習語、引語的口譯：3. 意譯

3. 意譯

還有一類習語，在結構和字面意思上，英漢兩種語言似乎無相近之處。其確切的意思有時難以捉摸。遇到這一類習語，譯員要根據交談雙方的話題、意圖及談話的背景和上下文意思等因素，充分理解所用習語的含義，采用意譯、意譯加注和其它變通方法，最重要的是譯出話語的真正含義。同時，盡可能的保留原語的民族和地方色彩。不要按字面意思死譯，以免造成歧義。以下習語的口譯就屬這一類。

a far cry from… 與……相差甚遠；大不相同

to face the music 勇于承擔后果

to spill the beans 不慎泄密

to be up to one's ears 有許多事情要做；忙于

to beat around the bush 旁敲側擊，轉彎抹角

to cut corners 節(jié)約

to hold one's horses 別忙；耐心點；別沉不住氣

in one's element 在行；擅長

on one's toes 機靈

once in a blue moon 極難得；千載難逢

to see eye to eye 與(某人)看法一致

straight from the shoulder 直截了當

to take something with a grain of salt 對某事半信半疑或不全信

to put all one's eggs in one basket 孤注一擲; 冒險

to teach one's grandmother to such eggs 班門弄斧；好為人師

to put the cart before the horse 本末倒置

to miss the boat 坐失良機

to burn the candle at both ends 過分耗費精力

to poke one's nose into… 探聽; 干涉

to play for one's own hand 為自己的利益而做

to pull wool over one's eyes 蒙蔽某人

to call a spade a spade 實話實說, 直言不諱

Birds of a feature flock together. 物以類聚, 人以群分。

Love me; love my dog. 愛吾及犬；愛屋及烏。

Rome was not built in a day. 羅馬不是一天建成的; 偉業(yè)非一日可成; 冰凍三尺, 非一日之寒。

Half the world knows not how the other half lives. 富人不知窮人苦; 飽漢不知餓漢饑。

有些漢語習語、俗語、歇后語有強烈而濃厚的民族色彩，意譯不能確切表達原意。必須采用意譯加注，說明必要的歷史文化背景，才能很好傳達原意。例如：

臥薪嘗膽 to sleep on brushwood and taste gall-----to undergo self-imposed hardships so as

to strengthen one’s resolve to wipe out a national humility；to endure hardships to accomplish

some ambition.

望子成龍 to hope one’s child will become somebody in the future；to hope one’s child will

have a bright future; to hold high hopes for one’s child

不到長城非好漢。 He who fails to reach the Great Wall is not a true hero；not stop until one’s

aim is obtained

八仙過海，各顯神通。 The Eight Immortals crossing the sea-----each shows his/her special prowess (in the legend, they were described as fairies with different magic arts)；Like the Eight Immortals soaring the ocean, each of you should show your true worth.

打破砂鍋——問（紋）到底 breaking an earthenware pot -----(lit)-cracked to the bottom；

(pun) interrogate thoroughly；to get to the bottom of a matter

引語的口譯主要靠譯員平時的勤學和積累。一個成功的譯員不僅要有熟練的英漢語言技能，而且要有廣博的英漢文學、歷史、文化知識，掌握一定數(shù)量的英漢名人格言、經典佳句。因此，譯員只有平時用心銘記，注意收集，不斷充實，用時才能左右逢源，得心應手。下邊是一些廣為流傳的英漢名人格言和經典佳句，配有英漢譯文，可供口譯學習者參考。