【大紀元8月6日訊】有時﹐英語裡的玩笑和幽默是可以翻譯過來的。但大部分時間它們是翻譯不了的。比方如下一則﹕
Where do one legged people work?
IHOP!!
如果直譯就是﹕
“一條腿的人們在哪兒上班﹖”
“國際大餅連鎖餐館”(或“IHOP”)
這樣讀起來﹐講華語的人們就會茫然不知所措。其實﹐IHOP是International House of Pancakes餐館的簡稱和他們招牌上的標誌。IHOP分開來是“I”和“HOP”﹐或“I Hop”(我單腿跳)。 這裡是說﹐一條腿的人們在IHOP工作﹐或者兼指他們因為只有一條腿﹐只能單腿跳的意思。
下面一則“十個最有趣的店面招牌”﹐前五﹑六個大概是跨越文化的﹐後四個可能就不太好翻譯了。讀者如果能夠翻譯成中文並保持原汁原味﹐請告訴我們﹐我們會刊登出來與大家分享。不讀英語的同胞請見諒。
“十個最有趣的店面招牌”
1。汽車消音器商店﹕“無需事先預約﹐我們聽得見您的光臨”
(Outside a muffler shop: “No appointment necessary, we hear you coming.”)
2。公司接待員桌上﹕“每來第三個銷售人員我們就開槍﹐第二個剛走”
(On a desk in a reception room: “We shoot every 3rd salesman , and the 2nd one just left.” )
3。殯儀館前院子裡﹕“小心點開車﹐我們會等着你的。”
(In the front yard of a funeral home: “Drive carefully, we’ll wait.” )
4。心理咨詢辦公室﹕“變老是強制性的﹐變聰明是可選項的”
(In a counselors office: “Growing old is mandatory, growing wise is optional. )
5。獸醫的等待室裡﹕“五分鐘就回來﹐坐下﹗別動﹗”
(In a veterinarians waiting room: “Be back in 5 minutes, Sit ! Stay!” )
6。貼在餐館窗戶上﹕“別站在那兒餓着﹐進來吃個夠吧”(“吃個夠”還有膩了﹐不耐煩的意思﹐譯不出來)
(In a restaurant window: “Don’t stand there and be hungry, come on in and get fed up.” )
下面四個似乎翻譯不出來﹐只能在英語裡理解﹕
7.Outside a hotel: “Help! We need inn-experienced people.”
8.At the electric company: “We would be de-lighted if you send in your bill. However, if you don’t you will be.”
9.On the door of a computer store: “Out for a quick byte.”
10.Inside a bowling alley: “Please be quiet, we need to hear a pin drop.”
(編譯﹕童欣)(https://www.dajiyuan.com)
