thông sự
Definition
- Noun (Historical):
- Interpreter / Translator: A person whose job was to translate a foreign language, especially in an official or governmental context in pre-modern and colonial Vietnam.
- Clerk / Secretary: An official clerk or secretary, often working in a provincial administrative office.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Ông cụ của tôi từng làm thông sự cho tòa công sứ. (My grandfather once worked as an interpreter for the French resident's office.)
- Chức vụ thông sự quan trọng trong các giao dịch thương mại thời xưa. (The position of interpreter was important in trade transactions in the old days.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "thông sự" is now largely archaic and historical. It is primarily encountered in literature, historical documents, or discussions about Vietnam's administrative system during the feudal or French colonial periods.
- It often implied a government-appointed role, bridging communication between Vietnamese officials and foreign (often Chinese or later French) entities.
Variants and Related Words
- Thông phán (n): A synonymous historical term for a clerk or secretary in a government office.
- Thông ngôn (n): Another historical term for an interpreter, often used in similar contexts.
Synonyms
- Interpreter: A person who translates speech orally.
- Translator: A person who translates written text.
- Clerk: An office worker who handles records or administrative tasks.
Notes on Usage
- "Thông sự" is not used in contemporary Vietnamese for modern professions like translator or secretary. Modern terms should be used instead (e.g., phiên dịch for interpreter, thư ký for secretary).
- Its use today is mostly figurative or historical, evoking a specific period in Vietnamese history.