中文原文:
請附寄一張你最近照的護照相片。
錯誤譯文:
Please enclose a passport photograph that you have taken recently.
正確譯文:
Please enclose a passport photograph of yourself, which has been taken recently.
翻譯加油站:
to take a photograph 的意思是“給人照相”。而a photograph that you have taken recently的意思是“一張你最近給別人照的相片,而不是你自己的相片”。
“照片”或“相片”可以譯為photograph, photo, snapshot, snap或picture。其中snapshot和snap,尤其指“快照”。
“給人或物照相”有兩種表達方法。一是 to photograph sb / sth,強調“照相”的動作。二是 to take a photograph / photo / snapshot / snap / picture of sb / sth,說明“照了一張”。例如:這位媽媽給她的嬰兒拍照。The mother photographed her baby.
“讓人拍照”,用 to have one's photograph / photo / picture taken表示。例如:昨天我在頤和園讓人給我照了一張相片。Yesterday I had a picture taken in the Summer Palace.
“自拍”,用to have / get oneself photographed表示。而“集體合影”用 to have a group photo taken 表示。例如:他在家門口自拍照片。He had himself photographed in front of his house. 這些畢業生在離校前集體合影留念。The graduates had a group photo taken as a memento before they left school.
請比較下列句子。注意漢語的意思是模糊的,在英語中可以有不同的譯法:他討厭(給人或物) 照相。
1) He hates / detests photographing.
2) He hates / detests taking photographs. 他討厭(被人) 照相。He hates / detests being photographed.