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Promise
 日常会话中常听到的promise,其语源的拉丁文意为:To send before,颇有:话说在前面,或者有约在前之意。作名词用有两解,是常用的表现。约定、诺言,和动词连用时可以表示“实践诺言”(to honor one's promise, to carry out one's promise)。

“遵守约定”(to keep promise),不遵守约定或有违诺言则为to break one's promise, to violate one's promise或者to withdraw one's promise。如果前加形容词,被破坏、不遵守的诺言是a broken promise;空洞的诺言:a hollow promise;书面诺言:a written promise;公正的约定:a fair promise。

One must be bound by one's promise(君子一诺千金),这是中国人的传统美德,“一诺”就是a verbal promise,不必有什么written promise。从来中国做大生意或者小买卖的,都重此一诺。此一诺也可说是an absolute promise,往往无任何条件。

(摘自《联合早报》)
 
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