原 文:
Directly I had spoken it I knew I had made a mistake.
原 譯:
我直接說了出來,我知道我犯了個錯誤。
辨 析:
原譯把句中directly看成了副詞,修飾動詞had spoken,所以譯成了“直接說出來”。實際上,這里directly是一個連接詞,其意思是as soon as(一旦;一……就……)。在本句中directly并不修飾had spoken,而是連接兩個并列的從句I had spoken it和I knew I had made a mistake。請看與這一句中directly類似的用法:I came directly I got your letter.此句的意思不是“我收到你的信后直接來了”,而是“我收到你的信后馬上來了”, 或“我一收到你的信就趕緊來了?!贝送猓瑥倪壿嬌峡?,原句中的mistake不是說出來的內(nèi)容,而是指說話這件事(也許是說了錯話或不應該說的話,也許根本就不應該開口說話),所以全句應譯成:我剛說出口,就知道自己犯了個錯誤。
這類以-ly結(jié)尾的、由副詞轉(zhuǎn)化而成的連接詞還有instantly,immediately等,如:
I recognized her instantly I saw her. 我一看見她一眼就認出她來了。
You may leave immediately the work is finished. 活一(干)完你就可以走。