中文俗语美语说法集锦

闲情UID: 111016

[中国翻译家联盟 2002-11-15] 第163次点击
    许多中国人爱用俗语、成语、俚语。由于中美两国文化、风俗、思想、习惯的差异，如果照字直译，或把单字「堆在一起」，老外听了，也许就会「满头雾水」、「迷迷糊糊」，成了他们所说的「只有你们中国人听得懂」的「中国英文」（Chinese English）。

     在此，把一些常见的中文俗语与一般老外的说法相对比较，或许可供有兴趣的读者参考。

     1. 人山人海：有人直译为：People mountain people sea.

     这就是「中国英文」，老外很难理解。他们指「人多」时，通常只说：「There is a large crowd of people.」如果看到电影院门前大排长龙，也只说：「There is (was) a long movie line.」

     不过在诗词用语 (poetic expression) 里，老外也有使用：「a (the) sea of faces」，颇有咱们「人山人海」的味道。例如：

     Looking out upon the sea of faces, Mr. A delivered a touching speech.（望着一片人山人海的听众， A先生发表一篇动人的演说。）

     Standing at his podium, President Clinton saw a sea of faces waving at him.（柯林顿总统站在讲台上看到人山人海的人群挥手向他致意。）

     可见，说话者通常要在台上或高处，才有「人海」的感觉。因此，可以说：I saw a sea of faces from the top of the building. 但在平地的人群中，就不说：「I saw the sea of faces.」也不说：「There is a sea of faces.」只说：「I saw a large crowd of people.」

     2. 家家有本难念的经：有人译成：Every family cooking － pot has a black spot. (意思是：每个家庭的锅子都有黑色的污点)

     这样说法，老外恐怕不能充分了解。不过老外最常的说法是：

     Many families have skeletons in the closet. (许多家庭的衣柜里都有骨骸) (骨骸就是指家丑)

     或者说：

     Every family has its own source of shame. (每个家庭都有自己的丑事)

     说白些，就是：

     Every family has its own problem.

     3. 天下无不散的宴席：有人直译为：There are no feasts in the world which do not break up at last.

     老外听后，也许很难体会其中意义。如果按照美语说法，也许更易理解：

     All good things come to an end. (意思是：所有好的事情，总有结束的一天。)

     假如是指好友最后也有分别的一天，那么可以说：

     Eventually, all bosom friends will drift apart. (bosom friend 是指知心的好友)

     4. 平时不烧香，临时抱佛脚：有人照字直译为：When times are easy, we do not burn the incense,but when the trouble comes, we embrace the feet of the Buddha.

     这种说法，老外也会「一知半解」。美语里一般说法是：

     Worship God every day; not just in times of adversity. (要每天敬拜神，不是只在困难时。)

     对学生也可以说：

     If you study hard every day, exams will not seem overwhelming. (如果你每天用功，考试就不会形成压力。)

     5. 挂羊头，卖狗肉：有人照字直译为：He advertises mutton, but sells dog's flesh. 或 He hangs up a sheep's head at the shopfront and sells dog meat.

     这两种译法，恐怕老外都难理解，尤其谈到「狗肉」，他们更会「反感」，因为狗是他们最爱的宠物，不过老外倒有相近的说法：

     He applied bait-and-switch factics in business. (他经商的策略是先引诱顾客来，再改变货物的品质。)

     (Bait-and- switch 当名词用) (也可不用连字号)

     This store uses bait and switch policy.

     或者简单的说：

     Let the buyer be aware! (让消费者提高警觉) ; 或

     Say one thing and do another.

     6. 一言既出，驷马难追：有人译成：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.

     这两种说法，中文味道嫌重，老外未必理解。不过他们倒有类似的说法：

     A word once let go cannot be recalled.

     或者说：

     You can not take back what you have said. (你说出的话，就不能再收回来。)

     7. 祸从口出，言多必失：有人译为：The mouth is the gate of misfortune and evil.

     老外听了，恐怕不能完全理解。最好说成：

     Careless talk leads to trouble. (不小心说话，会带来麻烦); 或

     The less said the better. (说的愈少愈好)

     甚至也可以说：

     Shut the mouth and open the eyes. (闭嘴少说，张眼多看。)

闲情UID: 111016

[中国翻译家联盟 2002-11-15] 第112次点击
    英语成语、短语、惯用语很多。有时，它们的构造看起来不合逻辑，甚至不合常理，但又不能随意更改。例如，我们用双脚步行，应该是“on feet”，但偏偏是“on foot”才对。一般上说，成语、短语或惯用语中的字眼不可用别的字取代，词序也不可调换，因为一字之差，词序一换，原意可能走样，甚至毫无意思。

     在下列各组句子中，(a)错、(b)对：

     1a. What is the reason of all this shunning away from blue-collar work?

     b. What is the reason of all this shying away from blue-collar work?

     2a. I am working on the behalf of my company.

     b. I am working on behalf of my company.

     3a. We need a capable person to help us in time of difficulties.

     b. We need a capable person to help us in times of difficultes.

     4a. In term of economic development, our country has done a good job.

     b. In terms of economic development, our country has done a good job.

     5a. Few would like to make friend with hypocrites.

     b. Few would like to make friends with hypocrites.

     6a. Let‘s discuss this matter in details.

     b. Let‘s discuss this matter in detail.

     7a. That rich woman is covered with jewellery from top to toes.

     b. That rich woman is covered with jewellery from top to toe.

     8a. For the better or worse, we must try to get along with our colleagues.

     b. For better or worse, we must try to get along with our colleagues.

     9a. The Public Relations Officer did not speak much. What is worst, she hated to mingle with people.

     b. The Public Relations Officer did not speak much. What is worse, she hated to mingle with people.

     10a. All must come to the meeting without failure.

     b. All must come to the meeting without fail.

     11a. Most of the students learn historical facts by hard.

     b. Most of the students learn historical facts by heart.

     12a. A holiday abroad will take your mind of the work tension for a while.

     b. A holiday abroad will take your mind off the work tension for a while.

     13a. It is out of question for you to go tonight; you haven‘t finished your assignment yet.

     b. It is out of the question for you to go tonight; you haven‘t finished your assignment yet.

     14a. Students should spend their time studying instead of involving in destructive activities.

     b. Students should spend their time studying instead of involving themselves in/ getting involved in destructive activities.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

闲情UID: 111016

[中国翻译家联盟 2002-11-14] 第213次点击
在英语当中两个近义和相对的词用and或or连接构成成对的英语短语，它们经常出现在一起，因此它们的位置固定下来，有些同汉语的位置相同，有些同汉语不同，意义上有的和汉语相同，少量的同汉语有些差别，下面是笔者收集的一些此类的短语。


1. 同汉语位置相同的短语


aches and pains痛苦

affable and kind和善


ancient and modern古今

arts and science文理


bag and baggage提包和行李

black and white黑白


bucket and spade 桶和锹

brothers and sisters兄妹


bow and arrow弓和箭，

bread and butter面包和黄油


crack and roar咆哮

cup and saucer杯子碟子


drunk and sober酒汉与清醒者

fair and square公正


far and away远离

far and near远近


fire and sword火与箭

first and foremost首先


first and last先后

fish and chips炸鱼和薯条


free and easy轻松自在

friend and foe朋友和敌人


forward and backward 前后

fun and pleasure娱乐


wife and children妻子和儿童

good or ill好歹(善恶)


great and small大小 hale and hearty健壮


ham and egg火腿鸡蛋

hammer and sickle锤子与镰刀


hand an foot手脚

head and shoulder头与肩


heart and soul心灵

heaven and earth天地


heavy and light重轻

high and low高低


hill and dale山谷

home and abroad 国内外


horse and cart马车

house and home家居


hue and cry喊叫

husband and wife夫妻


hustle and bustle熙熙攘攘，

ifs and buts假设和转折


in and out进出

whole and all全体


import and export进出口

internal and external内外


judge and jury法官与陪审团,

king and queen国王与皇后


ladies and gentlemen女士与先生

knife and pork刀叉


kith and kin亲戚

land and sea陆海


law and order治安

lean and lanky瘦长


leaps and bounds跳跃

light and shade光阴


long and short长短

lord and lady贵族与小姐


male and female男女

man and beast人与兽


man and woman男女

meek and mild温和


sweet and sour糖醋

more or less或多或少


mother and child母子

null and void无效


odds and ends零碎

officers and soldiers官与兵


old and trial久经考验

Oxford and Cambridge牛津剑桥


out and away出走

past and present过去与现在


weight and measures重量与尺寸

pick and choose选择


pots and pans坛坛罐罐

puffing and blowing吐烟吹气气


profit and loss盈亏

pros and cons正反


rack and ruin损坏

right and wrong正误


rough and tumble杂乱

rules and regulations规章制度


true or false真假

safe and sound安全


short and sweet少而精

skin and bone皮包骨


slow and sure慢而准

sooner and later早晚


sports and games运动与游戏

stocks and shares股票


stuff and nonsense胡说八道

tea and coffee清茶和咖啡


then and there当时当地

thick and thin厚薄


this and that这那

thunder and light雷电


time and tide岁月

to and fro来回


town and country乡村

twists and turns曲折


up and down上下

ups and downs盛衰


vice and virtue罪恶与美德

ways and means方法


wear and tear磨损

wind and weather风与天


come and go 来去

poems and essays 诗文


2. 同汉语的位置不相同的短语


back and forth前后

bed and breakfast食宿


cap and gown(coat)衣帽

fire and water水火


flesh and blood骨肉

heat and cold冷热


heavy and light轻重

iron and steel钢铁


land and water水陆

love and money金钱与爱情


might and main主力

night and day白昼


north and south南北

off and on开关


old and grey苍老

old and new新旧


one and only唯一

pen and paper纸和笔


rain or shine阴晴

rich and poor,穷富


right and left左右

sword and shield剑与盾


twos and threes三三两两

you and I你我


young and old老少

pin and needle针毯


part and parcel重要部分

give and take合作与让步


mock and satire 讽刺嘲笑

rain and wind风雨

闲情UID: 111016

[中国翻译家联盟 2002-11-27] 第90次点击
　　在《三合一惯用语》中，介绍了几种三合一的常见短语。这里集中谈三合一名词组及形容词组，希望大家有更进一步的认识。

● odds and ends：各种不值钱的小物品
　 “Every year, we have to clear the rooms of all odds and ends.”

● oddities and absurdities：异样或不合情理的感觉
　 “Sometimes, we have to bear with oddities and absurdities of language use.”

● bits and pieces：零星物件
　 “The storeroom is filled with bits and pieces. Can't someone arrange them properly?”

● aches and pains：周身疼痛
　 “After a day's hardwork, the old man suffered aches and pains, especially in the limbs.”

● board and lodging：食宿
　 “I paid about $200 for board and lodging when I studied in the U.S. in 1969.

● chapter and verse：（常和动词give或quote连用）注明……的出处或详情
　 “Jason knows all the important points in this book and can give you chapter and verse without hesitation.”

● hammer and tongs：（常和go at it连用）闹哄哄地争吵
　 “At a political meeting, many participants went at it hammer and tongs for quite a while.”

● heaven and earth：（常和move连用）竭尽全力
　 “When a government is good, the people will move heaven and earth to support it.”

● hue and cry：嘈杂声
　 “When it was learnt that some workers would be laid off, there was a hue and cry among them.”

● hustle and bustle：喧闹
　 “One can often see hustle and bustle in a place with crowds of unruly people.

● ifs and buts：各种借口
　 “No ifs and buts, please ! Just work according to the schedule.”

● rack and ruin：（常和go to连用）遭破坏
　 “Owing to urban renewal, even historic spots are going to rack and ruin.”

● stuff and nonsense：胡说八道
　 “Is Tom asking to leave the company? Stuff and nonsense! I bet that would be the last thing for him to do.”

● ups and downs：盛衰；浮沉
　 “For many people, life is full of ups and downs.”

● wear and tear：耗损
　 “Because of wear and tear, a car needs regular servicing.”

● bright and breezy：活泼轻快的
　 “Joelle is bright and breezy; everyone likes her.”

● cut and dried：早已决定的
　 “The programme is cut and dried; it is not possible to make changes now.”

● rough and ready：粗略的
　 “I cannot dwell on the use of English determiners, but you can follow the rough and ready rules.”

● spick and span：崭新的；极整洁的
　 “Despite being busy, Mrs Chen manages to keep the house spick and span.”

● short and sweet：简短扼要
　 “Everybody is too busy to listen to a long-winded story, so try to keep it short and sweet.”