中英文有時會字對字譯,就左估右猜,或者用Google Translate 都可以幫到手,但原來唔少成語諺語會有非一般嘅譯法。
今次搵黎以下嘅例子:
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入鄉隨俗
Do in Rome as the Romans do.
雖然話中嘅主角喺羅馬人,但意思就喺廣泛地指,如果你到了一個地方,就應該跟隨那裡嘅人做事嘅方式同禮儀習俗等,唔喺只適用於羅馬的。
You are a newcomer to this town, so you ought to keep the rule of “do in Rome as the Romans do” in mind.
你初來這個小鎮,所以應該要記住「入鄉隨俗」這四個字。
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錦上添花
Apples of gold in pictures of silver.
中西嘅藝術風格唔同,令佢地嘅諺語各有色彩。中文的美上加美喺錦緞上繡花,而西方則金銀為主,以金襯銀,閃閃生輝,兩者各有美態,一樣美輪美奐!
The new characters of your novel are like apples of gold in pictures of silver!
你小說的新角色簡直喺錦上添花!
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小題大做/大驚小怪
A storm in a teacup.
中英都有以大小作對比,中文直接對比,而英文則形象化地表示,一個茶杯內嘅風暴,表示無傷大雅,不必過分擔心嘅意思。
The minor setback is nothing but a storm in a teacup.
小小的挫折無須大驚小怪。
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惺惺相惜
Like knows like.
意思指相似嘅人自然會明白同互相欣賞,十分精妙!
We became friends in the first sight. It must be what called like knows like.
我們第一次見面就成為了朋友,這大概就是惺惺相惜的感覺。
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知足常樂
A contented mind is a perpetual feast.
這句說話指嘅喺有滿足的心就喺擁有永久嘅盛宴,中英也教會我們要適量地追求,知道何謂足夠。
If you truly understood the meaning of a contented mind is a perpetual feast, you would spend more time with your family instead of drowning yourself in work.
如果你真喺明白咩喺知足常樂,你就唔會只喺做野而唔理家人。
今集就講到呢度,大家記熟以上5個中英對譯嘅例子後,記得去睇埋「神翻譯!」嘅下集啊!