B. 采用套译法时,要特别注意避免使用民族特色太浓的汉语成语来套译英语习语;否则译文在上下文中就会显得不伦不类,损及原意。例如:
(1)Beauty lies in lover's eyes.
情人眼里出美人。(不宜译作“情人眼里出西施”。)
(2)Many heads are better than one.
一人不及众人计。(不宜译作“三个臭皮匠,顶个诸葛亮”。)
(3)Never offer to teach fish to swim.
不要教鱼儿游泳。(不宜译作“不要班门弄斧”。)
(4)Even a worm will turn.
逼人入绝境,绵羊也反抗(不宜译作“狗急跳墙”。)
(5)Give a dog a bad (an ill) name and hang him.
谗言可畏(不宜译为“欲加之罪,何患无辞”;其本意是指“一旦给人加个坏名声,他就很难洗刷掉了”。)
(6)Lock the stable door when the horse has been stolen.
贼去关门。(不宜译作“亡羊补牢”;其原意是“马盗锁厩门,为时已太晚”。)
(7)A miss is as good as a mile.
错无大小,其错一样。(不宜译作“失之毫厘,谬以千里”。)
(8)have the face
恬不知耻,厚脸皮(不是有面子)
(9)to pull somebody's leg
开玩笑(不是拖后腿)
(10)a big fish in a small pond
山中无老虎,猴子也称王。(或:林中无鸟雀称王。不是“小塘容不下大鱼”。)
C. 有些习语有多种译法,哪种译法恰当要视具体语境而定:
(1)Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.
(金钱)积少自然成多。/小事谨慎,大事自成。
(2)One swallow does not make a summer.
一燕不成夏。/轻率推论必成大错。/一关渡过并非万事大吉。
(3)Still water runs deep.
静水流深。/外表淡漠然而内心深情。/沉默者深谋。
(4)Don't cross the bridge till you get to it.
到了桥边才过桥。/不必担心太早。/不必自寻烦恼。
(5)He laughs best who laughs last.
谁笑在最后,谁笑得最好(鼓励)。/不要高兴得太早(警告)。
(6)Don't cast out the foul water till you bring in the clean.
清水未来,莫泼脏水。/新的不来,旧的莫丢。
(来源:catti.net.cn)
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