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上一期的Chinglish小伙伴們都糾正了么?今天小編再次給大家敲敲警鐘,下面的表達學(xué)起來。
1. 人都是這山望著那山高,對自己的現(xiàn)狀沒有滿意的時候。
[誤] Almost all people think that the other mountain is higher than the one he's standing on. They never feel saisfied with what they've already got.
[正] Almost all people think that the grass is greener on the other hill. They never feel saisfied with what they've already got.
注:“這山望著那山高”是指人不滿足于現(xiàn)狀的心理,它在英語中有現(xiàn)成的說法,即 the grass is greener on the other hill(他山的草更綠),因此我們借用即可,這樣既方便又更有利于與西方人溝通。
2. 北京申奧成功的消息令我們熱血沸騰。
[誤] Beijing's winning the bid for the Olympics makes our blood boil.
[正] Beijing's winning the bid for the Olympics makes us excited.
注:Make one's blood boil是指“激怒某人”,而非“使人激動”。英語中“使人激動”的說法除了make one excited,還有較為口語化的make one's spine tingle。
3. 別聽他們胡說八道,根本就沒那回事。
[誤] Don't listen to their babbling. Nothing of the sort.
[正] Don't be fooled by their babbling. Nothing of the sort.
注:原文中的“聽”不能用listen to來表示,因為listen to指“聽”的動作,而原文中的“別聽”不是不讓他“聽”,而是勸告他“不要聽信”,因此,用not be fooled by才更達意。
4. 我們這兒的人都覺得他有婚外戀。
[誤] People around here all feel that he has affairs outside his own marriage.
[正] People around here all feel that he is leading a double life.
注:Affair本身就指“私通”或“曖昧關(guān)系”,當(dāng)然是“婚外”的事,所以outside one's own marriage是多此一舉了。英語中“有婚外戀”的地道說法應(yīng)該是lead a double life。
5. 別看別人不把她當(dāng)回事,在家里她可是父親的掌上明珠。
[誤] Although other people never take her seriousy, she is the pearl on her father's hand at home.
[正] Although other people never take her seriousy, she is the apple of her father's eye at home.
注:中英文常用不同的喻體表明相同的喻義,“掌上明珠”與the apple of one's eye就是一個很好的例子。這種情況我們一般應(yīng)尊重各國文化和習(xí)俗,翻譯時取目的語的固定說法,而不必直譯,這有助于將意思更有效地傳達給讀者。The apple of one's eye源自圣經(jīng)《舊約》,當(dāng)時人們用apple指人的瞳孔。盡管瞳孔現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)用pupil來表示,不再是apple了,但這一用法卻延續(xù)了下來。
6. 都十點鐘了。起床了,懶蟲!
[誤] It's ten o'clock. Get up, lazy worm!
[正] It's ten o'clock. Get up, lazy bones!
注:“懶蟲”并非真是一條蟲,只不過被用來形容人很懶惰罷了。英語里與之對應(yīng)的說法是lazy bones(懶骨頭)。注意,這里的bone應(yīng)以復(fù)數(shù)形式出現(xiàn),也許是因為不會只有一根骨頭懶吧!
7. 我唯一的資本就是勤奮。
[誤] My only capital is diligence.
[正] My only means to success is diligence.
注:原文的“資本”是借喻,實際指“可以依靠并取得成功的手段”。而英語的capital指money used to produce more wealth or for starting a business,并沒有中文那樣的引申意思。所以,這里的“資本”不能與capital畫等號。也有人用advantage來翻譯“資本”,雖然不盡意,但至少可以讓讀者理解。
8. 這家商店開辟了休息處,受到顧客的稱贊。
[誤] This department store has set up a resting-place, much to the customers' appreciation.
[正] This department store has set up a lounge, much to the customers' appreciation.
注:英語的 resting-place雖然有“休息處”的意思,但更經(jīng)常的是用來指“墳?zāi)埂保础白詈蟀蚕⒅帯薄R虼耍压矆鏊摹靶菹⑻帯弊g為resting-place不很合適。也有人將它譯為rest-room,但那更不妥當(dāng),因為英語中的rest-room是“廁所”的委婉說法,而“休息處”不是這個意思。Lounge指in a hotel, club, or other public place, a room where people can sit and relax,正是“休息室”之意。
9. 大家都懷疑湯姆是個間諜。
[誤] Everyone doubts that Tom is a spy.
[正] Everyone suspects that Tom is a spy.
注:Doubt作“懷疑”講,是“不相信”的意思;而suspect作“懷疑”講,是指“對...有所察覺”。第一句譯文犯了兩個錯誤:首先,doubt不能接that從句,只有not doubt that和 doubt if/whether;其次,它所表達的意思是“大家對湯姆是間諜這件事表示懷疑”,即“大家不相信湯姆是間諜”,與原文的意思恰好相反。
10. 我們倆關(guān)系最好,他經(jīng)常來我這兒蹭飯吃。
[誤] We are best friends. He always comes here to have meals for free.
[正] We are best friends. He always comes here to bum meals off me.
注:第一句只表明“他常到我這兒來白吃白喝”,但朋友這間那種親密關(guān)系沒有體現(xiàn)出來。而 bum sth. off sb.指向非常熟的朋友要一些不起眼的小東西,而朋友也不會介意還不還。
(來源:網(wǎng)絡(luò) 編輯:劉明)
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