发信人: roy_young(金陵二胡)
整理人: roy_young(2001-06-24 17:26:41), 站内信件
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再談中文俗語，美語說法 （中）/ 懷中
●中國人自譯中文俗語，往往使老外一知半解，滿頭霧水，主要因為「照字直譯」，帶有「中國味道」；加上兩國文化背景不同，思想差異，使老外一時無法領悟中國俗語中的「奧妙」含意。假如咱們把中文俗語用老外那種淺白易懂的說法，加以「對照」，也許更能使對方一目了然，充分了解。那麼不是可以達到「交流」和「溝通」的目標嗎？本欄曾以「中文俗語美語說法」為題舉過一些例子，現在再補充一些，供讀者參考。
7. 寧為雞口，不為牛後：有人譯成：
I would rather be a cock's beak than a bull's rump
.或
I would rather be the head of an ass than the tail of a horse.
說得明白些，就是：
It is better to be the head of something worthwhile than the tail of something worthless.
簡單地說，就是：
It is better to be a head than a behind.（behind 當名詞用，是後部或屁股=ass）
說句「文明」話，就是：
It is better to be a big fish in a little pond than a little fish in a big pond.
（在小池塘裡當大魚，要比在大池塘裡當小魚好些。）（通常指工作）
8.
以小人之心，度君子之腹：有人譯為：
You are judging a person's open－mindedness with your narrow－mindedness.
或者說：
You are assuming that others think the same way as yourself.
這兩種說法，老外也能了解。不過最簡單的說法就是：
Don't assume that everyone thinks as you do.
（不要認為人家的想法，都與你一樣。）
9. 酒老味醇，薑老愈辣：有人譯成：
The older wine has a better taste; the older ginger has a spicier taste.
這種說法，似乎帶有「中國味道」。
其實老外也有類似說法：
Like vintage wine it can only improve with age.
（vintage指品質優良；age指時間長久）（也就是說：品質好的酒，時間越久越好。）
或者說：
You are just like fine wine; you are aging gracefully.
還可以更簡單的說：
Years bring wisdom.（或Age brings wisdom.）
或The older you are, the wiser you get.（愈老愈聰明）
10. 生不帶來，死不帶去：有人譯為：
At birth we bring nothing; at dealth, we take away nothing.
或譯成：
When you are born, you come with nothing; when you die, you take nothing away.
這種說法，老外也能了解，不過他們通常是說：
Money and material possessions should not define your life.
（擁有金錢和物質，不是代表生命的一切。）
但老外一般只說：
You can't take it with you.（即死不帶去）
（it 是指財物）
11. 事不如人意者，十之八九：有人譯為：
In our life, eight or nine times out of ten events are not smooth.
不過老外還有簡單的說法：
Life is not always smooth sailing.（生活不是一帆風順）
或Life is full of ups and downs.
或Life is full of highs and lows.（人生的旅途都是崎嶇不平）
也可以說：
There is no rose without a thorn.（玫瑰都有刺）
（美好的事物，也有使人痛苦的成份；快樂中，也有煩惱的時候。）
12. 謀事在人，成事在天：有人譯為：
Your motive for doing something depends on you(yourself),but your success or failure depends on God or fate.
不過老外也有相似的說法：
God will determine your path of life.
或
Accept whatever the situation is.
（不論生活情況如何，都得接受。）
也可以說：
That's the way the ball bounces.
（這就是咱們生活的必然性啊！）
13. 由儉入奢易，由奢返儉難：有人譯為：
It is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but it is hard the other way around.
可以說：
It is easy to go to an extravagant lifestyle from a modest one, but it is difficult to go the other way around.
最簡單的說法，就是：
It is easier to be rich than to be poor.
14. 走馬看花：老中譯為：
You are looking at flowers on horseback.
老外聽後，也許不易領悟真正涵義。說得明白些，就是：
While galloping on horseback, you can not see the details of the landscape.
或者說：
If you move too fast, you will miss the details.
或You don't have the time to stop and smell the roses.
15. 刀子嘴，豆腐心：有人譯為：
His tongue is as sharp as knife, but his heart is as soft as tofu(butter).
(tofu這個字，已成為普遍的單字，但老外多用butter。)
也可以說：
His tongue is sharp, but his heart is gentle.
就是所謂：
A barking dog never bites.(吠狗不咬人)
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