趣味翻译:“吃闭门羹”在英文中有同类

http://www.sina.com.cn   2010年08月24日 11:33   环球时报

  句子:他想走后门找工作,但是撞墙了。

  误译:He tried to get a job through backdoor dealings, but he went to the wall。

  正译:He tried to get a job through backdoor dealings, but he met with a rebuff。

  解释:这句话里的“撞墙”的意思是“遭到拒绝”。而to go to the wall的意思是to be defeated,即“输掉”,与“遭到拒绝”没有关系。例如:

  1.尽管他们努力了,但是还是输了。 In spite of their efforts, they went to the wall。

  “撞墙”的第一个意思是“碰到墙上”,也可以说“碰墙”。英语可以译为to butt against, to knock against a wall, to run into a wall。例如:

  2. 他头疼得厉害,直想撞墙。His head ached so badly that he wanted to butt against a wall。

  “撞墙”的第二个意思是“遭遇严重阻碍或挫折”,也可以说“碰壁”。英语可以译为to meet with a setback, to suffer a setback。例如:

  3. 虽一再撞墙,但他依旧情绪高昂。Although he has suffered setbacks again and again, he is still in high spirits。

  “撞墙”的第三个意思是“遭遇拒绝或斥责”,也可以说“碰钉子”或“碰一鼻子灰”。英语可以译为to meet with a rebuff, to be rebuffed, to meet rejection。例如:

  4.他到一家高科技公司求职,因学历低而碰了一鼻子灰。He went to look for a job in a high-tech company, but met rejection because of his low qualification。

  “撞锁”的意思是“登门找人时,对方的门锁着”。英语可以译为 to find the door locked, to find that sb is not in。例如:

  5. 昨天我去拜访我的一位朋友,结果撞锁了。Yesterday I went to visit a friend of mine only to find the door locked。

  (作者:王逢鑫教授)

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