原文:张先生呵呵大笑,一面分付进来的女佣说:“快去跟太太小姐说,客人来了,请她们出来。make it snappy!”说时右手大拇指从中指弹在食指上“啪”的一响。他回过来对鸿渐笑道:“headache是美国话指‘太太’而说,不是‘头痛’!你没到States去过罢!”(钱钟书 - 围城 ) 翻译关键词:laughter与laugh,笑的不同方式,snappy与snap 译文:Mr. Chang roared with laughter. At the same time he instructed the maid who entered, “Go and tell my wife and daughter the guest is here. Ask them to come out. Make it snappy!” At this he snapped his fingers. Turning to Hung-chien, he said with a laugh, “’Headache’ is an American expression for ‘wife,’ not ‘pain in head!’ I guess you haven’t been to the States!” (美 Jeanne Kelly, Nathan K.Mao–Fortress Besieged) 翻译笔记: laughter与laugh laughter在现代英语里一般只用作抽象名词,所以前面不用a,也没有复数形式。如: To burst/dissolve into laughter 突然/情不自禁大笑起来 laugh则用作类名词,前面可以加a,也可以用复数形式来表示。如: to give a laugh 大笑一声 文中的roar with laughter是惯用短语,表示“放声大笑,呵呵大笑”。 此外,a…laughter或a…laugh都可以表示“(一阵)……的笑声”。如: |