易錯(cuò)翻譯解析：14 希望消失了嗎？

14 希望消失了嗎？

原 文：

For these people, hope dies slowly.

原 譯：

對(duì)這些人，希望就這樣慢慢地消失了。

辨 析：

slow固然有“慢”的意思，Collins Cobuild English Language Dictionary給的第一個(gè)定義就是moves or does something without much speed。但在翻譯時(shí)也需根據(jù)上下文選用確切的措辭：He spoke slowly.（他慢條斯理地說。）He is slow of speech.（他口齒不伶俐。）The police were slow in coming.（警察姍姍來遲。）We enjoyed a slow Sunday at home.（我們?cè)诩依镉崎e地度過了一個(gè)星期天。）但上述詞典中slow還有一個(gè)釋義：Takes a long time, especially more time than is usual or expected，即“比通?；蛞饬系男枰嗟臅r(shí)間”，所以不能一概譯作“慢”，如：He is slow in making up his mind.（他要花很長(zhǎng)時(shí)間才下決心。也可譯為：他總是下不了決心。）Slow help is no help.（過了很長(zhǎng)時(shí)間才來的幫忙算不上幫忙。也可譯為：不及時(shí)幫忙等于沒有幫忙。）The crowd was breaking up very slowly.（人群遲遲不肯散去。）原句中slow也是這個(gè)意思，指“要花很長(zhǎng)時(shí)間”，所以全句可譯為：他們遲遲不肯放棄希望。（或：他們過了很長(zhǎng)時(shí)間還抱著一絲希望。）那么怎么翻譯下面這一句呢？Only slowly have they begun to realize their mistake. 譯成“只是慢慢地他們才開始認(rèn)識(shí)到自己的錯(cuò)誤”當(dāng)然不好，不妨譯成：他們過了很長(zhǎng)時(shí)間才認(rèn)識(shí)到自己的錯(cuò)誤。（或：他們遲遲沒有認(rèn)識(shí)到自己的錯(cuò)誤。）

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