四字格,大家一定不陌生。很多人在英文写作时,习惯用中文先打腹稿。那个文采斐然啊,四字格一蹦一大串儿。中译英时也会经常遇到四字格,特别是处理比较软的文案时。

四字格里包含的逻辑关系还蛮复杂的:并列、重叠、目的、途径、修饰、动宾、条件、省略意象、转折……所以,怕是无法字字对译,只能先理清关系,然后用直白的英文表达。

如果直接跳到这步有困难,那就先做个中文转化吧,江湖人称CC (Chinese - Chinese),将中文转化为更加通俗易懂的中文。然后再基于此去找合适的英文表达,江湖人称CCE(Chinese-Chinese-English)。

以下是四字格英文处理的常见套路,都需要你有堪比十个加强连的词汇储备哦。

包含翻译技巧的英语文章(写作翻译必备中文四字格的英译套路)(1)

处理成形容词。

枯燥乏味 dreary

有孕在身、身怀六甲、珠胎暗结 pregnant

令人反感、令人作呕 repulsive

玩世不恭、愤世嫉俗、冷嘲热讽 cynical

粗心大意、马马虎虎 careless

老态龙钟、人老珠黄 senile

恰如其分、恰到好处 appropriate

漫无边际、无边无际 boundless

没精打采、无精打采 listless

怒气冲天、怒不可遏 furious

……

处理成名词:

我庆幸自己死里逃生。

I congratulate myself on my narrow escape 。

但我的事现在人人皆知了。

But there has been too much publicity about my case.

处理成adj. in n.:

立场坚定 firm in stand

目光远大 broad in vision

品格高尚 noble in character

处理成介词词组:

泪眼婆娑 eyes dimmed with tears

摩肩接踵 be jam-packed with people

四面楚歌 under fire from all quarters

处理成英语里的习语:

入不敷出 from hand to mouth

守口如瓶 as tight as an oyster

力大如牛 strong as a horse

洗心革面 turn over a new leaf

……

当然,英译中也可以适度使用一些四字格,读起来就感觉抑扬顿挫,行文有张力呢~~比如:

Drew Pearson, a thirty-four-year-old reporter, described them as “ragged, weary, and apathetic,” with “no hope on their faces.”

有一位三十四岁的记者,名叫德鲁· 皮尔逊,他描写那些退伍军人,说是“衣衫褴褛,筋疲力尽,神情木然,满脸愁容。”

He was canny, openhanded, brisk, candid, and modest.

他为人聪明大方,生气勃勃,忠厚耿直,谦虚谨慎。

He was a voracious reader, spending much of his days and evenings devouring books.

他读起书来如饥似渴,夜以继日。

你还有比较赞的四字格中英互译思路咩?欢迎下方评论区分享哦~

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