颜色词的译法
英语课
要想准确而生动地运用各种颜色词把原文中色彩斑斓的世界重新展现在读者面前,使读者有身临其境之感,译者的确需要认真"察言观色",努力再现原文中的色彩。遇到词汇空白和文化鸿沟时,要采取灵活的补救措施,使原文与译文相协调,使读者真正欣赏原作的色彩和意境。一般说来,颜色词有以下几种译法:
A. 把英语颜色词译成与之相应的汉语颜色词。如果英语颜色词与汉语颜色词在词义上相同,就可采用这种直译的方法。例如:
(1) The sun was dropping behind the farthest mountain, and the valleys were purple with something deeper than aster 1. 夕阳已渐渐沉没在远山的背后,壑谷间一片紫蔼,颜色比紫菀还浓。
(2)His arms and legs were thickly smeared 2 with calamine lotion 3 dried to a chalky white. 他四肢上涂得厚厚的炉甘石液已干成粉白色。
(3)The very dust was scorched 4 brown, and something quivered in the atmosphere as if the air itself was panting. 连那尘土都被炙烤成褐色;大气中似乎也有什么东西在颤抖,仿佛空气本身也在气喘吁吁。
(4)The clear, sharp cloven Carrara mountains sent up their steadfast 5 flame of marble summit into amber 6 sky. 轮廓分明的卡拉拉山把永恒不变的火焰似的大理石山顶插入琥珀色的天空。
(5)The leafless trees, that against the leaden sky now revealed more fully 7 the wonderful beauty and intricacies of their branches. 那叶儿落尽的树木,映衬着铅灰色的天空,此刻显得更加枝丫交错,姿态万千。
B.改换英语颜色词。如一种颜色在两种语言中分别被不同的颜色词所指称,而直译会导致读者不正确的联想或是不为译入语的读者所接受,这时可改换颜色词,使之符合译入语的表达习惯。例如:
(1) The floor was covered with ochre-colored sawdust, trampled 8 here and there into mud. 地上全是黄褐色的木屑,到处都给踩成泥糊糊的了。
(2) The sun shining on her glossy 9 hair, gave it a metallic 10 luster 11, and it was difficult to say what was the color , dark bronze or black. 阳光照在她光泽的头发上,给它涂上一层金属似的光彩。很难说出它究竟是什么颜色,是深褐色,还是黑色。
(3) Lightness, rapidity, nimbleness, grace and rich apparel all belong to the humming-bird. The emerald, the ruby 12, and the topaz gleam upon its dress.蜂鸟具有轻盈、敏捷、灵活、优雅以及羽毛绚丽等一切妙处。它那翠绿的、鲜红的、嫩黄色的羽毛闪闪发光。
(4)His face became blue with cold. 他的脸冻得发青。
(5)She dressed in a very short creamy skirt that day. 那天她穿着一条很短的米色裙子。
C.原文中无颜色词,译文中增加颜色词。有时译文可根据具体语境添增色彩词以突出色彩,加强译文的感染力。
(1)And over all these, set close against the golden hair and burning cheek of lady and knight 13 is that untroubled and sacred sky_1 . 在这一切之上, 同贵夫人和骑士金色头发和红润面颊相映衬的是一片蔚蓝的天空。
(2)He didn't try in vain. 他没有白干。
(3)Her eyes became moist. 她眼圈红了。
(4)It is like a windfall, like a Godsend, like an unexpected piece of luck.
它像飞来的吉庆, 像天降洪福, 像意外红运。
D.原文颜色词有象征意义或意义有所引申,一般采用意译灵活处理。例如:
(1) You look blue today. What's wrong with you?你今天看起来闷闷不乐,出了什么事?
(2) He is green with jealousy 14. 他醋意大发。
(3) He is a blue-blooded man . 他出生贵族。
(4)Her story immediately reminded me of a Chinese saying"The young beautiful lady will always be star-crossed."听了有关她的故事, 我立刻想到中国的一句俗?quot;"红颜薄命".
n.紫菀属植物
- This white aster is magnificent.这棵白色的紫苑是壮丽的。
- Every aster in my hand goes home loaded with a thought.我手中捧着朵朵翠菊,随我归乡带着一片情思。
弄脏; 玷污; 涂抹; 擦上
- The children had smeared mud on the walls. 那几个孩子往墙上抹了泥巴。
- A few words were smeared. 有写字被涂模糊了。
n.洗剂
- The lotion should be applied sparingly to the skin.这种洗液应均匀地涂在皮肤上。
- She lubricates her hands with a lotion.她用一种洗剂来滑润她的手。
烧焦,烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 ); 使(植物)枯萎,把…晒枯; 高速行驶; 枯焦
- I scorched my dress when I was ironing it. 我把自己的连衣裙熨焦了。
- The hot iron scorched the tablecloth. 热熨斗把桌布烫焦了。
adj.固定的,不变的,不动摇的;忠实的;坚贞不移的
- Her steadfast belief never left her for one moment.她坚定的信仰从未动摇过。
- He succeeded in his studies by dint of steadfast application.由于坚持不懈的努力他获得了学业上的成功。
n.琥珀;琥珀色;adj.琥珀制的
- Would you like an amber necklace for your birthday?你过生日想要一条琥珀项链吗?
- This is a piece of little amber stones.这是一块小小的琥珀化石。
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地
- The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
- They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 ); 践踏; 无视; 侵犯
- He gripped his brother's arm lest he be trampled by the mob. 他紧抓着他兄弟的胳膊,怕他让暴民踩着。
- People were trampled underfoot in the rush for the exit. 有人在拼命涌向出口时被踩在脚下。
adj.金属的;金属制的;含金属的;产金属的;像金属的
- A sharp metallic note coming from the outside frightened me.外面传来尖锐铿锵的声音吓了我一跳。
- He picked up a metallic ring last night.昨夜他捡了一个金属戒指。
n.光辉;光泽,光亮;荣誉
- His great books have added luster to the university where he teaches.他的巨著给他任教的大学增了光。
- Mercerization enhances dyeability and luster of cotton materials.丝光处理扩大棉纤维的染色能力,增加纤维的光泽。
n.红宝石,红宝石色
- She is wearing a small ruby earring.她戴着一枚红宝石小耳环。
- On the handle of his sword sat the biggest ruby in the world.他的剑柄上镶有一颗世上最大的红宝石。
n.骑士,武士;爵士
- He was made an honourary knight.他被授予荣誉爵士称号。
- A knight rode on his richly caparisoned steed.一个骑士骑在装饰华丽的马上。
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颜色