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Dear BBC Learning English,
Can you tell me how ‘connection’ and ‘link’ as nouns are used differently?
Thank you
Cathy
本期节目内容简介
Connection 和 link 都有“关系、关联”的意思，但又不可混用，我们会说互联网连接 internet connection，却不会把可点击的链接 hyperlink 说成 hyper connection。两个词中，哪个是“与某人或某事物的联系或连接”，哪个是“两者之间的直接关系或关联”呢？我们通过不同语境的搭配来体会两个词的具体区别。
欢迎你加入并和我们一起讨论英语学习的方方面面。请通过微博 @BBC英语教学 或邮件与我们取得联系。邮箱地址是 [email protected]。
（关于台词的备注: 请注意这不是广播节目的逐字稿件。本文稿可能没有体现录制、编辑过程中对节目做出的改变。）
Helen大家好，欢迎收听 BBC 英语教学的《你问我答》。我是 Helen。这是一档帮助大家解答在英语学习时碰到疑问的节目。我们收到了 Cathy Tan 给我们发来的问题。 她对以下两个单词的含义和用法不是很清楚，需要我们的帮助。
QuestionDear BBC Learning English,
Thank youCathy
Helen谢谢 Cathy 的提问。作为名词，connection 和 link 均有“关系、关联”的意思，但是它们在英语里的意思和使用上是有区别的。
首先让我们来看一下 connection，它可以做可数名词或不可数名词，源于英语动词 connect。最常用的意思是“一个人或事物与其它事物的联系或关系”。在生活中，我们经常会用到 connection 这个词，它可以指事物之间物质性的连接，比如，电话线的连接 telephone connection。 也可以指人与人之间的关系 connections between people。
我们再来看一看 link，这是一个可数名词，它有多种含义，其中常用的意思是“两个事物或情况之间的关系，尤其是当一方的变化会对另一方产生影响”。比如，吸烟和肺癌有直接关联，there is a direct link between smoking and lung cancer。Link 还可以指“连接两个地方的方式”。比如，高铁连接 high-speed rail link。Link 也可以指“环状的链接”，比如，一根铁链由很多铁环组成，这些铁环就是 links，这个含义也可以比喻“环节”，比如重要环节 an important link。
接下来我们通过不同的场景来举例分析 connection 和 link 在生活中的各种用法，看看在什么情况下它们有着同样的含义，在什么情况下它们是不能互换的。
首先让我们来看几个它们可以互换的场景例句。
ExamplesThere is no connection between the two schools, even though they have the same name.虽然这两所学校的名字是一样的，但是它们之间没有任何关联。在这里我们可以用 link，意思是一样的。
The study suggests that there is a connection between small classes and higher reading scores.这项研究报告显示小班教育和更高的阅读成绩有着一定的关系。在这里我们也可以用 link。
He has maintained close links with his s within the industry.他与他在行业内的同僚们保持了密切的联系。这里我们可以用 connections 替代 links。
The bridge provides a link between the island and the mainland.这座桥连接了小岛和大陆。这里也可以用 connection，但是当我们用 link 的时候，感觉这座桥可能是唯一的连接方式。
Helen接下来的几个例句中，connection 和 link 是不能互换的，因为互换后会使语法上出现错误或者会改变句意。我们会在例句中为大家详细解释。
ExamplesI am waiting for a connection from London to Manchester this evening.今天晚上，我要从伦敦搭车去曼城。在说交通方式的时候，我们可以用 connection，意思是这可能是火车，也可能是飞机或者汽车。这里是不会用 link。
Have you checked all the electrical connections at home?你检查了家里所有的电源接口了吗？有一些固定表达比如电源接口 electrical connection，电话连接 telephone connection 或者是管道接口 pipe connection ，允许我们把小的单元连接到更大的系统中，这些情况是不能用 link 替代的。
I love my new high speed internet connection at home. It’s super-fast.我好喜欢我家新接的高速互联网连接。速度超快。我们不会说 internet link，英语里没有这个说法。
The detectives are questioning the shop assistants in connection with the missing jewels.侦探们正在盘问售货员，有关丢失的珠宝的一些问题。“In connection with 与什么相关”是一个固定表达。不能用 link 替代。
If you want to us, just click the link on the webpage to send us a message.如果您想和我们联系，请戳网页上的链接给我们发信息。互联网上或者是电脑系统里用的链接都可以被称为 link，这是 hyper link 的简称。
They are all good designers, except for Sam, who clearly is a weak link.他们都是很好的设计师，除了 Sam，他显然是个薄弱的环节。这里 weak link 是一个比喻，形容容易出现问题的环节或人。这里我们不会用 weak connection 来形容薄弱的环节。
Helen好了，希望以上的例句能够帮助大家理解名词 connection 和 link 之间的区别。简单地总结一下: connection 是指“与某人或某事物的联系或连接”，link 常用来说明“两者之间的直接关系或关联”，它也有“环节”的意思。在少数情况下，这两个词是可以相互替代，但多数情况下各自有各自的含义，是不能替换的。
再次感谢 Cathy Tan 给我们发来这样一个问题。如果您在英语学习中碰到任何难题，欢迎联系我们，我们的邮箱是 [email protected]。我是 Helen，下次节目再见！
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The primary objective of this Q and A session is to help you understand the main differences between these words
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These three words share similar meanings, but also have differences in usage. Which one do you think is the most commonly used?
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