上集講咗5個中英對譯嘅例子,如果未睇「神翻譯!(上)」嘅話,記得睇番啦!事不宜遲,快啲拎起枝筆,一齊抄低下集中英對照嘅成語諺語︰

一講曹操,曹操就到

Speak of the devil.
中文以曹操代稱正被議論的人剛巧出現,而英文則是惡魔(Devil)一詞,二者並沒有太多負面影射嘅意味,英語則較多是戲謔的成份。

 

Speak of the devil! Sam is over there now.
一講曹操,曹操就到!Sam 依家就喺嗰度。

 

行百里者半九十

He laughs best who laughs last.
這句說話意思是笑到最後的人才是笑得最好,告誡我們在最後勝利前也不可鬆懈,應慎終如始,才可萬無一失。

 

We should not loosen ourselves as our project is only half way through. He laughs best who laughs last.
行百里者半九十,我們只完成了計劃的一半,尚未可以鬆懈。

 

無風不起浪

Where there is smoke, there is fire.
兩者喺因果關喺,因為有風所以刮起海浪,英文則是因有火所以有煙霧,以自然現象解釋事出必有因嘅道理。

 

Where there is smoke, there is fire. He would not show up for no reason.
無風不起浪,他一定喺因為某些原因而出現。

 

江山易改,本性難移

A fox may grow gray, but never good.
英文意思為狐狸外表或者會變,但本性都喺壞嘅,表示一個人外表可以轉變,但本質都喺難以變好,同時可以有其他表達方法:

Leopards cannot change their spots.
Old habits die hard.

 

He cheated on you before, you should never do business with him again. A fox may grow gray, but never good.
他曾經騙過你,你唔應該再同佢做生意。始終江山易改,本性難移。

 

家家有本難唸的經 / 難言之隱

Every family has a skeleton in the cupboard./A skeleton in the closet.
英文的 skeleton(骷髏)與中文的難唸的經類同,一樣是指一些難以對外說明的事情,所以收在別人不可觸及的地方,比起中文帶點無奈嘅感覺,英文表達似乎多了一份神秘感。

 

You do not have to tell me all. I know that every family has a skeleton in the cupboard.
你不需要同我講晒全部嘅事,我明白家家有本難唸的經。

 

學咗咁多,記低佢地,適當時候可以加插一兩句,講中又得,講英都得,自信心都返晒嚟!