1、成语的英译(1)Give a lick and a promise成成语语翻翻译译和和成成语语故故事事敷衍搪塞Give someone the runaround你根本没有洗手,只不过敷衍了事。You didnt wash your hands;you just gave them a lick and a promise.Bury the hatchet 成语成语翻翻译译和和成成语语故故事事休战和好他们敌对多年,但一场搏斗后却和解了。他们敌对多年,但一场搏斗后却和解了。They had been enemies for ages,but after a fight they buried t
2、he hatchet.Backstairs influencen暗中势力,幕后人物;秘密影响 成语成语翻翻译译和和成成语语故故事事他秘密会见了议员,暗中对议员施加了影响。他秘密会见了议员,暗中对议员施加了影响。He met the congressmen in secret to exert backstairs influence.一、汉语成语英译n成语是我们日常生活中非常重要的语言要素。汉语成语结构稳定,绝大部分以四字格形式出现,在翻译中是不可忽视的问题。n哪些汉语成语可以根据其字面意义翻译?哪些只能翻译比喻意义?这完全取决于成语的字面形式和比喻形象能否为译文读者理解和接受。例如“胸有成竹
3、”:nHave a bamboo in ones stomachnTo have a well-thought-out plan before doing sth.nTo have a card up ones sleeve1 可以直译的成语n 中国文学和政论作品中大量使用了一些非常形象的比喻成语。其比喻的本体和喻体有着很强的关联性。其中一些与英语的说法没有很大的文化差异和障碍。这类成语可以字面直译。引狼入室n直译:to bring the wolves into the house/fold(羊圈)n意译:to invite disastersn“是些什么人呢?干这引狼入室的勾当!”n“Wh
4、oever they are,they are letting the wolf into the fold!”调虎离山n直译:to lure the tiger out of the hillsn意译:to lure the enemy from his basen“我中了他的调虎离山计啦!”n“Ive fallen for his luring the tiger out of the hills scheme!”如坐针毡n直译:直译:to feel as if sitting on a cushion filled with needlesn意译:意译:to feel terribly
5、uneasyn套译:套译:on pins and needles n且说林冲在柴大官人东庄上,听得这话,如坐针毡。且说林冲在柴大官人东庄上,听得这话,如坐针毡。nLin Chong,however,was in the east village of the Lord Chai and when he heard all the talk of him,it was as though he sat on a cushion filled with needles.守株待兔n直译:to watch the stump and wait for a haren意译:to wait for gai
6、ns without pains(wait for windfalls)n这样他采取守株待兔的态度,还是当他的乡董。nAccordingly,having adopted this attitude of“watching the stump and waiting for a hare”,he continued with his councillorship.翻译磨刀石(直译)n声东击西n刻骨铭心n狗仗人势n口蜜腹剑nShout in the east and strike in the west(look one way and row another/sell the dummy)nB
7、e engraved in ones heart and bones(remember to the end of ones life)nBe like a dog counting on its masters backing(be a bully under the protection of a powerful person)nTo be honey-mouthed and dagger-hearted(a Judas kiss)翻译磨刀石(意译)n虚怀若谷n如虎添翼n噤若寒蝉n指腹为婚nTo be modest and extremely open-mindednWith might
8、 redoubled(with added strength)nKeep silent out of fearnThe two have been engaged to each other before they were born.(prenatal betrothal)2 可以套译的成语涸泽而渔涸泽而渔套译:to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs直译:to drain the pond to catch all the fish只为工业积累,农业本身积累得太少或者没有积累,涸泽而渔,对于工业发展反而不利。If agriculture acc
9、umulated only for industry and very little or none for itself,that would mean“draining the pond to get all the fish”and would only harm the development of industry.打草惊蛇n套译:to wake a sleeping dogn意译:act rashly and alert the enemyn不要动声色,不要打草惊蛇,我们不妨看看他们如何活动。nDont say anything about it;we mustnt wake a
10、sleeping dog,why not keep an eye on what they engage in?家徒四壁n直译:have nothing but four bare walls in ones housen套译:as poor as Jobn意译:be utterly destituten她四面望望空洞的屋子,茫然地笑笑:“真是家徒四壁啊!”(杨沫青春之歌)nLooking around the empty room,she told herself with a wry smile,“nothing but four bare walls.”其他例子:挥金如土挥金如土To t
11、hrow money about like dirtTo spend money like water掌上明珠掌上明珠A pearl in the palmThe apple of ones eyeThe beloved daughtern骨瘦如柴骨瘦如柴nTo be as thin as sticks/a lathnTo be a bag of bonesnTo be skin and bonesn雪中送炭雪中送炭nTo send charcoal in snowy weathernTo help a lame dog over a stile(横栏横栏)nProvide timely he
12、lp翻译磨刀石(套译)n顺水行舟n非驴非马n日暮途穷n本末倒置nSail with the windnNeither fish,flesh nor fowlnAt the end of ones ropenPut the cart before the horse3、不能直译的成语n 我们强调直译是成语英译的第一选择,但并非所有成语都可按照字面翻译,如“眉飞色舞眉飞色舞”译成“eyebrows are flying and countenance is dancing”,势必贻笑大方,应该根据实际意义翻译成to beam with joy(enraptured).More examplesn粗
13、枝大叶粗枝大叶n无孔不入无孔不入n扬眉吐气扬眉吐气n纸醉金迷纸醉金迷n开门见山开门见山n单枪匹马单枪匹马n风雨飘摇风雨飘摇nTo be crude and careless(sloppy)nto be all-pervasive/seize any opportunitynTo feel proud and elated/hold ones head highnA life of luxury and dissipationnTo come straight to the pointnTo be single-handed in doing somethingnTo be in unstabl
14、e/turbulent timesn部分成语带着特定的中国文化背景,字面上含有部分成语带着特定的中国文化背景,字面上含有中国古代的人名、地名,有的出于寓言或历史的中国古代的人名、地名,有的出于寓言或历史的典故。这些成语,如加解释,就失去了成语精粹典故。这些成语,如加解释,就失去了成语精粹的特点,所以一般绕开文化背景,译出其真正的的特点,所以一般绕开文化背景,译出其真正的内涵意义。内涵意义。n历史故事类成语:历史故事类成语:n完璧归赵;程门立雪;三顾茅庐;纸上谈兵;南完璧归赵;程门立雪;三顾茅庐;纸上谈兵;南柯一梦;洛阳纸贵柯一梦;洛阳纸贵n寓言故事类:寓言故事类:n拔苗助长;狐假虎威;亡羊补牢
15、;坐井观天;叶拔苗助长;狐假虎威;亡羊补牢;坐井观天;叶公好龙;精卫填海;盲人摸象公好龙;精卫填海;盲人摸象这类成语一般用意译或者套译n毛遂自荐毛遂自荐n叶公好龙叶公好龙n南柯一梦南柯一梦n四面楚歌四面楚歌n锱铢必较锱铢必较n罄竹难书罄竹难书n初出茅庐初出茅庐n倾国倾城倾国倾城n悬梁刺股悬梁刺股nTo volunteer ones servicesnProfessed love of what one really fearsnA fond dream or illusory joynTo be besieged on all sidesnTo haggle over every pennyn
16、(of crimes)too numerous to be recordednAt the beginning of ones career(inexperienced)nTo be exceedingly beautiful(gorgeous)nTo be extremely hard-working in ones study意译意译套译n小题大做小题大做n赴汤蹈火赴汤蹈火n洗心革面洗心革面n横行霸道横行霸道n过河拆桥过河拆桥n乳臭未干乳臭未干n格格不入格格不入n魂不附体魂不附体nMake a mountain out of a molehillnGo through fire and w
17、aternTurn over a new leafnThrow ones weight aboutnKick down the laddernBe wet behind the earsnBe like square pegs in round holesnJump out of ones skin(to be scared out of ones wits)翻译磨刀石(历史故事和寓言英译)n画龙点睛n三顾茅庐n掩耳盗铃n杀鸡儆猴nAdd the touch that brings a work of art to lifenRepeatedly request somebody to tak
18、e up a responsible postnPlug ones ears while stealing a bell(to deceive oneself)nKill the chicken to frighten the monkey(punish someone as a warning to others)二、翻译中英语成语的应用n针对不同文体的原文,要在英文译文中使用不同语域语域的英语成语。政治、科技文体中的成语n一切种类的文学艺术的源泉究竟是从何而来的呢?nIn the last analysis,what is the source of all literature and
19、art?n究竟:on earth;ever;in hell;under heaven;under the sun文学文体中的成语n有的小伙子还总结出一条“恋爱经验”:“先不能让她知道你是矿工,等把她俘虏了,再亮番号!”nSome of them even came to some conclusions about“the art of love”:“first of all.You should never let her know you are a miner until you have her completely at your feet.”口语体中的成语n我一律回答“不知道”。跟
20、着就会听到一句:“别来这个了,你还能不知道!”nI invariably answered,“I dont know”,which was usually followed by,“come on.Dont tell me you dont know by now.”不同语域中的成语n她并不年轻,至少有50岁了。n1 She is no longer in the morning of her life.She must be at least two score and ten.(古体)n2 She is not young any longer.She is at least fifty.(通用体)n3 She is no chicken.She is fifty if shes a day(old).(俚语)summaryn 在平时学习过程中,我们要经常有意识的积累一些英语成语和惯用语,并注意应用于翻译实践,使译文更加地道。只有这样日积月累的努力,我们的翻译能力才能出现质的飞跃。Read the related chapter.