And tossed the pen on the table. He intoned the verses to himself, then downed a few more cups of wine. He was very dunk. Song-Jiang asked for the bill, paid, and told the waiter to keep the change.(沙博里译《水浒传·浔阳楼宋江吟反诗》)
Failure to settle this issue is bound to impair the relations between the two countries seriously.
If the problem is not solved, it is sure to affect the interests between the two countries.
在上面的两种译文中,显然第一种译文主语选得好,句子流畅。又如:
厨房里少了一条鱼,主人发誓要一查到底,揪出偷鱼的贼。
夏威夷的沙滩上,椰影婆娑,海风习习,一妙龄女郎正躺在白色的塑料椅上养神。
On the Hawaiian sandy beach, the coconut palms are whirling, the congenial sea breeze is blowing, and a young lady is lying in the white plastic chair resting to restore energy.
因为是轻松读本,又是描述性的文字,使用三个主语the coconut palms、the congenial sea breeze、a young lady仍是可取的。
At the reunion party for 20 anniversary of graduation from university, I suddenly asked my former teacher in charge of our class then:" Since I am not of short stature, how did you arrange me at the first row?"
一个高度近视的女博士去擦鞋店擦高统靴,秃头老板亲自蹲下来给她效劳。
When a woman doctor who suffers a severe myopic went to shoes-polishing shop for her buskins,the bald boss squatted down to serve her personally.
fengshui——the location of a house or tomb, supposed to have an influence on the fortune of a family.
七、戒语句重复
汉语多重复,以强化语气;英语则要尽量避免重复。
王曰:“此鸟不飞则已,一飞冲天;不鸣则已,一鸣惊人。”
"The bird may not have flown yet", replied the King,"Once it does, it will soar to the sky. I may not have cried out yet, but once it does, it will startle everyone."
(杨宪益译《史记-滑稽列传》)
中国人也好,外国人也好,死人也好,活人也好,对的就是对的,不对的就是不对的。
What is right is right and what is wrong is wrong, no matter what it concerns, the Chinese or foreigners, the dead or the living.
Rose took out Zhang's letter, she thought, "It would be better to put it in her make-up case, and letter find it herself." So she put the letter in the case, leaving a corner of it sticking out, so that it would be quickly noticed.
不难看出,译文与原文相去甚远,互不吻合,成了“两张皮”。
你已经死在过深的怨愤里了吗?
死?不,不,我还活着——
请给我以火,给我以火!
Have you perished in this deep rancor and bitterness?