成語典故翻譯技巧

1、成語典故翻譯技巧一桶水搖不響，半桶水響叮當(dāng)有人照字面譯成：The full pot of water makes no sound; the half-empty pot of water is n oisy.老外聽后，也許會感到困惑。他們有自己的說法：A little kno wledge （or lear ning） can be （or is） dan gerous.（一知半解很危險(xiǎn)）或者說：Still water runs deep.（靜水深不可測）也可以說： He who knows the most says the least.（懂得越多的人，反而說得越少。）至于“大智若愚”，通

2、?？梢赃@么說：A truly wise pers on does not show off his （her） ability.（真正聰明的人，是不會顯要自己的能力）水落石出有人照字直譯為：As the water level sinks,the stones are exposed.這樣說，恐怕老外還是聽不懂。他們的說法是：All secrets may eve ntually come to light.（所有祕密最后總會曝光。）也可以說： Eve ntually, every secret will be disclosed.-這山望到那山高有人譯成:The apples on the

3、other side of the wall are the sweetest.（意思是：墻那邊的蘋果最甜）當(dāng)然，如要譯成：If you stand on a mountain, you feel the distantmountain seems higher tha n yours.老外也勉強(qiáng)能接受。而他們的最習(xí)慣說法是：The grass always looks gree ner on the other side.（另一邊的草，看來總是綠些。）烈火煉真金，患難見真情有人譯成： Fire is the test of gold; adversity is the test offrie

4、n dship.這句譯文，雖然很好，老外也能了解，但是他們還有另外的說法：Liquor brings out a persons true color.（烈酒能顯示一個(gè)人真正的特色）或者說： Wine reveals a persons true heart.雖然老外不用“烈火煉真金”的比喻，但有“路遙知馬力”的說法：By a long road, weknow a horses strength ； at times of difficulty, we discover a frie nds true character.-雷聲大，雨點(diǎn)小有人譯為:The thun der roars lou

5、dly, but little rain falls.或者說： All we hear is thunder, but no rain falls.雖然這樣直譯比較容易理解，但是老外的說法是這樣的：Actions speak louder than words.（行動勝于言談 ）或 All we hear is words, but there is no action.（只動嘴不動手）或 Actions and words should go hand in hand.（言行必須一致）另外，還有英語里還有這樣的說法：An empty barrel makes biggest sound.（空

6、洞的話說得太多了。）人不可貌相，海水不可斗量有人譯為：A mancan not be known by his look, nor can the ocean be measured by a dipper.這樣的譯法只是直譯，如果能夠稍加修改，老外就能了解：A man can not be judged by his appeara nee, nor can the water inthe sea be measured by a bucket.不過，老外通常的說法是這樣的：Wecan not judge a person by appearanee only. 或 You can not

7、judgea book by its cover.（意思是：一本書的好壞取決于它的內(nèi)容，而不是它的封面裝幀的漂亮與否。）-口蜜腹劍，笑里藏刀 有人譯為 His mouth is honey; his heart is a sword.外國人聽了會對這樣的比喻摸不著頭腦，如果要形容某人“口蜜腹劍，笑里藏刀”，我們可以說 with honey on ones lip and murder in ones heart,或者 hon ey-mouthed but dagger-hearted.也可以更直接的譯成 He is an evil man who has a mouth that praise

8、s and a hand that kills.少壯不努力，老大徒傷悲有人譯成 If you neglect study when you are young, what mayhappento your old age?這句問句會把老外問得云里霧里，因?yàn)樗麄儧]有“學(xué)而優(yōu)則仕”的思想，也不認(rèn)為功課差，將來就會傷悲。他們勸告子女經(jīng)常說的是 Studying / working hard can lead you to a brighter / more promisi ng future.（努力用功會帶給你光明的前程。）當(dāng)然也可以對年輕人說：Study hard when you are you

9、ng. It will pay off when you get older.（年輕時(shí)好好努力，到老的時(shí)就會覺得學(xué)有所值。）學(xué)如行舟，不進(jìn)則退如果直譯成：Learning is like rowing upstream; not to advanee is to drop back.老外聽后，也許會感到一頭霧水。這樣修改一下，表達(dá)可以清晰一些：Learning seemslike rowing upstream（逆流）;if one does not advanee, one will fall back. Learning is like rowing against the current

10、（激 流）,if one does not adva nee, one will retreat.更直接的說法是：If you dont make progress, you will fall behi nd. 一日為師，終身為父有這樣的譯法：He who teaches me for one day is my father for life.If you are my teacher for eve n one day, you will be my teacher（me ntor） all my life.He who teaches me may be con sidered my

11、father-figure for life.這幾種譯法意思都是“老師即使對我只有一天的教誨，也會讓我一生都 受用不盡?！蓖鈬艘灿兴麄儽磉_(dá)師生關(guān)系的諺語，如：Teach othersto fish and they will fish for a lifetime.（授人以魚，不如授人以漁）Give a man fish, he will have a meal; teach him to fish, he will have food all his life.忠言逆耳，良藥苦口有人譯成 Faithful words are contrary to the ears; good medic

12、ine tastes bitter to the mouth.也有人反譯為：Bitter words are medici ne; sweet words bringilln ess.Goodadvice often jars on the ears; bitter pills have good effects.這些說法，老外也會“一知半解”，不如直接一點(diǎn)說成：Hon est advice may be distasteful to the recipie nt.Hon est advice is hard to accept.Truth is a hard pill to swallow.

13、更簡單的說就是：Truth hurts.近墨者黑，近朱者赤有人直譯為：one who stays n ear vermili on gets sta ined red, and one who staysnear ink gets stained black.（vermilion是朱砂或鮮紅色的意思 ）也有人譯成：Whe n you touch black, you become black; whe n you touch red, you become red.這種說法，恐怕老外一時(shí)無法理解真正含意。不過他們倒有這么說：One takes the behavior of on es com

14、pa ny.（個(gè)人的行為，往往受至U朋友的影響。）或 One takes on the attributes of ones associates. （attributes復(fù)數(shù)時(shí)是指品質(zhì)、特性；associates 指朋友、同事）簡單的說，就是： Watch the compa ny you keep!（ 小心交朋友?。?或者也可以說成:As he who lies with dogs will ride with fleas, how could your sonlearn anything good by mixing with those people?（你兒子跟那些人混在一起，能學(xué)出個(gè)

15、好來?）出師表兩漢：諸葛亮先帝創(chuàng)業(yè)未半而中道崩殂，今天下三分，益州疲弊，此誠危急存亡之秋也。然侍衛(wèi)之臣不懈于內(nèi)，忠志之士忘身于外者，蓋追先帝之殊遇，欲報(bào)之于陛下也。誠宜開張圣聽，以光 先帝遺德，恢弘志士之氣，不宜妄自菲薄，引喻失義，以塞忠諫之路也。宮中府中，俱為一體；陟罰臧否，不宜異同。若有作奸犯科及為忠善者，宜付有司論其 刑賞，以昭陛下平明之理；不宜偏私，使內(nèi)外異法也。侍中、侍郎郭攸之、費(fèi)祎、董允等，此皆良實(shí)，志慮忠純，是以先帝簡拔以遺陛下：愚 以為宮中之事，事無大小，悉以咨之，然后施行，必能裨補(bǔ)闕漏，有所廣益。將軍向?qū)?，性行淑均，曉暢軍事，試用于昔日，先帝稱之曰能”是以眾議舉寵為督：愚以為營中之事，悉以咨之，必能使行陣和睦，優(yōu)劣得所。親賢臣，遠(yuǎn)小人，此先漢所以興隆也； 親小人，遠(yuǎn)賢臣，此后漢所以傾頹也。 先帝在時(shí), 每與臣論此事，未嘗不嘆息痛恨于桓、 靈也。侍中、尚書、長史、參軍，此悉貞良死節(jié)之臣， 愿陛下親之、信之，則漢室之隆，可計(jì)日而待也臣本布衣，躬耕于南陽，茍全性命于亂世，不求聞達(dá)于諸侯。先帝不以臣卑鄙，猥自枉 屈，三顧臣于草廬之中，咨臣以當(dāng)世之事，由是感激，遂許先帝以驅(qū)馳。后值傾覆，受任于 敗軍之際，奉命于危難之間