英语翻译学习笔记 How to Grow Old

一、解说
1. In spite of the 单元内容浏览, this article will really be on how not to grow old, which, at my time of life, is a much more important subject. 题目虽然这样写，实际上本文所要谈的却是人怎样才可以不老。对于像我这样年纪的人来说，这个问题就更是重要得多了。
    “on”意为：about; concerning关于；论及。
    “in spite of”是“虽然”的意思，后面跟名词。汉语的“虽然”后面要跟句子。另外，英语用了“虽然”就不用“但是”，可汉语要加“但是”或者“却”等词。

2. Although both my parents died young, I have done well in this respect as regards my other ancestors. 我的父母年纪轻轻就去世了，可是说到祖辈，我还是选得不错的。
    不要一见到“although”就一成不变地译为“虽然…但是…”，应根据上下文而定，这里就译作“可是”。
    “respect”在这里并不是“尊敬”的意思，而是：particular aspect or detail方面，着眼点。故“in this respect”就是“在这个方面”。
    例：In what respect do you think the film is biased? 你认为影片在哪一方面失之偏颇？
    “as regards sb/sth”意为：concerning or connected with sb/sth 关于或至于某人/某事物。
    例：I have little information as regards his past. 我对他过去的情况不太了解。

3. My maternal grandfather, it is true, was cut off in the flower of this youth at the age of sixty-seven, but my other three grandparents all lived to be over eighty. 我外祖父固然是在风华正茂之年就弃世了，当时他只有六十七岁，但是我的祖父、祖母和外祖母却都活到了八十以上。
    英语里“grandfather”既可指“祖父”也可指外祖父，翻译时需要根据上下文来断定。而本句用了“maternal grandfather”，那就是“外祖父”。后一分句讲到的“my other three grandparents”，译的时候，要表达清楚，既“我的祖父、祖母和外祖母”。
    “it is true”是个插入语，没有单独译，其意思已体现在“固然”这个词中。

6. Of remoter ancestors I can only discover one who did not live to a great age, and he died of a disease which is now rare, namely, having his head cut off. 再往远一点说， 在我的先人之中，我发现只有一位活得不长， 他得了一种现在不多见的病，那就是头让人砍掉了。
    “Of remoter ancestors”中的“of”表示范围。“remoter”是比较级，就是比刚才提到了祖辈还要远的祖先。

7. My maternal grandmother, after having nine children who survived, one who died in infancy, and many miscarriages, as soon as she became a widow devoted herself to women's higher education. 我外祖母有九个孩子活了下来，有一个孩子很小就死了，她还流产过多次。丈夫一死，她就致力于女子高等教育。
    这个句子主要部分是“My maternal grandmother devoted herself to women's higher education.”。“nine children who survived”、“one who died in infancy”以及“many miscarriages”是并列的成分，均是“having”的宾语。

8. She inquired the cause of his melancholy and he said that he had just parted from his two grandchildren. 她问他什么闷闷不乐，他说两个小孙孙刚刚离开他。
    “melancholy”是“deep sadness which lasts for some time; de前一单元ssion 忧郁；抑郁”的意思。

9. I never do anything whatever on the ground that it is good for health, though in actual fact the things I like doing are mostly wholesome. 我从不为对身体有益而搞什么活动，然而实际上我喜欢做的事大都是有助于增进身体健康的。
    “ground”（尤作复数）意为：reason(s) or justification for saying, doing or believing sth 说、做或相信某事的原因或理由。
    例1) Her claim was disallowed on the ground(s) that she had not paid her 前一单元mium. 她要求赔款遭到拒绝，原因是她事先没有交纳保险费。
    例2) On what ground(s) do you make that accusation? 你根据什么提出那项控告？
    “wholesome”的意思是：good for one's health or well-being 有益于健康的。
    例：plain but wholesome meals 清淡却有益于健康的饭菜

10. One of these is undue absorption in the past. 一是过分地怀念过去。
    “undue”意为：more that is right or proper; excessive 不当的；过分的；过度的。例：wit undue haste 过于仓促；show undue concern every sb/sth对某人/某事物/表现过分关心。

11. The other thing to be avoided is clinging to youth in the hope of sucking vigour from its vitality. 另一件需要避免的事就是老想和年轻人呆在一起，希望从青年的活力中汲取力量。
    “cling to sb/sth”意为：be emotionally dependent on sb; stay too close to sb 感情上依靠某人；太接近某人；依恋。
    例：Small children cling to their mothers. 小孩子都缠着母亲。

12. but one's interest should be contemplative and, if possible, philanthropic, but not unduly emotional. 如果可能的话，这种关心应该是成熟的，博大的，而不应该是感情用事的。
    “contemplative”意为：fond of contemplation; thoughtful, 好沉思的；深思熟虑的。“philanthropic”意为：of or inspired by philanthropy 博爱的；慈善的，仁慈的。“emotional”意为：having emotions that are easily excited 易激动的；易动感情的。这三个形容词要译好确实不容易。“contemplative” 和“emotional”两个词是相对应的，故一个译作“成熟的”，另一个译作“感情用事的”。至于什么样的“关心”才称得上是“philanthropic”，这种关心应理解为是广义的关心，故译作“博大的”。