灯谜(lantern riddles )是指写在彩灯上面的谜语。灯谜一般由三部分组成,即谜面、谜目(hint)和谜底。在灯谜中凡是谜面上有的字,在谜底中不能再出现。 灯谜里充满着智慧,因此猜谜底显得很有趣,这也使得猜灯谜成为元宵节的一项不可缺少的活动。灯谜在中国源远流长,可以毫不夸张地说,灯谜体现着中国人民无穷的智慧。
参考翻译:
Lantern Riddles
Lantern riddles are riddles that are written on thelanterns. Generally, a lantern riddle consists of threeparts, namely the riddle, the hint and the answer.Any character that appears in the riddle cannot bein the answer again. Lantern riddles are full of wisdom, thus working out them can be muchfun, which makes guessing riddles an essential part of the activities in the Lantern Festival.The lantern riddle has a long history in China, and it is no exaggeration to say that it is areflection of infinite wisdom of the Chinese people.
1.由…组成:可以译为consist of,也可译为be made up of或becomposed of。
2.谜面、谜目和谜底:这三个词如果理解不当就会翻译错误。谜面是该条谜语的主题,也就是灯谜本身;谜目则是附加于谜面之后,为猜谜者划定猜谜范围的提示性语言;谜底即是正确答案。所以可译为the riddle,the hint and theanswer。
3.不可缺少的:可译为essential或indispensable。其所在句其实包含了两重因果关系,翻译时,前面第一重因果关系可用简单的thus来体现,后面可用which引导的非限制性定语从句来体现。
4.可以毫不夸张地说:有固定译法,即it is no exaggeration to say。
5.体现着:根据汉语中多动词而英语中多用名词的习惯,可以把词性转译成名词,即 a reflection of...
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