2006春──翻譯與習作

何春蕤(週三上午9-12A-105教室)


中文成語英譯

許多中國人愛用俗語、成語、俚語。由於中美兩國文化、風俗、思想、習慣的差異,如果照字直譯,或把單字「堆在一起」,老外聽了,也許就會「滿頭霧水」、「迷迷糊糊」,成了他們所說的「只有你們中國人聽得懂」的「中國英文」(Chinese English)。

在此,把一些常見的中文俗語與一般老外的說法相對比較,或許可供有興趣的讀者參考。

1.      人山人海:有人直譯為:People mountain people sea.

這就是「中國英文」,老外很難理解。他們指「人多」時,通常只說:「There is a large crowd of people.」如果看到電影院門前大排長龍,也只說:「There is (was) a long line.」不過在詩詞用語 (poetic expression) 裏,老外也有使用:「a (the) sea of faces」,頗有咱們「人山人海」的味道。

例如: Looking out upon the sea of faces, Mr. A delivered a touching speech.(望著一片人山人海的聽眾, A先生發表一篇動人的演說。)Standing at his podium, President Clinton saw a sea of faces waving at him.(柯林頓總統站在講臺上看到人山人海的人群揮手向他致意。)可見,說話者通常要在臺上或高處,才有「人海」的感覺。因此,可以說:I saw a sea of faces from the top of the building. 但在平地的人群中,就不說:「I saw the sea of faces.」也不說:「There is a sea of faces.」只說:「I saw a large crowd of people. 

2.      家家有本難唸的經:有人譯成:Every family cooking-pot has a black spot. (意思是:每個家庭的鍋子都有黑色的污點)

這樣說法,老外恐怕不充分瞭解。不過老外最常的說法是: Many families have skeletons in their closets. (許多家庭的衣櫃裏都有骨骸骨骸就是指家醜)或者說: Every family has its own source of shame. (每個家庭都有自己的醜事)說白些,就是: Every family has its own problem.

3.      天下無不散的宴席:有人直譯為:There are no feasts in the world which do not break up at last.

老外聽後,也許很難體會其中意義。如果按照美語說法,也許更易理解: All good things come to an end. (意思是:所有好的事情,總有結束的一天。)假如是指好友最後也有分別的一天,那麼可以說: Eventually, all bosom friends will drift apart. (bosom friend 是指知心的好友)

 

4.      平時不燒香,臨時抱佛腳:有人照字直譯為:When times are easy, we do not burn the incense, but when the trouble comes, we embrace the feet of the Buddha.

這種說法,老外也會「一知半解」。美語裏一般說法是: Worship God every day, not just in times of adversity. (要每天敬拜神,不是隻在困難時。)對學生也可以說:If you study hard every day, exams will not seem overwhelming. (如果你每天用功,考試就不會形成壓力。

5.      掛羊頭,賣狗肉:有人照字直譯為:He advertises mutton, but sells dog's flesh. He hangs up a sheep's head at the shop front and sells dog meat.

這兩種譯法,恐怕老外都難理解,尤其談到「狗肉」,他們更會「反感」,因為狗是他們最愛的寵物,不過老外倒有相近的說法: He applied bait-and-switch tactics in business. (他經商的策略是先引誘顧客來,再改變貨物的品質。) (Bait-and-tch 當名詞用) (也可不用連字型大小) This store uses bait and switch policy.或者簡單的說: Let the buyer be aware! (讓消費者提高警覺) ; Say one thing and do another.

6.      一言既出,駟馬難追:有人譯成:One word lets slip and four horses will fail to catch it. A statement that once let loose cannot be caught by four galloping horses.

這兩種說法,中文味道嫌重,老外未必理解。不過他們倒有類似的說法: A word once let go cannot be recalled.或者說: You can not take back what you have said. (你說出的話,就不能再收回來。)

7.      禍從口出,言多必失:有人譯為:The mouth is the gate of misfortune and evil.

老外聽了,恐怕不能完全理解。最好說成: Careless talk leads to trouble. (不小心說話,會帶來麻煩); The less said, the better. (說的愈少愈好)甚至也可以說: Shut the mouth and open the eyes. (閉嘴少說,張眼多看。) Silence is golden.