四級(jí)考試翻譯備考筆記(4)
任何語(yǔ)言都有語(yǔ)體之分,有高雅的、通俗的、粗野 的,還有俚語(yǔ)、公文用語(yǔ)及術(shù)語(yǔ)等。文學(xué)作品中,作家通過(guò)不同的語(yǔ)體來(lái)刻畫(huà)人物的性格特征,更是常用的方法。翻譯時(shí),必須審其雅俗,量其輕重,這樣,才能恰如其分地表達(dá)原文的精神。
詞義有感情色彩和語(yǔ)體色彩的不同。如死就有許多委婉的說(shuō)法:
to expire 逝世 to pass away 與世長(zhǎng)辭
to close ones day 壽終 to breathe ones last 斷氣
to go west 歸西天 to pay the debt of nature 了結(jié)塵緣
to depart to the world of shadows 命歸黃泉 to give up the ghost 見(jiàn)閻王
to kick the bucket 翹辮子 to kick up ones heels 蹬腿
又如懷孕也有許多委婉的說(shuō)法:
She is having a baby. She is expecting.
She is in the family way. She is knitting little booties.
She is in a delicate condition. She is in an interesting condition.
又如警察:
policeman 正式用語(yǔ) cop 美國(guó)口語(yǔ)
bobby 英國(guó)口語(yǔ) nab 美國(guó)俚語(yǔ)