一、英漢習語比較

從形和義的角度來看，英漢習語的異同大體表現在以下四個方面：

A.英漢習語形義全同, 這類習語為數少，例如：

Barking dogs do not bite.吠犬不咬人。

Who is contented, enjoys.知足者常樂。

Misfortunes never come singly.禍不單行。

It is harder to change human nature than to change rivers and mountains.江山難改，本性難移。

Like father, like son. 有其父必有其子。

B. 習語形義基本相同, 這類習語比上面一類在數量上要多些，例如：

as light as a feather(or as thistle-down)輕如鴻毛

to take a load off one's mind如釋重負

to run in the same groove; to cut from the same cloth.如出一轍

to make a beast of oneself形同禽獸

He that hath been bitten by a serpent is afraid of a rope.一朝被蛇咬，十年怕草繩。

Shallow streams make most din.水深不響， 水響不深。

Money makes the mare go.有錢能使鬼推磨。

Reckless youth makes rueful age.少壯不努力，老大徒傷悲。

C.英漢習語形似義異,這類習語相當多，例如：

When a dog is drowning every one offers him drink. (狗若落水人人救，強調人人伸出援之手。)

救了落水狗，反咬你一口(強調好心得不到好報)

Ignorance of the law is no excuse of breaking it. (法盲犯法不可恕，強調嚴格執行法律。)不知者無罪(強調網開一面)

Strike while the iron is hot (強調"抓住時機")趁熱打鐵(著重"抓緊行動")

Lock the stable-door after the horse is stolen.(強調為時已晚。)

亡羊補牢(強調受到損失后想法彌補，以免再受損失。)

D.英漢習語形異義似, 例如：

A word spoken is past recalling. 一言既出，駟馬難追。

Great boast, small roast.干打雷， 不下雨。

Take not a musket to kill a butterfly. 殺雞焉用宰牛刀。

as dumb as an oyster 守口如瓶

to hit someone below the belt/to stab someone in the back 暗箭傷人

as weak as water 弱不禁風

E.英漢習語形義完全不同，例如：

cast one's bread upon the waters不期望報答所作之事

keep the wolf from the door免于饑餓，勉強度日

make one's blood freeze令人恐懼

have bats in the belfry頭腦有點古怪

see the sun活著

二、翻譯英語習語應注意的幾個問題

A. 準確理解習語，切毋望文生義，弄出笑話來。例如下面幾例就是因為理解錯了，所以譯文不對：

(1)John likes to pat himself on the back. 約翰喜歡捶自己的背。(正確譯法：約翰喜歡自吹。)

(2)Then it happened that I had to answer the call of nature, and, passing, I saw the risen dough, which seemed to say to me, "Do it!" In brief, I let myself be persuaded. 碰巧我現在得對自然的召喚作出答復(正確譯法：碰巧這時我想解手)，走著，我看到了發起來的面團，它好象對我說，"撒吧!"簡單地說，我真的這么做了。

(3)He kissed the hare's foot. 他吻了兔子的腳。(正確譯法：他遲到了。)

有時，一些貌似有理據或合乎邏輯的習語極易導致人們相信自己直覺而疏于查考，單從字面或比喻意義去聯想，造成理解以至表達的錯誤。這就要求譯者不能馬虎，不能望文生義，而需殫精竭慮，采取細針密縷的態度。例如： There is no love lost between them.很容易被理解成"他們彼此恩愛，感情從未破裂"，而實際意思卻是"他們互相憎恨，毫無愛情可言。" 類似的例子還有：

(1) It is a good horse that never stumbles.好馬也有失蹄時。(不宜譯成"良馬不失蹄")

(2) It is a good man that never stumbles, and a good wife that never grumbles.

好丈夫也有過失，好妻子也會嘮叨。(不宜譯成"從不失足的丈夫是好丈夫，從不嘮叨的妻子是好妻子")

(3)It is an ill bird that fouls its own nest.

再壞的鳥也不至于弄臟自己的窩。(不宜譯成"弄臟自己的窩的是壞鳥雀".)

(4) Time and tide wait for no man. 時光如潮水， 不等任何人。(不宜譯為"時光和潮水不等人".)

(5) Of soup and love, the first is the best.

戀愛如喝湯， 頭一碗最香。(不宜譯?quot;頭一次喝湯戀愛最好".)

(6)In choosing a wife and buying a sword we ought not to trust another.

擇妻如選劍， 不能靠別人。(不宜譯為 "擇妻和選劍不能靠別人。")

(7) There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope.

黑夜不能阻止日出， 難題無法抹殺希望。(不宜譯為 "黑夜和難題無法擊敗日出和希望")

(8) People will be long forgetting her.人們會長久記住她的。(不宜譯為 "人們在很長時間內會忘記她".)

B. 采用套譯法時，要特別注意避免使用民族特色太濃的漢語成語來套譯英語習語，否則譯文在上下文中就會顯得不倫不類，損及原意。例如：

(1) Beauty lies in lover's eyes.情人眼里出美人。(不宜譯作"情人眼里出西施".)

(2) Many heads are better than one. 一人不及眾人計。(不宜譯作"三個臭皮匠，頂個諸葛亮".)

(3)Never offer to teach fish to swim.不要教魚兒游泳。(不宜譯作"不要班門弄斧".)

(4) Even a worm will turn. 逼人入絕境，綿羊也反抗(不宜譯作"狗急跳墻".)

(5)Give a dog a bad (an ill) name and hang him. 讒言可畏(不宜譯為"欲加之罪，何患無辭"，其本意是指"一旦給人加個壞名聲，他就很難洗刷掉了".)

(6) Lock the stable door when the horse has been stolen.賊去關門。 (不宜譯作"亡羊補牢"，其原意是"馬盜鎖廄門，為時已太晚".)

(7) A miss is as good as a mile. 錯無大小， 其錯一樣。 (不宜譯作"失之毫厘，謬以千里".)

(8) have the face 恬不知恥，厚臉皮(不是有面子)

(9) to pull somebody's leg 開玩笑(不是拖后腿)

(10) a big fish in a small pond 山中無老虎，猴子也稱王。(或： 林中無鳥雀稱王。不是 "小塘容不下大魚".)

C.有些習語有多種譯法，哪種譯法恰當要視具體語境而定:

(1)Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.

(金錢)積少自然成多。/小事謹慎，大事自成。

(2)One swallow does not make a summer.

一燕不成夏。/輕率推論必成大錯。/一關渡過并非萬事大吉。

(3) Still water runs deep. 靜水流深。/外表淡漠然而內心深情。/沉默者深謀。

(4)Don't cross the bridge till you get to it.到了橋邊才過橋。/不必擔心太早。/不必自尋煩惱。

(5)He laughs best who laughs last.誰笑在最后，誰笑得最好(鼓勵)。/不要高興得太早(警告)。

(6)Don't cast out the foul water till you bring in the clean.清水未來，莫潑臟水。/新的不來，舊的莫丟。

環球網校友情提示：以上內容是英語翻譯資格頻道為您整理翻譯資格筆記講義：翻譯層次 習語譯法，點擊下面按鈕免費下載更多精品備考資料。