翻译难点--习语译法概要

习语是民族语言中的精华。它短小精悍、寓意深刻, 具有浓郁的民族文化特色。英语习语可包括成语、谚语、俗语、俚语等,其结构既有短语、又有分句、还有句子。把英语习语译成汉语首先要正确理解其含义, 认识其文化特点, 注意英汉习语之间的异同, 然后运用正确的方法翻译。在准确地传达原习语的意义的同时, 还应充分考虑到原文的浓郁民族风格——不同的文化背景、不同的思维方式、不同的文法和表达习惯。

一、英汉习语比较

从形和义的角度来看,英汉习语的异同大体表现在以下四个方面:

A. 英汉习语形义全同 , 这类习语为数少 ,例如:

Barking dogs do not bite.吠犬不咬人。

Who is contented, enjoys.知足者常乐。

Misfortunes never come singly.祸不单行。

It is harder to change human nature than to change rivers and mountains.江山难改,本性难移。

Like father, like son. 有其父必有其子。

B. 习语形义基本相同 , 这类习语比上面一类在数量上要多些 ,例如:

as light as a feather(or as thistle-down轻如鸿毛

to take a load off one's mind如释重负

to run in the same groove; to cut from the same cloth.如出一辙

to make a beast of oneself形同禽兽

He that hath been bitten by a serpent is afraid of a rope.一朝被蛇咬,十年怕草绳。

Shallow streams make most din.水深不响, 水响不深。

Money makes the mare go.有钱能使鬼推磨。

Reckless youth makes rueful age.少壮不努力,老大徒伤悲。

C. 英汉习语形似义异 , 这类习语相当多 ,例如:

When a dog is drowning every one offers him drink. (狗若落水人人救,强调人人伸出援之手。

救了落水狗,反咬你一口(强调好心得不到好报

Ignorance of the law is no excuse of breaking it. (法盲犯法不可恕, 强调严格执行法律。不知者无罪(强调网开一面

Strike while the iron is hot (强调 " 抓住时机 " 趁热打铁(着重 " 抓紧行动 "

Lock the stable-door after the horse is stolen.(强调为时已晚。

亡羊补牢(强调受到损失后想法弥补,以免再受损失。

D. 英汉习语形异义似 , 例如:

A word spoken is past recalling. 一言既出,驷马难追。

Great boast, small roast.干打雷, 不下雨。

Take not a musket to kill a butterfly. 杀鸡焉用宰牛刀。

as dumb as an oyster 守口如瓶

to hit someone below the belt/to stab someone in the back 暗箭伤人

as weak as water 弱不禁风

E. 英汉习语形义完全不同 ,例如:

cast one's bread upon the waters不期望报答所作之事

keep the wolf from the door免于饥饿,勉强度日

make one's blood freeze令人恐惧

have bats in the belfry头脑有点古怪

see the sun活着

二、英语习语的译法

总的说来,英语习语的译法大致可分为直译、直译加注法、套译、意译、直译加意译、意译加注 6种。

A. 直译

直译不仅能再现原文的意义和语言形式, 还能保持其生动形象的比喻和新颖独特的表达手法, 让读者体会原习语的风采,同时丰富汉语表达形式。象 " 条条大路通罗马 " 、 " 特洛伊

木马 " 等就是通过直译进入汉语语言并成为汉语语言的一部分的。一般说来,英语习语如在形、义上与汉语习语全同或是基本相同的常可采用直译, 原习语中的比喻或形象能为汉语读者所接受的有时也可以采用直译。例如:

to be armed to the teeth 武装到牙齿 (该典故出自从前南美的北海岸的海盗, 他们除了两手都持武器外,在牙齿间还要咬一把刀。

Time is money. 时间就是金钱(比 " 一寸光阴一寸金 " 流行

to shed crocodile tears 掉鳄鱼眼泪 as cold as ice 冰冷

to trim the sail to the wind看风使帆

Too many cooks spoil the broth. 厨子多了煮坏汤。

Blood is thicker than water. 血浓于水。

B. 直译加注法

有些习语直译后, 仍不能把原意清楚准确地表达出来, 就可采用直译加注释法。例如: a bull in a china shop公牛闯进瓷器店── 肆意捣乱

to shed crocodile tears流鳄鱼眼泪── 假慈悲

People considered that what he had played on that occasion was no more than a Judas kiss.人们认为他在那种场合所表演的不过是犹大之吻── 居心险恶。

The favors of Government are like the box of Pandora, with this important difference; that they rarely leave hope at bottom. 政府的恩惠如同潘多拉的盒子, 后患无穷, 主要不同之处是:盒底很少留有希望。

The best fish swim (are near the bottom.好鱼居水底——有价值的东西不能轻易得到。 Fish begins to stink at the end.鱼要腐烂头先烂——上梁不正下梁歪。

If two ride on a horse, one must ride behind.两人骑一匹马, 总有一人坐在后面——两人参加的事只能一人为主。

The apples on the other side of the wall are the sweetest.隔墙的苹果最甜——这山看着那山高。

Don't forget to cross your t's.写时不要忘记 t 上面那一横——一言一行都不要马虎草率。 C. 套译

套译就是借用汉语成语来翻译。由于文化背景不同,原文的形象有时不符合中国习俗, 如直译出来寓意就会颇为费解, 或原文的形象引起另一种联想, 从而影响到