文化的不同在语法中也会有很大的差异,下面就英语单词“吃醋进行讲解。
原文:She spoke with a touch of vinegar.
译文:她说话带着一点醋意。
辨析:乍一看译文一点不错,还有点文采,但实际上却是错译。此句的关键在于 vinegar 的隐喻含义。Vinegar是“醋不错,但这两个中英文词只有在指那种带酸味的调料(即词的本义)时,意思才是一样的。“说话带点醋意当然不指说话人嘴里真的带醋味儿,而是隐喻,表示妒忌(即隐含意义connotative meaning)。
然而,英语中的vinegar的隐含意义不同于汉语“醋的隐含意义,与嫉妒无关,而是表示“不高兴或“尖酸刻薄。因此,原句应译为:她说的有点刻薄。
不过要注意:vinegar 在美语中还有“精力充沛的意思,如 a kid full of vinegar 是“一个活蹦乱跳的小伙子。
反过来,汉语的“吃醋当然也不能译成 eat/taste vinegar,而应是 be jealous。有趣的是,英语文化中把“嫉妒和 jaundice(黄疸)连起来,说某人嫉妒是 be jaundiced。顺便说一下,形容一个人言谈迂腐、说话酸溜溜的,英语是 pedantic 或 priggish;a sour fellow 是“一个脾气乖张的人;the sweet and sour of life则指“人生苦乐。
与之有关的颜色隐喻,英汉也不一样,汉语中嫉妒别人常说“得了红眼病,而英语却说green-eyed。嫉妒被称为 green-eyed monster;莎士比亚把“嫉妒称为 the green sickness。
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