论文部分内容阅读
2010年是中国农历传统生肖(Chinese Zodiac)中的虎年(the year of the tiger)。虎,由于他的雄健有力、威严沉稳的姿态,威猛神武、可王可霸的气势,深山潜勇、百折不回的精神及瑰丽斑斓的毛色,被誉为“万兽之王”。自古无论是帝王将相,还是普通百姓,无不崇虎、尊虎,认为虎能镇魔驱鬼,辟邪除秽,益寿延年。人们希望自己的孩子茁壮成长,就为他们取名“虎子”(huzi) / (a little tiger)或“虎妞”(huniu),还喜欢给小孩戴虎帽(tiger-shaped hats)、穿虎鞋(tiger-shaped shoes);而帝王则把爱将誉为“虎将”(a brave general)。虎成为了仅次于龙(long / dragon)的图腾(totem)。人们用各种美好的语言赞赏虎,也用虎来比拟美好的事物。有关虎的成语广为流传、随处可见。人们用“虎背熊腰”形容人的身体魁梧强壮,用“如狼似虎”形容队伍的凶猛威武,用“饿虎扑食”形容行动迅猛快捷,用“虎头虎脑”形容孩子健壮憨态可爱,用“虎将”形容将军的勇猛善战,用“虎踞龙盘”形容雄踞一方,固若金汤。用“虎落平阳”被犬欺形容英雄末路受制于小人。用“虎虎生气”形容生机勃勃。然而,这些我们耳熟能祥的习语在英语中又如何表达呢?
纸老虎 a paper tiger
骑虎难下 have a tiger by the tail / He who rides a tiger is afraid to dismount.
虎踞龙盘 a strategic fortress as if guarded by a tiger and a dragon
虎虎生威 as dynamic as a tiger
饿虎扑食 like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey
如狼似虎 as ferocious as wolves and tigers
如虎添翼 like a tiger with wings (It means someone’s might is doubled.)
调虎离山 to lure the tiger from the mountain
三人成虎 Three people make a tiger. (The idiom suggests that gossip can be as ferocious as a tiger.)
坐山观虎斗Sitting on a hill watching tigers fight (It means someone takes a side in a fight until one party overwhelms their enemy. )
两虎相斗,必有一伤When two tigers fight, one is bound to get hurt
生龙活虎地工作 work like a tiger
前门拒虎,后门进狼drive a tiger out from the front door while a wolf comes in the back
不入虎穴,焉得虎子
How can you catch tiger cubs without entering the tiger’s lair
He who risks nothing gains nothing. / Nothing venture, nothing have.
虎将a brave general
虎口the jaws of death
虎威valiant and awe-inspiring
拦路虎a lion in the way
虎狼之国 a nation of invaders / savages
龙腾虎跃 a scene of bustling activity
龙吟虎啸 the howling of the wind, the roaring of the waves
龙争虎斗 a fierce struggle between well-matched opponents;a contest between giants
龙潭虎穴 a danger spot
龙行虎步 majestic gait / imposing air
狐假虎威 an ass in a lion’s skin;to bully the weak by flaunting one’s powerful connections
虎背熊腰 tough and stocky
虎口余生 have a narrow escape from death; be snatched from the jaws of death
虎口拔牙 dare the greatest danger
虎视眈眈 eye covetously or menacingly
虎头虎脑 looking strong and good-natured
虎头蛇尾a fine start and a poor finish;
in like a lion, out like a lamb
虎有生气 full of vim and vigor
养虎贻患 Bring up a raven and he’ll pick out your eyes.
Save a thief from gallows and he’ll help hang you.
九牛二虎之力
every ounce of one’s strength
初生牛犊不怕虎
A new-born calf has no fear of the wolf.
一山不能容二虎Heaven cannot support two suns, nor earth two masters.
山中无老虎,猴子称大王
When the cat’s away, the mice will play.
If there were no elephant in the jungle, the buffalo would be a great animal.
虎落平阳受犬欺,龙困浅水遭虾戏
When the eagle is dead, the crows pick out his eyes.
动物比喻(Animal Metaphors)在英汉两种语言中都有广泛的使用。它使语言生气勃勃,形象鲜明。但语言是文化的载体。由于受文化背景、文化传统、思维方式和地域差异的影响,使用不同语言的人们对用以比喻的动物各不相同。中国人奉若神明的虎主要生活在亚洲。因此,在英语习惯表达中虎作为喻体出现较为有限,它往往被狮子或者其它动物所代替。
纸老虎 a paper tiger
骑虎难下 have a tiger by the tail / He who rides a tiger is afraid to dismount.
虎踞龙盘 a strategic fortress as if guarded by a tiger and a dragon
虎虎生威 as dynamic as a tiger
饿虎扑食 like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey
如狼似虎 as ferocious as wolves and tigers
如虎添翼 like a tiger with wings (It means someone’s might is doubled.)
调虎离山 to lure the tiger from the mountain
三人成虎 Three people make a tiger. (The idiom suggests that gossip can be as ferocious as a tiger.)
坐山观虎斗Sitting on a hill watching tigers fight (It means someone takes a side in a fight until one party overwhelms their enemy. )
两虎相斗,必有一伤When two tigers fight, one is bound to get hurt
生龙活虎地工作 work like a tiger
前门拒虎,后门进狼drive a tiger out from the front door while a wolf comes in the back
不入虎穴,焉得虎子
How can you catch tiger cubs without entering the tiger’s lair
He who risks nothing gains nothing. / Nothing venture, nothing have.
虎将a brave general
虎口the jaws of death
虎威valiant and awe-inspiring
拦路虎a lion in the way
虎狼之国 a nation of invaders / savages
龙腾虎跃 a scene of bustling activity
龙吟虎啸 the howling of the wind, the roaring of the waves
龙争虎斗 a fierce struggle between well-matched opponents;a contest between giants
龙潭虎穴 a danger spot
龙行虎步 majestic gait / imposing air
狐假虎威 an ass in a lion’s skin;to bully the weak by flaunting one’s powerful connections
虎背熊腰 tough and stocky
虎口余生 have a narrow escape from death; be snatched from the jaws of death
虎口拔牙 dare the greatest danger
虎视眈眈 eye covetously or menacingly
虎头虎脑 looking strong and good-natured
虎头蛇尾a fine start and a poor finish;
in like a lion, out like a lamb
虎有生气 full of vim and vigor
养虎贻患 Bring up a raven and he’ll pick out your eyes.
Save a thief from gallows and he’ll help hang you.
九牛二虎之力
every ounce of one’s strength
初生牛犊不怕虎
A new-born calf has no fear of the wolf.
一山不能容二虎Heaven cannot support two suns, nor earth two masters.
山中无老虎,猴子称大王
When the cat’s away, the mice will play.
If there were no elephant in the jungle, the buffalo would be a great animal.
虎落平阳受犬欺,龙困浅水遭虾戏
When the eagle is dead, the crows pick out his eyes.
动物比喻(Animal Metaphors)在英汉两种语言中都有广泛的使用。它使语言生气勃勃,形象鲜明。但语言是文化的载体。由于受文化背景、文化传统、思维方式和地域差异的影响,使用不同语言的人们对用以比喻的动物各不相同。中国人奉若神明的虎主要生活在亚洲。因此,在英语习惯表达中虎作为喻体出现较为有限,它往往被狮子或者其它动物所代替。