摆脱中式英语 2|佛山英语培训

文本来源：佛山商务英语培训 首选爱德华国际英语

07.我们要把祖国建设成为社会主义的现代化强国.
[误] We will build our motherland into a socialist modern powerful country. [正] We will build our motherland into a modern powerful socialist country. 注:形容词作为修饰语在汉语和英语中都很常用,但使用的先后次序却有所不同.在英语中我们一般遵循"靠近原则",即越能说明本质属性的修饰词越靠近它所修饰的名词,当从这一点看不出区别时,就靠词的长短来决定,短的在前,长的在后.原文中最能说明"国家"本质的定语是"社会主义的",所以 socialist 要最靠近它所修饰的中心词.

08.我想要一点白酒.
[误] I'd like a little bit of white wine.
[正] I'd like a little bit of liquor. 注:汉语的"酒"可指任何酒,包括白酒,葡萄酒,啤酒,甚至米酒;但英语中则要分别用 liquor,wine,beer及 rice wine表示. 所以要注意,英语的wine与汉语的"酒"是有区别的,它仅指点葡萄酒.而且 red wine 是红葡萄酒,white wine 是白葡萄酒.

09.中华人民共和国主席
[误] Chairman of the People's Republic of China
[正] President of the People's Republic of China 注:以前,我们一直将"主席"翻译为 chairman,例如:great leader Chairman Mao(伟大领袖毛主席).其实"主席"与 chairman 并不等义,chairman 在英语中通常指会议或某一具体组织的负责人,它的权力和重要性不及中文的"主席".这就是为什么1983年,在我国《宪法》的英译单行本中开始使用 President一词,并沿用至今.另外,国内仍有不少词典把"班/级长 (学校的)"译为"class monitor",这是"四人帮"时代的产物,那时的"班长"是专司监管学生的,所以译作"monitor".而"班长"的正确译文应该是"class president".

10.转战南北
[误] fight south and north
[正] fight north and south
注:在地理方位的表达习惯上,中英文有一定的区别.中国人习惯于先"东西"后"南北",而且在涉及"南北"时,习惯于先说"南",再说"北",如:"南征北战","南来北往"等.而英美人与此正好相反,如"江苏在中国的东南部"英文是 Jiangsu is in the south-east of China, 而"新疆在中国的西北部"应译为 Xinjiang is in the north-west of China.

11.人都是这山望着那山高,对自己的现状没有满意的时候.
[误] Almost all people think that the other mountain is higher than the one he's standing on. They never feel saisfied with what they've already got.
[正] Almost all people think that the grass is greener on the other hill. They never feel satisfied with what they've already got.
注:"这山望着那山高"是指人不满足于现状的心理,它在英语中已经有了现成的说法,即 the grass is greener on the other hill(他山的草更绿),因此我们借用即可,这样既方便又更有利于与西方人沟通.

12.北京申奥成功的消息令我们热血沸腾.
[误] Beijing's winning the bid for the Olympics makes our blood boil.
[正] Beijing's winning the bid for the Olympics makes us excited.
注:make one's blood boil 是指"激怒某人",而非"使人激动".英语中"使人激动"的说法除了 make one excited,还有较为口语化的 make one's spine tingle.

文本来源：佛山商务英语培训 首选爱德华国际英语