中式英语求正解!学渣们都笑翻了~
[摘要] “怎么是你?怎么老是你?(How are you? How old are you?)”; “你问我,我问谁?(You ask me, me ask who? )”;“咱俩谁跟谁?(We two who and who?)”…… 看过这一套经典的Chinglish,小伙伴们是不是都快笑翻了?
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“怎么是你?怎么老是你?(How are you? How old are you?)”; “你问我,我问谁?(You ask me, me ask who? )”;“咱俩谁跟谁?(We two who and who?)”…… 看过这一套经典的Chinglish,小伙伴们是不是都快笑翻了?学了新单词明白意思却不知该咋用,一个不小心你就会闹出貌似说得过去,其实更加逗比的Chinglish笑话。下面这些Chinglish已得正解,小伙伴们不如先试试自己会怎么翻,再看答案吧!
1. 萝卜青菜,各有所爱。
[误] Some prefer radish but others prefer cabbage.
[正] Tastes differ.
注:Tastes differ/vary 是句英语谚语,除此以外,原句还可翻译成 No dish suits all tastes 或 You can never make everyone happy 等。
2. 他一向嘴硬,从不认错。
[误] He has always got a hard mouth and never admit a fault.
[正] He never says uncle.
注:say (cry) uncle: to give up or in; to surrender; to admit defeat. Mainly used by boys, as when fighting。主要是男孩们打架时的用语,当一方想制服另一方时,就用命令的口气说:“Say uncle!”这时,有的孩子为了表示不服输,就是不说。后来,say uncle 就成了“服输”的代名词,而 not say uncle 就相当于“嘴硬”了。
3. 这个教授教得很烂。
[误] The professor teaches badly.
[正] The professor is so terrible.
注:有人认为第二句的意思是“这个教授很可怕”,其实不然。英语中 terrible 意思很灵活,例如:feel terrible 指身体“不舒服”; The food is terrible 则是说食物“难吃极了”。而第一句纯属中文式的表达。
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 无疑是多此一举了。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明相同的喻义,“掌上明珠”与 the apple of one's eye 就是一个很好的例子。这种情况我们一般应尊重各国文化和习俗,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。尽管瞳孔现在已经用 pupil 来表示,不再是 apple 了,但这一用法却延续了下来。
6. 我希望你不要拖我的后腿。
[误] I hope that you won't pull my leg.
[正] I hope that you won't hold me back.
注:pull one's leg 是“愚弄某人,开某人的玩笑”的意思,相当于 make fun of sb.。英语中与“拖后腿”相对应的表达是 hold sb. back 或 be a drag on sb. 等。
7. 嘿,小伙子,千万别灰心。
[误] Hey, lad, don't lose your heart.
[正] Hey, lad, don't lose heart.
注:lose one's heart (to sb.) 是“心被……被俘虏去,爱上……”的意思,而lose heart才表示“灰心丧气,丧失勇气或信心”。
8. 我们俩关系最好,他经常来我这儿白吃百喝。
[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:第一句只表明“他常到我这儿来白吃白喝”,但朋友这间那种亲密关系没有体现出来。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。
9. 原来如此。你一解释我就明白了。
[误] So it is. I understand soon after your explanation.
[正] So that's how it is. I understand soon after your explanation.
注:So it is 的意思是“的确如此”,它是用来表示对对方观点的赞同的。例如:
A: It is a fine day today!
B: So it is。
而在表达恍然大悟时,英文要用 So that's how it is 或 So that explains it, 或更简单地道的说法 Oh, I see。
10. 干杯!要一饮而尽。
[误] ---Cheers! Bottom up.
[正] ---Cheers! Bottoms up.
注: bottoms up 虽然只比 bottom up 多一个 s,但是两个词组的意思却相差十万八千里。bottoms up 里的 bottom 是指“(酒杯的)底部”,那么杯朝天就是“一饮而尽”的意思,而且因为干杯时肯定不止一人一饮而尽,所以要用复数;而 bottom up 表示“屁股朝天”。