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发表于 2009-5-20 21:54
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5、学点西方谚语,了解西方文化& N3 W1 K; q) T* W2 e) w6 c
1)Man proposes, God disposes. 5 c; g7 E( t% ?9 N1 N3 m3 r
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这个说法最早见于14世纪,起初以 “If man proposes evil, God disposes of it.” 的形式出现, 意思是上帝会阻止想要为恶的人。这里的God, 既可以指上帝, 又可以指天意。 就像我们常说的“尽人事, 听天命”、“谋事在人,成事在天”一样, 尽力而为之后, 还要顺从自然的规律。 毕竟,人类是自然的一部分, 凡事皆不可强求, 与自然的和谐是人类的生存之本。 $ i4 F _$ R! p( ]! Z2 w, c. C0 T
$ J% I2 @+ R5 M, Qeg: - Z( M: ]. m/ s* {& |3 S9 T Z Y
/ w( \) q$ X5 h, QA: Bob, how about tomorrow’s driving test?Sure to pass,huh?
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B: I don’t know. I’ve done enough, I’d say. Anyway, man proposes, God disposes. I am praying for good luck.
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9 y# C6 D3 q- t7 L2)It is a sin to steal a pin.
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8 B; O4 c, Y: F0 r$ ^该句的字面意思是: 即使是偷一根针也是一种罪过。还记得那句古训吗?“勿以恶小而为之, 勿以善小而不为。”冀望之切,溢于言表。不要因为犯的是小错就可以听之任之。
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eg: Honesty is the best policy. Never covet what is not yours, for it is a sin to steal a pin. 1 L% k0 Z2 X% k V/ I
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3)If you play with fire, you get burnt. ( T8 T- x [. V: R1 I
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正如西方谚语所说:Fire is a good servant but a bad master.
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火在人们的掌控之下时是人类股掌之上的可爱精灵:篝火给人温暖,烟花处处讨人欢心。可是一旦它的力量过大,就凌驾于人类之上,再不受人的掌握。权力亦是如此,当它逐渐膨胀不可收拾时,就成为一个暴戾的君王,统治人们的言行。所谓“玩火者必自慰”,铤而走险的盲目举动会招致无穷祸患。
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eg: The abuse of power has sent many people into jail, which shows that playing with fire could get you burnt.
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* _, k& r) D0 I/ _4)Revenge is a dish that could be eaten cold. + }; \% r3 H( T
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很形象的一句谚语。所有的菜肴都必须趁热吃,唯独revenge是个例外。“君子报仇,十年未晚。” 7 j! H: t! P. h7 G+ r( ^7 Q
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eg: He has done serious wrong to his friends. You just wait and see. They will not let him go scot-free. Revenge is a dish that could be eaten cold. " R1 E* {) [5 c, F; U U
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5)There is no smoke without fire. # R' F; `- D- _6 m5 ~ B
1 y6 M5 i2 m& H8 @! P无风不起浪,有水才行船。任何事情的发生都是有前兆的,“流言”的兴起有时也不完全是无中生有。虽然说是“坐得船头稳,不怕浪来颠”(相似的西谚是“Do right and fear no man。”),但风起于青萍之末,一只蝴蝶扇动翅膀就可能引起大洋彼岸的一场大风暴。做人、谋事,谨慎为佳。 8 Z' s) D/ Y$ L* h
+ M$ V! |" ^0 x- |/ geg: "No smoke without fire," said the detective.
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" i- W# [# i$ i4 w( i A( J I"Smoke signals can be misread," countered Sloan. 9 U. F3 U+ v: l7 a; B1 Y
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6)Every dog has its day. 5 C- S% d# l3 l, C' ~
% l# u7 o3 \6 \' w: \/ i% R这里的day,是指opportunities, 即成功的机会;而dog 则泛指那些地位低下、似乎没有出息的人。“士别三日,当刮目相看”,落魄的人若发奋图强,总会有出头之日。 ' R* \0 u9 S- `7 f6 q: I" Z9 O
7 ~9 ^" l6 d: _2 o. o8 p(又作All dogs have their days。) " z/ H1 A) e, t7 n
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eg: You must not look down upon him. Though poor and gloomy. he could turn out to be outstanding one day. As the saying goes, every dog has its day.
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0 j4 d% f9 j4 U( Q: ]) s7)If you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas. . G' [( b1 R+ z
. p, o/ u d* q3 x; ~2 Q! ^: U% a这是一句很经典的谚语,也就是我们中文里说的“近朱者赤,近墨者黑”。 在这条英文谚语中体现出来的只是“近墨者黑”的一面。虽然中文里还有成语“出污泥而不染”一说,但环境对于人的影响仍然不可小觑。 , W9 a! ?% ]3 @
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e。g。 -Harry! How come you’re back so late? Where’ve you been?
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9 I' C7 h$ _' [- x0 x8 f5 W-Just to a friend’s.
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. p1 t9 {$ w7 M2 b( _-To a friend’s? Just for a glass of liquor, huh? You’re going to be drowned in liquor, I’d say! If you lie down with dogs, you’ll get up to find yourself with millions of fleas!
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m* Z7 e: Y+ K8)It is easy to find a stick to beat a dog.
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人非圣贤,孰能无过。人们总会犯一些错误,也许做者无心但观者有意。有些小人,自己抱残守缺,不干实事,却挖空心思,找别人的缺点和麻烦。欲加之罪,何患无辞?
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eg: -Did you know that Jeff’s been fired? 0 D- M" K) Y' j O5 z; ?
/ F G4 Q# _3 Q. o; C; L! Q-No. What for?
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1 u$ h! f. _* w. W/ y" s6 ^-Jeff sometimes had ideas different from our boss’s.
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3 x8 H0 a; \( y) |6 `-Yeah, but Jeff hasn’t done anything wrong, has he?
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-Well, boss is boss。 It is always easy to find a stick to beat a dog.
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" V# b; V" j$ m; t! w! D% x$ F4 h9)You can’t teach old dogs new tricks.
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这句谚语说的是:人老了思想容易僵化,对新生事物很难接受。
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. z+ |" ]& n) ^eg: Don’t forget Wang is already 80. At his age, you can’t expect him to learn the tap dance. You can’t teach old dogs new tricks, you know.
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! j" g! z3 Q7 y7 a! R$ A7 x从以上的几则谚语我们可以观察到中西文化的一个有趣的区别。西方人经常用狗来比喻人,如,lucky dog(幸运儿),因为他们并不歧视狗。而在汉语中,有不少涉及狗的谚语和成语都是贬义的,如“狗改不了吃屎”、“挂羊头卖狗肉”、“狗仗人势”、“狗嘴里吐不出象牙”等。当然,英文中dog一词有时也带有贬义,但往往含义与中文不尽相同,我们使用时切忌望文生义。如,It is a dog’s life Chris is leading。 某位教授认为“a dog’s life”的意思是“悲惨的生活”,因而在一篇论及中英文化差别的文章中将其译成“过着牛马不如的生活”。其实“a dog’s life”指的是“争吵不休,过着不安宁的日子”。这类成语很多,如go to the dogs(每况愈下),dog-eat-dog(狗咬狗的,损人利己的),dog in the manger(占着茅坑不拉屎的人)。还有一些没有任何褒贬涵义的用法,如dog days(大热天),doggy bag(餐馆里的打包袋),据说,早先人们碍于面子,不愿明说要把剩菜带回家吃,佯称要带给狗吃,所以叫doggy bag.
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上面四条西方谚语都可以在汉语中找到相似的表达,但下面两条却全然不同了。
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10)Lightning never strikes the same place twice. & i B$ o% ?' L% `# m
$ B. Z( p0 x7 W4 k& G: ^# q“闪电从不打同一个地方”,与我们说的“福无双至,祸不单行”恰恰相反,这也是差异的一个有趣的体现。 7 g9 T. i, v' z. C
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eg: -How were your exams? All over?
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-I really don’t know. I did rather poorly last time. I hope I’ll do better this time. 8 q* l' L4 Z c: k6 J& `' Z7 V
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-Come on, don’t worry about it。 You are sure to pass。 As the saying goes, lightening never strikes the same place twice. 1 z z9 D0 y8 q( o
* K# G; h: x* b11)One swallow does not make a summer.
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swallow 是燕子。西谚说,一只燕子飞来不能代表夏天的来临。而中国成语却说, 一叶知秋。两种说法各有其智慧。“One swallow does not make a summer”强调的是要区别一般性与特殊性的辩证哲理; 而“一叶知秋”体现的则是从细微的端倪窥见总体趋势的睿智。
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eg: -Hey, look! The scores are already 2:1!Liverpool is sure to win, I bet!
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: K4 X' E7 r A U, x" O-I don’t think so. One swallow does not make a summer. Miracles always happen the last minute. |
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