英语口语之 对中式英语Say No(2)

对中式英语Say No (2)

上一期的Chinglish小错误们都矫正了么？今天小编再次给大家敲敲警钟，下面的表达学起来。

1. 人都是这山望着那山高，对自己的现状不满意的,英语口语。

[误] Almost all people think that the other mountain is higher than the one he's standing on. They never feel saisfied with what they've already got.

[正] Almost all people think that the grass is greener on the other hill. They never feel saisfied with what they've already got.

注：“这山望着那山高”是指人不满足于现状的心理，它在英语中有现成的说法，即 the grass is greener on the other hill（他山的草更绿），因而我们借用即可，这样既方便又更有利于与西方人沟通。

2. 北京申奥胜利的消息令我们热血沸腾。

[误] Beijing's winning the bid for the Olympics makes our blood boil.

[正] Beijing's winning the bid for the Olympics makes us excited.

注：Make one's blood boil是指“激怒某人”，而非“使人激动”。英语中“使人激动”的说法除了make one excited, 还有较为书面语化的make one's spine tingle.

3. 别听他们胡说八道，压根就没那回事。

[误] Don't listen to their babbling. Nothing of the sort.

[正] Don't be fooled by their babbling. Nothing of the sort.

注：原文中的“听”不能用listen to来表示，因为listen to指“听”的动作，而原文中的“别听”不是不让他“听”，而是劝告他“不要听信”，因此，用not be fooled by才更准确。

4. 我们这儿的人都觉得他有婚外恋。

[误] People around here all feel that he has affairs outside his own marriage.

[正] People around here all feel that he is leading a double life.

注：Affair本身就指“私通”或“暧昧关系”，当然是“婚外”的事，所以outside one's own marriage是多此一举了。英语中“有婚外恋”的地道说法应该是lead a double life。

5. 别看别人不把她当回事，在家里她可是父亲的掌上明珠。

[误] Although other people never take her seriousy, she is the pearl on her father's hand at home.

[正] Although other people never take her seriousy, she is the apple of her father's eye at home.

注：中英文常用不同的喻体表达相同的喻义，“掌上明珠”与the apple of one's eye就是一个很好的例子。这种情况咱们应尊重各国文化跟风气，翻译时取目的语的固定说法，而不必直译，这有助于将意思更有效地传达给读者。The apple of one's eye源自圣经《旧约》，当时人们用apple指人的瞳孔。只管瞳孔当时已经用pupil来表示，不再是apple了，但这一用法却持续了下来。

6. 都十点钟了。起床了，勤虫！

[误] It's ten o'clock. Get up, lazy worm!

[正] It's ten o'clock. Get up, lazy bones!

注：“懒虫”并非真是一条虫，只不过被用来形容人很懒惰罢了。英语里与之对应的说法是lazy bones（懒骨头）。留心，这里的bone应以复数形式浮现，兴许是由于不会只有一根骨头懒吧！

7. 我唯一的资本就是勤奋。

[误] My only capital is diligence.

[正] My only means to success is diligence.

注：原文的“本钱”是借喻，实际指“可能依靠并取得成功的手段”。而英语的capital指money used to produce more wealth or for starting a business，并不中文那样的引申意思。所以，这里的“成本”不能与capital画等号。也有人用advantage来翻译“资本”，固然不尽意，但至少能够让读者理解。

8. 这家商店开辟了休息处，受到顾客的称赞。

[误] This department store has set up a resting-place, much to the customers' appreciation.

[正] This department store has set up a lounge, much to the customers' appreciation.

注：英语的 resting-place诚然有“休息处&rdquo,英语书面语;的意思，但更经常的是用来指“坟墓”，即“最后安息之处”。因此，把公共场所的“休息处”译为resting-place不很合适。也有人将它译为rest-room，但那更不妥当，因为英语中的rest-room是“厕所”的委婉说法，而“休息处”不是这个意思。Lounge指in a hotel, club, or other public place, a room where people can sit and relax，正是“休息室”之意。

9. 大家都怀疑汤姆是个特务。

[误] Everyone doubts that Tom is a spy.

[正] Everyone suspects that Tom is a spy.

注：Doubt作“猜忌”讲，是“不信任”的意思；而suspect作“猜疑”讲，是指“对...有所发觉”。第一句译文犯了两个错误：首先，doubt不能接that从句，只有not doubt that跟 doubt if/whether；其次，它所表白的意思是“大家对汤姆是间谍这件事表现怀疑”，即“大家不信赖汤姆是间谍”，与原文的意思恰好相反。

10. 咱们俩关系最好，他时常来我这儿蹭饭吃。

[误] We are best friends. He always comes here to have meals for free.

[正] We are best friends. He always comes here to bum meals off me.

注：第一句只表达“他常到我这儿来白吃白喝”，但友人这间那种亲密关系没有表现出来。而 bum sth. off sb.指向非常熟的朋友要一些不起眼的小东西，而朋友也不会介意还不还。