英汉俗语比较[1].doc

英汉俗语比较说起不同的文化，人们往往想到的是差异，中西文化差异，东西方文化差异因之比较文化多见的是差异的辨识与解析殊不知，比较的前提，是有可比性可比性的另一个解释，就是有共同之处譬如，比较男女，是因为男女都属人类；比较英文中文，是因为皆属于语言如果有人说比较男人与英语，或者比较女人与中文，大家一定会笑这简直是牛头不对马嘴换句话说，之所以可比较，是因为有类同因此，差异与类同是不可分割的讲文化差异，必须以文化的类同为基础比较不同文化，也应该如同交友，求同存（辨）异是正道 语言之于文化，也象语言之于思维一样，是一种表达形式因此，语言也是各种文化内容的载体借助语言，可以触探文化的内涵；从表达形式的比较中，可以窥视文化的异同比如，比较文学，比较语言学等语言中一个丰富多彩，又广为流传的形式，便是名言警句这些被广泛引用的精炼语句，往往积淀概括了人类文化经验的精髓，高度概括，又琅琅上口又因为它往往触及人类生存的根本课题，且具有较深的历史渊源，所以不同文化中，往往可以见到相似的表达学过外语的朋友多多少少都会接触过类同于本族语的名言警句下面试举一些多年学习英文所积累的中英文名言警句，与大家一起欣赏不同文化的共同经验积累 最相似的一类，其表达方式与内容几乎完全相同，看起来就好像是直接的翻译比如： To strike while the iron is hot. 趁热打铁 Good luck would never come in pairs. 福不双至 Fire proves gold, adversity proves men. 烈火显真金，逆境识英雄 Long hair and short wit. 头发长，见识短 Blood is thicker than water. 血浓于水 If you would not be known to do anything, never do it. 若要人不知，除非己莫为 In unity here is strength. 团结就是力量 He whose belly is full believes not him who is fasting. 饱汉不知饿汉饥 Easier said than done. 说时容易做时难 Idleness is the root of all evil. 懒惰是万恶之源 Wall has ears. 隔墙有耳 这类对应谚语，从形式上几乎看不出任何文化差异在谚语的起源上，有些甚至可能是相互的借鉴或翻译东西方文化交流的比较研究，或许会提供一些证据但不同文化中能有如此相通的谚语流传，也说明人类社会的文化积累过程有很多基本的共同进程 还有一类谚语，所表达的含义完全相同，但所隐喻于的事物略有文化上的差异比如： Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion. 宁做鸡头，不做凤尾 The foremost dog catches the hare. 早起的鸟儿有虫吃 Every potter praises his own pot. 老王卖瓜，自卖自夸 The fox preys farthest from home. 兔子不吃窝边草 The proof of the pudding is in the eating. 要知道梨子的滋味，最好是亲口尝一尝 One swallow does not make a summer. 一花独放不是春 One drop of poison infects the whole tun of wine. 一颗老鼠屎坏了一锅粥 Set a fox to keep ones geese. 引狼入室 What do you expect from a pig but a grunt? 狗嘴里吐不出象牙 He that comes of a hen must scrape. 老鼠的儿子会打洞 When the cats away, the mice will play. 山中无老虎，猴子称大王 鸡头凤尾对狗头狮尾；鸟儿吃虫对应狗逮兔子；卖瓜变成卖瓦罐等这种借喻事物上的差别，并不影响所表达的思想，内容的一致中文的某些谚语来自文化传统中的典故，英文也许有此原因比如凤凰在中国文化中具有很突出的象征意义，而不同与凤凰在西方文化中的含义 第三类谚语也是表达的内容相同，但语言表达方式有异： Sink or swim. 不进则退 He that had no cross deserves no crown. 不吃苦中苦，难得人上人 Jack of all trades, master of none. 博而不专 Opportunity seldom knocks twice. 机不可失 A miss is as good as a mile. 失之毫厘，谬以千里 Better to be sure than sorry. 宁可信其有，不可信其无 Enough is as good as a feast 知足者常乐 Who spits against heaven, it falls in his face. 自作自受 An unfortunate man would be drowned in a tea-cup. 人倒霉喝凉水都塞牙 Rome was not built in a day. 冰冻三尺非一日之寒 It takes two to make a quarrel. 一个巴掌拍不响 Failures are the pillars of success. 失败是成功之母 Truth needs not many words. 有理不在声高 To pay him back in his own coin. 即以其人之道，还治其人之身这类谚语本质上和第二类相同，但不是借用具体事物，而是用特定的语言来表达某种经验，思想有朋自远方来,不亦乐乎! How happy we are, To meet friends from afar! 欢聚一堂 enjoy a happy get-together 一见如故 feel like an old friends at first sight 一回生,二回熟 First time strangers, second time friends 共叙旧谊 renew friendship 记忆犹新 remain fresh in ones memory 一言为定 Its a deal. 礼轻情意重 The gift itself may be small, but the goodwill is deep. 一如既往 as always 入乡随俗 When in Rome do as the Romans do. 百闻不如一见 Seeing is believing. 举世瞩目 draw worldwide attention 天时、地利、人和 Good opportunity, favorable geographical location and support from the people. 政通人和 The government functions well and the people live in harmony. 深入人心 enjoy popular support 名副其实 be true to ones name 名不虚传 deserve ones reputation 日新月异 change with each passing day 盲目发展 pell-mell development 欲速则不达 Haste makes waste; More haste, less speed 千里之行,始于足下 A three-hundred-mile journey starts with the first step. 空谈误国,实干兴邦 empty talks would lead the country astray, and hard work can rejuvenate the nation. 取长补短 learn from others strong points and close the gap 求同存异 to seek common ground while reserving differences 英雄所见略同 Great minds think alike. 互谅互让 mutual understanding and mutual accommodation 目光远大 be far-sighted 有识之士 person of insight 光明磊落 be open and aboveboard 己所不欲,勿施于人 Do as you would be done by. 事与愿违 get the opposite of what one intended 同舟共济 be in the same boat 好事多磨 A good gain takes long pain. 旁观者清 An onlooker sees most of the game. 轻而易举 with great ease 十年树木,百年树人 It takes ten years to grow trees but a hundred years to educate people. 后顾之忧 Troubles bake at home 事实胜于雄辩 Facts speak louder than words 首屈一指 second to none 突飞猛进 make great/rapid strides 牵线搭桥 serve as a bridge 科技兴国 invigorating/boosting/prospering China through science and technology 开源节流 tap new sources of revenue and husband existing resources 开门见山 come straight to the point 积少成多 every little counts/helps 学以致用 learn to meet practical needs 蒸蒸日上 grow with every passing day flourishing 精益求精 seeking increasing perfection 统筹兼顾 make overall arrangements 投机倒把/买空卖空 engage in speculation 缺斤短两 short in weight 患难之交 a friend in need is a friend indeed./ tested friends./ share weal and woe 不言而喻 Its self-evident that 毫无疑问 This is beyond dispute 当务之急 Its of great urgency that 摆事实讲道理 present the facts and reason things out 如愿以偿 have ones wish fulfilled 审时度势，顺应潮流 assess the situation, go with the tide许多中国人爱用俗语、成语、俚语。由于中美两国文化、风俗、思想、习惯的差异，如果照字直译，或把单字堆在一起，老外听了，也许就会满头雾水、迷迷糊糊，成了他们所说的只有你们中国人听得懂的中国英语（Chinese English）。在此，把一些常见的中文俗语与一般老外的说法相对比较，或许可供有兴趣的读者参考。1、人山人海：有人直译为：People mountain people sea. 这就是中国英文，老外很难理解。他们指人多时，通常只说：There is a large crowd of people.如果看到电影院门前大排长龙，也只说：There is (was) a long movie line.不过在诗词用语（poetic expression）里，老外也有使用：a (the) sea of faces，颇有咱的人山人海的味道。例如：Looking out upon the sea of faces, Mr. A delivered a touching speech.（望着一片人山人海的听众，A先生发表一篇动人的演说。）Standing at his podium, President Clinton saw a sea of faces waving at him.（克林顿总统站在讲台上看到人山人海的人群挥手向他致意。）可见，说话者通常要在台上或高处，才有人海的感觉。因此，可以说：I saw a sea of faces from the top of the building. 但在平地的人群中，就不说：I saw the sea of faces.也不说：There is a sea of faces.只说：I saw a large crowd of people.2、家家有本难念的经：有人译成：Every family cooking pot has a black spot.（意思是：每个家庭的锅子都有黑色的污点。）这样说法，老外恐怕不能充分了解。不过老外最常的说法是：Many families have skeletons in the closet.（许多家庭的衣柜里都有骨骸，骨骸就是指家丑。）；或者说：Every family has its own source of shame. （每个家庭都有自己的丑事）；说白些，就是：Every family has its own problem. 3、天下无不散的宴席：有人直译为：There are no feasts in the world which do not break up at last.老外听后，也许很难体会其中意义。如果按照美语说法，也许更易理解：All good things come to an end.（意思是：所有好的事情，总有结束的一天。）；假如是指好友最后也有分别的一天，那么可以说：Eventually, all bosom friends will drift apart.（bosom friend是指知心的好友） 4、平时不烧香，临时抱佛脚：有人照字直译为：When times are easy, we do not burn the incense, but when the trouble comes, we embrace the feet of the uddha.这种说法，老外也会一知半解。美语里一般说法是：Worship God every day; not just in times of adversity.（要每天敬拜神，不是只在困难时。）；对学生也可以说：If you study hard every day, exams will not seem overwhelming.（如果你每天用功，考试就不会形成压力。） 5、挂羊头，卖狗肉：有人照字直译为：He advertises mutton, but sells dogs flesh.或He hangs up a sheeps head at the shop front and sells dog meat.这两种译法，恐怕老外都难理解，尤其谈到狗肉，他们更会反感，因为狗是他