A spokesman is a man whose job, at least for that day, is to speak for a group — a company, a government office, the police, a football club — so that what he says counts as what the group says. The key idea is that he is not giving his own opinion. He is a mouth for other people.

A spokesman發言人 is a man whose job, at least for that day, is to speak for a group是一個人，至少那天的工作是替一個團體發言 — a company, a government office, the police, a football club公司、政府機關、警方、足球俱樂部都算 — so that what he says counts as what the group says這樣他說的話就算是那個團體說的話。The key idea重點是 is that he is not giving his own opinion他講的不是自己的意見。He他 is a mouth for other people是替別人發聲的一張嘴

When you read "A spokesman said the company was sorry," the company is sorry; the man is just the one who opened his mouth.

When you read "A spokesman said the company was sorry,"當你讀到「發言人說公司很抱歉」時 the company is sorry是公司在道歉; the man is just the one who opened his mouth那個人只是負責開口的人

Sometimes it is a permanent job with an office and a title. Sometimes a group just picks one person to go out and talk to the reporters that afternoon, and for that afternoon he is the spokesman.

Sometimes有時候 it is a permanent job with an office and a title這是有辦公室、有頭銜的固定職位。Sometimes有時候 a group just picks one person to go out and talk to the reporters that afternoon團體只是臨時挑一個人那天下午出去跟記者講話, and for that afternoon那個下午 he is the spokesman他就是發言人

Note the -man ending: for a woman you say spokeswoman, and many people now avoid choosing at all and write spokesperson, or say "a spokesperson for the ministry." News writing today leans that way, especially when the writer does not know who spoke. Spokesman is still very common and not rude, but it is the older habit.

Note the -man ending注意 -man 這個字尾: for a woman女性 you say spokeswoman要說 spokeswoman, and many people now avoid choosing at all and write spokesperson現在很多人乾脆兩個都不用直接寫 spokesperson, or say "a spokesperson for the ministry."或說「某部會的 spokesperson」 News writing today leans that way現在的新聞寫作偏向這樣, especially when the writer does not know who spoke尤其是記者不知道發言人性別的時候。Spokesman這個字 is still very common and not rude仍然很常見也不算不禮貌, but it is the older habit不過是比較舊的用法

A small extra: people also use it loosely for someone who becomes the voice of a group without being appointed — "he became a spokesman for young farmers" — meaning people listened to him as if he spoke for them all.

A small extra再補充一點: people also use it loosely有人也會鬆散地用這個字 for someone who becomes the voice of a group without being appointed指沒被正式指派、卻自然成為某群人代言人的人 — "he became a spokesman for young farmers"像「他成了年輕農民的代言人」 — meaning people listened to him as if he spoke for them all意思是大家聽他講話就好像他代表了所有人