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活字典

2009-10-22

环球时报 2009-10-22
关键词:王逢鑫活雷锋指人

句子:他学识渊博,被人称为活字典。

误译:Being profound in knowledge, he was called a living dictionary.

正译:Being profound in knowledge, he was called a walking dictionary.

解释:“活字典”是个比喻说法,形容一个学识渊博的人。living dictionary 的意思是a dictionary that exists,即“现在人们使用的字典”,不是用来指人。但是 walking dictionary的意思是a person who has an impressive knowledge of facts or words,指“学识渊博的人”。

作为形容词,“活”的第一个意思是指“有生命的、存活的或依然活跃的”。可译为living, live, active。如:1. 我只好死马当活马医。I could not but deal with it like treating a dead horse as if it were a live one. 2. 活火山随时都可能爆发。An active volcano can explode at any time.

形容词“活”的第二个意思是“生动的”。可译为 lively, vivid。如:3. 这个喝醉酒的司机成为醉酒驾车的活标本。The drunk driver became a lively example of those who drive while intoxicated. 4. 他的英雄事迹是一部反腐斗争的活教材。His heroic deed is a vivid object lesson in fighting against corruption.

形容词“活”的第三个意思是比喻“在某一方面与之相似”。可译为living, live。如:5. 这首歌的名字叫《东北人都是活雷锋》。This song is entitled Everybody from Northeast China is a living Lei Feng. 6. “饭后一支烟,赛过活神仙” 的说法对烟民其实是一种误导。The saying that one who smokes a cigarette after dinner is just like a living immortal is in fact misleading to the smokers.

形容词“活”第四个意思是“熟悉或精通某方面知识”。可译为 walking。如:7. 这位植物学家被称为中国植物学界的活字典。This botanist is regarded as a walking encyclopaedia in Chinas botanical circles. ▲

(本栏目供稿:王逢鑫教授)

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