翻译经验：潜意识中的翻译经验（上）

翻译经验：潜意识中的翻译经验（上）

第一：要对翻译的重要性有深刻的、充分的认识，翻译的对与错、好与坏有时会产生绝然不同的效果。例如，天涯海角：不是the End of the World (应为Land’s End / End of the Earth) 。再如，一小时内免费送机票上门：不是We give you tickets free of charge within one hour.（应为We offer free delivery of your air tickets within one hour after your booking confirmation.）

第二：要善于仔细地、深入地、准确地理解中文原文的意思。这是因为准确的理解是做好翻译的前提。例如，摸着石头过河：不是crossing the river by feeling the stones。(而是wade across the stream by feeling the way )正确的做法应该是按照下面的步骤去做：

1.“摸着石头过河”的字面意思如何理解？ 转自:考试网 - [Examw.Com]

2.它有什么暗含或延伸的意思？

3.英语有没有相同或类似的说法？.如果有，就可以直接借用；如果没有，是进行直译还是意译？

4.如果直译为 crossing the river by feeling the stones是否能被外国人理解？

5.过河是乘船过(crossing by boat)还是淌水过(wading across)，动词用什么形式？

6.这里的河是大河、中河还是小河 (river, stream, brook, etc.)？

7.摸的方式是用手摸还是用脚触？

8.石头是大石头还是小石头(rock, stone, pebble, etc.)？

9.如果意译为 learning by experiment / by trial and error是否可取？

10.直译和意译相结合wading across the stream by feeling the way如何？

第三：中文和英文的对应词有时意思并不相同或者不完全相同，不能照字面翻译。例如，他的英语说得真好，就像外国人一样。不是He speaks English so well, he sounds like a foreigner.而是He speaks English so well, he sounds like a native speaker.

拉动经济增长：不是pull economic growth，而是push/lift/increase/boost/stimulate/spur/drive/fuel/speed up/accelerate/generate/ fire up/ propel/ facilitate/reinforce/aid/assist/support/promote/encourage/foster/(sustain/maintain)。素质教育：不是quality education，而是caliber-focused education 或trait-centered education。

第四：有时候中文字面的意思表达不充分，部分信息被省略了或被隐藏起来了。例如，特区是个窗口，是技术的窗口，管理的窗口，知识的窗口，也是对外政策的窗口。不是：The special zone is a window. It is a widow for introducing technology, management and knowledge. It is also a window for foreign policy. 而是The special economic zones are a window opening onto the outside world. They are a window through which to bring in from abroad sophisticated technology, advanced managerial expertise and up-to-date know-how. It is also a window through which to disseminate China’s external policies.

再如，退耕还林：不是return farmland to forest，而应该是restore “woodland-converted farm-plots” back for afforesting 。春运：不是spring transportation，而是the rush / peak season of passenger transportation during the Spring Festival。

第五：有些中文词语没有什么特殊涵义，而与之相对应的英文词语却有着特殊的涵义。例如，与“便宜”、“价廉”相对应的“cheap,”它有时候会带有贬义，成为“质次价低”的意，如cheap jewelries, cheap dresses, cheap furniture 等。我们可以说I bought a cheap watch for my child，对小孩无所谓；但不能说I bought a cheap dress for my girlfriend. 因为这样说会冒犯对方。在后一种情况下必须用inexpensive一词。

第六：避免用中式英语进行表达，而要尽量用地道的英语进行表达。假如我们要把“我过去学过一些法语，但现在都忘了，都还给老师了”这句话翻译成英语，最好不要说 I learned some French in the past. Now I have forgotten it. I’ve returned it to the teacher. 比较好的说法是 I used to know some French, but I’ve forgotten it. It has found its way back to my teacher.

再比如我们要用英语说“我攒了一大堆赃衣服，等着周末来洗，”最好不要说I have accumulated a large amount of dirty clothes. I’m going to wash them at the weekend. 比较好的说法是 I have a lot of laundry to catch up at the weekend.