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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
9 ]0 `; N4 }( d- ^) E1)Man proposes, God disposes.
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6 U2 @: M0 _( J- J- C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。
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4 S6 j) X8 M1 N3 U$ Teg:
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A: 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. Z) X9 D5 t; w% _! u. x4 r6 F; Y
- Y- b1 W! A! K) K" o" Q& R2 U3 `2)It is a sin to steal a pin.
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! O6 [7 d; F* z; O) U9 b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.
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7 Z. r$ w# u% U* M' O0 F5 t3)If you play with fire, you get burnt. 5 V# c+ f. j# l7 |+ C1 {! u, ^3 k
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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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) f1 `* X7 T1 N9 `eg: The abuse of power has sent many people into jail, which shows that playing with fire could get you burnt. ( u/ E3 O+ u; W3 s7 y( a* x
: U6 B" ~4 O6 B6 x( n4)Revenge is a dish that could be eaten cold.
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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。” - z0 `) [( ?7 c% r8 S; q
7 F% k8 \" _4 K# peg: 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.
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5)There is no smoke without fire.
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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。
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eg: "No smoke without fire," said the detective. # j' J `& o7 D( ?. O8 j! Q. G
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"Smoke signals can be misread," countered Sloan. # E2 ~$ Y- @0 Y! R) {# {
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6)Every dog has its day.
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: T l) R4 Q. d. H2 \. N1 I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。 6 J2 k4 }8 f4 r1 g
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(又作All dogs have their days。) % @& u. |+ X) ]3 z+ G. u; |+ r
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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. 0 |, Q9 X2 u( }2 T/ Z4 z5 Q
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7)If you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas.
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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。
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e。g。 -Harry! How come you’re back so late? Where’ve you been?
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-Just to a friend’s. 9 h. g; b7 E, X; M1 h* q4 `& N8 S
' V( E0 k9 p4 J7 ^2 |4 g0 b- e-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! e3 }: n- y4 W0 [4 }- q1 d
6 A+ B4 x6 f$ B, I8)It is easy to find a stick to beat a dog.
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4 P2 H7 o0 C% @$ x' ^# E6 V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? ! G) g/ ~5 ?* j
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-No. What for?
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" R8 {. z4 j; |$ c8 g-Jeff sometimes had ideas different from our boss’s.
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) i$ u7 p* J# }" d2 K. n-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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9)You can’t teach old dogs new tricks. ; z+ u/ Y9 @3 E* B4 k
l1 R- C/ f0 P( I" V3 P: V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。 4 C- i j1 m5 v* V: w
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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. - G2 _% `8 Z9 Q, S9 F$ G+ `) G9 q" {
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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. - C4 r6 l6 M4 D- m
$ s9 s! U8 b2 c0 R: D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。 ) H1 @ E8 x! t2 r+ @" U: R/ U
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10)Lightning never strikes the same place twice.
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3 z) N+ j/ G& K4 s% 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。 . C' X+ E O J
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eg: -How were your exams? All over? 6 t7 [. t% Q9 }
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-I really don’t know. I did rather poorly last time. I hope I’ll do better this time. 2 b& c$ l2 R4 T$ N7 H5 l! {
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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.
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0 q- Q3 V: J, l2 k$ U11)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! - T3 F3 z% \1 P7 o3 K# v
1 Q, N4 n$ e# @6 J1 `0 C# ?-I don’t think so. One swallow does not make a summer. Miracles always happen the last minute. |
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