原文:

The doctor held out much hope of his total recovery

[误译]

医生对他的康复没抱多少希望。


分析:

译文的错误在于对Hold out的理解上。Hold out有很多意思，其基本意思是“伸出”，如：She held out both hger hands to show her welcome.(她伸出双手表示欢迎).此外还有引申意"提出",如:The new managers held out a new promise to raise the workers wages.(新来的经理提出增加工人工资的承诺).再进一步,这个短语还有"表现出","显得"的意思.与之类似的就是原句中的用法,常常指"抱有","怀有".除了以上几个,Hold out还有其他的意思.


练习：

翻译以下三句话
1 Neither party of the talks held out much hope for a final peaceful settlement.
2 He was suspected of holding out information important to the case.
3 The strikers are still holding out for higher wages.


答案：

1.谈判双方对问题的最后和平解决都不抱什么希望.
2.人们怀疑他隐瞒了与本案有重大关系的情况.
3.罢工者仍在坚持要求提高工资.