中文俗语谚语英译技巧

常见中文俗语谚语英译技巧,大家知道时什么吗?接下来，小编给大家准备了中文俗语谚语英译技巧,欢迎大家参考与借鉴。

1. 人山人海：在诗词用语(poetic1 expression)里，英美人也有使用：“a (the) sea of faces”，颇有咱的“人山人海”的味道。例如：Looking out upon the sea of faces, Mr. A delivered a touching2 speech.(望着一片人山人海的听众，A先生发表一篇动人的演说。)Standing3 at his podium, President Clinton saw a sea of faces waving at him.(克林顿总统站在讲台上看到人山人海的人群挥手向他致意。)。可见，说话者通常要在台上或高处，才有“人海”的感觉。因此，可以说：“I saw a sea of faces from the top of the building. ”但在平地的人群中，就不说：“I saw the sea of faces.” 也不说：“There is a sea of faces.”只说：“I saw a large crowd of people.”

2、家家有本难念的经：有人译成：“Every family cooking-pot has a black spot.”(意思是：每个家庭的锅子都有黑色的污点。)这样说法，英美人恐怕不能充分了解。不过英美人最常见的说法是：“Many families have skeletons in the closet.(许多家庭的衣柜里都有骨骸，骨骸就是指家丑。)”;或者说：“Every family has its own source of shame.(每个家庭都有自己的丑事)”;说白些，就是：“Every family has its own problem.”

3、天下无不散的宴席：有人直译为：“There are no feasts in the world which do not break up at last.” 英美人听后，也许很难体会其中意义。如果按照美语说法，也许更易理解：“All good things come to an end.(意思是：所有好的事情，总有结束的一天。)”;假如是指好友最后也有分别的一天，那么可以说：“Eventually, all bosom4 friends will drift apart.(bosom friend是指知心的好友)”

4、平时不烧香，临时抱佛脚：有人照字面意思直译为：“When times are easy, we do not burn the incense5, but when the trouble comes, we embrace the feet of the Buddha6.”这种说法，英美人也会一知半解。美语里一般说法是：“Worship God every day; not just in times of adversity.(要每天敬拜神，不是只在困难时。)”;对学生也可以说：“If you study hard every day, exams will not seem overwhelming.(如果你每天用功，考试就不会形成压力。)”

5、挂羊头，卖狗肉：有人照字直译为：“He advertises mutton, but sells dog’s flesh.”或“He hangs up a sheep’s head at the shop front and sells dog meat.”这两种译法，恐怕英美人都难理解，尤其谈到“狗肉”，他们更会反感，因为狗是他们最爱的宠物，不过英美人倒有相近的说法：“He applied7 bait-and-switch tactics in business.(他经商的策略是先引诱顾客来，再改变货物的品质。

)”，“Bait-and-switch”当名词用，也可不用连字号“This store uses bait and switch policy.” 或者简单的说：“Let the buyer be aware!(让消费者提高警觉)”或“Say one thing and do another.”

6、一言既出，驷马难追：有人译成：“One word lets slip and four horses will fail to catch it. 或 A statement that once let loose cannot be caught by four galloping8 horses.”这两种说法，中文味道嫌重，英美人未必理解。不过他们倒有类似的说法：“A word once let go cannot be recalled.”或者说：“You cannot take back what you have said.(你说出的话，就不能再收回来。)”

7、祸从口出，言多必失：有人译为：“The mouth is the gate of misfortune and evil.”英美人听了，恐怕不能完全理解。最好说成：“Careless talk leads to trouble.(不小心说话，会带来麻烦)或“The less said the better.(说的愈少愈好)”甚至也可以说：“Shut the mouth and open the eyes.(闭嘴少说，张眼多看。)”

　扩展：商业提议Business Proposal

TIFFANY： We have the capital ready.

Right now I am looking at three different companies to produce our products.

And your company， Mr. Chen， seems to me to be the best for what we want.

TOM： I appreciate your remarks. And we are always happy to do more business.

But， you know， if we take on a contract to produce new products，

we want to be confident the product is marketable.

Because， to start producing new things requires a lot of preparation.

It requires a lot of investment for us.

TIFFANY： You have some doubts about our products， I understand.

TOM： I would like to offer you a good price.

But I won't be able to do that if I think this is a one-shot deal.

So I would like to have some confidence in your idea.

TIFFANY： Of course. Let me tell you in some detail about our idea.

You know the popular “Hello Kitty” products.

TOM： Yes， of course.

TIFFANY： Well， the products in themselves are very simple.

It is the logo that is successful.

So， “Hello Kitty” is successful because of the logo， but the products are very simple.

TOM： And I would say the logo is successful mainly because it comes from Japan.

It is the Japanese that have made it a fad1.

TIFFANY： That might be true.

But we have a logo concept that is great. It is really great.

I think it will catch on in Taiwan at least. Young people will love it.

It is because of our logo that our products will sell.

We just need someone to produce the products for us.

We have the backup and people to do the marketing2.

TOM： So what you are really trying to sell is a fad.

TIFFANY： Yes， we would like to make things like key chains，

plastic pencil sharpeners， plastic rulers， watches， wallets， things like that.

Little accessories for young people. But the reason these will sell is the logo.

Just like “Hello Kitty.”

TOM： I understand. But why won't you show me the logo?

TIFFANY： Because it hasn't been copyrighted. We want to get some protection for it.

But while we wait for copyright， we are investigating companies to produce the products.

TOM： I see. The problem， however，

is that I can't be confident in giving you a good price

unless I am confident your product will last.

TIFFANY： I understand. For now， though， you could just give us an estimated price.

We aren't going to sign a contract yet. We are just investigating.

I only need to know that your company is capable of producing the products.

And then， I only need a very rough idea of how much it might cost.

TOM： Alright. I understand. Right now you just want estimates.

TIFFANY： Yes.

蒂芬妮：我们的资金已准备好了。

至今我看过三间不同的公司可以生产我们的产品。

而陈先生，你的公司，在我看来是最符合我们公司所需要的。

汤姆：我很感谢你的描述。我们一直很乐意接更多的生意。

但是，你知道如果我们接下订单来生产新的产品

我们要很有信心这个产品在市场上是有销路的。

因为，开始生产新的东西需要很多的准备。

我们需要很多的投资。

蒂芬妮：你对我们的产品有疑问，我很了解。

汤姆：我很想给你一个好价钱。

但如果我认为这只是一次性买卖，我没办法那样做。

所以我希望能跟你达成共识。

蒂芬妮：当然。让我告诉你更多更详细我们的想法。

你知道很畅销的“奇蒂猫”产品吧。

汤姆：是的，当然。

蒂芬妮：嗯，产品的本身是很简单的。

是它的商标使它成功。

所以，“奇蒂猫”会成功是因为它的商标，但产品本身是很简单的。

汤姆：我想说是它的商标会成功主要因为它是从日本来的。

是日本人带来流行起来的。

蒂芬妮：那或许是真的。

但我们的商标概念是很好的，真的很好。

我想至少在台湾是会流行的，年轻人会喜欢的。

因为我们的商标所以产品会有卖点。

我们只是需要人来替我们生产产品。

我们有后援也有人负责营销。

汤姆：所以你们想要卖的是一个潮流。

蒂芬妮：是的，我们要做的产品是像钥匙链，

塑料制的削铅笔机，塑料制的尺，手表，皮夹之类的东西。

小配件专给年轻人，但会畅销完全是商标的原因。

就像是“奇蒂猫”一样。

汤姆：我了解。但你为什么不让我看这个商标呢?

蒂芬妮：因为还没有注册，我们需要一些保障。

但当我们在等注册的同时，我们可以评估哪一家公司能为我们生产产品。

汤姆：我知道了。可问题是，

我不确定能给你一个好的价钱，

除非我能确定你们的产品是耐用的。

蒂芬妮：我懂了。现在你可以给我们一个估价。

我们还没有要签合约，我们还在评估。

我只是要知道贵公司是能够生产这种产品的。

所以，我只需要一个非常粗略的想法及大约的费用。

汤姆：好，我了解了。现在你只是需要估量价。

蒂芬妮：是的。