谚语的汉英翻译 21页

汉英翻译TranslationfromChinesetoEnglish TheTranslationofProverbsProverbscomefrompeople’severydaylifeandareinturnquitepopularly-usedbypeople.ThecharacteristicsofbothEnglishandChineseproverbsare:vividness,beingdeepinmeaning,beingcolloquialandconciseness;ifitisasimplesentence,itusuallyhasrhythms;ifitiscomposedoftwosentences,itisantithetic.Itisveryeasytorememberthem. HowtotranslateChineseproverbsintoEnglish?1.Literaltranslation:e.g.明枪易躲，暗箭难防。Itiseasytododgeaspearintheopen，buthardtoguardagainstanarrowshotfromhiding.城门失火，殃及池鱼。Afireonthecitywallbringsdisastertothefishinthemoat. 路遥知马力，日久见人心。Asalongroadtestsahorse’sstrength,soalongtaskprovesaperson’sheart.初生牛犊不怕虎。New-borncalvesmakelittleoftigers. Culture&differentstructuresleadtofreetranslation2.Freetranslation:e.g.失之东隅，收之桑榆。Whatoneloseontheswingsonegetsbackontheroundabouts.(compare:Losewherethesunrisesandgainwherethesunsets.)塞翁失马，安知非福？Alossmayturnouttobeagain.(compare:Whentheoldmanonthefrontierlosthismare,whocouldhaveguesseditwasablessingindisguise?) 庆父不死，鲁难未已。Therewillalwaysbetroubleuntilthetrouble-makerisremoved.(compare:UntilQingFuisdownawaywith,thecrisisinthestateofLuwillneverbeover.)此地无银三百两。Aguiltypersongiveshimselfawaybyconspicuouslyprotestinghisinnocence.(compare:No300taelsofsilverburiedhere.) 3.FindingequivalentinEnglishproverbsforeasyunderstanding一次被火烧，二次避火苗。Aburntchilddreadsthefire.(literal:Aburntmanalwaysevadesfire)半瓶醋，出事故。Alittleknowledgeisadangerousthing.(literal:Alittlelearninggivesrisetoaccidents.)少见多怪。Wonderisthedaughterofignorance.(literal:Seeinglittleisthecauseofamazement.) 龙生龙，凤生凤。Likebegetslike.（Literal:Dragongivesbirthtodragonandphoenixtophoenix.)三思而后行。Lookbeforeyouleap.(Literal:Thinkthriceandthendoit.)玩火者必自焚。Hethatsowsthewindwillreapthewhirlwind.(Literal:Hewhoplayswithfirewillburnhimself.) DonotusethenamesofEnglishpeopleandplacestotranslateChineseproverbs.e.g.大伯笑呵呵地对我说：“我们北方人都喜欢睡炕，你也将就点吧。俗话说：‘入乡随俗’嘛。”Unclesaidtomesmilingly,“Wenorthernersliketosleeponourkangs.You’llhavetoputupwithit.Astheproverbgoes,‘DoastheRomansdo.’”(?)(Doasthelocalpeopledo.) ThetranslationofphrasesPhrasesareusuallymoreflexiblethanidiomsandmorevividandironicthanwrittenworks.Theyarecolloquialandoftenusedineverydayspeakingofpeopleandsometimesinproseandargumentation.1.Literaltranslation:连根拔tearupbytheroots走后门getinbythebackdoor捋虎须strokeatiger’swhiskers 走下坡路godownhill一窝蜂likeaswarmofbees及时雨timelyrain九牛二虎之力thestrengthofninebullsandtwotigers病急乱投医turntoanydoctoronecanfindwhencriticallyill 2.Partlyliteraltranslation+meaninge.g.卷铺盖packupandquit饱眼福feastone’seyesonsth.单打一concentrateononethingonly咬耳朵whisperinsb’sear扇阴风，点鬼火fanthewindsofevilandspreadthefiresofturmoil 3.Freetranslation门外汉alayman/theuninitiated(amanoutsidethegate??)小广播spreadingofhearsayinformation/bushtelegraph(asmallbroadcaststation??)风凉话irresponsibleandsarcasticremarks(coldwords??) 扣帽子putalabelonsb.(putacaponsb.)寻短见commitsuicide/takeone’sownlife(lookforashortview??)炒冷饭dishupthesameoldstuff(frythecoldrice??) ThosewithChineseculturalCharacteristicsFreetranslation:赔了夫人又折兵sufferadoublelossinsteadofmakingagain(giveone’swifeandloseone’ssoldiersaswell??history)跑了和尚跑不了庙Afugitivemustbelongtosomeplacethatcanprovideclues.(Themonkmayrunaway,butthetemplecan’trunwithhim.?religion) 不到黄河心不死notstopuntilonereachesone’sgoal(notstopuntilonereachestheYellowRiver??NameofChineseplaces)说曹操曹操就到talkofthedevilandhewillappear(mentionCaoCaoandthereheis??NameofChineseancientpeople) 4.FindinganequivalentinEnglishe.g.煞风景beawetblanket拍马屁licksb‘sboots放空炮talkbig/spouthotair绕圈子beataboutthebush摆架子putonairs灌米汤buttersb.up露马脚letthecatoutofthebag戴高帽子layitonthick Somecompleteequivalents开绿灯givethegreenlight泼冷水pourcoldwateron唱反调singadifferenttune挖空心思rackone’sbrain试金石touchstone ThedifferencesinidiomsandphrasesIdiomsareformalandphrasesarecolloquial:e.g.敲诈勒索（成语）blackmailandimposeexactionsupon敲竹杠（惯用语）overcharge;fleece;soak 趋炎附势（成语）hurrytothegloriousandhangontotheinfluential抱粗腿（惯用语）latchontotherichandpowerful一扫而空（成语）sweepcleanatoneattempt连锅端（惯用语）getridofthewholelot 狼狈为奸（成语）actincollusionwitheachother穿连裆裤（惯用语）workhandinglovewith针锋相对（成语）standindiametricaloppositionto唱对台戏（惯用语）putonrivalshow