酷兔英语


原文:
鸿渐和辛楣照例说这小孩长得好,养得胖,讨论他像父亲还是像母亲。这些话在父母的耳朵里是听不厌的。鸿渐凑近他脸捺指作声,这是他唯一娱乐孩子的本领。(钱钟书 - 围城 )
翻译关键词:resemble,捺指作声,本领
译文:
Hung-chien and Hsin-mei dutifully remarked on how nice and well-fed the baby was and discussed whether he resembled his mother or his father. These are the sort of remarks parents never tire of hearing. Hung-chien went up close to its face and snapped his fingers. This was his only skill in amusing a child. (美 Jeanne Kelly, Nathan K.Mao <译> -Fortress Besieged)
翻译笔记:
resemble
resemble并不陌生,但是用的时候必须注意它现在只用作及物动词,后面没有to哦。如:
He resembles his brother.
他像他的兄弟。
resemble each other in appearance or nature 在外表或本性方面彼此相像
捺指作声
其实就是我们常说的"打榧子"和"打响指",我们常把这个动作译为snap。
snap作不及物动词,fingers snapped,发劈啪声
If I hit upon the right name, her fingers snapped.
如果碰巧我把名字说对了,她的手指便啪地打一个榧子。
snap作及物动词,snap one's fingers,捻(手指)发劈啪声
She snapped her fingers to get the child's attention.
她打榧子叫孩子注意听。

本领
"本领"在口语里也常称为"本事",常用skill; ability; capability来翻译。如:
本领大 highly skilled; very capable
掌握专业本领 master the skills needed for one's occupation