中式英语之鉴.doc

The English Learner`s Guide to Chinglish
The English Learner`s Guide to Chinglish
中式英语之鉴
,什么事情都办不成。
[误] With et like him, nothing can be plished.
[正] With a jinx like him, nothing can be plished.
注:“扫帚星”是中国人对“慧星”(comet)的俗称,因其后面象拖着的一条像扫帚一样的长尾巴而得名。在中国
古代,“扫帚星”被认为是灾难的预
兆,并被用来比喻不吉利的人或事;祸根:(person or thing that is thought to bring)bad luck(to sb/sth
);curse。et 虽然没有这层含义,
但却有一个对应的说法,即 jinx。例:There's a jinx on/Someone's put a jinx on this car: it's always giving
me trouble. “这辆汽车上有什么妨人的东西,总
给我找麻烦”。
,各有所爱。
[误] Some prefer radish but others prefer cabbage.
[正] Tastes differ.
注:Tastes differ/vary 是句英语谚语,除此以外,原句还可翻译成:No dish suits all tastes. / You can never
make everyone happy. / All things fit not all
persons. / Every man has his hobbyhorse[liking]. / Every man[one] to his(own) taste. / It is difficult to cater
for[to] all tastes. / It is hard to suit all tastes. / No dish
suits all tastes. / Some persons like to eat radishes, others prefer cabbages--people's tastes are various. /
There is no accounting for tastes. / There is no disputing
about tastes. 等。《新概念英语》第三册第23课的标题是:One man's meat is another man's poison.
,从不认错。
[误] He has always got a hard mouth and never admit a fault.
[正] He never says uncle.
注:say (cry) uncle: to give up or in; to surrender; to admit defeat. Mainly used by boys, as when fighting。
主要是男孩们打架时的用语,当一方想制服另一
方时,就用命令的口气说:“Say uncle!”这时,有的孩子为了表示不服输,就是不说。后来,say uncle 就成了“
服输”的代名词,而 not say uncle 就相
当于“嘴硬”了。
。
[误] The teacher likes this sweet-mouthed little girl very much.
[正] The teacher likes this honey-lipped little girl very much.
注:中国人喜欢说“嘴甜”,但 honey-lipped 更符合英美人的语言习惯。
,因为他经常拍老师的马屁。
[误] The student all dislike him because he often pats the teacher's ass.
[正] The students all dislike him because he often licks the teacher's boots.
注:以前在欧洲,臣民见到国王与王后往往要葡匐到在,亲吻他们的靴子。后来,人们将 lick the boots 引申为“
为了某种目的而讨好某人”,它与汉
语的“拍马屁”含义一样。在美国英语中,“拍马屁”还有另一种说法,即 polish the apple,它典出以前的