乔布斯传翻译笔记：iMac是可触摸的技术

1998年苹果推出iMac，简洁塑料外壳（the simplicity of the plastic)，透亮水蓝（sea-green blue)，设计精致。最让人称奇的是，电脑镶嵌了凹陷提手（there's a handle on it)。iMac是台式电脑(desktop computer)，大多数人不会携带(not many people were going to carry around it)，而凹陷提手有何用意呢？本期与你探秘iMac的经典创作。

【英语原文】

Back then, people weren’t comfortable with technology. If you’re scared of something, then you won’t touch it. I could see my mum being scared to touch it. So I thought, if there’s this handle on it, it makes a relationship possible. It’s approachable. It’s intuitive. It gives you permission to touch. It gives a sense of its deference to you. Unfortunately, manufacturing a recessed handle costs a lot of money. At the old Apple, I would have lost the argument. What was really great about Steve is that he saw it and said, “That’s cool!” I didn’t explain all the thinking, but he intuitively got it. He just knew that it was part of the iMac’s friendliness and playfulness.(Chapter 27 THE IMAC: Back to the Future)

【译文】

当时，人们都对科技并不感冒。如果你敬畏一些东西的话，你也就不敢亲近它。我就看到我妈妈不敢碰计算机。我想，要是它上面有个提手，就能使一种关系变成可能。它是可以接近的，与生俱来的，允许你去触摸它，感知它的与众不同。糟糕的是，制作一个凹陷提手需要大量投入。要是在以前的苹果公司，我的想法肯定会被否决。但让人惊喜的是，乔布斯第一眼看到它时，就说，“这太酷了！”我从来没向他解释过为何要这样设计，但他就是自然而然就领会了。他认为，这就是iMac友好及有趣的方面之一。

【翻译笔记】

1.handle v.处理, 对待, 操作, 触, 买卖

The speaker was roughly handled by the mob.
演说者受到暴民的粗暴对待。

I was impressed by her handling of the affair.
我觉得她对此事的处理很了不起。

An officer must know how to handle his men.
当军官的应懂得怎样统率士兵。

n.把手, 柄

Pick up the typewriter case by the handle.
抓住把手，把打字机箱子拿起来。

You operate the mechanism by winding this handle.
操纵这台机器要转动这个把手。

The handle of this teapot has an awkward shape.
这茶壶把儿的形状真别扭。

2.intuitivea. 直觉的

Are women more intuitive than men?
女子比男子的直觉力更强吗?

Large screen display, more intuitive to Inspect.
超大屏幕显示，查阅更为直观

intuition  n. 直觉，直觉的知识

His intuition is invariably correct.
他的直觉常常是正确的。

She sensed what was wrong by intuition.
她凭直觉意识到什么地方出毛病了。

It was said in a flash of intuition.
这话是凭一刹那的直觉说出的。

3.deference n. 顺从，敬重

I changed my plan in deference to your opinion.
我听从你的意见，改变了计划。

He showed deference to his coach.
他尊重教练。

defer v.推迟, 延期, 使延期入伍，顺从, 把…委托给他人

I defer to your greater experience in such things.
在这些问题上，我尊重你丰富的经验。

You could defer the matter to your colleague.
你可把这件事委托给同事去办。

Let's defer the decision for a few weeks.
我们推迟几个星期再作决定吧。

4.iMac 简介

iMac是一款苹果电脑生产，针对消费者和教育市场的一体化苹果Macintosh电脑系列。 iMac的特点是它的设计。早在1998年苹果总裁斯蒂夫·乔布斯就将 "what's not a computer" （不是电脑的电脑） 概念应用于设计iMac的过程。结果造就了软糖－－iMac G3，台灯－－iMac G4和像框－－iMac G5。 由于iMac在设计上的独特之处和出众的易用性，它几乎连年获奖。(下图分别为1998，2002,2004,2007,2011年机型）