語義信息是基礎(chǔ)。沒有語義信息就沒有風(fēng)格信息或文化信息，因為風(fēng)格信息 和文化信息必須通過語言的基本含義表現(xiàn)出來。語言是信息的載體，語言若沒有 傳遞信息，風(fēng)格信息和文化信息就無從談起。風(fēng)格和文化只有通過語義信息才能反映出來。

語義信息包括表層結(jié)構(gòu)信息和深層結(jié)構(gòu)信息。我們劃分表層結(jié)構(gòu)信息和深層結(jié)構(gòu)信息主要是要說明表達意思和傳達信息的兩種不同方式。表層結(jié)構(gòu)信息指的是話語或語篇的字面意思。例如：

The New York Port Authority stipulates that barium carbonate should be packaged in fibre drums instead of in bags. The leakage was attributed to your failure to effect shipment according to the packing terms as stipulated in the contract.

譯文：紐約港務(wù)局規(guī)定碳酸鋇應(yīng)用纖維材料制成的桶裝，而不應(yīng)袋裝。泄漏是由于貴方未按合同規(guī)定的包裝發(fā)貨所致。

此例是關(guān)于貿(mào)易運輸中貨物出現(xiàn)問題時的函件。原文字面意思十分明確，譯文己將原文的表層信息傳遞出來了。

深層結(jié)構(gòu)信息指的是表層結(jié)構(gòu)語言所蘊涵的意思。換言之，是“字里行間”的意思，這種意思要通過上下文揣測出來。要了解深層結(jié)構(gòu)信息，譯者需要運用他對原語社會、歷史、文化、藝術(shù)、專業(yè)知識等方面的知識能力，去感受、體會和挖掘原文所蘊涵的深層結(jié)構(gòu)信息。例如：

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