Catti考试备考：汉译英最易翻错的100句（2）
1、中文：转战南北
翻译：
[误] fight south and north
[正] fight north and south
注释：
在地理方位的表达习惯上，中英文有一定的区别。中国人习惯于先“东西”后“南北”，而且在涉及“南北”时，习惯于先说“南”，再说“北”，如：“南征北战”、“南来北往”等。
而英美人与此正好相反，如“江苏在中国的东南部”英文是 jiangsu is in the south-east of china,
而“新疆在中国的西北部”应译为 xinjiang is in the north-west of china。
2、中文：
他一向嘴硬，从不认错。
翻译：
[误] he has always got a hard mouth and never admit a fault.
[正] he never says uncle.
注释：
say (cry) uncle: to give up or in; to surrender; to admit defeat. mainly
used by boys, as when fighting。主要是男孩们打架时的用语，当一方想制服另一方时，就用命令的口气说：“say
uncle!”这时，有的孩子为了表示不服输，就是不说。
后来，say uncle 就成了“服输”的代名词，而 not say uncle 就相当于“嘴硬”了。
3、中文：
他一向嘴硬，从不认错。
翻译：
[误] he has always got a hard mouth and never admit a fault.
[正] he never says uncle.
注释：
say (cry) uncle: to give up or in; to surrender; to admit defeat. mainly
used by boys, as when fighting。主要是男孩们打架时的用语，当一方想制服另一方时，就用命令的口气说：“say
uncle!”这时，有的孩子为了表示不服输，就是不说。
后来，say uncle 就成了“服输”的代名词，而 not say uncle 就相当于“嘴硬”了。
4、中文：
1. 老师很喜欢这个嘴甜的小姑娘。
翻译：
[误] the teacher likes this sweet-mouthed little girl very much.
[正] the teacher likes this honey-lipped little girl very much.
注释：
中国人喜欢说“嘴甜”，但 honey-lipped 更符合英美人的语言习惯。
2.同学们都很讨厌他，因为他经常拍老师的马屁。
[误] the student all dislike him because he often pats the teacher's
ass.
[正] the students all dislike him because he often licks the teacher's
boots.
注释：
以前在欧洲，臣民见到国王与王后往往要葡匐到在，亲吻他们的靴子。后来，人们将 lick the boots
引申为“为了某种目的而讨好某人”，它与汉语的“拍马屁”含义一样。
在美国英语中，“拍马屁”还有另一种说法，即 polish the apple，它典出以前的学生用擦亮的苹果来讨好老师。
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