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8月10日 巧妙对译汉英习语巧妙对译汉英习语 任何一种语言，都有自己长期积淀下来的通俗而生动形象地描绘人情世态的定型短语或短句，英语里称为“习语”，汉语里则称为“熟语”，为了称说的方便，本文采用“习语”的说法。 习语是老百姓长期使用而固定下来的说法，因此它带有强烈的民族色彩和鲜明的文化内涵，是民族文化的积淀，这就要求在翻译的时候，不能仅仅停留在文字的表面，而要搞清楚习语的深层含义，沟通两种语言的文化差异，巧妙互译，才能不失习语的原有韵味。 先看英语习语的汉译，如：a piece of cake. 这个习语充分反映了西方人的生活习俗，对他们来说，蛋糕是极其平常的食物，无论是做蛋糕还是吃蛋糕都是轻松愉快的小事一桩。对我们来说，蛋糕似乎是奢侈品，吃蛋糕是高兴的事，做就没那么容易了，但汉语里恰巧有一个反映我们汉人生活习俗的俗语“小菜一碟”，其功能与“a piece of cake”大致相当，因此，用“小菜一碟”对译“a piece of cake”，可以说既传“义”，又传“情”，较好地保留了语言的原有韵味。 再如：under one’s nose. 西方人的“大鼻子”给我们的印象非常深刻，可能西方人自己也知道这一点，因此他们用“under one’s nose”表达“就在某人面前，当着某人的面”的意思，如果我们直译为“在某人鼻子底下”，就不符合汉语习俗，不够“味”，但我们有“在某人眼皮底下”这个俗语，因为在我们看来，眼皮底下的“眼睛”是洞悉一切的，所以说用“在某人眼皮底下”对译“under one’s nose”比较合适。 又如：set a fox to keep one’s geese. 在西方文化中，狡猾的狐狸是专门要偷吃鹅的，倘若把鹅交给狐狸去看管，岂不是送羊入虎口，自找祸患，我们汉语里没有这样的认识，如果硬译为“让狐狸看鹅”大家就会觉得莫名其妙，但汉语里有一个接近的习语“引狼入室”，它表达的意思是“自己把坏人引进内部”，恰巧与“set a fox to keep one’s geese”意思对等，如此对译，极为传神。 英译汉要传神，汉译英同样要保留原有的韵味。 如：狗改不了吃屎。 汉语用它来比喻“恶习难改，本性难移”，但狗在西方人的眼中是“人类的朋友”，对狗也宠爱有加，岂能用心爱的狗去表达这样一个不好的意思，因此翻译为英语最好译作“a fox may turn gray,but never kind”，因为“fox”在西方人的观念中，大部分场合不是好东西。 再如：有钱能使鬼推磨。 它是我们汉语里非常形象的一句俗语，比喻一个人有了钱连鬼都听他使唤，英语译作“money makes the mare go”，基本上保留了原来的韵味，但如果翻译为“all things are obedient to money”，意思虽然也还是“金钱支配一切”、“金钱是万能的”等等，但韵味不够，未能传神。 要指出的是，对译的前提条件是两者的意义、文化内涵要相同、相通，不能似是而非，如把“armed to the teeth”翻译为“全副武装”，看起来好象差不多，实际上意义程度不够，语气也嫌太弱，似是而非。 再如把“赶鸭子上架”译作“make sb. do sth. entirely beyond him”，意思虽然是对了，但太直白，原来的生动形象性丧失殆尽。 当然，也有的时候，翻译为了追求韵味而意思不对那就更要不得了，如把“It is an ill bird that fouls its own nest(恶鸟不渎巢)”译作“家丑不可外扬”就不妥当，不能为了韵味而驴唇不对马嘴，因为翻译“信”是基础，“雅”是升华，不能为了片面追求“雅”而违背“信”，那是以辞害义。 总之，翻译是很难的事，而习语的翻译更是难中之难，要想把习语翻译得既准确又传神就需要我们沟通中西方文化差异，尽量保持原文的“丰姿”。 常用的趣味英语习语常用的趣味英语习语
When pigs fly 猪可不能飞起来！这是不可能的事，因此正是成语本身想表达的意思。例如，当你听到有人说，"Do you think Mary will quit her job now that she's pregnant?"另一个人就回答，"Yeah, when pigs fly! There is no way she is giving up her career!"当他或她在使用表达方式 when pigs fly时，意思是Mary绝对不可能辞职。 Get in someone's hair 如果你get in someone's hair，你并没有爬到别人的头上！其实，意思是你烦扰到了他们－可能是你侵入了他们的私人空间。例如"Susan was trying to prepare dinner, but her children were getting in her hair!" 意思是Susan的孩子们在她做饭的时候烦她。如果有人烦扰到了你，你就可以说，"Get out of my hair!" Hit the ceiling 天花板可离我们的头远着呢，那么要撞上天花板也不是件容易的事－除非你非常生气！如果有人hits the ceiling意思是他们正表现出非常生气的样子。例如，"When Carol's son got an F on his report card, she hit the ceiling!"意思是Carol对她儿子考试不及格非常的愤怒。 Knock someone's socks off 现在，要pull掉别人的袜子还有些可能－但是要knock掉别人的袜子要该怎么做呢？当然是通过让他们惊奇兴奋并印象深刻喽！例如，"You should see Tom's new car! It'll knock your socks off, it's so amazing!"意思是Tom的车令人称奇！ Bite the bullet 如果要试着咬一颗子弹味道会是怎样呢？不太好吧。那么为什么会有人bite the bullet呢？只有在勇敢的忍受或面对困难的处境时他们才会这么做。例如"She had to bite the bullet and give in to her boss's unreasonable demands."意思是她在老板提出苛刻要求时表现的勇敢坚强。 Drive someone up a wall 车是不能开到墙上去的，那么谁能drive you up a wall？是惹你讨厌的人！例如，"My mom is driving me up a wall! She won't ever let me stay out late."意思是母亲不让我在外面呆得晚让我感到非常的讨厌。 3月12日 Idiom(3)die for 好得愿为之付出生命 Jason is to die for. I'd do anything to go out with him. 杰森真棒, 我愿意做任何事来换得和他出去。 die-hard 死硬派 It was only the die-hards who stayed to see the end of the poor movie. 只有那些死硬派才有本事把这部烂片看完。 doesn’t count 不算 It doesn’t count this time. Try again. 这次不算，再来一次。 doesn’t make sense 没意思 That doesn’t make sense to me. 我看不出那有何用意。 do someone good 对人有好处 The fresh air will do you good after being in the house all day. 在屋子呆了一整天，吸吸新鲜空气对你是大有益处的。 Do you get me? 你明白我的意思了吗？ Do you get me? = Do you see what I mean? 你明白我的意思了吗？ drop in 随时造访 Feel free to drop in anytime. I'm usually home and I'd love the company. 欢迎随时来坐坐, 我通常在家, 也喜欢有人作伴。 drop me a line 写信给我 Don’t forget to drop me a line when you get to Canada. 到加拿大后，别忘了写信给我。 early bird 早起的人 Mary is an early bird. She gets up around five o'clock every morning. 玛丽是个早起的人, 她每天大约五点钟起床。 easier said than done 说来容易做时难 It’s easier said than done, and you should try some day yourself. 这不是讲的那么容易，有一天你试试便知道了 easy come, easy go 来得容易去得快 That is what I call easy money, but easy come easy go. 所谓不义之财，易来易去。 eat one's words 承认错误 This time I have to eat my words. 这次我要承认错误了。 enough of it 受够了 It has got to be stopped, I've had enough of it. 我受够了，停止吧。 a real eyeopener 大开眼界 Listening to him talk about his adventures in China was a real eyeopener. 听他谈在中国的惊险故事令人大开眼界。 face the music 面对尴尬境地 As you had it coming to you, you must face the music now. 你这是咎由自取，自作自受了. face up to 面对现实 The boy knew he should tell his neighbor that he broke the window,but he just couldn't face up to it. 男孩知道他该告诉邻居他打破了窗子, 但是他不敢面对现实。 fake it 假装 When you don't understand what he's saying, just fake it by nodding and smiling a lot. 你不知道他在说什么时, 只要点头装懂多笑一点就好了。 fall for 轻信 You actually fell for all those lies? 难道你真的相信那些谎言吗？ fall for 爱上 I fell for her the moment I saw her. 我对她一见钟情。 fed up 受够了 I'm fed up with your insults and complaints. I quit ! 我受够了你的侮辱和怨气, 我不干了! feel free 随便 Feel free to come over any time. 随时来都欢迎之至。 few and far between 极少的 Really good cooks are few and far between. 好的厨师真是少得很。 find a way out 找出路 I don’t see how we can find a way out like this. 在此等情形下，我不知该作何打算了。 Fishy 可疑的 His story sounds fishy. We should see if it's really true. 他的故事听起来很可疑, 我们应该看到底是不是真的。 for the time being 暂时 You take this job for the time being. 你暂时干这份工作。 French leave 不辞而别 He took French leave during the dinner party. 他在宴会中不辞而别。 get away with 逃过惩罚 Some students can get away with not doing their homework because they are so smart. 有些学生可以不作功课也没有事, 因为他们太聪明了。 get going 开始 If you want to make it, better get going. 如果你想成功，最好赶快一点。 get one’s feet wet 对情况开始熟悉 I don’t really know the procedures of the congress. I’m still getting my feet wet. 我对代表大会的程序并不清楚。我正在熟悉当中。 get over 恢复过来 I don't think anybody really gets over his first love. 我认为没有人能够真正忘掉他的初恋。 get the hang of 找到窍门 I think if I practice serving a couple of times, I'll get the hang of it. 我想如果我多练习发几次球 我就会抓到窍门了. get the picture 明白某种情形 Tell me frankly, did you get the picture? 坦白些对我说，你明白了吗？ give me a headache 使我头痛 John is a naughty boy. He always gives me a headache. 约翰是一个调皮的男孩，常常令我头痛。 give others one’s word 向别人保证 I give you my word on that. 我可以向你保证。 give someone a piece of one’s mind 责骂某人 He was too cocky , so I gave him a piece of my mind. 他实在太骄傲了，所以我骂了他一顿。 go ahead 快点 Go ahead. Ask your mother if you can go with us tonight. 快点,问问你妈今天晚上能不能让你跟我们去。 go along with 支持 I'll go along with your plan, as long as you're sure it will work. 只要你确信能够成功，我就支持你的计划. God bless you 上帝保佑你 The best thing I can say now is: God bless you. 现在我只能说：上帝保佑你。 God knows 天晓得 "Is he honest?" "God knows." “他诚实吗？” “天晓得。” got it? 明白吗？ You got it, didn’t you? 你明白了吗? Idiom (2)lucky dog 幸运儿 John is a lucky dog, he just won 100 dollors on a bet. 约翰真是个幸运儿，他与人打赌刚赢了100元。 give oneself away 露马脚，露破绽 Laura played a joke on her father and gave herself away by laughing . 劳拉想和父亲开个玩笑，可是她一笑就露了马脚。 make fun of 取笑，戏弄 Don't make fun of him, or he will feel offended. 别戏弄他，否则他会被激怒的。 pick up the bits 收拾残局 It's Tom's mother again who is picking up the bits. 又是汤姆的妈妈在收拾残局了。 for the time being 暂时 For the time being, you will have to share this room with another person. 你暂时得和另外一个人合住这个房间。 brim over 充满，洋溢 Throughout the festival, people everywhere brimmed with hospitality and joy. 在整个节日过程中，各处的人们都洋溢着热情并充满了喜悦. be stone-broke 身无分文 Jill wanted to go to the movies but she was stone-broke. 吉尔想去看电影，但她身无分文。 have other fish to fry 有别的事要做 I'm sure Rose won't go to the picnic because she has other fish to fry.我肯定露丝不会去野餐的，她有别的事要做。 take to one's heels 逃之夭夭 When police arrived, the thieves had already taken to their heels. 当警察赶到时，小偷们已经逃之夭夭了。 ups and downs 高低、起伏、苦乐 He has experienced the ups and downs of life. 他经历过人生的苦乐。 not to mention 更不必说、何况 The boy hasn't learnt arithmetic, not to mention algebra. 这孩子算术还没学会，更谈不上代数了。 cost an arm and a leg 价格非常昂贵；费用很大 Eating in hotels costs an arm and a leg. 在饭店里吃饭费用很大。 come to hand 到手（多指收到来信） Your letter has just come to hand. 刚收到你的信。 salt away 储存，积蓄（金钱）Every month John salts away half of his salary. 约翰每个月都要把他工资的一半存储起来。 cold feet 紧张 I get cold feet whenever I have to speak in front of a crowd. 每当我必须在群众面前说话时, 我都会紧张的手脚发冷。 come across 偶然发现 Have you ever come across anything like this? 你见过这样的东西吗？ come down with 生(病) I came down with a bad cold last week. 上星期我得了重感冒。 come easily 易如反掌 Languages come easily to some people. 有些人学习语言易如反掌。 hit the jackpot 幸运万分，非常成功 You certainly hit the jackpot when you got Mrs. Smith for a teacher. She's the best in the school. 你能由史密斯太太做老师真是幸运。她是学校里最好的老师呢。 come on 喂，提醒别人 Come on, don’t sit there daydreaming. 喂，不要坐着空想了。 come on 催促 Come on , time is running out. 快些, 时间不多了。 come to the point 一语言中 Let’s be frank and come to the point. 让我们爽快些，开门见山吧。 come up with 想出 Michael came up with a brand new plan in just a few minutes. 麦克很快想出了一个好计划。 cool (指事)令人愉快的 My vacation was really cool. 我假期玩得很开心。 cool (指物)好棒的 Your house is really cool. 你的房子棒极了。 cool (指人)挺帅的 Wow, he’s cool today. 哇，他今天帅极了。 cool (指人)好的 Your mom’s really cool. 你的母亲真好。 cup of tea 喜欢或擅长的事 Fishing? That’s just my cup of tea. 钓鱼吗？这是我最喜欢的。 cut it out 到此为止 Cut it out! I’ve had enough of it. 算了！我受够了。 dark horse 黑马 Jim is a dark horse in the final. 吉姆是决赛中的冷门。 dear John Letter 绝交信 I received a dear John letter from my girl friend which broke my heart. 我收到女友来的绝交信，令我伤心欲绝。 deep trouble 有麻烦 You’d better behave yourself or else you'll be in deep trouble when mom gets home. 你最好乖一点, 否则妈一回来你就惨了。 Idiom（1）all out 全力以赴 例句：You must go all out to win the game. 你们想赢得这场比赛，一定要全力以赴 all over 1.满是 例句：Wow! Your shoes have mud all over them 哇！你的鞋子满是泥。 all over 2.结束 例句：Glad it’s all over. 事情结束了，好得很。 all over 3.到处 例句：We’ve been looking for you all over. Where the hell have you been? 我们到处找你, 你跑到哪儿去了？ all set 准备好了 例句： Our plans for the new company are all set. 我们开设新公司的计划已准备好了。 all you have to do 你只要 例句： All you have to do is to sit still and keep your mouth shut. 你只要静静地坐下来，闭上你的嘴就好了。 a piece of one’s mind 责备 例句：Sarah gave her husband a piece of her mind when he came home drunk two nights in a row. 萨拉骂她先生, 因为他连续两夜喝醉回家。 as the saying goes 正如俗语所说 例句：You have to look before you leap, as the saying goes. 在做事前要三思而行,就像俗语所说的那样。 A to Z 从头到尾 I know that from A to Z 对于那件事，我全盘知晓。 at one’s fingers tips 了如指掌 It is at my fingers tips. I think l can give you all the information right now. 这事我了如指掌，现在我就可以将全部情况告诉你。 at one’s wit’s end 智穷计尽 I’m at my wit’s end and can do nothing more. 我已智穷才尽，无能为力了。 back on one’s feet 再站起来 He soon got back on his feet after the fall. 他受过挫折，但很快就东山再起。 bad-mouth 说坏话 Bob was always bad-mouthing his superiors until his boss threatened to fire him. 老板威胁要炒鲍伯鱿鱼,他才停止说老板坏话。 be off 滚蛋 Be off, or I’II kick you downstairs! 滚吧！否则我会将你踢下楼梯去。 big 重要的 Michael Jackson is a big name in the music business. 迈克尔·杰克逊在音乐界是个响当当的名字。 big shot =VIP 大人物,大头 You can tell John is a big shot, he rides in a limousine everywhere he goes. 你可以看出约翰是个大人物, 无论去哪里他都坐豪华轿车。 black sheep 不肖子女 Tom is the black sheep of his family. 汤姆是个败家子。 blind alley 死胡同 If you think money will bring happiness forever,you are walking into a blind alley. 如果你认为钱财能够永远给你带来快乐的话,那你走的是死路一条. blow it 搞砸了, 弄坏了 I blew it on that last exam. 我上次考试考砸了。 blow one's top 气疯了 The boss blew his top when he found out about the robbery. 老板发现抢劫时气疯了。 blue 忧郁的 He looks blue today.I wish we could make him happier. 他今天情绪低落,我希望我们能够使他快乐一些。 born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth 出生富贵 Just because you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you think you are Bill Gates? 只因你出生富贵，便以为自己了不起吗？ brag 吹牛 Go on bragging! I don’t believe you any more. 继续吹牛吧！我再也不相信你了。 brand new 崭新的 He is driving a brand new Rolls-Royce. 他开着一辆崭新的劳斯莱斯车。 sweat out 焦急等待 Frank was sweating out the results of his entrance examination. 弗兰克正在焦急等待着他的升学考试结果。 |
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