短语的翻译| 断不能按字面意思直接翻译

在此我和想大家分享几个易错短语的翻译，这些材料来自叶子南老师的著作《英汉翻译：译·注·评》。

1. confortable in one's own skin

原文：He (Nelson Mandela) was handsome and comfortable in his own skin. 

译文：他很英俊，也很容易相处。

这是我的译文。起初，看到这个短语的时候，想的是自己的皮肤很舒服，总觉的这样的翻译翻译出来不太对。查了一下字典发现

confortable 作为形容词，除了有舒服的、舒适的意思之外，还有自信的意思。confortable 在该语境下等于CONFIDENT 自信的，英文解释为confident, relaxed, and not worried 自信的，自在的

comfortable in one's own skin = confident in oneself

叶老师译文：他长的英俊，显的大方自信。

2.little / nothing short of

原文：Second, and little short of miraculous, was the way in which he engineered  and oversaw South Africa's  transformation from a byword for  nastiness and narrowness into, at least  in intent, a rainbow nation in which  people, no matter what their color, were entitled to be treated with respect.

little/ nothing short of : 近乎，可以说是，无异于，英文解释：be equal to

e. g.  The transformation has been nothing short of a miracle.                      这种变化堪称奇迹。

叶老师译文：另一件成就也堪称奇迹，那就是他设计并主导的南非社会转型。正是由于这一转型，南非甩掉了卑劣狭隘的恶名，成为了一个“彩虹”国家，其人民不管是什么肤色，都有权受到尊重，至少其初衷如此

be a byword for sth

Someone or something that is a byword for a particular quality is well known for having that quality. 代名词

e. g.  ...the Rolls-Royce brand name, a byword for quality.                                ...劳斯莱斯的牌子是品质的象征。

e. g.  His name has become a byword for honesty in the community.                在这个社区里，他的名字成了诚实的代名词。

entitle

V-T If you are entitled to something, you have the right to have it or do it. 使有权

be entitled to (do) sth                        e.g.  Full-time employees are entitled to receive health insurance.                      全职雇员都有资格享受健康保险。

e. g.  They are entitled to first class travel.  他们有权享受头等舱旅行。

entitle sb to sth                                  e.g. Membership entitles you to the monthly journal.                                    凭会员身份可以获取月刊。

v.If the title of something such as a book, film, or painting is, for example, "Sunrise," you can say that it is entitled "Sunrise." 给 (书、电影、画作等) 命名

3.  live up to

That the country has not always lived up to his standards goes to show how high they were.

叶老师译文：这个国家并非总能达到这些标准，但这恰恰说明标准设立得有多高。

live up to

1. 实践(信仰、原则等)；履行(诺言等)：  He faithfully lived up to his promise.      他忠实地实践了他的诺言。

2. 不辜负(期望)；无愧于(自己的声望等)；达到(预期的标准)： The players failed to live up to their coach's expectations of them.                                                    选手们辜负了教练对他们的期望。

3.  与…相当；在…方面比得上(某人)： His wife was so clever that he felt that he could never live up to her.                      他妻子非常聪明，他感到自己无法比得上她。

go to show证明，表明，

show PROVE STH 证明某事

[T] to provide facts or information that make it clear that something is true, that something exists, or that something has happened 〔提供事实、信息〕证明，表明

e.g. Figures showed a 9% rise in inflation.    数据显示通货膨胀上升了9%。