汉英翻译教程期末考试复习要点
1. 直译法
(1) 英译按原文的字面翻译, 其比喻意义同原文一样生动, 译文使读者能很快联想起英文中的对等成语. 如:
竭泽而渔to drain a pond to catch all the fish (相当于kill the goose that lays the golden eggs)
2) 打草惊蛇to stir up the grass and alert the snake (相当于wake a sleeping dog)
3)易如反掌to be as easy a s turning over one’s hand (相当于as easy as falling off a log)
4) 玩火自焚to get burnt by the fire kindled by oneself (相当于fry in one’s own grease)
5)掌上明珠a pearl in the palm (相当于the apple of one’s eye)
6)对牛弹琴to play the lute to a cow (相当于cast pearls before swine)
7)守口如瓶to keep one’s mouth closed like a bottle (相当于keep a still tongue in one’s head)
8) 雪中送炭to send charcoal in snowy weather (相当于help a lame dog over a stile)
9) 画蛇添足to draw a snake and add feet to it (相当于paint the lily)
(2) 不少汉语成语不一定有非常对等的英语成语, 但它们的字面翻译也能使译文读者得到正确无误的形象意义. 如:
1) 声东击西to shout in the east and strike in the west
2) 刻骨铭心to be engraved on one’s heart and bones
3)井底之蛙to be like a frog at the bottom of a well
4)调虎离山to lure the tiger from the mountain
5)口蜜腹剑to be honey-mouthed and dagger-hearted
2. 意译法
如：手忙脚乱in a frantic rush 立竿见影get instant results
它虽难以保全成语的文化特色和具体形象，却能简洁明快的反应出成语的喻义。
1) 粗枝大叶: with big branches and large leaves to be crude and careless
2) 无孔不入to take advantage of every weakness to get into every hole
3) 扬眉吐气to raise the eyebrows and let out a breath to feel proud and elated
) 灯红酒绿with red lights and green wine dissipated and luxurious
5) 大张旗鼓to make a great array of flags and drums on a large and spectacular scale
6) 海阔天空(to talk) at random with a vast sea and a boundless sky
7) 风雨飘摇(of a situation) being unstable the wind and rain are rocking
有一部分汉语成语带着一定的中国文化背景, 有的成语在字
面上就含中国古代的人名, 地名, 有的出自寓言或历史的典故.
对这部分成语, 字面翻译是无法为外国读者所接受的. 如加上
解释性文字, 就失去了成语精练的特点. 我们最好
的办法就是绕开其文化背景, 直接译出其真正的
内含意义. 1) 毛遂自荐to volunteer one’s service
2) 叶公好龙professed love of what one really fears
3) 南柯一梦a fond dream or illusory joy
4) 四面楚歌to be besieged on all sides
5) 锱铢必较to haggle over every penny
6) 罄竹难书(of crime) too numerous to mention
7) 初出茅庐at the beginning of one’s career
8) 倾国倾城to be exceedingly beautiful
9) 悬梁刺股to be extremely hard-working in one’s study
10) 东施效颦crude imitation with ludicrous effect
3.套译法。
指套用译语中某个与汉语成语喻义相近的
成语来进行翻译的方法。可分为：
1) 两个成语的字面意义和蕴含意义基本一致。如：
赴汤蹈火go through fire and water七颠八倒at sixes and sevens
滴水穿石constant dripping wears away the stone
垂头丧气in low spirits杂乱无章out of order
英雄所见略同Great minds think alike.
2) 两个成语的比喻形象有所差异，但比喻意义基本一致。如：
小题大做make a mountain out of a molehill
洗心革面turn over a new leaf过河拆桥kick down the ladder
乳臭未干be wet behind the ears，格格不入be like square pegs in round holes
大发雷霆blow one’s top横行霸道throw one’s weight about
物以类聚Birds of a feather flock together.一文不名without a penny to one’s name
弱不禁风as weak as water山穷水尽at the en d of one’s rope
扬眉吐气to hold one’s head high
3) 汉语成语原本是翻译的产物，因此可直接以英语成语回译之。如：
君子协定a gentleman’s agreement滚石不生苔A rolling stone gathers no moss.
吠犬不咬人 A barking dog never bites.火中取栗pull the chestnuts out of the fire
4.加注法。它是在译文中添加读者理解成语所需的文化信息和背景知识，其特点在于既能保留成语的比喻形象和文化蕴含，又能确保译文容易为译语读者所理解接受。
5.增译法。指在译文中直接增补理解成语所需的相关信息。
总而言之, 翻译汉语成语时, 为了保留原文形象, 能直译则尽量直译, 即按字面翻译；不能直译时, 我们也不能因词害义, 可以翻译其实际意义；如能在英文中找到意义完全对等的成语, 我们也可采用这种套译法。
一般来说, 正规文体中, 汉语成语多采用形象的
逐字翻译；非正规文体中, 多采用简洁的大意翻译。
.6.2 四字格的翻译策略
四字格又称四字结构，是汉语的
一种独特的词汇现象。它是由四个汉字
组成的词语。其词语内部的组合关系也相对稳定。
四字格包括汉语中所有四个字组成的词语结构，也就包括了四字成语。虽然成语也有三字成语和多字成语，但大多数成语是四字结构，因此四字格和成语的翻译方法有不少共同之处。
但值得注意的是，有不少四字结构或前后两部分意义重复，或前后两部分只具备整体意义。翻译时只需译出一个意义或整体意义，以避免译文累赘。如
生动活泼lively 光辉灿烂brilliant植树造林afforestation 繁荣昌盛prosperous
丰功伟绩great achievements风调雨顺good weather for the crops
声嘶力竭o shout oneself hoarse 心灰意懒to feel disheartened 鸡皮疙瘩goose-flesh
天长地久as old as the hills
总之，四字格的翻译是灵活多样的，既要照顾形式，也不必拘泥于形式。但也不能完全不顾形式造成滥译和误译，必须以语义相符、功能相似为客观标准，尽可能使译文自然、贴切，可读性强。如以下四字格及供参考译文：
质地优良to be excellent in quality / with superior quality
品种齐全in complete range of articles 选料考究choice material
做工精细fine workmanship 色泽鲜明bright-colored
货到付款payment against arrival 名牌产品name brand product
驰名中外to be popular both at home and abroad 久负盛名with a long standing reputation
万古流芳will be remembered throughout the age
名垂青史to go down in history家喻户晓o be widely known假冒产品fake goods
伪劣产品low-quality goods欢迎订购order welcome投资热点investment hot spot
敬请光临You’re i nvited to come.工业园区industrial Park经济特区special economic zone
土地租赁land lease国有资产state assets无形资产intangible assets
物价指数price-rise index开拓进取to work hard with a pioneering spirit
德才兼备with both professional ability and political integrity
公平竞争fair competition国家机关state agency
惩治腐败to combat corruption暂行条例interim regulations合法权益lawful right and interest 长治久安to maintain long-term stability
3.6.2. 谚语的翻译
(一) 直译方法, 把原文的内容,形式和精神都输入到译文中去, 努力减少翻译中的损失。
1) 明枪易躲, 暗箭难防
It is easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow shot from hiding.
2) 城门失火, 殃及池鱼
a fire on city wall brings disaster to the fish in the moat.
3) 路谣知马力,日久见人心.
As a long road tests a horse’s strength, so a long task proves a person’s heart
4) 初生牛犊不怕虎. New-born calves make little of tigers.
5) 落井下石Hit a man when he is down.
6) 天下乌鸦一般黑All crows are equally black.
7) 秀才不出门，全知天下事。
Without stepping outside his gate, the scholar knows all the wide world’s affairs.
(二) 意译
1) 众人拾柴火焰高Many hands make light work.
2) 此地无银三百两. a. A guilty person gives himself away by
conspicuously protesting his innocence. b. no 300 taels of silver buried here.
3) 君子一言，驷马难追 A word spoken is past recalling
4) 生灵涂炭plunge the people into misery and suffering
(三) 套译：一方面可使译文更加通顺；另一方面更容易为译文读者理解和接受.
1) 三思而后行.Look before you leap. (直译: think thrice and then do it.)
2) 爱屋及乌Love me, love my dog.3) 心有余而力不足The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.4) 猫哭老鼠to shed crocodile tears.5) 笨鸟先飞The early bird catches the worm.
6) 新官上任三把火A new broom sweeps clean. 7) 人靠衣裳马靠鞍A tailor makes the man. 8) 一朝被蛇咬十年怕井绳A burnt child dreads the fire.
1) 大伯笑呵呵地对我说: “我们北方人都喜欢睡炕,你也将就点吧. 俗话说: “入乡随俗嘛.
Uncle said to me smilingly, “we northerners like to sleep on our kangs. You’ll have to put up with it. As the proverb goes, Do as the Romans do .”
2) “谋事在人，成事在天”，咱们谋到了，靠菩萨的保佑，有些机会，也未可知。（《红楼梦》第六回）Man proposes, God disposes. Work out a plan, trust to Buddha, and something may come out of it for all you know.
3.6.3惯用语的翻译(一).惯用语的直译
1)连根拔tear up by the roots 2)走后门get in by the backdoor
3)走下坡路go downhill 4)一窝蜂like a swarm of bees
5)及时雨timely rain 6)九牛二虎之力the strength of nine bulls and two tigers
7) 病急乱投医turn to any doctor one can find when critically ill.
(二) 部分直译的惯用语. (除了直译外, 需加译). 例:
1) 卷铺盖pack up and quit 2) 饱眼福feast one’s eyes on sth. 3) 咬耳朵whisper in sb’s ear
4) 扇阴风, 点鬼火fan the winds of evil and spread the fires of turmoil
(三) 惯用语的意译. 1) 门外汉a man outside the gate → a layman
2) 小广播a small br oadcast station → spreading of hearsay information
3) 风凉话cold words → irresponsible and sarcastic remarks
4) 扣帽子put a cap on sb. →put a label on sb.
5) 寻短见look for a short view → commit suicide或take one’s own life
有些习惯用语有很浓的中国文化色彩, 有的含有中国历史典故或古代人名, 有的涉及中国地名或宗教, 若按照字面直译, 会让英美读者感到十分费解. 如:
1) 赔了夫人又折兵give one’s enemy a wife and lose one’s soldiers as well
改译: suffer a double loss instead of making a gain)
2) 跑了和尚跑不了庙the monk may run away, but the temple can’t run with him
改译: a fugitive must belong to some place that can provide clues
3) 不到黄河心不死not stop until one reaches the Yellow River
改译: not stop until one reaches one’s goal
4)说曹操, 曹操到mention Cao Cao and there he is改译: talk of the devil and he will appear.
四) 惯用语的套译. 1) 杀/煞风景be a wet blanket 2) 拍马屁lick sb’s boots
3) 放空炮spout hot air; talk big 4) 绕圈子beat about the bush5) 摆架子put on airs 6) 灌米汤butter sb. up 7) 露马脚let the cat out of the bag 有一部分惯用语能在英语习语里找到同比喻者一致的对等物. 如:
1)开绿灯give the green light 2)泼冷水pour cold water on 3)唱反调sing a different tune 4)挖空心思rack one’s brain 5)试金石touchstone