Accountability
公共治理、企业管理与教育中常见:不仅是做事,还要能被追问“为何如此”;与 transparency 常并列出现。
- “The new policy increased financial accountability for managers.” (新政策提高了经理在财务上的问责度。)
- “Voters demand greater accountability from elected officials.” (选民要求民选官员承担更大责任。)
- “Peer review creates accountability in scientific publishing.” (同行评审在科学出版中形成问责机制。)
古法语 acont(账目)与拉丁语 computare(计算)有关,经 account 发展出“交代账目”的隐喻,再加名词后缀 “-ability”。
“accountable”(account + -able)+ 名词后缀 “-ity”。
NGO 与媒体常谈 “lack of accountability”;职场 performance review 也体现对个人目标的责任交代。
- 固定搭配: “hold someone accountable” (追究某人责任), “accountability partner” (互相督促伙伴)
- 形容词: accountable
account(账目)+ ability(能够)→ 能把账算清楚、能交代 → 问责。
“After the data leak, the company promised stronger accountability measures within ninety days.” (数据泄露后,公司承诺九十天内采取更强有力的问责措施。)