在美國(guó)住久了,你會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)有些很簡(jiǎn)單的詞組或句子,表達(dá)的卻并非字面上的意思。如果理解不到位,往往會(huì)鬧出笑話(huà)。比如有這么兩個(gè)看似簡(jiǎn)單的說(shuō)法:
1.Tell me about it?。ㄗ置嬉馑迹嚎旄嬖V我是怎么回事?。?/p>
2.What else isn ew?(字面意思:還有什么新的嗎?)
其實(shí),以上兩句如果放到對(duì)話(huà)中,所表達(dá)的含義會(huì)與字面意思有很大不同。那么,這兩句到底是什么意思呢?讓我們舉幾個(gè)例子:
Tell me about it!
A:Do you know under the newly reformed tax plan, the rich people actually pay less tax?
你知道嗎?如果實(shí)行改革后的新稅務(wù)計(jì)劃,富人交納的稅反而會(huì)更少。
B: Yeah, tell me about it! My neighbor is a millionaire and he told me that his tax rate would be reduced by fifty percent.
可不是嗎?我的鄰居是個(gè)百萬(wàn)富翁。他告訴我,他的交稅比例將降低50%。
在這里,"tell me about it" 不是要求對(duì)方細(xì)說(shuō),而是表示一種附和,還帶有驚訝的成分。再比如:
A: Under such harsh economic downturns, working class can hardly make ends meet.
經(jīng)濟(jì)下滑這么厲害,工薪階層快要揭不開(kāi)鍋了。
B: Tell me about it! In my family alone two people got laid off. I don't know how I can make the mortgage payment this month.
可不是嗎?光我們家下崗的就有倆,我還不知道這個(gè)月怎么付房貸呢。
What else is new?
A:Hey, do you know the new governor is going to cut the funding for education?
嘿,你聽(tīng)說(shuō)了嗎?新州長(zhǎng)要削減教育經(jīng)費(fèi)呢!
B: What else is new? We all know he represents big businesses. Education is not his top priority.
那有什么稀奇的?我們?cè)缇椭浪幌虼泶蠊镜睦?,教育不是他最關(guān)心的事。
在這里,What else is new表示,這種結(jié)局是預(yù)料之中的事,不算什么新聞。所以,根據(jù)上下文,也可譯為“這算不上什么新聞”。再比如:
A:Yesterday my daughter gave me a gift wish list for her 15th birthday. Among other things she asks for a lap-top computer!
昨天,我女兒給我開(kāi)了一個(gè)單子,列舉了她15歲生日想要的禮物。其中竟然有一臺(tái)便攜式電腦!
B: What else is new? At least she hasn't asked for a car. Wait till next year!
那有什么稀奇的?她至少?zèng)]讓你送她一輛車(chē)。明年你等著瞧吧!
相關(guān)閱讀:
諾貝爾文學(xué)獎(jiǎng)評(píng)語(yǔ)中一個(gè)關(guān)鍵詞的翻譯
(來(lái)源:傳神社區(qū),英語(yǔ)點(diǎn)津編輯)