中國(guó)俗語(yǔ)的翻譯技巧

我們?cè)S多中國(guó)人愛(ài)用俗語(yǔ)、成語(yǔ)、俚語(yǔ)。由于中美兩國(guó)文化、風(fēng)俗、思想、習(xí)慣的差異，如果照字直譯，或把單字「堆在一起」，老外聽(tīng)了，也許就會(huì)「滿頭霧水」、「迷迷糊糊」，成了他們所說(shuō)的「只有你們中國(guó)人聽(tīng)得懂」的「中國(guó)英文」（Chinese English）。 
上海翻譯公司是一家有資質(zhì)的翻譯公司，在此，上海翻譯公司把一些常見(jiàn)的中文俗語(yǔ)與一般老外的說(shuō)法相對(duì)比較，或許可供有興趣的讀者參考。 
1. 人山人海：有人直譯為：People mountain people sea. 
這就是「中國(guó)英文」，老外很難理解。他們指「人多」時(shí)，通常只說(shuō)：「There is a large crowd of people.」如果看到電影院門(mén)前大排長(zhǎng)龍，也只說(shuō)：「There is (was) a long movie line.」 
不過(guò)在詩(shī)詞用語(yǔ) (poetic expression) 里，老外也有使用：「a (the) sea of faces」，頗有咱們「人山人?！沟奈兜?。例如： 
Looking out upon the sea of faces, Mr. A delivered a touching speech.（望著一片人山人海的聽(tīng)眾， A先生發(fā)表一篇?jiǎng)尤说难菡f(shuō)。） 
Standing at his podium, President Clinton saw a sea of faces waving at him.（柯林頓總統(tǒng)站在講臺(tái)上看到人山人海的人群揮手向他致意。） 
可見(jiàn)，說(shuō)話者通常要在臺(tái)上或高處，才有「人?！沟母杏X(jué)。因此，可以說(shuō)：I saw a sea of faces from the top of the building. 但在平地的人群中，就不說(shuō)：「I saw the sea of faces.」也不說(shuō)：「There is a sea of faces.」只說(shuō)：「I saw a large crowd of people.」 
2. 家家有本難念的經(jīng)：有人譯成：Every family cooking － pot has a black spot. (意思是：每個(gè)家庭的鍋?zhàn)佣加泻谏奈埸c(diǎn)) 
這樣說(shuō)法，老外恐怕不能充分了解。不過(guò)老外最常的說(shuō)法是： 
Many families have skeletons in the closet. (許多家庭的衣柜里都有骨骸) (骨骸就是指家丑)
或者說(shuō)： 
Every family has its own source of shame. (每個(gè)家庭都有自己的丑事) 
說(shuō)白些，就是： 
Every family has its own problem. 
3. 天下無(wú)不散的宴席：有人直譯為：There are no feasts in the world which do not break up at last. 
老外聽(tīng)后，也許很難體會(huì)其中意義。如果按照美語(yǔ)說(shuō)法，也許更易理解： 
All good things come to an end. (意思是：所有好的事情，總有結(jié)束的一天。) 
假如是指好友最后也有分別的一天，那么可以說(shuō)： 
Eventually, all bosom friends will drift apart. (bosom friend 是指知心的好友) 
4. 平時(shí)不燒香，臨時(shí)抱佛腳：有人照字直譯為：When times are easy, we do not burn the incense,but when the trouble comes, we embrace the feet of the Buddha. 
這種說(shuō)法，老外也會(huì)「一知半解」。美語(yǔ)里一般說(shuō)法是： 
Worship God every day; not just in times of adversity. (要每天敬拜神，不是只在困難時(shí)。) 
對(duì)學(xué)生也可以說(shuō)： 
If you study hard every day, exams will not seem overwhelming. (如果你每天用功，考試就不會(huì)形成壓力。) 
5. 掛羊頭，賣(mài)狗肉：有人照字直譯為：He advertises mutton, but sells dog's flesh. 或 He hangs up a sheep's head at the shopfront and sells dog meat. 
這兩種譯法，恐怕老外都難理解，尤其談到「狗肉」，他們更會(huì)「反感」，因?yàn)楣肥撬麄冏類(lèi)?ài)的寵物，不過(guò)老外倒有相近的說(shuō)法： 
He applied bait-and-switch factics in business. (他經(jīng)商的策略是先引誘顧客來(lái)，再改變貨物的品質(zhì)。) 
(Bait-and- switch 當(dāng)名詞用) (也可不用連字號(hào)) 
This store uses bait and switch policy. 
或者簡(jiǎn)單的說(shuō)： 
Let the buyer be aware! (讓消費(fèi)者提高警覺(jué)) ; 或 
Say one thing and do another. 
6. 一言既出，駟馬難追：有人譯成：One word lets slip and four horses will fail to catch it. 或 A statement that once let loose cannot be caught by four galloping horses. 
這兩種說(shuō)法，中文味道嫌重，老外未必理解。不過(guò)他們倒有類(lèi)似的說(shuō)法： 
A word once let go cannot be recalled. 
或者說(shuō)： 
You can not take back what you have said. (你說(shuō)出的話，就不能再收回來(lái)。) 
7. 禍從口出，言多必失：有人譯為：The mouth is the gate of misfortune and evil. 
老外聽(tīng)了，恐怕不能完全理解。最好說(shuō)成： 
Careless talk leads to trouble. (不小心說(shuō)話，會(huì)帶來(lái)麻煩); 或 
The less said the better. (說(shuō)的愈少愈好) 
甚至也可以說(shuō)： 
Shut the mouth and open the eyes. (閉嘴少說(shuō)，張眼多看。)