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句子:達賴喇嘛在臺灣所到之處,當地民眾對他嗆聲。
誤譯:Wherever Dalai Lama went in Taiwan, the local people made choking sounds to him .
正譯:Wherever Dalai Lama went in Taiwan, the local people voiced strong protests against him.
解釋:漢英詞典將“嗆”譯為to choke。它的意思是to be unable to breathe because the passage to your lungs is blocked or you cannot get enough air,即“抽噎”。若將“嗆聲”字對字譯為choking sound,就犯了錯誤。其實choking sound的意思是“因呼吸困難而發出的急促喘息聲”,與“嗆聲”毫不相干?!皢苈暋?來自閩南話,即“唱聲”,是臺灣民眾常用語,意思是“大聲發出自己的聲音,表達自己的意見和想法,以激烈話語公然向對方挑釁抗議”。英語可以譯為 to provoke, to voice strong protests against。例如:1. 你怎么敢跟我嗆聲?How dare you provoke me?
“嗆”(讀第四聲)的第一個意思是“有刺激性的氣體進入呼吸器官而難以忍受”。英語可以譯為 to irritate, to choke, to stifle。例如:2. 消毒水的氣味嗆鼻子,我受不了。As the smell of the disinfectant irritates my nose, I cant stand it. 3. 我被公共廁所的惡臭嗆得幾乎喘不過氣來。I nearly choked at the foul smell of the public lavatory.4. 濃煙彌漫房間,嗆得消防隊員們喘不上氣來。The heavy smoke filled the room and almost stifled the firemen.
“嗆”(讀第四聲)的第二個意思是比喻“說話生硬尖刻有火氣”。英語可以譯為 provocative。例如:5. 為什么你今天說話這么嗆?Why do you speak in such a provocative way today?“嗆”(讀第一聲)的意思是“因水或食物進入氣管引起咳嗽,又突然噴出”。英語可以譯為 to choke。例如:6. 這個孩子吃飯吃嗆了。The child choked over his food. ▲
(本欄目供稿:王逢鑫教授)
環球時報2009-09-18