每年随着中国高校开学日期临近,家长们就开始忙着为孩子购置各种物品。笔记本电脑、手机和银行卡是许多大学新生新学期的“三件套”(three piece suit)。一些学生还准备了相机、游戏机和其他时尚产品。(trendy product)。相关学者称这些学生花钱太大手大脚。也有一些家长表示,他们会满足孩子的基本需求,但是如果孩子想花更多钱或生活得更好,则需要他们自己去挣钱实现。
参考译文
Every year, as the new school term for colleges and universities in China is approaching, parents are busy buying all kinds of items for their children. Laptop, mobile phone and bank cards are the so-called three-piece suit for many freshmen to start the new term. Some students also prepare cameras, game players and other trendy products. Scholars concerned claimed that those students spent too much. Some parents said that they would satisfy children's basic needs, but if they wanted higher comsumption or a better life, children were expected to earn money by themselves.
表达难点
1.第1句中的时间状语“随着中国高校开学日期临近”较长,故将其处理成as引导的时间状语从句,译作as the new school term…… is approaching.“忙着做某事”用 be busy doing sth来表达。
2.第2句中的“新学期的‘三件套’”如果逐字对译为the new term three-piece suit,则语义关系表达得不够清晰,宜译为three-piece suit to start a new term,译文中增译了so called(所谓的,所说的),恰当地表示出原文中双引号的意味。
3.第4句中的“相关学者”表达为scholars concerned,定语concerned要置于被修饰词之后才表示“相关的”,如果前置则意为“担优的,如a concerned expression on her face(她脸上担忧的表情)。
4.最后一句中的“如果孩子想花更多钱或生活得更好”可以直译为这也呀wantedto spend more and live a better life,但考虑到“中文多用动词,英文多用名词”的表达特点,可将其译作if they wanted higher consumption and a better life,这样更符合英语表达习惯。“则需要他们自己去挣钱实现”,宜承前一分句 ;用“孩子”作主语,使译文表达更流畅,并相应地采用被动语态,译为children were expected to earn money by themselves.
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