巧媳妇难为无米之炊：You can't get something out of nothing.
1998年1月3日
关于"用"的不同译法
with sth.侧重于用什么工具（常用一些）
in sth.常侧重于用什么材料，但也能表示用工具或方式（常用）
by sth.侧重于行为，采用的方式、手段等（常用）
to use（常用）
from 使用的角度（常用）
over sth.（不常用）
on sth.（常用）
怎样翻译“ Li is now with his wife in London; it is already four years since he was a bandmaster.”？
李和他爱人住在伦敦，他担任乐队指挥已经四年了。(Wrong)
（原因）since从句中的过去式联系动词was/were指一种状态的结束。因此不是“已经担任”而是“已经不担任”，所以这句应译为：
李和他爱人住在伦敦，他不担任乐队指挥已经四年了。(Right)
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1997年12月28日
1. 怎样翻译“我十点整会在那儿等你”？
I'll wait for you there at exactly ten o'clock. (Wrong)
（原因）当我们要强调延误或者时间过去的概念时，可以用wait (for)，经常用以表示某人太早到，或者事物来迟。但是语气中不含这层意思时，就要用expect，单纯表示我们知道某事将会发生。所以这句应该译为：
I'll expect you there at exactly ten o'clock. (Right)
2. 天下有一知己，可以不恨。
One dies without regret if there is one in the whole world who "knows his heart".
习语的翻译途径
1、 避而不译，绕过难点；
36计走为上计：make oneself scarce
2、 用异语文化替代原语文化；
班门弄斧： Teach one's grandmother to suck eggs
3、 直译加注，传达形象；
东施效颦："Tung Shih imitaging His Shih"
* His Shih was a famous beauty in the ancient kingdomof Yueh. Tung Shih was an ugly girl who tried to imitate her ways."
4、 直译，保持形象；
姜太公钓鱼，愿者上钩：Like Chiang Tai Kung fishing, they have case the line for the fish who want to be caught.
5、 直译加意译；
象藏着神灯的山洞为阿拉丁打开了门。
What a door of an Aladdin's cave it seemed to be..
6、在正文中引出典故情节.
怎样问生肖或属相
--您是属什么的？
—Under what animal sign (or symbol) were you born?
or
—What animal sign were you born under?
—我属猪。
— Mine is Boar.
or
I was born in the year of the Boar.
——明年是什么年？
—— What is next year's animal sign?
—— It's the Tiger.
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十二生肖译名
鼠Rat 牛Ox 虎Tiger 兔Hare 龙Dragon 蛇Serpent/ Snake
马Horse 羊Sheep 猴Monkey 鸡Rooster 狗Dog 猪Boar
关于"年轻人"的一些译法与区别
YA：young adult
the young: 〈总称〉年轻人，青年
young blood:〈总称〉年轻人，青年
young fellow-me-lad: 吊儿郎当的年轻人
young man: ①青年男子， 年轻人；②男朋友，未婚夫
young people: 12-24岁的青少年
young person: 14至17岁的未成年人
youngster: ①小伙子，年轻人②小孩，儿童
younker: ①小伙子，年轻人②小孩，儿童
youngling: 小伙子，年轻人
younger ：（常与物主代词连用）幼者，小辈，年龄较小的人
springal: 小伙子，年轻人
stripling: 青少年
lad: 男青年
lass: 青年女郎
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常用谚语
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
A fool and his money are soon parted.
A good beginning makes a good ending.
A jack of all trades is master of none.
A miss is as good as a mile.
A person is known by the company he keeps.
A rolling stone gathers no moss.
A stitch in time saves nine.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Actions speak louder than words.
All that glitters is not gold.
All's well that ends well.
Ask and you shall receive.
Ask no questions and hear no lies.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Don't burn your bridges behind you.
Don't change horses in midstream.
Don't cross the bridge till you come to it.
Doubt is the beginning, not the end, of wisdom.
Every man has a price.
Faith will move mountains.
Familiarity breeds contempt.
Forewarned is forearmed.
Good fences make good neighbors.
Half a loaf is better than none.
He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword.
History repeats itself.
If the shoe fits, wear it.
If you cannot stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
It's an ill wind that blows no good.
It's not over till it's over.
It's the early bird that gets the worm.
It's the empty can that makes the most noise.
It's the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.
Make hay while the sun shines.
Many hands make light work.
Nature abhors a vacuum.
Never judge a book by its cover.
Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.
Opposites attract.
Out of sight, out of mind.
People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Still waters run deep.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
The pen is mightier than sword.
Too many cooks spoil the broth.
Truth is stranger than fiction.
Two heads are better than one.
Variety is the spice of life.
Waste not, want not.
What will be, will be.
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
You can't tell a book by its cover.
You cannot teach an old dog new tricks.
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常用计量单位及换算方法
Conversion Table
温度 Temperature
摄氏度-->华氏度：°F＝℃×1.8＋32
华氏度-->摄氏度：℃＝（0F—32）×5/9
to convert ℃ to 0F multiply by 1.8 and add 32
to convert 0F to ℃ subtract 32 and multiply by 5/9
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长度、距离及面积 Length, Distance & Area
英寸-->厘米 ×2.54 inches to centimeters ×2.54
厘米-->英寸 ×0.39 centimeters to inches ×0.39
英尺-->米 ×0.30 feet to meters ×0.30
米-->英尺 ×3.28 meters to feet ×3.28
码-->米 ×0.91 yards to meters ×0.91
米-->码 ×1.09 meters to yards ×1.09
英里-->公里 ×1.61 miles to kilometers ×1.61
公里-->英里 ×0.62 kilometers to miles ×0.62
英亩-->公顷 ×0.40 acres to hectares ×0.40
公顷-->英亩 ×2.47 hectares to acres ×2.47
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重量 Weight
盎司-->克 ×28.35 ounces to grams ×28.35
克-->盎司 ×0.035 grams to ounces ×0.035
磅-->千克 ×0.45 pounds to kilograms ×0.45
千克-->磅 ×2.21 kilograms to pounds ×2.21
英吨-->公斤 ×1016 British tons to kilograms ×1016
美吨-->公斤 ×907 US tons to kilograms ×907
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容积 Volume
英国加仑-->升 ×4.55 imperial gallons to liters ×4.55
升-->英国加仑 ×0.22 liters to imperial gallons ×0.22
美国加仑-->升 ×3.79 US gallons to liters ×3.79
升-->美国加仑 ×0.26 liters to US gallons ×0.26
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译路通武汉汉口翻译公司整理
2012.5.8