本篇週文章蒐集了幾個常見的難翻譯中文詞語,並提供建議的翻法,尤其適用於意境不同的詞字。
情境一:辛苦了
「辛苦了」一詞常見的用途有表達(1)感謝、(2)勉勵、(3)讚賞及(4)同理心,例句列舉如下:
感謝你所做的一切,辛苦了。
I appreciate all that you’ve done. Thank you./ Thanks a lot./ Thanks for everything.
你做得很好,辛苦了!
You’re doing very well. Keep up/ Carry on the good work!
這個活動很成功,辛苦你了!
The event was a success. You nailed it!/ Well done!/ Good job!/ Great effort!
工作上得應付挑剔的客戶,真是辛苦了!
Dealing with difficult clients at work must be difficult/ tough/ hard/ tiring.
Dealing with difficult clients at work really sucks.
情境二:加油
「加油」一詞一般可以用來(1)祝人好運、(2)表達感謝及(3)表達鼓勵,例句列舉如以下:
我們聽說你要換工作了,加油!
We heard that you’re starting a new job. Good luck!/ Wish you all the best!
我們已經取得連勝了,加油!
We’re hitting a winning streak. Keep it up./ Hang in there!
你一定能簽下合約的,加油!
I know you can win the contract! You got this!/ It’s in the bag!
情境三:敷衍
「敷衍」一詞常用的意思包含(1)草草了事、(2)搪塞、打發、(3)不理睬、漠視及(4)例行公事般的敷衍。例句列舉如下:
他不在乎他的工作,只是在敷衍了事。
He didn’t care about his job. He was just phoning it in.
我想要辦理新簽證,但是使館人員總是敷衍推託。
I’m trying to get a new visa, but the embassy staff keeps giving me the runaround.
當她試圖提出這個議題時,委員會主席試圖敷衍過去。
The committee chairman brushed her off when she tried to raise the issue.
他敷衍地親了她的臉頰便離開了。
He dropped a perfunctory kiss on her cheek and left.
英漢字典中,一般都將「敷衍」直接翻譯成perfunctory。但根據Merriam-Webster中提供的英文解釋perfunctory的意思為characterized by routine or superficiality,並非所有的狀況都適用,所以使用時應該特別注意,什麼時機使用形容詞或是片語來表達,需要正確的判斷。
範例四:撒嬌
由於文化的因素,「撒嬌」在英文中沒有對應的字可以形容,最直接的翻譯方式就是用英文解釋撒嬌的意思「to get affection/what you want in a cutesy manner」。若是希望翻譯更加精確可以把撒嬌的具體行為描寫出來。例句列舉如下:
1. 鬧脾氣、嘟嘴
她總是透過撒嬌來得她想要的東西。
She always pouts to get what she wants.
2. 生悶氣
吵架後,她向男友撒嬌。
She sulked over her boyfriend after having a fight with him.
3. 裝可愛
她知道如何撒嬌來取悅男友。
She knows how to act cute to cheer her boyfriend up.
4. 裝無辜
他試著撒嬌讓女友冷靜下來。
He tried to give an innocent look to calm his girlfriend down.
5. 裝可憐
每當我的女兒向我討零用錢時,總向我撒嬌。
My daughter gives me her puppy eyes whenever she asks me for some money.
6. 表達親暱
家貓非常會和人撒嬌。
Domestic cats are very cuddly and affectionate.
由以上範例我們同樣可以發現,單一個中文詞語能夠涵蓋多種概念,很難找到能夠囊括所有概念的英文對應詞。遇到這種情況時,比較好的作法就是根據句意做意思的轉換(意譯),而不要執著於字元上的轉換(直譯),並且要能判斷該使用的是單字還是片語來表達,方能為自己的英文加分。
例句來源:
Cambridge Dictionary
Merriam-Webster Dictionary