第十三講-英語的成語和習語

PAGEPAGE1ThreeDon’tsinTranslatingEnglishIdioms1.Don'tTakeIdiomsTooLiterally（不要望文生義）SinceanEnglishidiomisaphrasewhichmeanssomethingdifferentfromthemeaningsoftheseparatewordsfromwhichitisformed(LDCE1998:754),literaltranslationofidiomsoftenresultsinseriousmistakes,Examples:1.以前，他們都說女人拉男人后腿；現(xiàn)在，倒過來了，有些男人，拉起女人的后腿啦。（王汶石《新結(jié)識的伙伴》）TheTranslated:a)Before,theyusedtosayitwasthewiveswhopulledthehusbands'legs;nowit'stheotherwayround-somehusbandspulltheirwives'legs.b)Before,theyusedtosayitwasthewiveswhoheldthehusbandsback;nowit'stheotherwayround-somehusbandshindertheirwives.注：pullsomebody'sleg=makefunofsomebody,esp.bymakinghimbelievesomethingthatisuntrue;teasesomebody(OALD2002:1199)e.g.Youdon’tsuppose,doyou,thatourfriendshereareinearnest.Theyhavejustbeenpullingourlegsverywittily.(B.Shaw:BacktoMethuselah)2.十年來，這個國家經(jīng)歷了翻天覆地的變化。TheTranslated:a)Inthepasttenyears,thiscountryhasundergoneachangewhichmovesheavenandearth.b)Inthepasttenyears,thiscountryhasundergoneanearth-shakingchange注：moveheavenandearth=todoeverythingonecan(tocauseorpreventsomething)(LDCE1998:989)e.g.Imovedheavenandearthtogethimoutoftownanddidnotsucceed.(MarkTwain:TheInnocentsatHome)3.這樣重要的工作可不能當兒戲啊！TheTranslated:a)Youshouldn'tregardsuchimportantworkasachild'splay.b)Youshouldn'tregardsuchimportantworkasatrifle.注：child'splay=thingthatisveryeasytodo(OALD2002:233)It'snotadifficultclimb—itshouldbechild'splayforanexperiencedmountaineer.(ibid)4.他常常食言。TheTranslated:a)

Heofteneatshiswords.b)

Heoftengoesbackonhisword./Heoftenbreakshispromise.注：eatone'swords=admittohavingsaidsomethingwrong(LDCE1998:469)e.g.JohnhadcalledHarryacoward,buttheboysmadehimeathiswordsafterHarrybravelyfoughtabigbully.(ADictionaryofAmericanIdioms1978:124)5.這場武裝沖突有一觸即發(fā)之勢。TheTranslated:a)

Thearmedconflictistouch-and-go.b)

Thearmedconflictmaybreakoutatanymoment.注：touch-and-go=uncertainastotheresult(OALD2002:1612)1)Itwastouch-and-gowhetherwewouldgettotheairportintime.(ibid)2)Thepatientisoutofdangernow,butitwastouch-and-goforawhile.(=uncertainwhetherhewouldsurvive)(ibid)Exercises(1):ExplainthefollowingEnglishidiomswiththehelpofEnglish-Englishdictionaries:1.Lockthestabledoorafterthehorseisstolen.2.beatdaggersdrawn(beatdaggers'points)3.(make)muchadoaboutnothing4.Liveandlearn.5.Giveadogabad(anill)nameandhanghim.cf.Hewhohasamindtobeathisdogwilleasilyfindastick.6.haveafingerinthe(every)pie7.haveaboneinone'sthroat.8.Amissisasgoodasamile.9.throw(flingaway)asprattocatchaherring(whale,mackerel)10.Don'twakeasleepingdog(wolf)./Letsleepingdogslie.11.beardthelioninhisden12.ScratchmybackandI'llscratchyours./ClawmeandI'llclawyou.13.aflyintheointment14.dogeatdog(dog-eat-dog)cf.Dogdoes(do)noteatdog.Dogdoesnotbitedog.(W.Maugham)15.Beggarscannot(shouldnot)bechoosers.16.rowinthesameboat17.afriendinneedcf.friend(companion)inadversity;fair-weatherfriend18.Evenawormwillturn.19.pennywiseandpoundfoolish.2.Don'tMixUpDifferentImplicationsofIdioms(不要混淆習語的不同含義)Failuretoascertaintheexactimplicationofanidiom(mendatoryorderogatory)oftenresultsinthedistortionoftheoriginalmeaning.Examples:1.inthesameboat：inthesametrouble;inthesamefix;inthesamebadsituation(ADictionaryofAmericanIdioms1978:251)e.g.Whenthetown'sonefactoryclosedandhundredsofpeoplelosttheirjobs,allthestorekeeperswereinthesameboat.(ibid)2.birdsofafeather：peopleofthesamekind(oftenbad)(LDCE1998:128)e.g.(1)Theneighborsthoughtthatsheandherboyfriendwerebirdsofafeather.（LongmanDictionaryofEnglishIdioms,1979:24)(2)Hehasconspiredagainstmeliketherest,andtheyarebutbirdsofonefeather.(C.Dickens:MartinChuzzlewit}3.Oncebitten,twiceshy：afteranunpleasantexperienceoneiscarefultoavoidsomethingsimilar(OALD2002:1024)e.g.Shecertainlywon'tmarryagain—oncebitten,twiceshy.（ibid）Compare:Hethathasbeenbittenbyaserpentisafraidofarope.（TheOxfordDictionaryofEnglishProverbs,p.47)4.clutchatastraw(straws)：bepreparedtotryanythingtogetoneselfoutofadifficulty(LDCE1998:270)/trytograspaslightopportunitytoescape,rescuesomebody,etc.indesperatecircumstances（OALD2002:258)e.g.(1)Adrowningmanwillclutchatastraw,(proverb)(2)Thepoormanwassimplyclutchingatstrawswhenhetookhisdyingwifetoanotherdoctor.（LongmanDictionaryofEnglishIdioms,1979)(3)Ourclosequestioninghadhimflounderingaboutandcatchingatstraws.5.gild(paint)thelily：trytoimprovewhatisalreadysatisfactory(OALD2002:622);trytoimprovesomethingthatisalreadygoodenough,sospoilingtheeffect(LDCE1998:639)e.g.(1)Forthebeautifulgirltousemakeupwouldbetogildthelily.（ADictionaryofAmericanIdioms1975;120)(2)Shewasanattractivegirlbeforeshemarried,butthenherhusbandgildedthelilybymakingherwearexpensiveclothesandshenowlooksjustlikealltheotherrichwivesaroundher.(LongmanDictionaryofEnglishIdioms1979:l98)(3)AddinganythingtowhatJohnsonhadrecordedasthebodyoftheEnglishlanguagewaspaintingthelily.WebsterattemptedtomeetthisobjectionbyoneofhisfrequentviciousattacksuponJohnson.(T.Pyles;WordsandWaysofAmericanEnglish)Exercises(2):ExplainthefollowingEnglishidiomswiththehelpofEnglish-Englishdictionaries:1.followinsomebody'sfootsteps2.handinglove(withsomebody)3.eatone’scakeandhaveit/haveone’scakeandeatit.4.kickagainstthepricks.5.aboltfromtheblue.6.astormy(storm)etoabad(nogood)end8.playwithfire9.middle-of-the-road3.Don'tTranslateEnglishIdiomsintoChineseIdiomsBearingStrongCulturalFlavororLocalColor（不要把英語習語譯成具有鮮明文化特色或濃厚地方色彩的漢語習語）Impropertranslationinthisrespectoftenresultsinincongruityofcontextsandcultures(語境和文化的錯位)orwrongimaginationonthepartofourreaders.Manytranslationtheoristssharetheviewthat把具有一種民族色彩的成語換成具有完全不同的另一種民族色彩的成語是翻譯者所不取的。相反，倒是需要在譯文中盡量保留原文的民族色彩。(陳文伯2005:251)Examples&Drills(1)Comparethefollowingtranslations.1.Talk(Speak)ofthedevil(andheissuretoappear).1)Well,talkofthedevil,hereisJohnson.2)Thereyouare.Speakofthedevil.Wewerejusttalkingaboutyou,Mr.Wang.3)Thereyouare.ItoldyouGeorgewouldcomein;you'veonlytotalkofthedeviltoheartheflutterofhiswings.(B.Henderson:ADictionaryofEnglishIdioms}2.entertainanangelunawares(fromtheBible)1)A:Whatdidthetwoprincessaytoyou?B:Princes?Goodheavens!Ihavebeenentertainingangelsunawares.(A.Johnson:CommonEnglishQuotations)2)IamtoldthatMissChenisagreatsingerandagreatdancer.FortheseyearsIhavebeenentertaininganangelunawares.3)WhowouldhavethoughtofMr.Mottramdoingsowell?Andsomanyofhisfriends,too,thatusedtostayhere?Wewereentertainingangelsunawares.(E.Waugh:BridesheadRevisited)3.Tom,DickandHarry1)Barryrodefrompublichousetopublichouse,andshoutedhissorrowsintothemugofTom,DickandHarry.(R.Stevenson:Kidnapped)2)Wecan'tadmiteveryTom,DickandHarrytomembershipoftheclub.(F.Wood:EnglishColloquialIdioms)(2)ExplainthefollowingEnglishidioms.1.Twoheadsarebetterthanone.2.cannotseethewoodforthetrees3.teachone'sgrandmother(how)tosuckeggscf.Neveroffertoteachfishtoswim.4.Don'tcrossthebridgeuntilyoucometoit.5.(Misfortunemightbe)ablessingindisguise.6.wiseonlyafterevent(3)TranslatethefollowingChineseidiomsintoEnglish:1.半斤八兩3.菩薩心腸2.逼上梁山4.得隴望蜀5.張冠李戴6.朝秦暮楚Itshouldbeemphasizedthattranslationofidiomsisnoteasyandoftenrequirespainstakingefforts.Topresentanappropriatetranslationofanidiom,amixedapplicationoftheabove-mentionedtechniquesandsometimesafootnotemaybeneeded.※ProperUseofChineseIdiomsinTranslationIntranslationasincomposition,theproperuseofidiomsisoneoftheimportantstylisticdevices.EvenwhenthereisnoidiominanEnglishsentence,wemaysometimesuseaChineseidiomora"four-characterexpression"foracertainideatorendertheChineseversionmorevivid,expressiveandappealing.一、Examples:1.Springawakened,andallnaturesmiled.春天蘇醒了，萬物笑逐言開。2.Themerethoughtofappearingbeforeacrowdfrightenedme.只要一想到在大庭廣眾之前露面，我就膽戰(zhàn)心驚。3.Wecannottakehisintentionlightly.我們不能對他的意圖掉以輕心。4.IttookthebesteffortsofAmerica'stop-rankedplayerstowinagainsttheChinese.(China?U.S.A.?Table-tennis)美國隊的頭等高手花了九牛二虎之力，才把中國選手打敗。5.Weareapttoshutoureyesagainstapainfultruth—andlistentothesongofthatsiren,tillshetransformsusintobeasts.(P.Henry)對于使人痛苦的真相，我們?nèi)菀组]目不見，而對于女妖的歌聲，我們卻喜歡洗耳恭聽，聽任她將我們化為野獸。6.Weshouldnotinherittheirmistakes.他們犯了錯誤，我們不應重蹈覆轍。7.Inspiteoftheoverwhelmingevidence,herefusedtoadmithisguilt.盡管鐵證如山，他卻拒不認罪。8.TheGreekpeoplehaveshapedtheirhistoryinthelightofidealsdrawnfrombothspiritualandsecularsourceswithoutdistinction.希臘人民對來自宗教和世俗源泉的各種理想兼收并蓄，締造了自己的歷史。9.Hewasamanofendless,restlessambition.(D.Halberstam:TheBestandtheBrightest)他是一個野心勃勃，貪得無厭的人。10.Onhewent,leavingthemenintheroom.（ibid)他揚長而去，把這些人留在房間里。11.Officialsofallkindshavedescendedonthesettlement.各種各樣的官兒已經(jīng)屈尊駕臨這個住宅區(qū)了。12.Thelocalpartyofficials,likeCol.Lavrenchuk,wereexposedasdouble-dealingbackstabbers.(RedPapers)像拉夫連楚克上校這樣的黨的地方官員，已暴露出是兩面三刀，暗箭傷人的人物了。13.Aportionofthemweredestituteofanyotherarmsthanthosesuppliedbynature.他們一部分赤手空拳，未帶任何武器。14.Whenyounghequittedhishomeandtraveledtothemetropolis,whichhereachedinastateofalmostutterdestitution.年青時代，他背井離鄉(xiāng)，徒步來到首都，幾乎身無分文。15.Oh,butalltherulesofself-preservationwerebrokenwhenwesawthatlittleface,filledwiththeterrorofdeath,beingsuckeddownstream.是??！不過一看見那張小臉帶著害怕淹死的恐怖神情被激流越?jīng)_越遠，我們就把明哲保身的金科玉律統(tǒng)統(tǒng)打破了。16.Allthecriticaltwiddle-twaddleaboutstyleandformismereimpertinenceandmostlydulljargon.所有這些有關文體和體裁的蠢話，只是些風牛馬不相及的胡扯，多半是枯燥無味，玩弄術語的評論。17.ItwasaplaceofnaturalbeautythatcaptivatedthevisitorandmadetheViennesebelievethatprovidencehadbeenespeciallykindtothem.(W.Shirer:TheRiseandFalloftheThirdReich)這是一個富有天然美景的地方，外來的游客固然為之心迷神醉，維也納本地人也自以為得天獨厚。二、Exercises:Translatethefollowing,usingChineseidiomsor"four-characterexpressions"whereverpossible:1.Thistimehemissedtheboat.這一回他坐失良機。2.IfFrancecanhavetwoorthreeyears’time,shecanreconstituteherself.如果法國有兩三年的時間，它就能重整旗鼓。3.Ribentropisasecond-ratemanwithsecond-handideas.Ribentrop是個拾人牙慧（人云亦云）的二流角色。4.Thesituationisdevelopinginsuchawayastomakethepositionofthedemocraciesprecarious.局勢在發(fā)展，致使民主國家的地位朝不保夕。5.Russianinterventionwillthusfindjustification.俄國干涉，因此而名正言順。6.Heisamanwithmanygreyhairs,withaheavyburdenofresponsibility,ofthoughtsandworries.他鬢發(fā)斑白，肩負重任，思緒萬千，焦慮滿懷。7.Ribentropshowersuswithtelegrams.Ribentrop的電報紛至沓來。（像雪片一樣飛來）8.Iremaincalm,thinkingthatisafalsealarm.我鎮(zhèn)定自若，認為那是一場虛驚。9.RibentropisverymuchlistenedtoandLutze'sstarisintheascendancy.Ribentrop的話最有人聽，而Lutze則是官運亨通。10.Toseehislikenessperpetuatedinmarbleistometodayasadbutpleasingsensation.今天看到他的這座永垂不朽的大理石塑像，我悲喜交加。11.Amonthagohewasamanofmen.Todayheseemedtrulytouchedbydivinespirit,whichspiritualizedandelevatedhim.一個月前，他