在翻譯英文的時候，常常翻譯到freedom以及liberty。這兩者在我們的理解上都是「自由」，但是文章卻常常用freedom and liberty，似乎在美國人的心中，這兩者不盡相同。剛剛查了一下，國內比較少對這個問題討論，中國就有比較多的討論：

…這兩個詞都有自由的意思。Freedom 其「自由」的涵義比較廣泛，包括從社會、政治、經濟意義上的自由，到個體內心的無拘無束。而Liberty則比較偏向於政治經濟和人權上的解放。

…非正式（freedom）與正式（liberty）之區分。

…要透徹地理解紀律是建立在自由的基礎上這一原理，讓我們首先理解什麼是自由。

自由這個字眼，在英語裏其實是兩個字，一個是freedom，一個是liberty，它們的詞義有很大的區別。Freedom比較具體，指的是身體的自由，不受拘束限制，行動、選擇方面不受他人控制。Liberty則比較抽象，在Webster辭典裏，它的定義是“脫離了控制、干擾、債務、限制和阻礙等條件的freedom；行為、思想、言談等方面的自由選擇。”在其他定義裏，liberties也是法律上規定的各種具體的自由。聳立在紐約港的自由女神像，叫做Statue of Liberty。100多年前，中國的改革先鋒嚴複先生在翻譯西方著作時，曾經使用了不用的譯文，freedom為“自由”，liberty為“自繇”，但是後代的翻譯沒有繼承下來，而是統統翻譯成“自由”，這多多少少造成了中國人對西方自由概念的片面理解。

我個人的理解，freedom是一種比較基本的自由，是指身體不受拘束限制，是行動的自由。Liberty則是更高層的自由，是指思想、意識、人格等方面的自由，我更願意把它翻譯為“自主”。人只有在獲得完全的freedom之後，也就是行動的自由，才能夠達到思維的自由和人格的自主，也就是liberty。

以上出自 http://tinyurl.com/65umbb


至於外國網頁就更多討論跟釐清了：

There is a difference between Freedom and Liberty. Don’t Confuse the two:

Freedom:

1. A state of exemption from the power or control of another; liberty; exemption from slavery, servitude or confinement. Freedom is personal, civil, political, and religious. [See Liberty.]
2. Particular privileges; franchise; immunity; as the freedom of a city.
3. Power of enjoying franchises.
4. Exemption from fate, necessity, or any constraint in consequence of predetermination or otherwise; as the freedom of the will.
5. Any exemption from constraint or control.
6. Ease or facility of doing any thing. He speaks or acts with freedom.
7. Frankness; boldness. He addressed his audience with freedom.

And

LIBERTY:

2. Natural liberty, consists in the power of acting as one thinks fit, without any restraint or control, except from the laws of nature. It is a state of exemption from the control of others, and from positive laws and the institutions of social life. This liberty is abridged by the establishment of government.
3. Civil liberty, is the liberty of men in a state of society, or natural liberty, so far only abridged and restrained, as is necessary and expedient for the safety and interest of the society, state or nation. A restraint of natural liberty, not necessary or expedient for the public, is tyranny or oppression. civil liberty is an exemption from the arbitrary will of others, which exemption is secured by established laws, which restrain every man from injuring or controlling another. Hence the restraints of law are essential to civil liberty.
The liberty of one depends not so much on the removal of all restraint from him, as on the due restraint upon the liberty of others.
In this sentence, the latter word liberty denotes natural liberty.

In America we have Liberty. We are not free to do as we please. Freedom must be restricted to the point that we do not encroach on others liberty. Liberty is given by the creator and cannot be taken away, freedom is given by a government and can be taken away.

We must realize the times have changed, searching for weapons commonly used in terrorism (not items for self defense such as rifles and hand guns) such as shoes bombs etc. is encroaching on other people liberties and freedom. Does freedom of speech allow one to, on an airplane, yell I have a bomb! Times have changed. We must use out Liberty and Freedoms responsibly. There needs to be a medium. I am scared about what is coming about in the government. But I believe if everyone is unified that things can turned around. Believe me I am scared of censorship. I am scared for my religious freedoms and freedoms to bar arms but I am also scared of terrorism. Thus we need a medium.

以上出自 http://tinyurl.com/5aphl7
太多了，有空再看，關鍵字目前看到："Liberty is given by the creator and cannot be taken away, freedom is given by a government and can be taken away."