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中式英语——字词准确性11

教育方法

在教学中他(孔子)讲究教育方法,注重启发、诱导,注意有的放矢,因材施教。

【查阅辞典】启发arouse,inspire,enlighten诱导guidance, induction有的放矢shoot the arrow at the target, have a definite object in view, do sth. with a purpose因材施教teach students in accordance with their aptitude

【中式英语】He was particular about teaching methods, and preached that teachers should teach with enlightenment and guidance, with a purpose, and should vary his methods to suit the students.(摘自某网页)

【求疵笔记】原文的“讲究”、“注重”、“注意”是一个意思,不必全部译出。原文提到的“启发”、“诱导”、“有的放矢”、“因材施教”是“教育方法”的具体内容,是对“教育方法”的阐发,被包含在“教育方法”之中。因此英译可以一气呵成,不必另起炉灶。


【修改建议】He was particular about teaching methods, namely being heuristic, attractive, object-oriented, and competency-based.
金钱

金钱不是万能的,但是没有金钱是万万不能的。

【查阅辞典】万能omnipotent, all powerful, universal, all-purpose万万 absolutely, wholly

【中式英语】 Money is not almighty, but without money we will not do absolutely.

【求疵笔记】原文是小说家笔 下的俏皮话,“万能”和“万万不能”构成词语的谐趣和幽默。翻译能不能保留这份谐趣和幽默,值得我们推敲。


【修改建议】 Money is not everything, but without money we are nothing.
揭发

最近揭发出相当严重的贪污、受贿和官僚主义问题。

【查阅辞典】揭发expose贪污embezzle,graft受贿accept bribes官僚主义bureaucracy, bureaucratism问题problem,question,issue

【中式英语】Recently some serious problems of embezzlement, bribery, and bureaucracy have been exposed.

【求疵笔记】“问题”不一定非用problem或issue译出不可。本句的“问题”可用case(事例、案例〉译出。“揭发”用bring to light,比用expose译出更形象。


【修改建议】Serious cases of embezzlement, bribery and bureaucracy have been brought to light recently.(摘自某网页)
解释清楚

他不能解释清楚。

【查阅辞典】解释explain, expound, interpret清楚clear, distinct

【中式英语】 He can't explain clearly.

【求疵笔记】explain的汉语释义是“解释”,但是英语释义是make clear,就是“解释清楚”。所以不说clear也“清楚”。但是explain可以用quite 来修饰,表示“很好地解释”。quite与very同为副词,中国学生却喜用very,弃用quite。 quite可用来修饰动词,表示该动词达到了“非常”、“十分” 的程度。例如“我压根儿不记得他的名字了。”可译作I quite forget his name.句中quite forget意为“根本忘记了”。


【修改建议】He can't quite explain it.

取自《汉译英求疵录:从中式英语到准确英语》,曾凯民编著;如有侵权,联系删除

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