5. 一個(gè)年輕人,尚未找到工怍,父親又做主硬讓其結(jié)了婚,結(jié)果,
[原文] We were all living on my poor father's pension On top of this my wife,who was standing at the ready, weat arid got pregnant right off.
[譯文] 我們都靠我可憐的父親那點(diǎn)養(yǎng)老金生活。更糟的是,我那隨時(shí)做好準(zhǔn)備的妻子,那么快地懷了孕。
[討論] 就詞論詞,譯得不錯(cuò)。
不過(guò),懷孕卻不是自己可以隨意確定的,更無(wú)法隨時(shí)做好準(zhǔn)備。這樣說(shuō),實(shí)際上是一種無(wú)可奈何的自我嘲謔。譯為確定的事實(shí),與情理不合。不如稍加變動(dòng)。
[后一句改] 更糟的是,妻子好像早有準(zhǔn)備,馬上便懷了孕。
6. 政府官員下鄉(xiāng),村里準(zhǔn)備接待,村長(zhǎng)對(duì)人說(shuō):
[原文]“It is extremely difficult to satisfy government agencies. The appetite of the city man who comes to the village is so whetted that if you put a camel before him to eat, he'll ask if it is the camel's calf.”
[譯文]“要使政府機(jī)構(gòu)滿意那是很難的。到村里來(lái)的城里人貪得無(wú)厭,很難滿足?!?/p>
[討論] 譯文意思不錯(cuò),但原文中一個(gè)很生動(dòng)形象的比喻用“很難滿足”代替,使這句話大為減色。其實(shí),這個(gè)比喻直譯出來(lái),不論哪個(gè)民族的人都能看懂。遇到這種情況,便不如保持原有的說(shuō)法不變。
[改譯]“要使政府的人滿足非常不容易。到村里來(lái)的城里人胃口大得很。你端一頭駱駝給他吃,他還會(huì)問(wèn)這是不是駱駝羔?!?/p>
責(zé)任編輯:admin