外交部的英文翻譯有多牛?連“呵呵”都譯出了精髓!
中國日報雙語新聞微信 2021-12-26 08:00
今年,“外交天團”金句頻出,字字鏗鏘、句句在理,展現(xiàn)了不卑不亢的大國氣度。
同時,外交部的翻譯也常常令人叫絕,精準地向世界傳遞出中國聲音。
本文為大家盤點了2021年外交部精彩翻譯,一起來學習!
1. 吃著中國的飯,還砸著中國的鍋
They should know better than to bite the hand that feeds them.
3月29日,在談到一些外國企業(yè)僅僅依據(jù)謊言就拒用新疆棉花的話題時,趙立堅評論道:做生意要講究尊重,一面賺著中國消費者的錢,一面對中國抹黑攻擊、損害中國利益。
“吃著中國的飯,還砸著中國的鍋”,天下哪有這樣的美事?
They should know better than to bite the hand that feeds them. There is no way to get away with this.
Bite the hand that feeds one是一句地道英語習語,指有人為你提供衣食、讓你依靠,你卻傷害或冒犯對方,可以簡單理解為忘恩負義,恩將仇報。
2. 揣著明白裝糊涂
play dumb and feign innocence
5月25日,在被問及福島核污染水排放相關話題時,趙立堅說,“日方為一己之私做出的危險決定,將遺害子孫后代和全球生態(tài)。”
這筆賬如果日方不算明白,國際社會必會幫他算明白。如果日方揣著明白裝糊涂,國際社會肯定不會答應。
If the Japanese side can't understand this, the international community will help it to get this point. If it still plays dumb and feigns innocence, the international community will never allow it.
feign /fe?n/ 假裝 裝作
3. 以其人之道,還治其人之身
paying them back in their own coin
6月8日,趙立堅針對關于反外國制裁法立法目的提問做出回應:
為了堅決維護國家主權、尊嚴和核心利益,反對西方霸權主義和強權政治,今年以來,中國政府已多次宣布對有關國家的實體和個人實施相應反制措施。“以其人之道,還治其人之身”。
In order to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, dignity and core interests and oppose Western hegemonism and power politics, the Chinese government has launched multiple corresponding countermeasures against entities and individuals of relevant countries since the beginning of 2021. It's paying them back in their own coin.
Paying someone back in their own coin,這句英語習語,指有人很糟糕地對待你,你也以同樣方式回敬對方,與中文的“以其人之道,還治其人之身”“以牙還牙”有異曲同工之妙。
4. 世界民眾只能表示“呵呵”了
they will only be shrugged off by people around the world
7月12日,在被問及彭博社發(fā)布“全球抗疫排名”,美國排名第一的話題時,趙立堅回應道:
所謂的排名結果,把黑的說成白的、白的說成黑的,也許今后還能把死的說成活的。我想世界民眾只能表示“呵呵”了,姑且把它當作茶余飯后的談資吧。
The so-called ranking makes black look white, and white look black, and perhaps it will call the dead alive. They will only be shrugged off by people around the world and offer something for small talk.
Shrug off指“對……不予理睬(If you shrug something off, you ignore it or treat it as if it is not really important or serious. )”,有“不屑一顧”的意思。
用在這里,該詞準確地將擬聲詞“呵呵”中帶有的“無語,漠然置之”的意思表達得淋漓盡致。
5. 無中生有、以己度人
be made up out of thin air; measuring others' corn by one's own bushel
7月29日,外交部發(fā)布的《美國就單方面要求中方關閉駐休斯敦總領館散布的謊言與事實真相》中寫道:
美方影射中國駐休斯敦總領館外交官曾在美盟友如澳大利亞等國從事特工活動,是無中生有、以己度人的猜測。
The US allegation that Chinese diplomats at the Consulate-General in Houston have carried out espionage in Australia and other US allies is made up out of thin air. It is like measuring others' corn by one's own bushel.
Measuring others' corn by one's own bushel /?b??l/ 字面意思是:用自己的斗去量別人的谷,也就是“以己度人”。
6. 真金不怕火煉
True gold doesn't fear the test of fire.
今年6月,俄羅斯總統(tǒng)普京接受美國全國廣播公司采訪時就涉疆、臺灣等問題表達了對中方的支持,對企圖破壞中俄關系的嘗試予以駁斥。對此,趙立堅稱:
“真金不怕火煉”。我們也奉勸那些千方百計離間分化中俄關系的人,任何企圖破壞中俄關系的圖謀都注定不會得逞。
As a Chinese proverb says, "True gold doesn't fear the test of fire." We have to tell those who try every means to drive a wedge between China and Russia that any attempt to undermine China-Russia relations is doomed to fail.
這句習語也可以譯作:True gold can stand the test of fire。
另外,“離間”翻譯成英語也可以用一個非常形象的表達:drive a wedge between (someone or something) ,形容的是在兩個事物中間打入一個楔子,也就是挑撥離間。
7. 不以為恥,反以為榮
taking pride in instead of feeling ashamed for something
有報道稱,日本前首相安倍晉三對于其涉臺不當言論受中方關注,表示“不勝榮幸”,對此,趙立堅12月6日回應道:
日本個別政客對自身錯誤言行不以為恥,反以為榮,這再次暴露出他們的是非觀出了問題。
Certain Japanese politicians' taking pride in instead of feeling ashamed for their erroneous deeds and words once again reveals their problematic sense of right and wrong.
8. 搬起石頭砸自己的腳
The stone they are lifting will end up falling on their feet.
針對澳大利亞政府官員公開鼓吹中國威脅論,趙立堅9月10日稱:
我們奉勸澳方政客不要渲染“中國威脅”、將中國樹立為“假想敵”,這只能搬起石頭砸自己的腳。
We hope Australian politicians will stop sensationalizing the so-called China threat and seeing China as the "imagined enemy", or else the stone they are lifting will end up falling on their feet.
9. 這本身就是對民主的嘲諷,是最大的不民主
Nothing could be further from true democracy than this travesty of democracy.
針對美國發(fā)起所謂“民主峰會”,趙立堅11月30日稱:
美國執(zhí)意用黑白膠卷刻畫多彩世界,用一己標準壟斷民主定義,無視不同國家文化、歷史和文明的巨大差異,自編自導充當所謂民主“判官”,這本身就是對民主的嘲諷,是最大的不民主。
The US insists on depicting the multicolor world in black and white film and monopolizing the definition of democracy with its own standard in disregard of the huge differences in culture, history and civilization of different countries. It acts as the judge of democracy in its self-choreographed play. Nothing could be further from true democracy than this travesty of democracy.
travesty /?tr?v?sti/ 歪曲 拙劣的模仿作品
這里可以學習一句習語:nothing could be further from the truth,字面翻譯是沒有什么比這件事離真相更遙遠了,也就是說,事實遠非如此,錯得離譜。
10. 為“臺獨”勢力搭臺,只會讓自己下不來臺
Those offering platform to "Taiwan independence" forces will find themselves in an awkward place.
針對美方邀請臺灣當局參加所謂“領導人民主峰會”,趙立堅11月24日稱:
為“臺獨”勢力搭臺,只會讓自己下不來臺。與“臺獨”一起玩火,終將引火燒身。
Those offering platform to "Taiwan independence" forces will find themselves in an awkward place. Those playing with fire with "Taiwan independence" forces will end up getting burned.
這里還可以學習一句“玩火者必自焚”的表達:Those playing with fire will get burnt。
看完這些總結,有沒有被這些精煉簡潔的翻譯驚艷到?
如果想看更多,不妨每天追更外交部例行記者會,不僅能了解我國的外交立場,感受外交官的風采,還能學翻譯、學英語,將來向外國朋友解釋中國發(fā)生的事情,也能用英語對答如流。這樣優(yōu)秀的寶藏,一起追起來吧!
(來源:中國日報雙語新聞微信 編輯:左卓、梁一鳴、丹妮)