【翻译笔记】《围城》英译选句 - 虚虚实实、模棱两可
作者：sally
来源：沪江英语
2011-10-18 09:00
原文：
辛楣没料到毕业考试以后，会有这一次的考试，十几年小考大考训练成一套虚虚实实、模棱两可的回答本领，现在全荒疏了。（钱钟书 - 围城 ）
翻译关键词：over with，小考大考，虚虚实实、模棱两可
译文：
Hsin-mei had never expected there would be an examination of this sort waiting for him after his final examinations in college were over with. The ability to answer questions ambiguously or equivocally that a dozen years of quizzes and examinations had trained in him was now completely rusted.(美 Jeanne Kelly, Nathan K.Mao <译> –Fortress Besieged)
翻译笔记：
over with
over with作“做完”或“完了”解，常用于口语表达。如：
你瞧！那工作做完了！
There! The job is over with!
这是件重要的工作，所以让我们把它尽快做完。
It’s an important task, so let’s get it over with as soon as possible.
小考大考
quiz 对（学生）举行的非正式的考试，即小测验，相当于test 如：
老师给我们测验几何。
The teacher gave us a quiz in geometry.
examination （尤指学校对知识、技能等的）考试 如：
他大学没考上。
He failed his examination for the university.
注意以下两句表达的意思不同：
Have you entered for the examination?
你已经报名应考了吗？
Have you sat for the examination?
你已经应考了吗？
虚虚实实、模棱两可
ambiguous adj. / ambiguously adv. / ambiguousness n. 在此作“虚虚实实，模糊不清”解。选段译文中用的是副词形式修饰动词answer。形容词用法如下：
含糊其词的回答 an ambiguous answer
暧昧的立场 an ambiguous position
equivocal adj. / equivocally adv. / equivocalness n. 在此作“有歧义，模棱两可”解。选段译文中用的是副词形式修饰动词answer。形容词用法如下：
歧义词 an equivocal word
模棱两可的回答 an equivocal reply
（本文由沪江原创，转载请注明出处）
