2013年1月21日星期一

古德明: 泰山崩於前





問:「泰山崩於前而色不變」英文怎麼說?

答:這一句直譯是not to change countenance even if Mt Tai collapses right before one's eyesCountenance指「面容」或「面部表情」,to change countenance即「變面色」,例如:He changed countenance when I told him the unpleasant news(他聽到我說的壞消息,面色就變了)。

當然,成語一般不宜直譯。「泰山崩於前而色不變」即「臨危不亂」或「處事冷靜」,而說「冷靜」的英文詞語甚多。「他這個人,泰山崩於前而色不變」可翻譯如下:He is one who remains composed / self-possessed / cool, calm and collected / as cool as a cucumber (in a crisis)

留意cool, calm and collected是一常用成語,其中collected不可解作「收集」。Collect作動詞,有時會用於to collect oneself / one's thoughts這說法,指「定下神來,集中思想」,例如:I took a deep breath, trying to collect myself(我深深吸一口氣,努力定下神來)。把collect oneself的意思引伸,形容詞collected就是「泰然自若」、「不慌亂」的意思。

至於(ascool as a cucumber,也是常見成語,直譯是「像黃瓜一樣冷」。從前,英國人相信吃黃瓜會降低性欲,所以當時一般說as cold as a cucumber,指情欲上冷冰冰(cold);後來,這成語意思變成「冷靜」,所以今天一般用cool取代了cold