debate、argue、dispute和contend用法辨析

1.debate“爭(zhēng)辯”、“爭(zhēng)論”，可作動(dòng)詞或名詞，動(dòng)詞后不跟 that 從句，偏重兩邊正式爭(zhēng)辯，各陳來(lái)由，有較強(qiáng)的“交鋒”意味。

正式用詞，多指圍繞某一成績(jī)掀開(kāi)的或爭(zhēng)論。側(cè)重指意見(jiàn)看法對(duì)峙的兩邊之間的正式或公開(kāi)的爭(zhēng)辯。

偏重“兩邊各述己見(jiàn)”, 內(nèi)含“交鋒”的意思, 如:
We have been debating about the issue.
我們不休在就這個(gè)成績(jī)舉行爭(zhēng)辯。

I don't wish to debate my opinions with you. 我不想就我的想法同你爭(zhēng)辯。

The Senate debated whether the new highway should be built or not.

參議院就對(duì)否應(yīng)該制作這條新公路掀開(kāi)爭(zhēng)辯。

On Sunday night they challenged us to debate on the problem of automobile

development and heavy traffic.

星期天夜晚,他們向我們挑唆爭(zhēng)辯汽車(chē)提高與的交通擁堵成績(jī)。

It is useless to debate this question in angry quarrel.

在惱怒的爭(zhēng)辯中爭(zhēng)論這種成績(jī)是沒(méi)有效的

The Parliament has been debating the financial situation for two weeks.

議會(huì)就財(cái)務(wù)情況爭(zhēng)辯已有兩個(gè)星期。

We debated until it was time for supper.我們不休辮論到晚飯時(shí)間。

2.argue只作動(dòng)詞，不克不及作名詞用，為最平凡用詞，后可跟 that 從句，表現(xiàn)“壓服，論證”或“試圖壓服”，指從平心靜氣的說(shuō)理到言辭劇烈的爭(zhēng)論。“爭(zhēng)辯”、“爭(zhēng)論”、“爭(zhēng)辯”，平凡用詞，指堅(jiān)持己見(jiàn)與人爭(zhēng)論本人不贊同或反對(duì)的事，偏重說(shuō)理、試圖壓服他人。

I argued with him for a long time, but he refused to listen to reason.

我與他爭(zhēng)論了好長(zhǎng)時(shí)間,但他不聽(tīng)我跟他說(shuō)理。

The lawyers for the plaintiff and the defendant argued the case for hours.

原告人狀師與被告狀師就這個(gè)案子爭(zhēng)辯了好幾個(gè)小時(shí)。

She knew it was useless to argue with his father. He would not change his decision.

她曉得跟父親爭(zhēng)論是沒(méi)用的，他決定的事不會(huì)變動(dòng)。

He tried to argue that the case was not what it seemed to be.

我們?cè)噲D爭(zhēng)辯論,事并不是像外表看上去的那樣。

I argued with her for a long time, but she refused to listen to reason.
我和她爭(zhēng)辯了好久, 但她照舊不聽(tīng)。

President Lincoln argued that all men are created equal. 林肯總統(tǒng)主張人皆生來(lái)同等。

可以指“說(shuō)理，論證”，也可以指“劇烈地互換意見(jiàn)致使?fàn)庌q”。如:
　　1) He argued against the plan.他舉出種種來(lái)由反對(duì)這項(xiàng)方案。
　　2) He argued that she should not go.他爭(zhēng)辯論，她不應(yīng)當(dāng)去。

3. dispute可作動(dòng)詞或名詞，動(dòng)詞后不跟 that 從句，偏重兩邊各不相謀，對(duì)峙不下，針?shù)h相對(duì)地劇烈爭(zhēng)辯。

“爭(zhēng)論”、“爭(zhēng)辯”、“爭(zhēng)辯”，多對(duì)不合舉行劇烈或熱烈的爭(zhēng)論或爭(zhēng)辯，爭(zhēng)辯中熱情多于明智，爭(zhēng)論兩邊屢屢各持已見(jiàn)，爭(zhēng)論對(duì)峙不下，成績(jī)得不到處理。

指“劇烈爭(zhēng)辯”, 含有“對(duì)峙不下”或“未得處理”之意, 如:
Whether he will be elected as chairman is still disputed.
他對(duì)否中選為主席, 仍舊有爭(zhēng)論。

The opposing party disputed with the president on the government budget. 反對(duì)黨就當(dāng)局預(yù)算成績(jī)同總統(tǒng)劇烈爭(zhēng)論。

He disputed with his wife on household expenses.

他與妻子在家庭開(kāi)支成績(jī)上爭(zhēng)論不下。

Whether he will succeed with his new method is still disputed.

關(guān)于他接納新辦法對(duì)否會(huì)告捷這一點(diǎn)，仍舊存在爭(zhēng)論。

The school board members spend their time disputing and getting nothing done.

學(xué)校董事會(huì)成員花不少時(shí)間爭(zhēng)辯，但什么事也做不成。

It is ridiculous for them dispute about such trivial matters.

在這些瑣事上爭(zhēng)的不亦樂(lè)是荒唐的。

The strikers began to dispute hotly with management on the increase in wages.

歇工工人開(kāi)頭就增長(zhǎng)薪資成績(jī)與資方掀開(kāi)劇烈爭(zhēng)論。

The circumstances of her death have been hotly disputed.

她的死因惹起了劇烈的爭(zhēng)論。

Few will dispute that educating women has great social benefits.

很少有人質(zhì)疑婦女承受教導(dǎo)具有嚴(yán)重的社會(huì)心義。

They are disputing about the rights and wrongs of the case.他們正在劇烈爭(zhēng)論這個(gè)事變的青紅皁白。

4.contend “爭(zhēng)辯”、“爭(zhēng)論”，指據(jù)理力圖，或自以為本人是對(duì)的，多見(jiàn)接賓語(yǔ)從句

that-clause。指聲稱(chēng)某事實(shí)情，含有與他人舉行爭(zhēng)辯的意思。如：

They didn’t contending about the least important points in the design.

對(duì)計(jì)劃中的一些不緊張的場(chǎng)合，他們沒(méi)有什么爭(zhēng)論。

The man contended that it was not his fault.

那人爭(zhēng)辯論這不是他的不對(duì)。

Some people contend that current immigration laws unfairly discriminate against

certain racial groups.

有些人爭(zhēng)辯論現(xiàn)行的移民法對(duì)某些種族團(tuán)體有不公平的藐視。

I would contend that the minister's thinking is flawed on this point.

我倒以為部長(zhǎng)的想法在這一點(diǎn)上有毛病。

The government contends that he is fundamentalist...

當(dāng)局認(rèn)定他是原教旨主義者。

I would contend that unemployment is the most serious social problem today.

我以為失業(yè)是當(dāng)今最為嚴(yán)峻的社會(huì)弊端。

He contended that it was true.

他聲稱(chēng)那是真的。

They contend that the company failed to disclose material information.

他們堅(jiān)持以為該公司并未泄漏本性性的信息。

5. contend v. 主張，聲稱(chēng)

指聲稱(chēng)某事實(shí)情，含有與他人舉行爭(zhēng)辯的意思。如：

He contended that it was true.

他聲稱(chēng)那是真的。

I would contend that unemployment is the most serious social problem today.

我以為失業(yè)是當(dāng)今最為嚴(yán)峻的社會(huì)弊端

6. assert v. 堅(jiān)決主張；斷言

含較強(qiáng)的臆斷意味，指堅(jiān)決而明白地表現(xiàn)某事真實(shí)無(wú)誤。

She asserted that French cooking is the best in the world.

她堅(jiān)稱(chēng)法國(guó)菜是天下上最好的。

The scientist asserted that there is no water on the moon.

那位封建家斷言月球上沒(méi)有水

7. maintain v. 堅(jiān)持說(shuō)，堅(jiān)持以為，如：

指堅(jiān)決維護(hù)某種主張或看法等。

She maintained her innocence.

她堅(jiān)持本人是無(wú)辜的。

He maintains that he once saw a UFO.

他堅(jiān)稱(chēng)本人曾望見(jiàn)過(guò)飛碟。