英译汉理解难

英译汉：理解难

If I really understood what the text means, I could easily translate it. ( Anonymous) 翻译是对一个人的外语理解能力最严峻的考验。……只有翻译能给我们的理解力来一个正确的估计，因为原文就象一面镜子，在和译文对照下，我们究竟懂得了多少，全部会给我们照出来。所以理解不但是翻译的第一关，也是最难通过的一关；我们闯关的人应当小心翼翼，托大和疏忽都是行不通的。 （周煦良） 翻译的理论和技巧是重要的，但是在翻译的实践中，关键的问题，还是在于对原文的理解。只有在透彻理解原文的基础上，才谈得上翻译的技巧，也就是说翻译技巧的运用自如，取决于对原文的理解正确无误。 （董乐山） 字典里给一个单词的各种定义也还不能完全概括一个单词的所有涵义，因为语言不是根据字典里的定义制造出来的，而是人使用出来的；根据人的需要，它有时会突现新义，……如果我们不根据上下文的连贯而单单凭一部字典去理解，就仍旧会出毛病。

（周煦良） 理解与表达之间的关系有如皮之与毛。理解若然错了，就根本谈不上表达，亦即所谓“皮之不存，毛将焉附”；但有皮无毛，童山濯濯，也不美观。理解有浅有深，表达有死有活；而表达得死活又与理解得深浅有关。译者只有透彻地理解原文，才能放手译去，既不受束缚，也不跑野马，才能做到“神似”而不是“形似”。（黄邦杰）

[习语、惯用法理解难]

1. If you ever think he is lazy, think again.

[译文] 如果你认为他懒的话，那再想想吧。[改译]

2. A: How about the result of the examination? B: Don’t ask. [译文] 考试的结果怎么样呢？别问了。[改译] 3. You must come back before nine. Period! [译文] 你必须九点之前回来。一定要准时！[改译]

4. Glen spent a small fortune on a tour around the world. [译文] 格伦花了一笔小钱周游世界。[改译] 5. Bess ate all of six fruit cakes.

[译文] 贝丝吃光了所有的六块水果蛋糕。 [改译]

6. The bank is open around the clock. [译文] 那家银行准时营业。[改译]

7. I heard that Cohen was a man capable of anything. [译文] 我听说科恩是个无所不能的人。 [改译]

8. I didn’t know that the fellow was a cool hand. [译文] 我不知道那个人的手这么冰凉。[改译]

9. Haven’t you even done that little job yet? Give me strength! [译文] 难道你连这点小事都没做完？给我点鼓励吧！[改译] 10. He is proud of his success, and well he may.

[译文] 他为自己的成功而自豪，他是很好的。[改译]

11. Friendship is a vase, which, if it is cracked by accident, may as well be broken at once.

[译文] 友情好象花瓶一样，如果偶然发生裂痕，就会马上破裂。 [改译]

12. She has not a little experience in teaching. [译文] 她一点教学经验都没有。[改译]

13. He never came anywhere near to know what it was.

[译文] 他什么地方都没来过，因此不懂得这是什么。[改译]

14. A: How long does it take to get there? B: Your guess is as good as mine. [译文] 你的猜测和我一样。[改译]

15. He would be the last man to say such things. [译文] 他是说这种话的最后一个人。[改译] 16. He did not so much as turn his face. [译文] 他只回了一下头。[改译]

17. The great use of a school education is not so much to teach you things as to teach you the art of learning.

[译文] 学校教育最大的作用，在传授知识和传授学习方法方面，不一样多。 [改译]

18. We cannot thank him too much. [译文] 我们不能过于感谢他。[改译]

19. You can never be too careful in proofreading. [译文] 校对时你永远不能太仔细。[改译] 20. It is a wise father that knows his own son.

[译文] 了解自己儿子的父亲是一个英明的父亲。 [改译]

21. It is a straight lane that has no turning. [译文] 没有弯曲的路是一条直路。[改译] 22. These peaches are good and ripe. [译文] 这些桃子又好又熟。[改译] 23. It is nice and warm by the fire.

[译文] 在火边又舒适又暖和。[改译] 24. He was all gentleness to her.

[译文] 对她来说，他就是所有的温柔。[改译]

25. Columbus found a warm supporter in Queen Isabella.

[译文] 哥伦布在伊丽莎白女王那里找到了一个热心的赞助者。 [改译]

26. Jim finds brothers in thieves and murderers.

[译文] 吉姆在小偷和杀人犯中找到了兄弟。[改译] 27. We lost a great scholar in Dr. Hu.

[译文] 我们在胡博士那里失去了一个伟大的学者。 [改译]

28. A: How do you know an Englishman from an American? B: By the way he speaks English.

[译文] 你怎样通过美国人认识英国人呢？听他们说英语就能知道。 [改译]

29. He came out of the door to see that the boy did not get hurt.

[译文] 他走出门外，看见小孩没有受伤。[改译]

30. You will never fail to be moved by the beauty of the sight. [译文] 你永远不会被那美丽的景象所感动的。 [改译]

31. The book leaves much to be desired.

[译文] 这本书留下了许多值得期待的东西。[改译] 32. I am only too delighted to accept it.

[译文] 我只是太高兴接受这个事情了。[改译] 33. To think that he has become a minister! [译文] 设想一下他当上部长吧！[改译] 34. Our manager was married to a hello girl. [译文] 我们的经理与一位见人就说“你好”的姑娘结了婚。 [改译]

[文化背景知识不足影响理解]

35. Bread and butter is what I want. [译文] 我要的是面包和黄油。[改译]

36. Don’t quarrel with your bread and butter.

[译文] 你可不要与自己的黄油面包争执。[改译]

37. Come and take your bread and cheese with me this evening. [译文] 今天晚上到我家来拿面包和奶酪。[改译]

38. Theron always scolds his servant with the four-letter words. [译文] 西伦总是用四个字母拼成的短语骂他的仆人。 [改译]

39. That thief pointed the gun at Barry and said, “Freeze!” [译文] 那个窃贼用枪指着巴里说，“结冰了！”[改译]

40. Tomorrow is a minimum day, could you pick me up at noon? [译文] 明天是小日，你能在中午来接我吗？[改译]

41. You have been used as a cat’s paw by Nancy; she only wants you to help her get into local society. （Aesop’s Fables）

[译文] 你被南希当成猫爪子了，她只是要你帮她进入当地的社交界。 [改译]

42. He never offers to buy any wine, but he always takes a lion’s share when a bottle is opened. （Aesop’s Fables）

[译文] 他从不主动买酒，但每次打开一瓶酒，他总是象狮子一样狂饮。 [改译]

43. Laziness is his Achilles’ heel. （Greek Mythology） [译文] 阿喀琉斯懒得用脚走路。[改译]

44. One of the goals of high-powered advertising is to tantalize us with items we can’t quite afford. （Greek Mythology）

[译文] 威力强大的广告的目标之一，就是吸引我们去买我们不太买得起的东西。 [改译]

45. The number of mirrors in the average home suggests that there is a little narcissism in each of us. （Greek Mythology）

[译文] 一般家庭镜子的数量，说明我们每个人都有点那喀索斯主义。 [改译]

46. She fully enjoyed cakes and ale. （Twelfth Night） [译文] 她充分地享用了蛋糕和啤酒。[改译]

47. Her explanation of Einstein’s theory of relativity was all Greek to me. （Julius Caesar, I, ii）

[译文] 她对我解释爱因斯坦的相对论时完全说希腊语。 [改译]

48. The splendor of the National Day parade beggars all description. （Antony and Cleopatra, II, ii）

[译文] 国庆日游行的壮观景象值得好好描述。[改译]

49. During my salad days when I was green in judgment, I often blundered. （Antony and Cleopatra, I, v）

[译文] 我吃沙拉的那些日子，由于判断力幼稚，我常常犯错误。 [改译]

50. John failed the exam; it was cold comfort to him to be told that he could take a make-up exam next semester. （King John, V, vii）

[译文] 约翰考试不及格，告诉他下学期可以补考让他略感寒意。 [改译]

51. The deserters, hungry and tired, were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. （1 Kings 22: 17）

[译文] 那些又饥又饿的逃兵，流离国外，象没有牧人的羊群。 [改译]

52. Poor soul, she has a heavy cross to carry with those young children and her husband out of work. （Matthew 10: 38）

[译文] 可怜的人，因为孩子年幼，丈夫又失业，她有一个很重的十字架要背。 [改译]

53. The general manager changed plans at the eleventh hour. （Matthew 20: 1-16） [译文] 总经理在十一点钟改变了计划。[改译]

54. His action towards his motherland proved to be a Judas kiss. （Matthew 26: 48） [译文] 他对祖国的行为被证实是一个犹大之吻。 [改译] 55. All we are doing is to beat the air. （1 Corinthians 9: 26） [译文] 我们所做的一切都是击打空气。[改译]

56. Knowledge is a two-edged weapon which can be used equally for good or evil. （Revelation 1: 16）

[译文] 知识是一个双边武器，既可以用来做好事，也可以用来做坏事。 [改译]

[语境决定词义]

57. When I say Chinese food, I mean Chinese food. [译文] ……，我指的是中国菜。[改译] 58. The President now is on a poverty tour.

[译文] 总统目前正在进行贫困的出访。[改译] 59. Hillary Clinton is on her listening tour of New York. [译文] 希拉里〃克林顿正在纽约听取访问。 [改译]

60. Professor Smith is leaving the school. That is a stupid loss. [译文] 史密斯教授要离开学校了。这是一个愚蠢的损失。

[改译]

61. The kiss represents the symbolic loss of the most famous American child (Shirley Temple).

[译文] 那一吻是美国这个最著名的孩子的一个象征性的损失。 [改译]

62. The so-called critics are only generically mentioned, but not individually mentioned. [译文] 那些所谓的批评者只是被一般地提及，而不是被单个地提及。 [改译]

63. Men tend to enjoy public, referentially orientated talk, while women enjoy intimate, affectively orientated talk.

[译文] 男人喜欢公开的、所指定位的话题，而女人则喜欢亲密的、感情定位的话题。[改译]

64. The improbable pregnancy was big news for the woman’s family. [译文] 她不太可能怀孕，这对她的家人来说可是一个大消息。 [改译]

65. He shouldn’t have taken advantage of her sexually. [译文] 他本不该在性方面利用她。[改译]

66. There had been too much publicity about their relationship. [译文] 他们之间的关系已经宣传过度了。 [改译]

67. The bosses on the church roof are elegant. [译文] 教堂屋顶上的老板很雅致。[改译]

[not 的否定关系]

68. They did not repair machines for money. [译文] 他们为了钱而不修机器。[改译]

69. We don’t read revolutionary novels for amusement. [译文] 我们为了消遣不读革命小说。[改译] 70. One does not live to eat, but eats to live. [译文] 人们不活着吃饭，而是吃着活下去。 [改译]

71. He had not expected to meet with such kindness from the villagers. [译文] 他没有想到会受到乡亲们那样的深情厚意。 [改译]

72. I don’t think that she can operate this machine. [译文] 我不认为她会操作这台机器。[改译] 73. The mountain is not valuable because it is high. [译文] 山因为高，所以没用。[改译] 74. Don’t give up because it is difficult.

[译文] 因为太难了，所以不要放弃。[改译]

75. You should not despise a man because he is poor. [译文] 因为他穷，所以你不能看不起他。[改译]

76. One cannot think of Africa without thinking of Egypt, the cradle of an ancient civilization.

[译文] 要是不想到古代文明的发祥地埃及，人们不可能想起非洲。 [改译]

[代词的理解与翻译]

77. These were bitter memories. But the workers felt it worthwhile recalling them because of the lesson they carry.

[译文] 回想往事是辛酸的，但工人们觉得很值得回忆，因为他们记住了教训。 [改译]

78. If a captain loves his ship truly, he must not neglect to attend to the smallest defect in her.

[译文] 倘若船长真正爱护自己的船，他连她最小的缺陷也不能忽视。 [改译]

79. After she’d been married just over a year, Nora’s first baby was born. [译文] 她结婚刚一年，诺拉就生下了第一个孩子。 [改译]

80. Health is above wealth, for this cannot give so much happiness as that. [译文] 健康比财富更重要，因为这个不象那个那样给人们带来幸福。 [改译]

81. In this way facts lead to ideas, ideas to more facts, these to revised or new ideas and so on. The process never ends. [译文] 这样，事实产生思想，思想产生更多的事实，这些又产生修正的或者新的思想，等等。这个过程永不止息。[改译]

82. The scientific investigator shares with the ordinary citizen the possibilities of falling into errors of reasoning in the ways we have just indicated, and many others.

[译文] 科学研究者和普通人一样，都有可能犯刚才指出的那类推理错误，以及许多其他的。[改译]

83. The polls conflict, but all put both candidates within an ace of each other.

[译文] 各次民意测验的结果不一，但是所有人都认为两位侯选人是旗鼓相当的。 [改译]

84. There are chairs on each side of the table. [译文] 桌子每一面都有椅子。[改译]

85. This is what they had posted on the bulletin board there. [译文] 这就是他们当时贴在公告栏的东西。[改译]

86. [The Vice President told the world the news in a short broadcast that the President had died.] People poured out of their houses into the night, making their way to the broadcasting station to find out if what they had heard was true.

[译文] [副总统在一次简短的广播中，向全世界宣布总统逝世的消息。] 人们纷纷走出家门，涌进黑夜，奔向广播电台，想弄清楚他们所听到的是否确切。 [改译]

87. It frequently happens that what one person means when he uses a certain word is different from what others mean. [译文] 常常有这样的情况：一个词对某个使用者所意味的东西不同于对另一些人所意味的东西。[改译]

88. He is fond of music, which I am glad to hear. [译文] 他喜欢听我爱听的音乐。[改译]

89. We may define chemistry as the science in which we deal with the chemical change in matter as a result of which it is possible to form a new substance.

[译文] 我们可以说，化学是论述物质的化学变化的科学，通过这种物质可能得到另一种新的物质。[改译]

[副词的修饰关系]

90. He stupidly answered the question.

[译文] 他笨嘴笨舌地回答了这个问题。[改译]

91. We can only derive information from students’ errors if we are capable of describing them in an adequate manner.

[译文] 如果能对学生的错误作出适当的描述，我们只能从他们的错误中取得材料。 [改译]

[半否定句的理解]

92. Every one does not work for money. [译文] 每个人都不是为了钱而工作。[改译] 93. All that glitters is not gold.

[译文] 所有发光的都不是金子。[改译]

94. The definition of pronouns would not suit all grammarians. [译文] 代词的定义对所有的语法学家都不适合。 [改译]

95. I do not know both of them. [译文] 他们两人我都不认识。[改译]

[某些介词的理解与翻译]

96. This reading matter is above him. [译文] 这种读物在他的上方。[改译]

97. Do you know Marlin painted after Raphael? [译文] 你知道马林在拉斐尔后面画画吗？ [改译]

98. That yacht is below the bridge.

[译文] 那艘游艇位于桥的下方。[改译]

99. Don’t be a guest beyond the hour of welcome. [译文] 不要做超过欢迎时间的客人。 [改译]

100. He’s already past recovery. [译文] 他已经超过了康复。[改译]

参考书目： 1. 林相周，《英语理解与翻译讲话》，上海译文出版社，1985. 2. 林相周，《英语理解与翻译100题》，上海外语教育出版社，2002. 3. 黄邦杰，《译艺谭》，中国对外翻译出版公司，1991. 4. 钱歌川，《翻译的技巧》，商务印书馆，1981. 5. 叶子南，《高级英汉翻译理论与实践》，清华大学出版社，2001. 6. 何炳威，《容易误译的英语》，外语教学与研究出版社，2002.

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