中文习语的翻译.doc

Translation of Chinese Idioms中文习语种类很多，包括谚语、惯用语以及歇后语等。谚语的特点是：比喻生动，寓意深刻，用词精炼，讲究对仗和韵律，朗朗上口，如：一瓶子水不响，半瓶子水乱晃。惯用语是口头上常用的洗练、含蓄的语言，比书面语更具含蓄讽刺、生动形象的比喻性，如门外汉、风凉话、说曹操曹操就到。歇后语是中国百姓中广为流传的一种特殊语言形式，生动形象、诙谐幽默。一般由两部分组成，前半截为形象的比喻，后半截是前面比喻的解释、说明。如：哑巴吃黄连有苦说不出。跟英文习语的翻译方法类似，中文习语的英译也可视情况采用直译、套译或意译的方法。直译： 很多中文习语采用了生动形象的比喻，在不影响译文读者理解的前提下，我们可采用直译 法，其优点是可以把原文的内容、形式和精神都输入到译文中。 谚语直译：城门失火，殃及池鱼。A fire on the city wall brings disaster to the fish in the moat(护城河).明枪易躲，暗箭难防。It is easy to dodge(躲闪) a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow shot from hiding.初生牛犊不怕虎。直译：New-born calves make little of tigers.意译：Young people are fearless.（这样的意译明显逊色于直译。失去了原文中的活力）连根拔 tear up by the roots 走后门 Get in by the back door走下坡路 Go downhill 及时 Timely rain 一窝蜂 Like a swarm of bees 捋虎须Stroke a tigers whiskers (猫科动物或鼠类的须，男人的连鬓胡子，一般用复数形式)九牛二虎之力The strength of nine bulls and two tigers病急乱投医Turn to any doctor one can find when critically ill他是哑巴吃黄连，有苦说不出。He was like the dumb man eating the bitter herb: he had to suffer the bitterness of it in silence.咱们俩的事，一条绳拴着两蚂蚱，谁也跑不了！Were like two grasshoppers tied to one cord: neither can get away!套译： 英语和汉语中有不少非常相似或相近的习语，此时我们采用套译的方法，一方面可使译文更加通顺，另一方面更容易为译文读者理解和接受。很多适用套译的中英习语都含有生动的比喻形象，只不过中英文思维方式不同而采用了不同的形象，但其实都为传达同一种精神。大家在分析套译例子时，可以留意欣赏一下这种异曲同工、殊途同归之妙。 谚语的套译：三思而后行 Look before you leap. 少见多怪。Wonder is the daughter of ignorance.一次被火烧，二次避火苗。 A burnt child dreads (vt.畏惧) the fire.半瓶醋，出事故。 A little learning is a dangerous thing. 惯用语的套译：煞风景 Be a wet blanket 拍马屁 Lick sbs boot 绕圈子Beat about the bush 摆架子Put on airs 灌米汤 Butter sb. up(奉承，讨好) 露马脚 Let the cat out of the bag放空炮 Talk big 挖空心思 Rack ones brains唱反调 Sing a different tune 歇后语的套译：“老混蛋，你吃的河水，倒管得宽，这是你说话的地方？”“ Old bastard, poking your nose into things that dont concern you! Who wants your opinion?”日本曹长心里像有十五个吊桶打水，七上八下不安定。It was as if the sword of Damocles hung over the Japanese sergeant(中士).“我们这是梅香拜把子都是奴才啊！”Were all birds of a feather- all slaves here.意译： 还有相当一部分习语由于语言结构和文化背景的缘故，不但没有对应的英文谚语可以套译，而且硬行直译反而会使译文读者不知所云，或使译文牵强附会。此时最好使用意译的方法，以帮助译文读者更好地理解原文。 谚语的意译：失之东隅，收之桑榆。 What one loses on the swings one gets back on the roundabouts. 此处借用了英语中的“swings and roundabouts：有得也有失” 若直译为“lose where the sun rises and gain where the sun sets”,会使读者很费解。塞翁失马，焉知非福。 A loss may turn out to be a gain. 若直译为： “When the old man on the frontier lost his mare, who could have guessed it was a blessing in disguise?” 译语对谚语背景不了解，看了会很费解。庆父不死，鲁难未已。There will always be trouble until the trouble-maker is removed. 若直译成“Until Qing Fu is done away with, the crisis in the state of Lu will not be over.”译文读者无法搞清文中的人名和国名。此地无银三百两。A guilty person gives himself away by conspicuously protesting his innocence. 若译为“No 300 tales of silver buried here.”，读者不了解该谚语的出处，看了此译文仍然费解。 惯用语的意译：风凉话 Irresponsible and sarcastic remarks (不能译为cold words)炒冷饭 Dish up the same old stuff (不能译为fry the cold rice)寻短见 Commit suicide or take ones own life. (不能译为look for a short view)跑得了和尚跑不了庙。A fugitive(逃犯) must belong to some place that can provide clues.说曹操曹操就到。 Talk of the devil and he will appear.赔了夫人又折兵 Suffer a double loss instead of making a gain (三国典故，不能简单译为give ones enemy a wife and lose ones soldiers as well) 歇后语的意译: 等他们赶来营救时，已是正月十五贴门神晚了半月啦。But they were too late for a rescue.他必审问我， 我给他个徐庶入曹营一语不发。Hes sure to ask questions but Ill hold my tongue to begin with.可是她心中却想：咱骑着毛驴看唱本走着瞧吧，看究竟是啥原因。But she was still thinking to herself: “Lets wait and see what the reason for it turns out to be in the end.”我在家里呢，是灯草拐杖，做不得柱（主）的。My position in the family doesnt permit me to make a decision individually. 我那里管的上这些事来！见识又浅，嘴又笨，心又直，人家给我个棒槌，我就拿着认针（真）了。Im incapable of ru