恐怖主义？

关于这个问题，我从一位翻译老前辈的书里得知：这个词翻译错了。

后来我自己也查了一些词典，并研究了-ism这个后缀。

这个词的来源肯定是英文中的“terrorism”，那个翻译顺手把它翻译成了“恐怖主义”。

但是，凡是ism就是“主义”吗？那criticism是批判主义？magnetism是磁性主义？plagiarism是剽窃主义？

请看Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture和 Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary当中对“terrorism”一词的解释：

Longman：the use of violence or the threat of violence to obtain political demands

Collins: Terrorism is the use of violence, especially murder and bombing, in order to achieve political aims.

很明显，这个terrorism里面的ism跟socialism里面的ism根本不是一个意思！

-ism的含义如下：

1. (a movement or religion based on) the stated principle or the teachings of: Buddhism

2. an act or the practice or process of: witticism

3. the state or quality of being: heroism

4. illness caused by too much: alcoholism

5. the practice of making unfair differences between people: sexism

(Source: Longman)
纵上，terrorism的中文含义应该是：恐怖活动，跟“主义”无涉。