今天公众号“高斋翻硕”给大家分享张培基译《狗》节选的单词解析。
原文
中国狗恐怕是世界上最可怜最难看的狗。此处之“难看”并不指狗种而言，而是与“可怜”密切相关。无论狗的模样身材如何，只要喂养得好，它便会长得肥肥胖胖的，看着顺眼。中国人穷。人且吃不饱，狗就更提不到了。因此，中国狗最难看；不是因为它长得不体面，而是因为它骨瘦如柴，终年夹着尾巴。或者是因为狗的脾气好，不像猫那样傲慢，所以中国人不说“走猫”而说“走狗”？假若真是那样，我就又觉得人们未免有点“软的欺，硬的怕”了！
张培基译文
Of all dogs in the world, those in China are perhaps the most pitiful and ugly-looking. But it is their wretched life rather than their breed that is to blame for their ugliness. All dogs, if well-fed, will be plump and nice-looking irrespective of their bodily form. In poverty-stricken China, people don’t even have enough to feed themselves, let alone dogs. Chinese dogs are ugly-looking not because they are born like that, but because they’ve been reduced to skin and bones by hunger, with tails between their legs all the year round. Perhaps the reason why we prefer to say “running dogs” rather than “running cats” is that dogs are good-tempered while cats are supercilious. If so, I would think that people are perhaps inclined to bully the weak and fear the strong.
单词解析
第一句：中国狗恐怕是世界上最可怜最难看的狗。
Of all dogs in the world, those in China are perhaps the most pitiful and ugly-looking.
1. Pitiful [ˈpɪtɪfl] adj. 令人同情的；可怜的；卑微的；卑鄙的，如柯林斯词典上有这么一句话：
The horse was a pitiful sight (= because it was very thin or sick) .
这匹马看上去可怜兮兮的。
2. Ugly-looking是一个合成形容词，意思是长相丑陋的；长得难看的；模样丑陋的。比如环球时报上有这么一句话：
In August an online post including photographs went viral online, with the heading, "Female hotties, male perverts," which showed a number of couples made up of good-looking women and ugly-looking men.
今年8月，一篇标题为“美女配丑男”的帖子在网上疯传，里面的照片全都是貌美如花的女人和相貌丑陋的男人组成的情侣。
第二句：此处之“难看”并不指狗种而言，而是与“可怜”密切相关。
But it is their wretched life rather than their breed that is to blame for their ugliness.
1. Wretched [ˈretʃɪd] adj. 感到不适的；难受的；不愉快的；极坏的；恶劣的；可怜的；悲惨的。如柯林斯词典上有这么一句话：
She finally agreed to have the wretched animal put down.
她最后同意用药结束这头可怜的动物的生命。
2. Breed [briːd] n. 品种（尤指人工培育的狗、猫或牲畜）；（人的）类型，种类，如，Labradors and other large breeds of dog拉布拉多犬及其他大型品种狗。
3. be to blame for …难辞其咎；应对…负责，如汉英大词典上有这么一句话：
He's not to blame for that.
这事不赖他。
第三句：无论狗的模样身材如何，只要喂养得好，它便会长得肥肥胖胖的，看着顺眼。
All dogs, if well-fed, will be plump and nice-looking irrespective of their bodily form.
1. Plump [plʌmp] 丰满；丰满的；饱满；胖嘟嘟；如柯林斯词典上有这么一句话：
He pushed a plump little hand towards me.
他把一只胖胖的小手朝我伸了过来。
2. Irrespective [ɪrɪˈspektɪv] adj. 不考虑；不问的；不顾的；无关的，如世卫官网上有这么一句话：
These recommendations are applicable for all older adults irrespective of gender, race, ethnicity or income level.
这些建议适用于所有老年人（不分性别、人种、民族或收入水平）。
第四、五、六句：中国人穷。人且吃不饱，狗就更提不到了。因此，中国狗最难看；不是因为它长得不体面，而是因为它骨瘦如柴，终年夹着尾巴。
In poverty-stricken China, people don’t even have enough to feed themselves, let alone dogs. Chinese dogs are ugly-looking not because they are born like that, but because they’ve been reduced to skin and bones by hunger, with tails between their legs all the year round.
1. Let alone（通常用在否定句后）遑论，更别提，更不用说。如柯林斯词典上有这么一句话：
We fear no death, let alone difficulties.
我们死都不怕，何况困难？
2. Be reduced to skin and bones by hunger 骨瘦如柴，饿得皮包骨头。
第七、八句：或者是因为狗的脾气好，不像猫那样傲慢，所以中国人不说“走猫”而说“走狗”？假若真是那样，我就又觉得人们未免有点“软的欺，硬的怕”了！
Perhaps the reason why we prefer to say “running dogs” rather than “running cats” is that dogs are good-tempered while cats are supercilious. If so, I would think that people are perhaps inclined to bully the weak and fear the strong.
1. good-tempered [ˌɡʊd ˈtempərd] adj. 脾气好的；快活的；和蔼的。如汉英大词典上有这么一句话：
He is good-tempered; he gets along well with everyone.
他脾气好，和谁都合得来。
2. Supercilious [ˌsuːpərˈsɪliəs] 高傲的；目空一切的；目中无人的。如柯林斯词典上有这么一句话：
His manner is supercilious and arrogant.
他极度傲慢自大。
3. Bully the weak and fear the strong 欺软怕硬。
今天就分享到这里啦！更多文学翻译和专八翻译可以移步公众号高斋翻硕！
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MTI真题文学翻译解析：欺软怕硬英语怎么翻译？
文章来源：高斋CATTI
发布时间：2021-05-10 17:27
作者：admin
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