英語(yǔ)和漢語(yǔ)一般都有對(duì)應(yīng)的語(yǔ)匯或習(xí)語(yǔ)，然而在處理具體問(wèn)題時(shí)，常常不能完全對(duì)應(yīng)。
比如漢語(yǔ)習(xí)慣稱(chēng)亞洲“四小龍”，英語(yǔ)雖然可譯成the Asian “four dragons”，但西方人大都叫the Asian “four tigers”或“four tigers” in Asia，因?yàn)樵谖鞣饺说难劾�，dragon是一種類(lèi)似鱷魚(yú)或蛇、長(zhǎng)有翅膀而且會(huì)噴火、常�？词刂疸y財(cái)寶的怪物。
單個(gè)詞尚且如此，成語(yǔ)和諺語(yǔ)就更難對(duì)應(yīng)了，有時(shí)甚至連原文的蹤跡都沒(méi)有了，如 “Don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs”，如果按照字面直譯成“不要教你的奶奶磕雞蛋”，讓人看了會(huì)莫名其妙。要是意譯為“不要班門(mén)弄斧”，就既表達(dá)了原意，也符合漢語(yǔ)習(xí)慣。
和漢語(yǔ)一樣，英語(yǔ)的成語(yǔ)也很多，但其中大部分都很難對(duì)譯成漢語(yǔ)成語(yǔ)，這時(shí)一般采取意譯。如：
1.Like talking to a brick wall（對(duì)牛彈琴，瞎子點(diǎn)燈白費(fèi)蠟），意為to waste one's breath trying to persuade someone who is so obstinate to listen to reason；例句：“He is so dogmatic; it's like talking to a brick wall arguing with him.”
2.To make bricks without straw（巧婦難為無(wú)米之炊），意為to try to achieve some result with inadequate means；例句：We were unable to give you an opinion because you didn't give us the information we needed. We can't make bricks without straw.
3.The rotten apple（害群之馬，敗家之子）意為the one bad person among a number of good ones；例句：His youngest son was the rotten apple.
4.To pay back in the same coin, to pay sb. back in his own coin, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth，（以眼還眼，以牙還牙，以其人之道還治其人之身）意為to retaliate by using the same method；例句：Jukes has attacked us in his advertisement overseas; we will pay him back in the same coin.
5.To have a heart of gold（有一副菩薩心腸）意為to be a kind, generous, forgiving person whose qualities are much appreciated.
6.Walls have ears（隔墻有耳）意為You must be very careful what you say because someone may be eavesdropping.
有時(shí)，英語(yǔ)中也會(huì)出現(xiàn)包含著形象、比喻、擬人等手法的長(zhǎng)句，在漢語(yǔ)中很難找到對(duì)應(yīng)的語(yǔ)匯，這時(shí)只能根據(jù)上下文的意思，或整篇文章的中心思想，在不損失、沖淡甚至歪曲原意的基礎(chǔ)上進(jìn)行適當(dāng)處理。請(qǐng)看以下例子： CED Finklestein: He needs to pull a rabbit out of his hat. 總經(jīng)理芬克斯泰因：他需要拿出一個(gè)絕招來(lái)（直譯：他需要從自己的帽子里抓出一只兔子來(lái)）。
在漢譯英時(shí)同樣應(yīng)注意這一點(diǎn)。1992年北京國(guó)際拍賣(mài)會(huì)手冊(cè)上有一位領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人的題詞是：一錘定音，雙方買(mǎi)賣(mài)即成。我的譯文是：A hammer gives the final word, and a deal is concluded between the buyer and seller.“一錘定音”幾個(gè)字很形象，但比較難處理。拍賣(mài)的實(shí)際操作是由拍賣(mài)主錘師用木錘敲桌梆的形式來(lái)決定交易，而不是“成交”之類(lèi)的話語(yǔ)。因此同時(shí)采用了直譯和意譯兩種手法，即：一(A hammer)、雙方買(mǎi)賣(mài)即成交(a deal is concluded between the buyer and seller)和定音(gives the final word)。這里用“final word”（或final say）指“拍板”，“敲定”，即決定下來(lái)，這樣處理既忠實(shí)原文又生動(dòng)貼切。如果完全直譯成“A hammer decides (sets) the tune…”讀者可能以為是樂(lè)隊(duì)指揮真的在那里定音呢。
相關(guān)資訊：英漢翻譯趣味調(diào)研
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