144 英语语法应用(三十一)
感恩节的话
11/24/2015
我们在天上的父,
谢谢祢在45年前就指示我翻译
—“Realities(真实见证)”. 祢的旨意最美好, 使我今日仍受用无穷. 求祢继续恩赐我智能, 能把英翻中的必备的知识讲得清楚.
并且更赐给我悟性, 能把祢的福音明白的译成清楚的中文. 让十几亿的骨肉血亲都能蒙拯救, 享受祢赐的属天的福气.
谢谢祢赐我母亲,
生我育我, 并不厌其烦的教我话语. 求祢赐我有感恩的心, 不要忘恩负义. 求祢让我在这感恩节立下决心, 用祢赐我的有限的歳月,
把中英的语言的不同能仔细的介绍给我骨肉同胞, 像我母亲那么有耐心的教导我一样. 主呵,
求祢垂听我的祷告. 奉主耶稣的名祈求.
阿门.
讨论很多次中英的语言的不同,
它实关系到翻译的问题.
翻译虽是外语系中英语系内的重要课程之一. 但是选的人不多. 记得就读台湾大学时, 曾约农教授是我很敬佩的学者. 在他的讲授翻译课程中, 要求甚严. 因为他说要学好翻译必须中文和英语在篇章的写作上面都要在一般水平以上.
数十年来没有离开过 “英翻中”. 一般论到 “英翻中” (注: 本博客不讨论“中翻英”), 要注意的两件事: 中文写作要够水准, 而英语的程度达到看得懂就行了. 换句话说中文的修养应该比英语要强些. 这是编辑者的认知. 因为在 “英翻中” 的过程中, 英语方面的要求是知道语法的应用, 看懂篇章的含意. 但是, 在中文 (译文)这方面的要求是: “信”, “雅” 和”达” 等等, 标准非常的严格. 编辑者借用梁实秋学者的看法---先做到 “信”, 使阅读者能了解这篇英文写作的意思. 这也是我用四年的时间编写 “英文文法” 博客的初衷.
前讲提到中英文在语法上比较显著不同有三处, 动词时制, 疑问句与被动语气句及习语与短语. 而在英翻中上常出错在附加疑问句(tag—question)中, 尤其是在回答该类问题要特别小心.
如果该附加疑问句前面的陈述是肯定的句子, 发问的人是暗示你要用肯定意思回筨. 这种用法与中文相同,
不过少用.
例如 :
He likes playing basketball, doesn’t he? 他喜欢打蓝球, 不是吗？
Yes, he does. (来回答这问题用肯定.
请不要用 No, he doesn’t. )
是的, 他喜欢.
如果该附加疑问句前面的陈述是否定的句子, 发问的人是暗示你要用否定意思回筨. 有时是陷阱,
故意让你顺水推舟的用否定的语句回答, 而落入他的陷阱.
例如,
在圣经约翰福音十八章十七节及二十五节:
17 Then the slave-girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You
are not also one of
this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I
am not.” …… 25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You
are not also one of
His disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.” ……….
17那看门的使女对彼得说：“你不也是这人的门徒吗？”他说：“我不是。”……..
25西门．彼得正站着取暖，有人对他说：“你不也是他的门徒吗？”彼得不承认，说：“我不是。”……..
彼得是基督信仰者的盘石, 这是他软弱的地方, 三次顺水推舟不认他的老师主耶稣基督. 后来主饶恕他, 重建他成为教会的柱石.
下面的例子是说明在英翻中时, 要特别留意, 它与我国人思想恰好相反.
例如:
He doesn't like playing volleyball, does he? 他不喜欢玩排球, 是吗?
No, he doesn't.
是的,
他不喜欢. (这里英文的“No”要译成“是的”)
今天是感恩节, 特别选一篇涤然师母所撰写的短文. 作者是南昌葆灵女中高材生(注: 编辑者读葆灵附小时, 她已经毕业) , 然后, 她毕业于福州华南女子大学外文系. 与史祈生牧师结为夫妻. 该文取自 “导向月刋(Steering monthly)” 171期 1999年 11月刋出. 师母自 1985 年便任该基督信仰刋物总编辑, 十多年前罹患乳癌, 仍在患病中依靠主恩继续出刋. 忠心事奉. 终于在 2004 癌症复发, 2月19 安息主怀, 享年78歳.
[注] : 请爱好学习英文的朋友先自行翻译. 编辑者的翻译下讲刋出.
THANKSGIVING SAYS Evelyn O. Shih
I am thanksgiving. I mean, my name is
"Thanksgiving". I love to
live in people's minds. I am not a freeloader. If you let me in, I'll bring
lots of "goodies" with me such as joy, meekness, patience and peace,
among others.
Unfortunately, many people dislike me and won't let me in. You know,
one's mind can't be blank, so while I am not in one's mind. Complaint comes in
right away and he brings lots of rotten things with him such as jealousy,
arrogance, bad temper and depression, among others.
Most of the people try to deal with those negative things with all kinds
of methods which ultimately fail. Actually, the solution is very simple. Just
let me in and those negative things will run away in no time.
There is another kind of person who lets me dwell on their lips only.
They'll say, "Praise the Lord!" "Thank you, Lord!"
Unfortunately, they don't have me in their minds, so their words are use-less,
as complaint with its bitterness still occupies that space.
The most interesting thing is that I am very popular nevertheless. There
is even a festival for me each year. I wondered how they celebrate me without
giving me a resting place, so I chose to visit a rich family with many
children. Don't get me wrong. I don't prefer rich people; I just thought they
may have much to give thanks for, so I could answer my question.
I hid myself on the ceiling and waited for the right time to ceremoniously
appear. After everyone was seated at the table, I heard a burst of happy
shouting, "Wow!" That was my cue to make an entrance on center stage.
Just when I was about to fly down, I noticed that everyone turned to look at
the kitchen door where a big, golden-brown and shining turkey was being brought
in on a silver plate. The turkey saw me and said, "Hey, you only
live on people's lips, but look at me. I can enter their mouths and stay in
their stomachs. So, they have come to call your festival, 'Turkey Day'! I think
it is a more appropriate name anyway."
I didn't know how to answer the turkey, yet I remembered there is also
thanksgiving service in the churches. I could go there and feel welcome. I
entered a church service, and, sure enough, the first prayer I heard began,
"Dear God, I thank you!" I was so excited and prepared myself to
enter this person's mind. As I settled myself in his mind, I heard the speaker
continue with, "...because I am not like the others..." Immediately,
I was chased out with a hard fist and a slammed door.
I feel so lonely and so sad. Why don't people like me? It is so easy to
have me around. All you have to do is admit that all good things are from God
and you have done nothing to deserve them, and, don't compare what you have with
what others have. Just trust that God has given you the best, though different
from others' blessings.
Didn't I tell you that I am not a freeloader? If you accept me, I'll
bring you many "goodies" including peace and joy.
