5)他只不过是半路出家,对此不太了解。
根据句子语境,他并不是真的出家,而是“并非专业”的意思,因此可以译成:
He was a layman/was not a professional/was not formally trained for the job,so he didi not know much about it.
6)科学与艺术的关系是剃头担子——一头热。
这个歇后语的意思是“只有一边热”所以我们可以这样意译:
The tie/relation/relationship between science and art is one-sided emphasis. (ps: one-sided是单边的意思,如one-sided love单相思)
2.Metaphor and Simile Translation(隐喻与明喻的翻译)
接下来讲讲隐喻和明喻,之前先归纳下中译英中会碰到的几种成语类型:
a.叙事类:一般是分析型的,常常是take or learn a lesson from sth.
b.描写类:一定是要在具体语境里分析翻译,有时可以用某个形容词代替。
c.比喻类:一般以意译为主,直译为辅。
d.典故类:也是以意译为主,直译为辅。
1)简直就是人间地狱。
人间地狱中西方文化都能接受,可以直译:
It is simply/almost/nearly a hell on earth.
2)过去,银行在老百姓的心目中只是一个生出利息的“储钱罐”。
主语是“银行”,谓语“是”,宾语“储钱罐”,这是暗喻,既然在“老百姓心中”“是”,我们可以用regard被动语态:
In the past,banks were regarded as the places where money was deposited and interest was paid.
这里用定语从句既解释了“储钱罐”的意思,又说明能“生出利息”的作用。由此看见我们遇到无法用介词表达的动词短语可以用定语从句表达。
3)两千三百万台湾同胞都是中国人,都是骨肉同胞,手足兄弟。
这里“骨肉同胞”和“手足兄弟”是一个意思,在英语中要求句子意思表达明确避免罗嗦,所以两者中只需翻一个:
The twenty-three million Taiwan compatriots are all Chinese people and are an indispensable part of us.
r…our flesh and blood.
4)泰山顶上的茫茫云雾无边无际,犹如汪洋大海。
The peak of Mount Tai is often shrounded/wreathed in mist and cloud which is like a boundless sea.
中译英中在文化差异上,例如熟语的翻译,常常通过意译来达到“信、达、雅”,注意意译时要抓关键词! :
1.Translation of Idiomatic Phrases
1) 塞翁失马,焉知非福
如果直译的话,是这样的:
When the old man on the frontier lost his mare, who could have guessed it was a blessing in disguise?
很明显直译是在讲个故事,但是却无法体现成语要表达的因祸得福的意思。所以我们需要意译:
A loss may turn out to be gain.
黄鼠狼给鸡拜年,没安好心
同样如果直译:
the weasel goes to pay his respects to the hen without good heart
这句话前半句可以直译,但是“没安好心”应该意译成“没有好的意图”:
the weasel goes to pay his respects to the hen without good intentions
八仙过海,各显神通
直译:like the eight immortals crossing the sea
明显无法表达出神通,而且译成英文给外国人看的话,谁知道这个典故呢?
意译:Each one shows his or her talent/prowess/skills.
但是如果中西文化都能接受的情况下,能直译就直译。
以卵击石
throw an egg against a stone/rock(这里用against最形象)
杞人忧天
这里是一个中国典故,如果直译还要解释杞人是谁,为什么要忧天,所以我们选择意译:
groundless/unnecessary fear/anxiety(这里用短语表示)
班门弄斧
这个可以保留短语原本结构直译,但要翻得完整,意译也行:
直译:show off skills with the axe before Lu Ban,a master carpenter
意译:show off before experts/specialists 或用短语 teach fish to swim