习语翻译讲义Comparison and Translation of Idioms Category of English Idioms

UnitComparisonandofIdiomsCategoryEnglishIdiomsSet成语谚语格言C俗语典故S俚语Enigmaticfolk歇后语Culturespecific:dependveryuponaorequivalentsforidiomsisonethemostaspectsoftranslating.Inidiomscanbebynon-idiomsintargetlanguageote:eastwind&windconnotationsChineseculturedeto–ShellyWhenthewindisintheeast,it’sgoodforneithernorbeast.东风吹，寒到，对人对畜都不好。（东风在英国象征寒冷令人不愉快）windisintheweatheristhe风从西边来，气候宜人1.InfluenceofonIdiomsconcerninghorseworklikeahorse辛辛苦苦地干活beatdead徒劳无益asashorse非常强壮/强壮如牛onthewronghorse持错了对象comeoffone’shighhorse放下架子thataof完全是另外码事Note:horseoftenasacommonanimalEnglishwithoutthecommendatorysenseChinese:老马识oldhorse1

the，老伏枥(anherostillcherishesIdiomsconcerningdogdog最要的人物lucky幸儿jolly快的人rainand滂沱大雨inthe他名声扫地leaddog’slife过悲惨的生活Lovelovedog爱屋及乌doghasitsday.凡人皆有得意时asleepinglie.别惹事生非dogsnot会叫的狗不咬人Note:dogishighlyinEnglishHowever,Influencedbyforeignculture,isofteninderogatorysense.

Comparesomeidioms狗腿子/走狗lackey崽子sonof狗胆包天audacity狗急跳墙Aconcernedbeastwill狗咬耗子，多管闲事Pokeyourintootherpeople’saffairs.狗嘴吐不出牙Afilthymouth’tutterdecentlanguage.Note:iswithsensein2.InfluenceofReligionIdiomsChinese:做一天和尚一天钟SonglongIremainIgototollbell.跑得了和尚不了庙Themonkmayrunaway,butthetemplecanrunwithhim.pooraschurchmouseGod/gotohellNote:pearlsswinewithreligion:“Givenotthatwhichisholyuntodogneitherswine,lesttramplepearlsfeet,andturnagainand2renderyou.”不要把圣物狗，也不要把你们的珍珠丢在猪面前，恐怕它践踏了珍珠，转来咬你们。3.MethodsadoptedinEnglishLiteralline热线;冷;round-tableconference桌会议;totheteeth武装到齿

武术arts纸老虎paper丢面子loseone’sface无可救药cure竹篮打水场空drawinginaWalls隔墙有耳Oncebit,twiceshy.朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳Useasledgecrackanut.杀用牛Teachone’sgrandmothertosuckeggs.班弄斧Youcan’tmakeanomeletwithoutbreakingeggs.巧妇难为无米之炊坐如针毡tositon海底捞月fishintheRomans

入乡随俗WheninRomedoasthe猫哭耗子假悲shedcrocodiletearsLiberaltranslationawet令人扫的breaktheice破沉默facemusic勇敢地面对难tobethe’spaws上当利用likeaofwater不自在杞人忧天unnecessaryanxiety落花流水tobeshatteredtopieces司马昭之心人皆知Thevillain’sdesignis东施效颦copyingmakingoneselflookfoolish做贼心虚Hethathasagreateverybodyspeakingof3it.ExplanationwithnotescarriescoaltoNewcastlewillpourondrownedmouse.运煤到纽卡去的人好比往淹死的老鼠身上泼水----多一举。

Note:卡索-----英国著名产煤区Allaremaidensthatwear不戴帽子的必都是少女。

Note:西方风俗中年妇女一般都戴帽子，而少女则一般不戴，该习语告诫们看事物不能光看外表。exercises一帆风顺Atone’swit’send智穷才尽spiritwillingbuttheflesh心有余而力不足Silken巧舌如簧Alionintheway拦虎Aflash昙花一现redaslikeliliesandroses艳桃李Newbrooms官上任三把Thereinthecupboard.家家本难念的经十年树木，年树人。Ittakesyearsatorear江山易改，性难移Thewolfchangeshisnothisdisposition.好事不出门坏事传千里Agoodsitsabadoneruns路遥知马力日久见人心Adistancetestsahorsestrength,sotimerevealsaperson’sheart.耳听为虚，见为实Seeingisbelieving.习语、对偶四字词组的翻译4多见于古代诗词、骈文、辞赋。精炼、简明、优美，堪称言之杰作，可增语言美感和表现力。汉语成语多四字组成，来源大抵有三类：一是来自文史古、神话寓言；二来自俗语、谚语、歌谣和民间文学；三是来自族语言或佛教。翻译时不仅译出成语本意，还要译出其文化含义或隐含意。绝非易事！英译汉中，当使用四字句，译文将文采一新。Icoulddanceinfetters.(byanpoetin19thcentury)击链而舞，吾所能。（钱钟书）“Livinghistory”byHillaryClintonIgoodbyetothehousewhereIhadspenteightyearshistory.亲历历史Shehasbeauty,ifitbenotinheyday,itnotinitsautumn.她依然很美如果不是风华正茂，也远非迟暮之年。Structureoffour-letterwords四字词组通分为前后两部分。两部分的语法关系可以是：主谓：祸不单行Misery债台高筑Beuptoearsindebt.暗箭伤人Ainthe好事多磨Allhave动宾词组：走漏风声Spillbeans达成协议anagreement5繁荣市场about偏正：空中楼阁Castlein黄金时代Golden和平统一reunification混水摸鱼Fishin以权谋私Abuseofpowerforpersonalgain并列/联合：典雅大方andgraceful丰衣足食Bewell-fedand改邪归正Turnaleaf三长两短天南地北Faroftranslationliteraloror直译能保原作的风姿，体现鲜明的民特征与语言色；意译则是不能直译的情况下的一种变手段，一般出大意并力求用目标语弥补原作的其他方面如联想修辞文风幽默等。它能发挥原的内涵，阐述其哲理思想；直译加注使原作更加明确，从而深化解。直译法俗语:他搬起石头砸了自己的脚。liftedarockonlytoitonfeet.瘦死的骆驼马大。Aisbiggerthanhorse.他是初生牛不怕虎。6likenewborncalfwhichafraidofa

歇后语:你狗咬耗子多管闲事。Youdogtryingtomice–too如果你借给钱，那就是肉包子打狗，一去不回头。lendhimwilllikethrowingpuddingatnevergetitreturned.

成语:实事求是truth；缘木求鱼toclimbtreetofish一衣带水onlyastripwaterin走马观花lookattheflowerswhileridinghorseback；欲擒故纵toenemyfreeinordertohim拔苗助长trytohelpthericebypullingthem有时两种皆：打草惊蛇tostiruptheandsnake/wakedog挥金如土tolikedirt/spendlikewater鼠目寸光Asshort-sightedas/nofartherthanone’snose对牛弹琴toplaylutetocow/castpearlsbefore守口如瓶tokeepone’smouthclosedlikeabottle/keepstilltongueone’shead画蛇添足todrawsnakeandaddfeetit/tolilyE.g.胸有成竹“tohaveanbambooinone’sstomach“tohaveawell-thought-planbeforedoingsth.”“tohaveancardin/upone’ssleeve谋事在人，事在天。咱们谋到了，靠菩萨保佑，有些机会也未7可知。（《楼梦》第6）“Manproposes;Heavendisposes.outaplan,trusttoBuddha,andsomethingcomeofitforallyouknow.”DavidHawks“阿弥陀佛“Godblessmysoul”套译

意义，形象同:君子协定’sagreement其父必有其father,likeson空中楼阁inair

意义大致相:事实胜于雄Actionsthanwords暗箭伤人stabinback沽名钓誉Tofish半斤八两ofoneandhalfdozentheother祸单行evilchancealone.贪多嚼不烂Tooffthanonechew意译扬长而去stalkoff;off言巧语sweet焕一新onentirelynewlook黄粱美梦pipedream打开天窗说亮话我不同意Tobewithyou,Idon’tagree.对于法语我擀面杖吹火——一窍不通。Idon’tknowasingleletterof直译加意译怨声载道Complaintsheardeverywhere.怨天尤人blameand债台高筑Tobeuptoone’searsindebt辗转反Toturnrestlessly含有中国古代人名地或自寓言或历史典故的四字词组(translation)：毛遂字荐Tovolunteerone’sservice8叶公好龙lovewhatreally东施效颦nCrudeimitationwitheffect南柯一梦nAfonddreamorjoy四面楚歌nTobeonallsides谨防假对应锦上添花paintthelily”“addicingtothecake”四字格的翻策略中国传统审，讲究结构对仗和文采华丽，义虚实杂糅，复重叠；西方注逻辑思维，英语严谨，理性。对待四字格，应虑思维差异，摆汉语影响，使译文符合英语的行文习惯。他决心心革面，脱胎换骨。determinedtoanewleaf.本店货齐全，品种多样，任君挑选。haveawideofgoodstofrom.花园里使人间的乐园，有的是吃不了的大米白面，穿不完绫罗绸缎，花完的金银财宝。