外刊中的春节丨外刊语言表达(二十六)

原文:http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzI5MzQ0NjMyMw==&mid=2247484820&idx=1&sn=424665eecae9a5c877767068529b7f8c&chksm=ec70b248db073b5ea2393360ffba0c2136b35b685d24d69b5596278c65469901b190bf3c4cda#rd

春节不只是走亲访友、应对七大姑八大姨的神级大拷问,更是窥探中华文化的一个重要窗口。随着中国海外影响力的提升,越来越多的外媒开始关注春节。2月13日,英国的《每日电讯》发表了一篇题为"Chinese New Year 2018: Year of the Dog and why avoid medicine, laundry and crying children",文章分为多个版块,从不同角度介绍了中国春节,比如过春节的时间、十二生肖、新年禁忌(taboo)等,其中,编辑还调皮了一下,不忘调侃一下本命年的特朗普。想必川普一定要小心了,因为有可能会犯“水逆”......


这篇报道里出现了很多地道的、具有中国文化特色的表达,值得认真研究。



文章在讲中国的十二生肖的时候,和西方的十二星座进行对比,从而在老外大脑中建立了一个比较直观的“十二生肖”的印象,又通过比较两者的不同,让老外对“十二生肖”有了更为精确的认识:


The Chinese zodiac is divided into 12 blocks (or houses) just like its western counterpart, but with the major difference that each house has a time-length of one year instead of one month. 


The zodiac是“黄道十二宫,黄道带”的意思,“黄道带”指太阳、月亮和行星组成的假想带,分成十二个等份区,各有其名称和符号,并和一年中特定的时间相关。西方把一年分成了十二个等份区,一个等份区就是十二宫中的一宫,时长一个月,于是形成了“十二星座”。



如果在"zodiac"前加"Chinese"作限定,中国的黄道十二宫,则表示“十二生肖”:

文章在表述时为了避免zodiac的重复,用"the Chinese zodiac"指“十二生肖”,用"its western counterpart"表示“十二星座”。

Counterpart的意思是someone or something that has the same job or purpose as someone or something else in a different place. 比如,“韩国总统”的英文是"South Korean president",当再表示“美国总统”时,为了避免"president"的重复,我们通常会用"counterpart"进行代替:his American counterpart. 举个例子,韩国总统文在寅与美国总统特朗普举行会晤:The South Korean president Moon Jae-in met with his American counterpart.


当然,中国的“十二生肖”和西方的“十二星座”并不一样,其中一个主要的区别就是文中提到的"with the major difference that each house has a time-length of one year instead of one month",一个主要的区别是,中国的黄道十二宫的每一宫时长一年,而不是一个月。


这部分还有两个生词,block和house,block作名词讲有“街区,块”的意思,这里指黄道十二宫中的一宫,house在这里是对block的同义替换,在占星术中,house用来表示“黄道十二宫之一”。




和七大姑八大姨见面后免不了会被问:“你多大了啊?你属什么的?”当你告诉他们你的属相之后,他们可能已在心里默默进行生肖配对,盘算着身边的女孩子有没有适合你的那一款。其中,“你属什么的”或者“你的生肖/属相是什么”,文中也给出了明确的说法:

红色小标题:“Which Chinese zodiac sign are you?” 意思是“你属什么的?”

我们刚才讲到,zodiac指“黄道十二宫之一”,如果单独出现的话,表示“十二星座”,但如果在前面加上Chinese,则表示“十二生肖”。Sign of the zodiac或zodiac sign是一个固定搭配,表示“黄道十二宫(星座)之一”,同理,加一个Chinese作限定,则表示“十二生肖之一,属相”。


当然也可以从简:"Which animal are you?"





特朗普生于1946年,这一年是狗年,也就是说,今年是特朗普的本命年。江湖上流传这么一种说法:本命年会很坎坷,也就是我们俗称的“水逆”。《每日电讯》也趁机调侃了特朗普一把:


Why Donald Trump should be on his guard this year


According to Chinese astrology, the year of your sign is believed to be one of the most unlucky years of your life. This doesn't bode well for anyone born in previous Years of the Dog; famous names who should be wary include Donald Trump (born in 1946), Prince William and Kate Middleton (both born in 1982).

Trump's most famous impersonator Alec Baldwin was also born in the Year of the Dog, as well as Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Madonna, Andie MacDowell, Judi Dench, Liza Minelli, Justin Bieber, Sharon Stone and Susan Sarandon.



这段话不难,主要讲了一些狗年出生的名人,比如特朗普、威廉王子、克林顿、布什等。


除了这些八卦,我们更要学会一些中国特色词汇的表达,比如“本命年”就可以说"the year of one's sign";“水逆”可以说"to be one of the most unlucky years of your life",后面的bode well也是一个固定的表达,意思是“主吉,是好兆头”,doesn't bode well表示“主凶”,和"unlucky years"是同义替换。


On one's guard是一个固定搭配,表示“警惕”,和后文的wary是同义替换,这里是说,特朗普你要小心了,今年是你的本命年,你若继续这样作下去,小心犯“水逆”哦~




最后,文章为西方人士列了一些新年祝福语的中文表达,我们可以反向操作,逆向学习一些英文的新年祝福语:


Popular Chinese New Year Greetings 


If you want to get into the swing of the festivities but don't have the foggiest how to decipher Mandarin characters, here is our handy guide to the most essential phrases.


1. 新年快乐 / 新年快樂 (xīn nián kuài lè) 'Happy New Year!'

In Mandarin: /sshin-nyen kweye-luh/

In Cantonese:  /san nin fai lok/


2. 新年好 / 新年好 (Xīn nián hǎo) 'New Year goodness!

In Mandarin: /sshin-nyen haoww/

In Cantonese: /sen-nin haow/ 


3. 恭喜发财 / 恭喜發財 (Gōngxǐ fācái) 'Happiness and prosperity!

In Mandarin: /gong-sshee faa-tseye/  

In Cantonese: Kunghei fatchoy /gong-hey faa-chwhy/ 


4. 步步高升 / 步步高陞 (Bùbù gāoshēng)  A steady rise to high places! — "on the up and up"

In Mandarin: /boo-boo gaoww-shnng /  

In Cantonese: /boh-boh goh-sshin /


get into the swing of是一个固定搭配,它的英文解释是:If you get into the swing of something, you become very involved in it and enjoy what you are doing. 现在很多人患有“假期综合征”,长假之后回到公司或学校,提不起精神,感到厌倦,我们可以用get into the swing of造个句子:

After returning from my winter holiday, I couldn't get into the swing of things back at work.


not have the foggiest (idea)也是一个非常地道的表达,意思是to not know or understand something at all. 一无所知,比如:

She doesnt' have the foggiest idea of what must be forbidden during the Spring Festival.

她对春节期间的忌讳一无所知。




最后给大家送个小福利,截至今晚8点,留言区第一名、第四名、第七名可联系我领取春节红包哟~


感谢大家一年以来的陪伴,祝大家春节快乐,我们明年见!