很多人在第一次接觸“easy street”這個(gè)詞匯時(shí),很容易把注意力放在”easy”上,”easy”這個(gè)詞的意思是“容易的;輕易的;不費(fèi)力的;舒適的”。于是就把”easy street”理解為“購物便利,生活方便的街道”。有這樣一句話,“Joe lives on easy street and can buy all the new things that make life easy.”按這樣的理解,就會(huì)把這句話翻譯成“喬住在一條很方便的街上,那里買東西方便,生活很舒服”。 單看譯文,不會(huì)覺得這句話有錯(cuò)處,甚至還覺得,語句通順,邏輯合理,是一個(gè)正確翻譯。但恰恰是自以為最有信心的”easy street”是這句話翻譯錯(cuò)誤?!眅asy street”理解成“便利街”似乎并不不妥,但是總覺得缺了些什么。根據(jù)語法知識(shí)如果”easy”是作為形容詞修飾”street”的話就缺少了冠詞,正確的表達(dá)方式應(yīng)該是”an easy street”.
所以,”easy”在這里的意思不是“容易的,便利的”。其實(shí),”easy street”是一個(gè)習(xí)語,意思和”easy life”相近,指生活舒適安逸,經(jīng)濟(jì)上富足。也就是” a situation in which somebody has no worries, especially no financial worries”.所以” Joe lives on easy street and can buy all the new things that make life easy.”應(yīng)該翻譯成“喬過著逍遙自在的日子,買得起各種東西,生活很舒適”
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相似的例句還有,
It's really like an Easy Street for bacteria, with the occasional interruption of the unintended forced rush to the exit.
對(duì)細(xì)菌來說,這真是逍遙自在,雖然有偶爾的打擾被不情愿地排放出去。
I hope you to be on Easy Street at the end of your working career!
我希望你在職場(chǎng)生涯的后期再享受衣食無憂的狀態(tài)
His parents left him a large legacy and he is now living on easy street.
他的父母留給他一大筆遺產(chǎn),他現(xiàn)在生活的很自在。
如果說”easy street”表示生活富足,還有一個(gè)和street相關(guān)的短語與” easy street”表示相反的意思,那就是” out on the street”.從下面這個(gè)例句就可以看出“easy street”與” out on the street”的意思相對(duì)。
I don't expect you to be a billionaire, but it's up to you whether you want to live on easy street or to be out on the street in the future.
我不指望你成為一個(gè)億萬富翁,將來的生活是苦還是甜,全都要靠你自己了。
評(píng)論