court 的語義經歷了從“庭院”到“法院”的變化過程。court最初的意思是space enclosed by walls or buildings，相當于“院子”或“庭院”。現在人們經常用courtyard代替court，表示“庭院”。例如： In the middle of the courtyard, there is a tall tree that provides shade for people. 在庭院中間，有一棵大樹，給人們提供蔭涼。court的第二個意思是enclosed quadrangular area, open or covered, for games，即“體育運動場地”。例如：basketball court(籃球場)，half court(半場)。grass court(草地球場)。court 既是平民百姓生活的地方，又是皇家王室的住所。court 的第三個意思是sovereigns residence and his establishment，即“宮廷”或“朝廷”，或指宮殿，或指王室全體成員。例如：The court of King Solomon was noted for its splendor. (所羅門國王的宮廷以其華麗著稱。) The court moves to the country in the summer. (夏天，王室全體成員都搬到鄉(xiāng)下去住。)君主具有最高權力，說話是“金科玉律”。court原是君主發(fā)號施令的地方，后來專指審判機關。court 的第四個意思是place or hall in which justice is administered，即“法院”或“法庭”，或指審判機關，或指審判地點，或指法官。如：There isnt enough evidence to bring the case to court. (證據不足，不能將此案送交法庭。) The defendant will appear in court next Monday. (被告在下周一將出庭。) The court found him guilty. (法官認定他有罪。)

下面是幾個容易混淆的國際司法機構。The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations.國際法院(也稱國際法庭)，是聯合國的主要司法機構。The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity,war crimes,and the crime of aggression.國際刑事法院是一個永久性特別法庭，審理犯有種族滅絕罪、反人類罪、戰(zhàn)爭罪和侵略罪的個人。The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY, for short) is a United Nations court of law dealing with war crimes that took place during the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s.前南斯拉夫國際刑事法庭 (縮寫為ICTY)是聯合國審理90年代在前南地區(qū)沖突中發(fā)生的戰(zhàn)爭罪行的法庭?！?/p>

（本欄目供稿：王逢鑫教授）