從“cities and cities”的譯法說起

閆躍

最近翻看《牛津高階英漢雙解詞典（第9版）》，在第67頁看到這樣一個句子：

I like city life but there are cities and cities. 我喜歡城市生活，但城市之間也有差異。

請注意詞典對后一個分句的翻譯。乍一看，我們很容易將“cities and cities”譯為“城市和城市”，但明顯又邏輯不通。從形式上看，它是兩個相同名詞由and連接而成的詞組；從意義上看，這類詞組可以用來突出同類事物彼此之間的差異。因此，“cities and cities”不可直譯，而是表示“這樣的城市和那樣的城市”“彼此不同的城市”。再如：

There are books and books. 既有好書，也有壞書。

There are doctors and doctors. 既有良醫，也有庸醫。

這類名詞詞組也可用來強調事物的數量之大。例如：

There are ants and ants on the ground. 地上到處都是螞蟻。

They talked for hours and hours and finally reached an agreement. 他們談了好幾個小時，最終達成一致。

像上面這種用and把兩個詞連接起來，表示一個完整概念的詞組叫做成對詞。英語成對詞種類繁多，其中一種是具有重復關系的成對詞，通常用來加重語氣或描述一個持續的過程，本文現對這類重復型成對詞作一簡述。

1. again and again：再三地，反復地。同義詞組為over and over。例如：

The clothes have been patched again and again.這幾件衣服上補丁摞補丁。

Over and over， the same stories kept cropping up.同樣的一些故事老是反反復復地冒出來。

2. around and around：該詞組具有介詞和副詞的功能，表示“環繞著……（不停地轉動）”“一圈又一圈地”，用以描述某一連續不斷的動作。同義詞組為round and round。例如：

The little child was running around and around the tree. 那個小孩子繞著樹一圈又一圈地跑。

Don Quixote attacked the windmill but it was still turning round and round. 堂吉訶德攻擊風車，但風車仍在不停地轉動。

3. in and in：同種繁殖，近親結婚，同種類內部地。例如：

We are against marrying in and in. 我們反對近親結婚。

該詞組也可用作前置定語，但需加上連字符。例如：

Degeneration is the result of in-and-in breeding.生物退化是同種繁殖的結果。

4. neck and neck：并駕齊驅，不分上下，難分高低，勢均力敵。例如：

They were running neck and neck to the finishing line.他們并駕齊驅跑向終點線。

The candidates were （running） neck and neck in this election. 這場選舉中候選人難分高下。

5. on and on：不停地，連續不斷地，持續很長時間地。例如：

Jack drove on and on through the dense and blowing snow. 杰克在大雪紛飛中不停地驅車前進。

It is difficult to survive a desert of ice stretching on and on. 在無邊無際的冰雪荒原中生存下來是很難的。

Today it was washing， ironing tomorrow， next day baking， after that scrubbing—thus on and on. 今天洗衣服，明天熨衣服，后天烤完面包擦地板，如此這般，周而復始。

6. out-and-out：十足的，公開的，不折不扣的，不加掩飾的。例如：

This is out-and-out big-power chauvinism. 這是徹頭徹尾的大國沙文主義。

The Olympic theme tune“Amigos para Siempre”proved an out-and-out success. 事實表明，奧運主題曲《永遠的朋友》獲得了極大的成功。

He was an out-and-out liar and what he said was an out-and-out lie. 他是個不折不扣的騙子，他說的話從頭到尾都是謊言。

7. so-and-so：（用作代詞）某某事，某某人；（用作名詞）壞蛋，卑鄙的人，討厭的家伙；（用作副詞）如此這般地。例如：

He asked them to do so-and-so. 他叫他們做某某事。

Ask so-and-so. He will be able to tell you， I am sure.問某某人，我相信他會告訴你的。

The wicked so-and-so was arrested by the police and held for questioning. 那個可惡的混蛋被警方逮捕并拘押訊問。

8. such and such：某某（人、物、時間或數量），這樣那樣的（人或事）。該詞組用作限定詞或代詞，也可寫作such-and-such。例如：

If they tell you to go to such and such places， dont agree unless it is convenient. 如果他們叫你去某些地方，你若不方便就不要答應。

If you dont mind being asked about your personal income， the normal reply will be that you earn such and such per year. 如果你不介意被人問到個人收入，通常的回答就會是你每年掙多少多少錢。

9. through and through：完全，徹底，地地道道地，徹頭徹尾地。例如：

The rain drenched him through and through. 雨淋得他渾身濕透。

She knows Mr. Evans through and through. 她對埃文斯先生了解得很透徹。

You are your fathers child through and through. 你真是你爸的孩子，處處像他。

I will say one thing for Sandra—she is a professional through and through. 我要為桑德拉說一句——她是個真正意義上的專家。

10. thus and thus：如此這般。同義詞組為thus and so。例如：

He reported that he had done thus and thus in the matter. 他報告說，那件事他是如此這般做的。

The teacher is very fussy about the way you write your report. If you dont do it thus and thus， she will give you a lower mark. 老師對寫報告的方式吹毛求疵。你如果不按照她規定的方式去寫，她就會扣分。