1、英语口语之精华-英语最高境界、脏话翻译英语学习的最高境界 子曰：“吾十有五而志于学，三十而立，四十而不惑，五十而知天命，六十而耳顺，七十而从心所欲，不逾矩。 ” Confucius said, “Since the age of 15, I have devoted myself to learning; since 30, I have been well established; since 40, I have understood many things and have no longer been confused; since 50, I have known my heaven
2、-sent duty; since 60, I have been able to distinguish right and wrong in other peoples words; and since 70, I have been able to do what I intend freely without breaking the rules.” 春秋战国时期，人的平均寿命是多少呢？一种说法，大约是十九岁。孔子活了 72 到 73 岁，少有的寿星。即使我们只计算当时有权有闲阶层，一般也很难达到孔子的高寿，所以，孔子的修行是很高的，非一般人所能企及。所以，孟子的理想社会是 70 岁的
3、人有肉吃。 The average life expectancy at the Spring and Autumn Periods and Warring States Periods was, according to some research, about 19 years. Confucius lived 72 to 73 years, a rare god of longevity indeed. It was even hard for those with power and leisure to reach such an age. Therefore, Confucius
4、could be very well learned, far from what an ordinary people could expect at his times. Thus, Mencius“s ideal society was enabling 70 year old people to have meat in their meals. 2001 年最新统计证明全球人口平均寿命为 62.27 岁。世界各国和地区中最长寿的仍是日本人，平均寿命达 79.66 岁。而中国人的平均寿命为 69.98 岁。还是没有达到七十而从心所欲的年龄。难怪，不逾矩很难。 The latest st
5、atistics in 2001 shows that the world life expectancy is 62.27 with the Japanese taking the lead to be 79.66 while China gaining a position surpassing all developing countries by its 69.98. However, the Chinese have not yet reached the age to do what they intend freely without breaking the rules. Th
6、us, rules are hard not to be broken. 若以孔子志学的时间推算，我们学习英语 10 年，也没有什么了不起，还没有到而立之年呢。要想没有疑问，学 25 年。要想真正懂得学习英文的目的，学 35 年。要想辨别他人英文的好坏，学 45 年。要想随心所欲地运用英文，学 55 年。 Calculated in the terms Confucius set for us in learning, those of us who have been learning English for ten years still have a long way to go bef
7、ore reaching the time to be established. To have no confusion, one has to spend 25 years. To truly understand the purpose of English learning, one has to do it for 35 years. It takes 45 years if one wants to distinguish right and wrong in other peoples words, and 55 years to manipulate English langu
8、age freely without breaking the rules. -英语学习的最高境界 子曰：“吾十有五而志于学，三十而立，四十而不惑，五十而知天命，六十而耳顺，七十而从心所欲，不逾矩。 ” Confucius said, “Since the age of 15, I have devoted myself to learning; since 30, I have been well established; since 40, I have understood many things and have no longer been confused; since 50, I
9、 have known my heaven-sent duty; since 60, I have been able to distinguish right and wrong in other peoples words; and since 70, I have been able to do what I intend freely without breaking the rules.” 春秋战国时期，人的平均寿命是多少呢？一种说法，大约是十九岁。孔子活了 72 到 73 岁，少有的寿星。即使我们只计算当时有权有闲阶层，一般也很难达到孔子的高寿，所以，孔子的修行是很高的，非一般人所
10、能企及。所以，孟子的理想社会是 70 岁的人有肉吃。 The average life expectancy at the Spring and Autumn Periods and Warring States Periods was, according to some research, about 19 years. Confucius lived 72 to 73 years, a rare god of longevity indeed. It was even hard for those with power and leisure to reach such an age.
11、Therefore, Confucius could be very well learned, far from what an ordinary people could expect at his times. Thus, Mencius“s ideal society was enabling 70 year old people to have meat in their meals. 2001 年最新统计证明全球人口平均寿命为 62.27 岁。世界各国和地区中最长寿的仍是日本人，平均寿命达 79.66 岁。而中国人的平均寿命为 69.98 岁。还是没有达到七十而从心所欲的年龄。难怪
12、，不逾矩很难。 The latest statistics in 2001 shows that the world life expectancy is 62.27 with the Japanese taking the lead to be 79.66 while China gaining a position surpassing all developing countries by its 69.98. However, the Chinese have not yet reached the age to do what they intend freely without b
13、reaking the rules. Thus, rules are hard not to be broken. 若以孔子志学的时间推算，我们学习英语 10 年，也没有什么了不起，还没有到而立之年呢。要想没有疑问，学 25 年。要想真正懂得学习英文的目的，学 35 年。要想辨别他人英文的好坏，学 45 年。要想随心所欲地运用英文，学 55 年。 Calculated in the terms Confucius set for us in learning, those of us who have been learning English for ten years still have
14、 a long way to go before reaching the time to be established. To have no confusion, one has to spend 25 years. To truly understand the purpose of English learning, one has to do it for 35 years. It takes 45 years if one wants to distinguish right and wrong in other peoples words, and 55 years to man
15、ipulate English language freely without breaking the rules. -英文粗话、脏话的翻译 世界上大概没有哪一种语言文字不带粗语、脏话的成分。特别是文学作品里，粗语、脏话时有所见（所闻） 。我们用母语演讲、写作时完全可以做到少用或者不使用这类不文雅的字眼，但在作翻译时就身不由己了。对原作中所出现的粗鄙字眼，即所谓“四字母词(four letter words） ”如果避而不译，或者在翻译时随便加以“净化” ，说得轻点就是不“信” ，说得重点是对原作的歪曲。无论原话有多“粗” 、多“脏” ，它们毕竟是原作的有机组成部分。在文学作品中，出自某些人
16、物之口的诅语、粗话，正是他们心理活动、情绪变化的写照。也是作家借以表现人物性格的重要手段之一。英文里最常见的诅语恐怕非“damn”一词莫属了。另外， “son of a bitch“也常用作骂人的话。对这些“老牌号”诅语，汉语里似乎已有相对固定的译法，前者多译作“该死” ，后者常译为“婊子养的”或“狗狼养的” 。有“老牌”就有“新秀” 。发现， “shit”一词作为诅语，大有后来居上之势。在当代文学作品里，在人物的对话中，该词的出现频率相当高。不仅男人将其挂在嘴边，女流之辈也频频使用；不光成人说，小孩也会用；受过良好教育者时不时要用到，更不用说那些缺少修养的“大老粗”们了。凡是遇到不顺心的事，
17、或表示厌烦、不满、困惑想发牢骚时，人们动不动就是“shit” 。正因为该词可用来表示多种复杂的心态和情绪，在译成汉语时译者就得多一个心眼，不能把目光停留在英汉词典所列举的那么几个有限的选择上，而应根据上下文和其表达的不同含义，在汉语里挑选感情色彩相应或相当的同语加以表达。请看下面的例句：1 The telephone rang. “Shit， ”Dale said. The phone kept ringing. “Dont answer it”， she whispered. “It might be Joanna， ”I said. “No. Its your fucking friend
18、 Bloom， ”she said. It was my fucking friend Bloom.” 恋人独处时当然希望清静，不愿外界打扰。对话双方正是一对热恋中的情侣。电话铃声大作时两人正在上演作爱前奏，怪不得女方口出租言。 “shit”一词的脱口而出恰如其分地表现出了她此时的厌烦、不满之情，译成“讨厌”比较合适。 （Joanna 是男方与前妻所生的女儿，Bloom 则是他同事） 。2 I put the receiver back on the cradle. Frank was still staring and scowling at me.“Whatd he want？”he as
19、ked. “Theyve got George Harper Morrie asked me to represent him during the Q and A.” “Shit,”Frank said.”与上例一样， “shit”独立成句，但所表达的意义有所不同。Frank 对自己的搭档（一民事律师事务所的合作者）要去插手一桩刑事案件大为不悦，指责人家“多管闲事” ，在这种背景下，“shit”译为“乱弹琴比较符合人物的心理。 除了独立成句外， “shit”还可在句子中充当其他成分，例如： 3 “Some powful shit Cost enough，but，man，it was powf
20、ul ” 这是一个黑人妇女在注射毒品后所说的， “shit”显然是毒品的代名词。 powful shit 可译为“挺厉害的玩意儿” 。 4 “Susan， ”I said， my voice rising， ”I called to tell you that Im home and Joanria is still in Mexico，Shell be back this Saturday and thats all I have to say to you.” “Thats not a11 Eliot will have to say to you.” “I welcome a call
21、from that mealy-mouthed shit， ”I said， and hung up， trembling. 这是一对已离婚的夫妻在电话里的对话。女方责怪前夫不该自己先回国而把女儿留在墨西哥。 Eliot 是女方“的私人律师中男方对他本来就有反感，听到前妻提到他的名字便气不打一处来，“shit”用来指人，可译为“混蛋” 。 5 “Yes. She was a very beautiful woman, Morrie.” “Yeah， ”he said， and shook his head，“Thats the shit of it，aint it？From what I ge
22、t from the complaint，she was beaten up real badSo now she turns up on the beach，burned to deathDoes it seem like a coincidence to you？” 这是一个警官与律师在谈论一桩凶杀案。受害老是一个年轻美女，案情扑朔迷离，警方一筹莫展， “shit”出自一个警官之口，正是他无可奈何心境的写照。与例 3、例 4 不同的是，该词在上下文中尽管也用作名词，但没有明确的指代关系 R 是暗示案情复杂，难以理清头绪，因此翻译时就不一定要译成相应的名词。将“Thats the shit
23、of it”译作“事情怪就怪在这里” 。 下面再看看与“shit”有关的一个复合词。 6 “Susan，cut it out ” “Cut what out?“ “This bullshit about Dale.“ “l certainly hope you dont use that kind of language in Jodannas presence. Its bad enough” 7. She told me a woman out on Fatback Key formed a committee“ “Oh，yeah，that bullshit committee， 在以上两
24、例中,shit 与 bull 一起构成 bullshit，前一个为名词后一个用作形容词，修饰 committee。从上下文看, 前者指的是说话人前妻 Susan 对现在的情人 Dale 所使用的一个很难听的称号,另外考虑到下文里对方的抗议，即“that kind of language 和“bad enough“，认为可将 bullshit 译作“狗屁”. bullshit committee 措的是一个群体淫乱团伙，故将其译作“乌七八糟委员会” 。 除“shit”外，在此类词中较常见的还有“fuck （fucking，fucker） ，piss，cunt 等，这些词单个地偶尔出现在文章或作品
25、里并不足为怪；但若同时出现在同一句子中，则不得不令人称奇。下面就有这么一个例子： “And her languagewell， she curses a lot， even more than any of the other girls dothats normal for Saint Marks， cursing a lot，the whole shit，piss，cunt，fuck routine， you know。 But Heather really goes overboard with it，like shes trying to prove how mature she is
26、，you know what I mean?“ I was still reeling over the string of profanities my fourteenyearold daughter had casually dropped into the conversation。 双引号中是一位上中学的女儿向父亲介绍班上一位名叫Heather 的同学时所说的话，目的是想告诉父亲她这位同学是如何满口脏话，不知羞耻，其中单引号里的四个词是典型的“four letter words”。翻开英汉词典， “shit”和“piss”分别是“大便”和“撒尿” ，如此这般译成中文，平淡无奇，不足以
27、表现 Heather 那种缺少教养、俗不可耐的“小痞子”神态。而“cunt“是女性生殖器，“fuck是指发生性行为，直译过来显然也不妥。遇到这种情况，译者不必拘泥于原文字面意义，应跳出原文局限，在汉语词汇中挑选出几个粗俗、脏鄙的字眼来。将上文拟译如下： “还有她的言谈唉，她满口脏话，比别的女孩子脏话都多在圣马克中学，满口脏话者大有人在，像他妈的，日他娘，狗日的，操你奶奶之类，知道不？但希瑟更是有过之而无不及，像是要证明她是多么成熟似的。懂我的意思么？” 我十四岁的女儿一口气说出了这么一长串粗鲁的语言，一时令我目瞪口呆。 从字面上看，英语里的“四字母词”与汉语中的鄙语似乎想去甚远，但在表达效果上却基本一致，也算得上是一种“貌离神合”吧。-
