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《牛津高阶英汉双解词典》第6版汉语译文讨论
1.Know 1条:You don’t want to know. 你是不会想知道的。
讨论:want的词义是“想要”还是“应该”?
佐证:本词典 want 4条: (informal) used to give advice to sb, meaning “should” or
“ought to”.
又:《麦克米伦高阶英语词典》want 条:you want/ don’t want to do sth spoken used for advising or warning someone that they should/ should not do something: You want to be careful. I think you’ve drunk too much.│You don’t want to go there alone.
参考译文:这事你不应该知道。
2.Would 9条:I’d rather come with you.我倒愿意和你一起来。 I’d rather you came with us.我倒愿意你和我们一起来。
本词典的fear n.条:“Are you coming climbing?”“No fear!”“你来爬山吗?”
“当然不!”
本词典的come4条:Are you coming to the club with us tonight? 你今晚和我们
一起去俱乐部吗?Why don’t you come skating tonight? 今晚来溜冰好吗?
讨论:come的词义到底是“来”还是“去”?它的用法如何?
佐证: 《朗文当代高级英语辞典》第4版的come2条解释说:GO WITH SB: if sb comes with you, they go with you. We’re going for a drink this evening. Would you like to come?
又:《剑桥英语学习词典》come3条: to go somewhere with the person who is speaking: We’re going to the cinema. Do you want to come?
参考译文:我倒愿意和你一起去。我倒愿意你和我们一起去。“你(和我们一起)去爬山吗?”今晚(和我们一起)去溜冰好吗?这几个句子中的come都是“去”的意义。凡在汉语中说“去”对方的身边、家、办公室,英语中都要用come。如:Tell me about the girl who came to see you in the office this afternoon. Come并不与汉语的“来”完全等同,还有“去”的意义;bring也并不与汉语的“带来”完全等同,还可以意为“带去”。这体现的不单单是两种语言的区别,还有文化和思维方法的区别。
3.Times条: three times longer than sth比某物长三倍。
讨论:是比某物长三倍还是长两倍?three times在等级比较中的用法和意义。
佐证:《牛津高阶英汉双解词典》第4版P1600,times条:This book is three times as long as/ three times longer than/ three times the length of that one.这本书是那本书篇幅的三倍(比那本书长两倍/篇幅为那本书的三倍)。
《剑桥英语学习词典》的heavy条:Oxygen is sixteen times heavier than hydrogen.《朗文当代高级英语辞典》第4版的time26条: Sound travels four times faster in water than in air.
参考译文:比某物长两倍。《牛津4版》的翻译更准确。氧的原子量是16,氢的原子量是1,《剑桥》句可谓铁证。这体现的不单单是两种语言的区别,还有文化和思维方法的区别。学生还可以上网查阅有关声音在水中和空气中传播速度的资料,研究《朗文4版》句。
4.As conj.1条:We’d like it as soon as possible.我们会尽快喜欢上它的。
讨论:’d like的词义是“想要”还是“喜欢”?
佐证:本词典like v.5条: used with would or should as a polite way to say what you want or to ask what sb wants: I’d like to think it over.
参考译文:我们想尽可能快得到它。Would/ should like和 ’d like是“想要”的意思。
5.Fear n.条: Alan spoke of his fears for the future.艾伦谈到了他对未来忧心忡忡。
讨论:有更准确的译文吗?
参考译文:艾伦谈到了对前途/未来的担心。
6.Attention 1条:I tried not to draw attention to my weak points of argument.我尽量使人不察觉我论证中的软肋。
讨论:“软肋”一词,不见于国内最权威的《现代汉语词典》,是否规范用法,是否与本句的语境相符?
参考译文:我尽量使人不觉察我论证中不够令人信服之处。“软肋”一词见于《最新英汉汉英词典》,但不见于国内最权威的《现代汉语词典》2002增补本,是俗语,与本句的语境不太和谐。
7.For 20条:used to show who can or should do sth.(表示谁能够或应该做某事)It’s not for me to say why he left.我说不出他为什么离开。
讨论:释义中的can应该翻译为“可以”还是“能够”?例句译文正确吗?
佐证:《朗文当代高级英语辞典》第4版的for22条:对it is (not)for sb to do sth这个句型解释说:used to say whether it is someone’s right or duty to do something.
参考译文:释义似该翻译为:表示谁可以或应该做某事。例句应该翻译为:不该/不可以由我来说他离开的原因。
8.It 6条:It was raining this morning.今天早晨下雨了。
讨论:译文正确吗?下文如果是So I had to stay at home. 或者是I was reading in bed when the telephone suddenly rang.那么首句各该怎么翻译?过去进行时与表示一段时间的状语连用的意义?
参考译文:今天上午一直下着雨。(所以我只得呆在家里。)/今早天正下着雨(,我正躺在床上看书,突然电话响了)。过去进行时与段时间连用表示动作贯穿整段时间。但还可能作为下文某个动作发生的背景,如后一句。
9. Plastic n.1条:The pipes should be made of plastic.这些管子应该用塑料制作
讨论:should的词义,用于猜测还是劝告?该翻译为“应该”还是“很可能”?
各用在什么语境中?
参考译文:这些管子应该是/很可能是用塑料制作的(表示猜测)。词典原译文只可能用在讲解某设备的配料要求时的语境中。
Plastic adj.3条:game show综艺节目;而本词典的 game show条目则翻译为:(电视)游戏表演;竞赛节目;a variety show条也翻译为:综艺节目。
讨论:到底哪个译文正确?
参考译文:a game show: a television programme in which people play games or answer questions to win prizes电视游戏表演或竞赛节目;a variety show: a television or radio programme or a performance that consists of many different shorter performances, especially musical and humourous ones综艺节目
10.Ridiculous条:I look ridiculous in this hat. 我带这顶帽子看上去很可笑。
讨论:译文有否毛病?
参考译文:我戴着这顶帽子看上去很可笑。
11.Ton 4条:He was caught doing a ton.他在以每小时100英里的速度行车时被抓住。
讨论:译文有否毛病?catch sb doing sth的语义?
参考译文:他被警方发现以每小时100英里的速度行车。catch sb doing sth撞见某人正在干某事。
12. Absolute和earn条:He must earn an absolute fortune.他肯定赚了一大笔钱。She must earn a fortune.她必须赚一大笔钱。
讨论:两句的译文互相矛盾,必有一个是错误的。Must在这里表示猜测还是“必须”?
佐证:《英语在用:剑桥高级英语语法》P34:It’s the third time she’s been skating this week—she must really enjoy it.
又: P47的23.2中的7:Being so well-known, you must receive hundreds of letters each week.
又:《英语在用:剑桥中级英语语法》P57,28.2,6: Carol knows a lot about films. She must go to the cinema a lot.
笔者看法:两句都表示猜测。Must在这里不可以翻译为“必须”。一般情况下must + be/ know/ like之类状态动词时才可表示猜测;must +动作动词通常要用must be doing/ must have done/ must have been doing的形式才能表示猜测,但是在句子意义清楚不至于误解时也可以用must do的形式表示对现阶段经常性情况的猜测。
13.Could 1条:Sorry, I couldn’t get any more.对不起,我再也得不到了。
讨论:译文正确吗?这句话的语境是什么?
参考译文:对不起,我无法弄到/赚到更多的了。很难想象出原译文的语境是怎样的。
14.Fatiguing条:身心交瘁的;精疲力竭的
讨论:译文正确吗?
参考译文:令人身心交瘁的,令人筋疲力尽的。Fatigued: 身心交瘁的,筋疲力尽的。Surprising/ surprised; exciting/ excited, embarrassing/ embarrassed; disappointing/ disappointed; satisfying/ satisfied; terrifying/ terrified等这一类成对的分词的词义不可混淆。
15.caving条:He had always wanted to go caving.他过去老爱探索洞穴。
讨论:译文是否正确?had always wanted是什么意思?
参考译文:他本来一直想探索洞穴(而没有机会)。Had always wanted表示一直想要做而未能实现。类似的还有had intended/ hoped/ planned等。查《现代汉语词典》,“爱”不作“想要”解。
16.Overwhelming与weight 6条:The evidence against him was overwhelming.对他不利的证据无可抵赖。The evidence against her was overwhelming.对她不利的证据一边倒。
讨论: 前后两句的译文哪个好?“无可抵赖”和“一边倒”哪个可用于正式语体?
参考答案:从整个句子看是正式语体,不宜用“一边倒”这样的非正式用语。此外,“对她不利的证据一边倒。”这个句子读起来别扭,句子意义也不明确。
17.They 条:The rest, as they say, is history.正如人们所说,其余的就是历史。
讨论:译文正确吗?The rest is history.是个约定俗成的说法,其意义是什么?
佐证: 参看本词典rest条。
参考译文:自如人们所说的,余下的尽人皆知,不须赘述了。无论汉语还是英语都有约定俗成的表达法,学习英语要注意避免望文生义,如:eat one’s words意为“收回前言;承认所说的错误”,不作“食言”解;break one’s promise(不是word!)或go back on one’s word才意为“食言,不信守诺言”。
18.School条:The transition from school to work can be difficult.在学校念书到上班工作,这一转变可能很不容易。
讨论:句中can是表示猜测的“可能/也许”还是表示理论上的可能性(used to say what sb/sth is often like)的“常常会/常常可能”?
参考译文:从在学读书到上班工作,这一转变常常是很不容易的/常常会很不容易。注意:can表示猜测时只用于疑问句和否定句,不能用于肯定句。而can表示理论上的可能性,常翻译为“常常会;常常可能”,其后常常接有消极意义的词语,如:He can be very careless. Temperatures can reach 42 degrees C in the summer.
19.Grasp (at)条:She grasped at his coat as he rushed past her.他从她身边冲过去时,她使劲抓住了他的上衣。
讨论:翻译为“……使劲地向他的上衣抓去”或“……试图抓住他的上衣”会不会比原译文更准确?grasp sth与grasp at sth的区别是什么?
参考译文:翻译为“他从她身边冲过去时,她试图抓住他的上衣。”更好。Grasp at sth指动作过程,不表示“抓住了”的结果,所以还可以用进行时:Hands were grasping at his coat as he walked past.《麦克米伦》grasp条; grasp sth则指动作的结果。类似的还有:shoot at/ shoot; strike at/ strike; snatch at/ snatch.
20.Although用法框内倒数第10行:Everyone played well, although/ though we still lost the game.尽管我们还是输了,但每人都打得不错。
讨论:这个框内的第二部分说的是although/ though的第二个用法:used to mean “but” or “however”.那么此句的译文是否正确?
参考译文:每个人都打得不错,可惜我们还是输了。《朗文4版》although 2: used to add a statement that balances or reduces the effect of what you have said.
21.Near prep.条:He’s nearer 70 than 60.他60岁,快70岁了。
讨论:译文正确吗?
参考译文:他60多岁, 快70岁了。
22.Weep条:I could have wept thinking about what I’d missed. 我想到所失去的东西本可痛哭一场。
讨论:翻译为“想到所失去的东西我当时真想痛哭一场。”
是否会更好?
佐证:本词典could 6: used to show that you are annoyed that sb did not do sth: (对某人未做某事表示恼怒)本来可以:They could have let me know they were going to be late!他们要晚来,也该早告诉我一声啊!
又:could 7条:used to emphasize how strongly you want to express your feelings(强调感觉)真想:I’m so fed up I could scream!我烦透了,非大喊大叫不可!
参考译文:翻译为“真想”才正确。《朗文4版》could 3有类似的句子:I was so angry I could have killed her./ I was so relieved I could have kissed them all.
23.Quack条:I’ve got a check-up with the quack(=the doctor) next week. 我下周要到庸医那里检查身体。
讨论:译文正确吗?
参考译文:“庸医”应该改为“医生”。在非正式英语中,the quack = the doctor。Quack作“庸医”解属于另一条词义。
参考书目:
《牛津高阶英汉双解词典》第4/6版,其英语原版:牛津大学出版社, 1989, 2000, 北京:商务印书馆1997,2004
《朗文当代高级英语辞典》第4版,英文版:英国培生教育出版社,2003,北京:外语教学与研究出版社2004
《剑桥英语学习词典》》英文版:英国剑桥大学出版社,2001,北京:外语教学与研究出版社2001
《麦克米伦高阶英语词典》英文版:麦克米伦出版有限公司,2002,北京:外语教学与研究出版社2003
《英语在用:剑桥高级英语语法》(Martin Hewings: Advanced Grammar in Use),英文版,剑桥大学出版社1999,北京:外语教学与研究出版社2000
《英语在用:剑桥中级英语语法》(Raymond Murphy: English Grammar in Use),英文版,剑桥大学出版社1994,北京:外语教学与研究出版社2001
《现代汉语词典》(2002年增补本,汉英双语),中国社会科学院语言研究所词典编辑室编,北京:外语教学与研究出版社2002
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