经典直译误区（一）：习语与长句直译

一、习语成语和词汇中的误区

习语成语中的误区

英语中有丰富的习语成语，增强了语言表达能力。其中大部分可以直译，或用汉语中相应的习语套用。例如：the open door policy开放政策，the cold war 冷战，to fish in troubled waters 混水摸鱼，strike while the iron is hot 趁热打铁，at sixes and sevens 乱七八糟。但是还有一些习语成语必须意译才能表达出其正确含义。

She was born with a siver spoon in her mouth.
她出生在富贵之家。

You''re talking through your head again.
你又在胡说八道了。

You should keep your nose out of here.
你别管闲事。

Good to begin well, better to end well.
要善始善终。

词汇翻译中的误区

有些词汇在某些场合下具有了新义，如果直译就会曲解原意。所以，要根据语言环境确定具体词义。英语中词义发展变化十分常见。

He is the last person for such a job.
他最不配干这件事。

Every life has its roses and thorns.
人生有苦有甜。

The wedding, which Heyward still remembered with pride,was attended by a who''s who of Boston Society.
赫华德仍然记得，参加婚礼人中有一位波士顿的社会名流，这让他感到十分得意。

二、长句直译误区

在较长英语句子中存在着比较复杂的关系，很难按原则顺序用一句汉语表达出来，这就要根据英文句子特点和内在联系进行意译，不能的直译长句主要有三种处理方法。

1.根据句子内在逻辑关系和汉语表达习惯进行翻译。例如：

The differences are that the dwellers of the new caves would see more greenery, under ecologically healthier conditions, than dwellers of surface cities do today.
同今天地面城市的居民相比，新洞穴居民如果在比较健康生态环境中生活，会有更多机会见到青枝绿叶。

这个句子并不复杂，但不好译。这个句子有三层关系，比较、条件和结果，按这种逻辑关系翻译就十分省事。

2.有些长句需要直译与意译结合，顺译与递译结合，需要综合处理。

But a broader and more generous, certainly more philosophical view is held by those scientists who claim that the evidence of a war instinct in men is incomplete and misleading , and that man does have within him the power of abolishing war.
有些科学家观点更开阔，更富有普遍性和哲理性。他们指出，有关人类战争本能的证据尚不完全，而且容易引起误解，事实上，人类自身具有消除战争能力。

这个句子主句部分可以意译，从句部分可直译。

It was that population that gave to California a name for getting up astonishing enterprises and rushing them through with a magnificent dash and daring and a recklessness of cost or consequences.
那里人们富于大无畏开创精神，建立了庞大的企业，敢冒风险，势如破竹，一干到底，不顾及成本，因此为加利福尼亚赢得了声誉。

这个句子虽长，结构不复杂，如果进行直译，其译文将十分逊色，如果进行综合处理，译文将有声有色地传达原文神韵。

3.由于有些句型不同于汉语思维方式，常常需要进行倒译。

Textile finishes have in general become a "no-no" in today''s market place,thanks to many reasons, says a representative of fiber producer.
一位纤维厂家的代表说，由于许多原因，纺织物整理剂在如今的市场上已经到了无人问津的地步。