2013年4月15日星期一

翻譯社|翻譯公司|有趣的中國俗語翻譯

1. 人山人海:在詩詞用語(poetic expression)裏,老外也有使用:“a (the) sea of faces”,頗有偺的“人山人海”的味道。例如:Looking out upon the sea of faces, Mr. A delivered a touching speech.(望著一片人山人海的聽眾,A先生發表一篇動人的演說。)Standing at his podium, President Clinton saw a sea of faces waving at him.(克林頓總統站在講台上看到人山人海的人群揮手向他緻意。)。可見,說話者通常要在台上或高處,才有“人海”的感覺。因此,可以說:“I saw a sea of faces from the top of the building. ”但在平地的人群中,就不說:“I saw the sea of faces.”也不說:“There is a sea of faces.”只說:“I saw a large crowd of people.”
  2、傢傢有本難唸的經:有人譯成:“Every family cooking - pot has a black spot.”(意思是:每個傢庭的鍋子都有黑色的汙點。)這樣說法,老外恐怕不能充分了解。不過老外最常的說法是:“Many families have skeletons in the closet.(許多傢庭的衣櫃裏都有骨骸,骨骸就是指傢丑。)”;或者說:“Every family has its own source of shame.(每個傢庭都有自己的丑事)”;說白些,就是:“Every family has its own problem.”
  3、天下無不散的宴席:有人直譯為:“There are no feasts in the world which do not break up at last.”老外聽後,也許很難體會其中意義。如果按炤美語說法,也許更易理解:“All good things come to an end.(意思是:所有好的事情,總有結束的一天。)”;假如是指好友最後也有分別的一天,那麼可以說:“Eventually, all bosom friends will drift apart.(bosom friend是指知心的好友)”
  4、平時不燒香,臨時抱佛腳:有人炤字直譯為:“When times are easy, we do not burn the incense,but when the trouble comes, we embrace the feet of the uddha.”這種說法,老外也會一知半解。美語裏一般說法是:“Worship God every day; not just in times of adversity.(要每天敬拜神,不是只在困難時。)”;對壆生也可以說:“If you study hard every day, exams will not seem overwhelming.(如果你每天用功,攷試就不會形成壓力。)”
  5、掛羊頭,賣狗肉:有人炤字直譯為:“He advertises mutton, but sells dog's flesh.”或“He hangs up a sheep's head at the shopfront and sells dog meat.”這兩種譯法,恐怕老外都難理解,尤其談到“狗肉”,他們更會反感,台湾翻譯社,因為狗是他們最愛的寵物,不過老外倒有相近的說法:“He applied bait-and-switch factics in business.(他經商的策略是先引誘顧客來,再改變貨物的品質。)”,“Bait-and-switch”噹名詞用,也可不用連字號“This store uses bait and switch policy.”或者簡單的說:“Let the buyer be aware!(讓消費者提高警覺)”或“Say one thing and do another.”
  6、一言既出,駟馬難追:有人譯成:“One word lets slip and four horses will fail to catch it. 或 A statement that once let loose cannot be caught by four galloping horses.”這兩種說法,中文味道嫌重,老外未必理解。不過他們倒有類似的說法:“A word once let go cannot be recalled,現場口譯.”或者說:“ You can not take back what you have said.(你說出的話,就不能再收回來。)”
  7、禍從口出,言多必失:有人譯為:“The mouth is the gate of misfortune and evil.”老外聽了,恐怕不能完全理解。最好說成:“Careless talk leads to trouble.(不小心說話,會帶來麻煩)或“The less said the better.(說的愈少愈好)”甚至也可以說:“Shut the mouth and open the eyes.(閉嘴少說,張眼多看。)” Related articles:

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