汉译英——成语的翻译精要.ppt

成语的翻译 What is a idiom ? Idioms are words, phrases, or expressions that cannot be taken literally. In other words, when used in everyday language, they have a meaning other than the basic one you would find in the dictionary. Every language has its own idioms. Idioms are set phrases or short sentences that are unusual either grammatically or semantically for their meanings cannot be derived from the conjoined meaning of its elements, as in “It’s raining cats and dogs!” Break a leg Literal meaning: I command you to break a bone in your leg and you should probably go to the doctor afterwards to get it fixed. Idiomatic meaning: Do your best and do well. Often, actors tell each other to “break a leg” before they go out on stage to perform. Now look at the following sentences and see if you can translate them easily. 1. He is easily the best student in the class. 2. I can’t agree more. 3. The gave the boy the lie. 4. This is a very good price. 5. She sighed for her mother. 6. I won’t do it to save my life. 7. I dare say he is honest. 8. I have no opinion of him. 9. He was then bright in the eye. 10. Their panic was their only punishment. 11. Calculation never makes a hero. 1. The word “easily” means “without doubt, by far” in sentence 1. 他绝对/无疑是班上最好的学生。 That could easily be the answer we are looking for. (easily: possibly) 那可能就是我们正在寻找的办法。 2. “More” is not the object of “agree”, but its adverbial. This is a negative form to express the superlative degree. 我完全同意。我举双手赞成。 3. give: scold, punish. 他们指责那男孩说谎。 4. “Good” is a typical word whose meaning is often vague. 真便宜。 5. sigh for: feel a deep longing for …that is lost of far away. 她很怀念她的母亲。 an exile who sighs for home 想念家的流浪者 6. The infinitive phrase here is an adverbial of concession. 我宁死也不干。 ＊不定式短语作让步状语： ＊To do his best, he could not fulfill his task in time. 即使他竭尽全力，他仍不能按时完成任务。 7. Many words will lose their usual meaning in colloquialism. “I dare say” here shows a tone that the speaker