今天“高齋翻碩”給大家分享

張培基

譯《狗》節選的單詞解析。

原文

中國狗恐怕是世界上最可憐最難看的狗。此處之“難看”並不指狗種而言，而是與“可憐”密切相關。無論狗的模樣身材如何，只要餵養得好，它便會長得肥肥胖胖的，看著順眼。中國人窮。人且吃不飽，狗就更提不到了。因此，中國狗最難看；不是因為它長得不體面，而是因為它骨瘦如柴，終年夾著尾巴。或者是因為狗的脾氣好，不像貓那樣傲慢，所以中國人不說“走貓”而說“走狗”？假若真是那樣，我就又覺得人們未免有點“軟的欺，硬的怕”了！

張培基譯文

Of all dogs in

the world

， those in China are perhaps the most pitiful and ugly-looking。 But it is their wretched life rather than their breed that is to blame for their ugliness。 All dogs， if well-fed， will be plump and nice-looking irrespective of their bodily form。 In poverty-stricken China， people don’t even have enough to feed themselves， let alone dogs。 Chinese dogs are ugly-looking not because they are born like that， but because they’ve been reduced to skin and bones by hunger， with tails between their legs all the year round。 Perhaps the reason why we prefer to say “running dogs” rather than “running cats” is that dogs are good-tempered while cats are supercilious。 If so， I would think that people are perhaps inclined to bully the weak and fear the strong。

講解

第一句：中國狗恐怕是世界上最可憐最難看的狗。

Of all dogs in the world， those in China are perhaps the most pitiful and ugly-looking。

單詞解析：

1。 Pitiful ［ˈpɪtɪfl］ adj。 令人同情的；可憐的；卑微的；卑鄙的，如

柯林斯詞典

上有這麼一句話：

The horse was a pitiful sight （= because it was very thin or sick） 。

這匹馬看上去可憐兮兮的。

2。 Ugly-looking是一個合成形容詞，意思是長相醜陋的；長得難看的；模樣醜陋的。比如環球時報上有這麼一句話：

In August an online post including photographs went viral online， with the heading， “Female hotties， male perverts，” which showed a number of couples made up of good-looking women and ugly-looking men。

今年8月，一篇標題為“美女配醜男”的帖子在網上瘋傳，裡面的照片全都是貌美如花的女人和相貌醜陋的男人組成的情侶。

第二句：此處之“難看”並不指狗種而言，而是與“可憐”密切相關。

But it is their wretched life rather than their breed that is to blame for their ugliness。

單詞解析：

1。 Wretched ［ˈretʃɪd］ adj。 感到不適的；難受的；不愉快的；極壞的；惡劣的；可憐的；悲慘的。如柯林斯詞典上有這麼一句話：

She finally agreed to have the wretched animal put down。

她最後同意用藥結束這頭可憐的動物的生命。

2。 Breed ［briːd］ n。 品種（尤指人工培育的狗、貓或牲畜）；（人的）型別，種類，如，Labradors and other large breeds of dog拉布拉多犬及其他大型品種狗。

3。 be to blame for …難辭其咎；應對…負責，如

漢英大詞典

上有這麼一句話：

He‘s not to blame for that。

這事不賴他。

第三句：無論狗的模樣身材如何，只要餵養得好，它便會長得肥肥胖胖的，看著順眼。

All dogs， if well-fed， will be plump and nice-looking irrespective of their bodily form。

單詞解析：

1。 Plump ［plʌmp］ 豐滿；豐滿的；飽滿；胖嘟嘟；如柯林斯詞典上有這麼一句話：

He pushed a plump little hand towards me。

他把一隻胖胖的小手朝我伸了過來。

2。 Irrespective ［ɪrɪˈspektɪv］ adj。 不考慮；不問的；不顧的；無關的，如世衛官網上有這麼一句話：

These recommendations are applicable for all older adults irrespective of gender， race， ethnicity or income level。

這些建議適用於所有老年人（不分性別、人種、民族或收入水平）。

第四、五、六句：中國人窮。人且吃不飽，狗就更提不到了。因此，中國狗最難看；不是因為它長得不體面，而是因為它骨瘦如柴，終年夾著尾巴。

In poverty-stricken China， people don’t even have enough to feed themselves， let alone dogs。 Chinese dogs are ugly-looking not because they are born like that， but because they’ve been reduced to skin and bones by hunger， with tails between their legs all the year round。

單詞解析:

1。 Let alone（通常用在否定句後）遑論，更別提，更不用說。如柯林斯詞典上有這麼一句話：

We fear no death， let alone difficulties。

我們死都不怕，何況困難？

2。 Be reduced to skin and bones by hunger 骨瘦如柴，餓得皮包骨頭。

第七、八句：或者是因為狗的脾氣好，不像貓那樣傲慢，所以中國人不說“走貓”而說“走狗”？假若真是那樣，我就又覺得人們未免有點“軟的欺，硬的怕”了！

Perhaps the reason why we prefer to say “running dogs” rather than “running cats” is that dogs are good-tempered while cats are supercilious。 If so， I would think that people are perhaps inclined to bully the weak and fear the strong。

單詞解析:

1。 good-tempered ［ˌɡʊd ˈtempərd］ adj。 脾氣好的；快活的；和藹的。如漢英大詞典上有這麼一句話：

He is good-tempered； he gets along well with everyone。

他脾氣好，和誰都合得來。

2。 Supercilious ［ˌsuːpərˈsɪliəs］ 高傲的；目空一切的；目中無人的。如柯林斯詞典上有這麼一句話：

His manner is supercilious and arrogant。他極度傲慢自大。

3。 Bully the weak and fear the strong

欺軟怕硬。

今天就分享到這裡啦！喜歡就點個贊吧！