筆譯考前必看實(shí)用翻譯技巧 5

五、漢語(yǔ)成語(yǔ)翻譯的多樣性

例：歡天喜地

1)寧榮兩處上下內(nèi)外人等，莫不歡天喜地。(曹雪芹：《紅樓夢(mèng)》，第十六回)

Then high and low alike in both mansions were filled with joy.

2)那小廝歡天喜地，答應(yīng)去了。(曹雪芹：《紅樓夢(mèng)》，第三十九回)

The boy assented and made off in high spirits.

3)我才已經(jīng)和他母親說(shuō)了，BANNED已經(jīng)歡天喜地應(yīng)了。(曹雪芹：《紅樓夢(mèng)》，第七十二回)

I've spoken to Chaixia's mother and she's consented gladly.

4)兩個(gè)小頭目聽(tīng)了這話，歡天喜地，說(shuō)道：“好了!眾人在此少待一時(shí)。”(施耐庵：《水滸傳》，第十七回)

The junior officers were delighted.“Excellent,” they said. “Just wait here a little.”

5)不論歸遲歸早，那婦人頓羹頓飯，歡天喜地服侍武松，武松倒過(guò)意不去。(施耐庵：《水滸傳》，第二十四回)

Whenever he returned home，whether early or late，Golden Lotus had food ready.She served him with obvious pleasure.It rather embarrassed him.

6)得蒙差遣，歡天喜地，收拾槍刀。(施耐庵：《水滸傳》，第六十三回)

Happy with their mission，they gathered their weapons.

7)石寶得勝，歡天喜地，回城中去了。(施耐庵：《水滸傳》，第九十五回)

The victorious Shi Bao returned to Hangzhou in jubilation.

8)他們沒(méi)有殺人的罪名，又償了心愿，自然都?xì)g天喜地的發(fā)出一種嗚嗚咽咽的笑聲。(魯迅：《吶喊》中的《狂人日記》)

Then they can enjoy their hearts’ desire without being blamed for murder.Naturally that delights them and sets them roaring with laughter.

漢語(yǔ)成語(yǔ)“歡天喜地”形容非常高興，其中“歡”和“喜”表示高興，“天”和“地”表示“非常”的意思，并非真正表示“天地”。這是漢語(yǔ)文學(xué)作品中常用的成語(yǔ)之一。像這樣的成語(yǔ)并不能根據(jù)其字面意思來(lái)翻譯，“天”和“地”不能譯成，heaven和earth。這條成語(yǔ)可根據(jù)原文的實(shí)際含義來(lái)翻譯：to be highly elated。我們也可用對(duì)等的英語(yǔ)成語(yǔ)來(lái)翻譯：to go into raptures;to be in high glee。上面8個(gè)例句中的“歡天喜地”采用了8種不同的譯法，充分顯示了多樣性譯法的優(yōu)越性：1)were filled with joy;2)in high spirits;3)gladly;4)were delighted;5)with obvious pleasure;6)happy;7)in jubilation;8)delights。

在采用多樣性翻譯方法時(shí)，可參考英語(yǔ)的和漢語(yǔ)的同義詞詞典，也可參考英漢和漢英詞典。比如，在翻譯漢語(yǔ)成語(yǔ)“大驚小怪”時(shí)，我們可以先參考英語(yǔ)同義詞詞典，查fussy這一基本詞條，同時(shí)再參考漢英成語(yǔ)手冊(cè)，查“大驚小怪”的各種英譯。綜合以上兩類詞典里的相應(yīng)詞語(yǔ)和詞組，“大驚小怪”就會(huì)有大量的多樣性譯法：

(1)be surprised or alarmed at sth quite normal

(2)be surprised or alarmed at sth perfectly common

(3)make a fuss about nothing

(4)make unnecessary ado about trifles

(5)make a fuss about(sth)

(6)fuss about[over]sth[trifles]

(7)much ado about nothing

(8)much[great]cry and little wool

(9)a flurried[hurried]ado about trifles

(10)get alarmed for[about]nothing

(11)get nothing for nothing

(12)get all stirred up over nothing

(13)make a terrible to-do about sth

(14)a storm in a teacup

(15)a tempest in a teapot

(16)a teapot tempest

(17)a tempest in a barrel

(18)a tempest in a bucket

(19)create about(it)

(20)like a hen with one chick[chicken]

(21)alarmism

(22)fussy

(23)get jittery for nothing

(24)great alarm at a little bogey