不支持Flash
|
|
|
中国式英语不仅是单词的搞笑组合http://www.sina.com.cn
2009年09月03日 11:15 新浪教育
[误] Having heard the news, nobody did not feel excited。 [正] Having heard the news, everybody felt excited。 注:汉语中把主、谓语同时否定以表示肯定,但这不符合英语习惯,所以 nobody...not 的结构在英语中是不正确的。翻译这类句子时,可像上面正确的译文那样,把主语和谓语都改成肯定形式;也可用“there be + 否定的主语 + 否定形式的定语从句”来表达,即:There was nobody who did not feel excited 或者 There was nobody but felt excited。 83. 我是一个中国人。 [误] I am a Chinese。 [正] I am Chinese。 注:第一句译文是不地道的,正确的说法应该去掉不定冠词,或者说 I am a Chinese man。同样,He is an English 也没有 He is English 或 He is an Englishman 好。 84. 母狼为了保护幼崽同猎豹展开了殊死的搏斗。 [误] The female wolf fights against the leopard so as to protect her whelps。 [正] The she wolf fights against the leopard so as to protect her whelps。 注:汉语一般用“公”、“母”或“雌”、“雄”来区分动物的性别,而英语中,有一部分动物是雌雄各有其名,例如:cock(公鸡)和 hen(母鸡),stag(雄鹿)和 doe(雌鹿)等;而另一部分则是用 male 和 female 加以区分,如:male leopard(公豹),female panda(母熊猫)等;当然,也有例外的情况,如:bull elephant(公象)和 cow elephant(母象),he wolf(公狼)和 she wolf(母狼)等。 85. 使我高兴的是,我儿子对意大利语也略知一二。 [误] To my joy, my son know a thing or two about Italian。 [正] To my joy, my son knows something about Italian。 注:有些英语词语在字面上同汉语十分相似,但实则貌合神离,如果不求甚解很容易出错。例如,know a thing or two 就不表示“略知一二”,而是“很有经验,精明强干”的意思。 86. 你希望什么时候成家呢? [误] When do you want to start a family? [正] When do you want to get married? 注:中文的“成家”是“结婚”的意思,而英文 start a family 的含义却是“生第一个孩子”,二者完全不是一回事。 87. 宁做鸡头,不做凤尾。 [误] Better be the head of a cock than the tail of a phoenix。 [正] Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion。 注:每种语言中都有许多约定俗成的表达,没有什么道理好讲,但使用时则需遵照各自的语言习惯。中文是“鸡头”和“凤尾”比,而英语中却要用“狗头”和“狮尾”。 88. 海伦就像一只骄傲的公鸡,从来不爱搭理别人。 [误] Helen is proud as a cock, and she never talks to others。 [正] Helen is proud as a peacock, and she never talks to others。 注:“孔雀”在中国人眼里是美丽和吉祥的象征,而公鸡因为常把头昂得高高地,尾巴翘到了天上,摆出一副盛气凌人的架子,因此成了“骄傲”的化身。但西方文化不注重孔雀美丽的一面,认为它们很骄傲,所以英美人在形容一个人骄傲、狂妄和爱慕虚荣时,就把他(她)比作 peacock。 89. 因为没有吃的,那个索马里的小男孩瘦得像猴子。 [误] That Somali boy is as thin as a monkey because of the lack of food。 [正] That Somali boy is as thin as a shadow because of the lack of food。 注:同一事物,在不同的文化里可能引起不同的联想,具有不同的内涵。所以,在一种语言中用这种事物作比喻,而在另一种语言中很可能会有不同的表达。这样的例子中英文还有很多,例如:as timid as a hare(胆小如鼠),as strong as a horse(力大如牛),as poor as a church mouse(一贫如洗)等。 90. 索菲娅望子成龙心切,给儿子报名参加了许多补习班。 [误] Sophia hopes to see her son become a dragon, therefore she enters his name for many classes of supplementary schooling。 [正] Sophia hopes that her son will have a bright future, therefore she enters his name for many classes of supplementary schooling。 注:“龙”在中国人心目中象征着神圣和万能,但在西方人的印象中却是可怕的,《圣经》里就把“龙”描述成了罪恶的象征。所以在翻译“望子成龙”时需要意译。 91. 正如中国的一句俗话:“笨鸟先飞”。 [误] As an old Chinese saying goes, "Stupid birds have to start flying early." [正] As an old Chinese saying goes,"Clumsy birds have to start flying early." 注:“笨鸟先飞”常用来比喻那些能力差的人,因为做事怕落后,所以就提前行动。这里的“笨”并非 stupid(智力低下的,愚蠢的)的意思,而用 clumsy(笨拙的,不灵巧的)更恰当。 92. 爸爸总爱发脾气。 [误] Dad always likes losing his temper。 [正] Dad is apt to lose his temper。 注:like doing something 表示“喜欢干某事”,一般用来说明某人的兴趣爱好;而 be apt to do sth。则表示“常常发生某种行为”或“容易发生某种变化”。根据原文的意思显 网友评论
【发表评论 】
企业服务 |