Unit 15 The Translation of English Idioms 英语习语的翻译方法 直译、 直译加注、 套译、 意译。 一、直译 Forbidden fruit is sweet. 禁果分外甜。 All are not friends that speak us fair. 说我们好话的不一定都是朋友。 If you run after two hares, you will catch neither. 同时追两兔,全都抓不住。 To save time is to lengthen life. 节约时间就等于延长生命。 Time is money. 时间就是金钱。(比“一寸光阴一寸金” 流行) 二、直译加注 Forbidden fruit 禁果(比喻非法的逸乐,尤指不正当的 两性关系) Hellfire 地狱之火(比喻苦苦折磨人的东西) A Judas kiss 犹大的吻(比喻背叛行为、口蜜腹剑) Olive branch 橄榄枝(和平的象征) Pandora’s Box 潘多拉的盒子(比喻祸害的根源) A Sphinx’s riddle 斯芬克斯之谜(比喻难题或难解之谜) Sour grapes 酸葡萄(得不到的东西就说它不好) The tower of ivory 象牙塔(比喻脱离现实生活的小天地、世外 桃源) The Trojan horse 特洛伊木马(比喻暗藏的敌人或危险) Waterloo 滑铁卢(比喻惨重的失败、致命的打击) Wolf in sheep’s clothing 披着羊皮的狼(比喻伪装友善的敌人) To shed crocodile tears 流鳄鱼眼泪——假慈悲 The best fish swim near the bottom. 好鱼居水底——有价值的东西不能轻易 得到。 三、汉语习语套译法 Can the leopard change his spots? 江山易改,本性难移。 Let another’s shipwreck be your sea-mark. 前车之覆,后车之鉴。 In the end things will mend. 车到山前必有路。 Man proposes, God dispose. 谋事在人,成事在天。 In the kingdom of the blind the oneeyed man is king. 山中无老虎,猴子称大王。(直译:盲人 之邦,独眼称王。) 四、意译 Mary and her mother are as like as two peas. 玛丽和她妈妈长得一模一样。(而不是 “像两颗豌豆一样相似”) I’m too old a dog that can’t learn new tricks. 意译:我太老了,再也学不进什么新鲜 玩意儿了。 She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth; she thinks she can do whatever she likes. 她生长在富贵之家,认为凡事都可随心 所欲。 Every man has a fool in his sleeve. 人人都有糊涂的时候。(不宜直译“人 人袖子里都装着傻瓜。”) 英语习语翻译的注意点 (一)切忌望文生义 (二)套译时,要特别注意民族性 (三)谚语的翻译要注意语言的艺 术性 (一)切忌望文生义 Pull somebody’s leg 愚弄人,开某人的玩笑。 Move heaven and earth 竭尽全力;不遗余力,想法设法。 Child’s play 简单、容易的事情。 Eat one’s words 承认自己说错了话。 Throw a sprat to catch a whale 吃小亏占大便宜。 Have the face 恬不知耻,厚脸皮。 A miss is as good as a mile. 错无大小,其错一样。 /错误再小,终 归是错误。 Lock the stable door when the horse has been stolen. 贼去关门。 (二)套译时,要特别注意民族 性 Give him an inch and he will take an ell. 得寸进尺。 Teach one’s grandmother to suck eggs 教奶奶吮吸鸡蛋(在内行人面前充内行) A blessing in disguise 因祸得福。 Blow hot and cold 朝三暮四/出尔反尔/摇摆不定。 Beauty lies in lover’s eyes. 情人眼里出美人。 Two heads are better than one. 一人计短,两人计长/一人不及两人 智。 (三)谚语的翻译要注意语言的艺术性 Men may meet but mountains never. 山和山无法碰头,人和人总会相遇。 Who has never tasted bitter, knows not what is sweet. 不尝黄连苦,怎知蜂蜜甜。 The higher up, the greater the fall. 爬得越高,跌得愈惨。 Count one’s chickens before they are hatched. 小鸡未孵出,急着数鸡数。(过早乐观) Empty vessels make the most noise. 瓶子越空,响声越大;一瓶子不响,半 瓶子晃荡。