中文原文:
我們要尚務實,戒高調(diào)。
錯誤譯文:
We should advocate the realistic spirit and guard against making high tunes.
正確譯文:
We should advocate the realistic spirit and guard against making high-sounding talks.
翻譯加油站:
high tune指曲調(diào)高,是音樂術(shù)語。“戒高調(diào)”的意思是“不要光說不做的漂亮話”,與音樂無關(guān)。high-sounding 的意思是intended to sound important,能表達“唱高調(diào)”的比喻意義。
“高調(diào)”的第一個意思是“唱歌或說話比一般頻率高的音調(diào)”,即“高調(diào)門”??梢詾?high tune, high tone, high pitch, high-pitched。如:
1. 這位歌手以她的高調(diào)門歌唱使我們驚嘆不已。The singer marveled us with her high-tune singing.
2. 這位歌手唱高調(diào)門的歌唱得非常好。The singer can sing high-pitched songs very well.
“高調(diào)”第二個意思是比喻“高昂的論調(diào)”,即“高格調(diào)”??勺g為lofty tone。如:
3. 高格調(diào)是與生俱來的,不是教出來的。A lofty tone is innate, and does not come by teaching.
“高調(diào)”第三個意思是比喻“不切實際或光說不做的”??勺g為high-sounding。如:
4. 我們對他的高調(diào)宣傳報道表示懷疑。We were all suspicious of his high-sounding publicity stories.
“唱高調(diào)”的意思是比喻“說得很漂亮,而實際上做不到或不準備去做”??勺g為to mouth high-sounding words, to say fine-sounding things, to affect a high moral tone, to utter high-flown words。如:
5. 這個官員愛唱高調(diào),卻很少辦實事。This official likes to mouth high-sounding words, but seldom does practical things.
“高調(diào)”第四個意思是比喻“引人注目的高姿態(tài)”??勺g為high profile。如:
6. 他在這件事上一直保持高調(diào)。He has kept a high profile on this matter.