直译
直译不仅能再现原文的意义和语言形式,还能保持其生动形象的比喻和新颖独特的表达手法,让读者体会原习语的风采,同时丰富汉语表达形式。象条条大路通罗马、特洛伊木马等就是通过直译进入汉语语言并成为汉语语言的一部分的。一般说来,英语习语如在形、义上与汉语习语全同或是基本相同的常可采用直译,原习语中的比喻或形象能为汉语读者所接受的有时也可以采用直译。例如:
翻译英语习语:三大绝招必须掌握
to be armed to the teeth 武装到牙齿(该典故出自从前南美的北海岸的海盗,他们除了两手都持武器外,在牙齿间还要咬一把刀。)
Time is money. 时间就是金钱(比一寸光阴一寸金流行)
to shed crocodile tears 掉鳄鱼眼泪 as cold as ice 冰冷
to trim the sail to the wind看风使帆
Too many cooks spoil the broth. 厨子多了煮坏汤。
Blood is thicker than water. 血浓于水。
直译加注法
有些习语直译后,仍不能把原意清楚准确地表达出来, 就可采用直译加注释法。例如:
a bull in a china shop公牛闯进瓷器店──肆意捣乱
to shed crocodile tears流鳄鱼眼泪──假慈悲
People considered that what he had played on that occasion was no more than a Judas kiss.
人们认为他在那种场合所表演的不过是犹大之吻──居心险恶。
The favors of Government are like the box of Pandora, with this important difference; that they rarely leave hope at bottom.
政府的恩惠如同潘多拉的盒子,后患无穷,主要不同之处是:盒底很少留有希望。
The best fish swim (are) near the bottom.好鱼居水底有价值的东西不能轻易得到。
Fish begins to stink at the end.鱼要腐烂头先烂上梁不正下梁歪。
If two ride on a horse, one must ride behind.两人骑一匹马,总有一人坐在后面两人参加的事只能一人为主。
The apples on the other side of the wall are the sweetest.隔墙的苹果最甜这山看着那山高。
Dont forget to cross your ts.写时不要忘记 t上面那一横一言一行都不要马虎草率。
套译
套译就是借用汉语成语来翻译。由于文化背景不同,原文的形象有时不符合中国习俗,如直译出来寓意就会颇为费解,或原文的形象引起另一种联想,从而影响到原文意思的准确传达,这时大多可以采用套译。英汉习语形异义似时,有时可采用这种译法。例如:
Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion. 宁为鸡首,不为牛后。
Some prefer turnips and others pears.萝卜白菜,各有所爱。(比译为有人喜欢萝卜,有人喜欢梨更能为中国读者所理解和接受。 )
as lean as a rail 骨瘦如柴 (如 直译为瘦得像个横杆,则不符合中国人习惯。)
clean hand 两袖清风
It was by no means a bed of rose. 这决不是安乐窝。
He cries wine and sells vinegar. 挂羊头,卖狗肉。
as pale (or white) as ashes( or sheet or death) 面如土色
as red as rose 艳如桃李
as clear as daylight 洞若观火
All shall be well, Jack shall have Jill. 有情人终成眷属。
He robs Peter to pay Paul. 拆东墙补西墙。
Diamonds cut Diamonds. 棋逢对手,将遇良才。英雄惜英雄
Pay on the spot and borrow a lot; pay slow and youll get no dough.好借好还,再借不难。
意译
当直译原文结果会令人为费解或造成误解时,如使用套译的结果不理想,还可以采用意译。例如:
Look at the chaps in politics and business, whose whole lives were passed in skating on thin ice, and getting knighted for it.
试看那些政治上和商业上的家伙们, 他们整个儿的生活都是在风险中度过的,可是都因此封了爵。(to skate on thin ice 若直译为如履薄冰,则会产生谨慎从事的联想, 有违原意。)
to come like a dog at a whistle 一呼即来
Hilter was once as proud as a peacock. 希特勒曾是一个不可一世的家伙。
Mary and her mother are as like as two peas.玛丽和她妈妈长得一模一样。(而不是像两颗豌豆一样相似)
例如:
She likes to rubber-neck. 她爱问长问短。
start a hare 话离本题
to bring down the house 全场喝彩
plain sailing 一帆风顺
to show ones clean heels 逃之夭夭
to go on a wild goose chase 枉费心机
as greedy as a wolf 贪得无厌
Every bean has its black. 人皆有短处。
直译加意译
这种译法既能保持原文的比喻形象, 同时又能明白清楚地表达寓意。例如:
laugh off ones head笑掉了牙
break the earth破土动工
wash off ones hands洗手不干
There is no rose without a thorn.
玫瑰皆有刺,乐中必有苦。(比意译的世上没有十全十美的幸福。简洁形象。)
Every flow has its ebb. 潮有涨落日, 人有盛衰时。
A rolling stone gathers no moss. 滚石不生苔, 转业不聚财。
I had won 0 at poker that ordinarily would have burned a hole in my pocket,but I couldnt shake an overwhelming sadness.
我玩扑克游戏赢了三百元。通常,钱烧口袋漏,一有就不留。可我当时极为忧愁烦闷怎么也无法摆脱那种恶劣的心境。
Every family is said to have at least one skeleton in the cupboard.俗话说, 衣柜里面藏骷髅, 见不得人的事儿家家有。
意译加注
有些英语习语意译成汉语时,如有必要可提供相关的背景的知识,以帮助读者加深对原习语的理解。例如:
throw in the sponge 认输,投降 (注:若拳击运动员的副手把擦身用的海绵抛向空中,则表示这个运动员认输因而不进入下一轮比赛。)
pour oil on troubled waters 平息风波,息事宁人(注:传说航海遇到风浪时,若把油倒进海里,可起到使海浪平息的作用。)
open sesame 敲门砖, 过难关的秘诀(注:《天方夜谈》中的《阿里巴巴与四十大盗》故事说:一个山洞内藏有无数的金银财宝,但洞门紧闭,必须用咒语开门芝麻才能打开。)
Good wine needs no bush. 酒好客自来。(注:英国从前流行一种风俗,人们常在商店的门口外挂某种东西作为该店经营某种商品的标志, 挂常春藤ivybush标志的常为酒店。)
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