsible或带responsible的短语：

1．be responsible to．．．

2．be responsible for．．．

3．hold oneself responsible to．．．

遣用上述短语时，要注意研究其用法特点：表示“对……事负责”时，用be responsible for．．．；表示“对……人负责”时，用be responsible to．．．；如果要表示“就……事对……人负责时”，则应遣用短语be responsible to．．．for．．．。例如：

1．飞机驾驶员应对旅客的安全负责。

The pilot of the plane is responsible for the passengers’ safety．

2．谁应对这一事故负责？

Who should be responsible for the accident？

3．我们的责任是向人民负责。

Our duty is to hold ourselves responsible to the people．

4．我们必须对人民利益负责。

We must be responsible to the people for their interests．

5．谁是负责人？ Who is the person responsible？

6．由此产生的一切后果由你方负责。

Your side will be responsible for all the consequences arising therefrom．

7．委员会的所有成员直接对校长负责。

All the members of the committee are responsible directly to the president．

（四）译为动词undertake或短语动词take up：

当“负责”在具体语境中有“承担某特定任务”或有“担负起做……事的责任”时，可酌情译为undertake或 take up。前者为书面语体词，后者为口语表达法。例如：

1．一位朋友负责将展览会开幕式的进程录下来。

A friend undertook to tape the proceeding at the opening of the exhibition．

He has taken up too much．

（五）译为下列短语或句型：

1．answer for．．．2．be answerable for．．．3．be in control（语气较重）4．be in one’s hands 5．see about（或seeto．．．）6．call the shots 7．．．．rest on（upon）one’s shoulders（句型）上述表达法均有明显的口语色彩，因而多见于非正式场合。译法（1）和（2）侧重于强调“责任性”；译法（3）和（4）重要表示“对……的管理”；译法（5）表示的是“安排”或“关照”；译法（6）直译为“发号施令，引申后可解作“对……事全权负责”；第（7）种不是句型，有“对……事担负起责任”意思。例句：

1．这里谁负责？Who is in control here？（语气较重）或Who is in charge here？ Who is the person responsible here？

2．我不能为别人的错误负责。I cannot answer for other people’s mistakes．

3．这事如果搞不好，你要负责的。If anything goes wrong，you’ll have to answer for it．

4．我负责去弄燃料。I’ll see about the fuel．

5．不会再麻烦你了，我会负责那件事。You won’t be put to that trouble again； I’ll see to that．

6．这事由你负责。The matter is in your hands．

7．这项任务全部由我们负责。The task rested squarely on our shoulders．

8．这里的事由我全权负责。I’m calling the shots here．

 

She reports directly to the board of directors. 她直接向董事会负责

Answer for 对…负责
The bus driver should answer for the safety of the passengers. 公共汽车司机应对旅客的安全负责

 

Delegates are accountable to the Chief Executive for the results of exercising their delegations and the responsibilities allocated to them. 获授权人员应就行使相应权力与责任的结果，向主管负责。

 

责成???

• instruct ( sb . to fulfill a task )
• charge ( sb . with a task )
• enjoin ( sb . to do sth .)

have someone in charge of

someone is put in charge of