原 文:
At the end of the day, it's his responsibility, and there's nothing you can do.
原 譯:
到這一天結(jié)束的時候/到了晚上,這就是他的責(zé)任了,你什么也不能做。
辨 析:
看了譯文會讓人覺得一頭霧水,不知所云。這一句之所以誤譯,在于未能理解句首成語的確切含義,而是照字面揣測。at the end of the day 是英語中的一個成語,常用于口語,其意思是when all is taken into consideration(當(dāng)一切都考慮進去的時候,即分析了各種可能性后得出結(jié)論)或when everything has happened or been settled(一切都已辦妥了之后)。所以這一句可譯為:不管怎么說,這是他的責(zé)任,你一點兒辦法也沒有。
帶有at the end of... 的英語成語很多,下列句子僅是幾例:(1)With all the homework to be done, he was at the end of his rope.(有那么多功課要做,他簡直累壞了。) at the end of his rope的意思是“束手無策”、“筋疲力盡”或“忍無可忍”,也作at the end of one's row 或 at the end of one's tether。(2)Their washing machine has long been at the end of the road.(他們的洗衣機早就壞了。)at the end of the road的意思是“用壞的”、“完蛋了的”,與“路”沒有關(guān)系。(3)A hundred years ago, this place was at the end of the rainbow, and people were rushing there through all means. (一百年前,那里是[美國人]實現(xiàn)夢想的地方,人們千方百計地到那兒去。)the end of the rainbow出自于神話傳說,指“所有愿望都能實現(xiàn)的地方”。
英語里有很多成語,其意思從字面上看不出來,常常構(gòu)成翻譯的一大誤區(qū),所以翻譯時要勤于查詞典。