刺繡 (embroidery)是中國民間傳統(tǒng)手工藝之一,在中國至少有二三千年的歷史。刺繡是用針和線將一定的圖案繡在織物上的一種藝術,在帽子、外套、裙子、襯衫、毯子以及床單上面最常見。由于絲綢質量上乘,大部分中國刺繡都是絲綢刺繡。在中國古代,帶有精美刺繡的衣服和家居用品是財富和地位的象征?,F(xiàn)如今,刺繡仍深受人們的喜愛。蘇州的蘇繡、湖南的湘繡、四川的蜀繡、廣東的粵繡各具特色,被譽為中國的四大名繡。它們均被列為國家級非物質文化遺產。
翻譯點撥
1. 民間傳統(tǒng)手工藝:譯為traditional folk handcraft,其中handcraft意為“手工藝”,“手工藝”翻譯成handwork也可以。
2. 將一定的圖案繡在織物上:“繡”即stitch,“織物”可以翻譯成fabric或textile?!袄C在織物上”是stitch...onto fabric,注意其中的介詞不能用on或at。
3. 帶有精美刺繡的:譯為elaborately embroidered,也可翻譯成定語從句,如:which are exquisitely embroidered。
4. 各具特色:譯為with specific characteristics of their own,還可以翻譯成with their own unique features。
5. 被譽為……:譯為be hailed as。hail為動詞,意為“熱情地承認”。
參考譯文
Embroidery
Embroidery is one of the traditional Chinese folk handicrafts with a history of at least two or three thousand years. Embroidery is the art of stitching certain design onto fabric with needle and thread. It is most often seen on hats, coats, dresses, shirts, blankets and sheets. Because of the superior quality of silk fabric, most Chinese embroideries are made in silk.Elaborately embroidered clothing and household items used to be a symbol of wealth and status in ancient China. Nowadays, embroideries are still deeply loved by people. With specific characteristics of their own, Suzhou embroidery, Hunan embroidery, Sichuan embroidery and Guangdong embroidery are hailed as the top four most famous embroideries in China. All of them have been listed as China's national intangible cultural heritages.
知識小貼士
十字繡(cross-stitch)是刺繡的一種,最早的十字繡是用從蠶繭(silkworm cocoon)中抽出的蠶絲在動物毛皮制成的織物上進行刺繡,后來進而被人們用來裝飾衣物和家具。十字繡以其繡法簡單,外觀高貴華麗、精致典雅、別具風格,很快在歐洲皇室宮廷(the courts of European royalty)中風行,成為皇室貴族休閑娛樂的首選,后來逐漸傳入民間,廣泛流行于歐洲和美國以及亞洲的一些國家和地區(qū)。經(jīng)過幾百年的發(fā)展,如今十字繡的基本材料是純綿的繡線、特殊工藝制作的(be made through special processes)網(wǎng)格面料及設計圖稿,各種顏色的刺繡線都有編號,每幅圖案都被設計師作了特殊處理,每張設計圖稿都是按照線號來制作的,即使是很復雜的圖案,只要按照設計圖稿的位置選用適當?shù)木€進行刺繡就可以完成。由于它是一項易學易懂的手工藝愛好,更是藝術的創(chuàng)新,因此流行非常廣泛,受到不同年齡的人們的喜愛。