中國翻譯界“三劍客”過家鼎談英語學(xué)習(xí)

1、中國翻譯界“三劍客”過家鼎談英語學(xué)習(xí)出場人物：過家鼎，畢業(yè)于上海圣芳濟中學(xué)和復(fù)旦大學(xué)外文系。曾擔(dān)任板門店朝鮮停戰(zhàn)談判代表團英文翻譯，華沙中美大使級談判翻譯。曾任中國常駐聯(lián)合國代表團一秘，外交部翻譯室主任等職，被譽為中國翻譯“三劍客”之一。學(xué)習(xí)英語與學(xué)習(xí)任何其他語言一樣，都有一個深入淺出的過程?！吧钊搿?to be profound)是提高，“淺出”(use plain language)是進一步提高。初學(xué)者必須擴大詞匯，學(xué)會使用一定數(shù)量的常見或常用詞匯，努力記憶一些高深和專門的用語。如老年癡呆癥Alaheimer's disease(德語字源)；觀世音菩薩Avalokitesvara(

2、梵文字源)，即 Goddess of Mercy，等等。初出茅廬時，喜歡用一些深奧的詞，以顯示自己的學(xué)問淵博，如“毫無根據(jù)的”用gratuitous(拉丁字源)，而不用groundless。然而，隨著學(xué)問的深入，就會注意防止華美花哨和學(xué)究氣(being pompous and pedantic)，轉(zhuǎn)而使用簡單平易的語言(The more you learn, the simpler English you use.)。一、隨著語言水平的提高，人們會發(fā)現(xiàn)，愈是簡單的常用詞，愈難充分掌握其用法。僅舉look，put，turn這三個最基本的單詞為例，它們的詞義很難全面掌握。 (一)look即是名詞，

3、也是動詞(包括及物動詞和不及物動詞)，用途廣泛，意思復(fù)雜多變。look當(dāng)作及物動詞時，可以說She doesn't look her age. 她看來與她的年齡不相稱(指顯得年輕)。但下一句的意思卻完全不同：Bill looks his life; he is only forty, but appears to be sixty.(比爾的模樣顯示了他坎坷的經(jīng)歷，他只有40歲，但看上去像是60歲的人。)再看look out。當(dāng)一名乘客坐在列車窗邊向外張望時，正值旁邊一輛列車從相反的方向駛來。好心人在后面叫嚷Look out!(留神！)，意思是提醒那位乘客不要把腦袋伸出去，但他卻理解為“

4、朝外看，向外探頭”，便將頭探出窗外，釀成慘劇。Look up 有多種不同的用法和意思。 (1)抬頭看。I looked up and saw her.我抬起頭來，看見了她。 (2)好轉(zhuǎn)，改善。The national economy is beginning to look up.國民經(jīng)濟開始好轉(zhuǎn)。 (3)(尤其指多時不見之后)看望，拜訪。I want to look up an old friend.我想去拜訪一個老朋友。 (4)查檢，查閱。Look up new words in the divtionary.翻字典，查新詞。 (二)同樣，put也是一個詞義豐富、用法多變的詞，從下面的三個

5、例子中不難看出這一點。put away (1)儲存，存放。The fruits should be carefully put away in the fridge.水果應(yīng)妥善地貯藏在里。Put away a good sum of money in the bank for one's old age.在銀行里儲存一筆可觀的錢為防老之用。(2)吃喝掉。They put away vast quantities of cake. 他們吃掉了大量糕點。put through (1)接通( )。I am trying to put you through.我正設(shè)法為你接通 。 (2)完成，

6、做成。Put through an agreement (a series of reforms).達成協(xié)議/實施改革措施。put off (1)關(guān)掉，熄滅。Put the light off.把燈熄了。 (2)推遲(或取消)。Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.今天能做的事切不要推到明天。 (三)turn 也有不少特殊的意思和用法，以turn up、turn down、turn out 為例：turn up (1)開大，調(diào)高。turn up (the volume on) the radio把收音機開響些 (2)翻起，折起。tu

7、rn up the sleeves (or soil)卷起衣袖/翻土 (3)出現(xiàn)，重現(xiàn)。He turned up an hour later.他遲了一小時才露面。 (4)查找，查閱。Turn up the dictionary if you cannot spell the word.拼不出就查字典。turn down1)調(diào)低，關(guān)小。turn down the radio (or the light)把收音機音量調(diào)低一些/把燈光調(diào)暗一點 (2)拒絕。turn down a job拒做一件工作；turn down an offer of help拒絕接受幫助。turn out (1)關(guān)掉。Tur

8、n out the light.關(guān)燈。 (2)趕出，辭退。He was turned out of his job.他被辭退了。 (3)集合，出席。Voters turned out in good numbers.選民出席率很高。 (4)結(jié)局，原來是。The story turned out happily.故事結(jié)局圓滿。She turned ou to be his daughter.原來她就是他的女兒。二、在英語的名人言論中常使用一些簡練而精辟的詞語，意義深邃，讀起來鏗鏘有力，簡單明了。美國前總統(tǒng)里根：I have not come to China to hold forth on w

9、hat divides us, but to build on what binds us.我來中國，不是要大談我們的分歧，而是要發(fā)揚我們的友情。美國前總統(tǒng)林肯：The world will little note nor long remember what we said here, but it can never forget what they did here.We here highly resolve that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the e

10、arth.英國前首相撒切爾夫人：The agreement(指中英關(guān)于香港問題的聲明)is not a way out.(雙關(guān)語，指英國人撤出)It is a way forward-a practical blueprint for success. It can work. It is working.Yes, you get help if you are unemplyed. But you must be actively seeking work. You get no help if you choose to be unemployed. The government'

11、s task is to give people opportunity, not handouts.法國前總統(tǒng)喬治·蓬皮杜：A statesman is a politician who places himself at the service of the nation.A politician is a statesman who places the nation at his service.三、美英的書報雜志文章正日益廣泛地使用一些淺顯而簡潔的用詞。這些詞看來似曾相識，僅在拼寫形式上稍加變化，含義卻豐富得多。試舉一些例子：1 動詞或名詞加上后綴y成為形容詞，諸如：cho

12、osy挑挑揀揀的nosy愛打聽消息的bossy愛發(fā)號施令的，專橫霸道的jumpy神經(jīng)質(zhì)的，心驚肉跳的flashy華而不實的shabby破舊的2 有hyphen(連字符)或沒有hyphen結(jié)合的復(fù)合詞。nitty-gritty具體細節(jié)The book gets to the nitty-gritty of economic problems.(i.e. specific practical details).shilly-shally(動詞)扭扭捏捏，猶豫不決If you keep shilly-shallying like this, we'll be late.nuts and bo

13、lts 基本要點Dealing with the nuts and bolts of the project.huff and putt(動詞)氣喘吁吁When I got to the top, I was huffing and puffing.3 名詞加后置詞，如：hands-down winner毫不費力的獲勝者target-rich environment目標(biāo)豐富的環(huán)境must-see film必看的電影plus-size (for woman)加碼的衣服cutting-edge technology 尖端技術(shù)四、矛盾修辭法(Oxymoron)Oxymoron是一個希臘字，由oxys與moros兩字拼成。oxys意為sharp, keen尖刻、敏銳的；moros意為愚蠢的，foolish。英語中的這種用法越來越普遍，即將兩個意思相互矛盾或尖銳對立的字合用，以產(chǎn)生更深刻的印象和鮮明的效果。舉例如下：cruel kindness殘忍的仁慈(施恩惠而成為虐待)。a wise fool聰明的蠢人。sophomore 由sophos(意為wise)和moros(意為foolish)組成，即wise fool。美國稱二年級大學(xué)生為sophomoric，即自以為知識淵博而