如果按照字面翻译成英语:“You are at such an old age but you are still in good health!” 英美老人听了这样一句话会有什么反应呢?我们且不说老人不喜欢那个old,一个but更是大煞风景,他们会觉得“I am so old that I should not be in good health”,或者“It’s abnormal that for people of my age to be still in good health.”这种感觉简直像中国老人听到有人骂他“老不死的!”一样。
由于生活习惯和审美价值观不同,英美人寒暄和中国人很不一样,在和外国朋友交谈和翻译时要特别注意。
尽管英美人常说“Wish you good health!”(祝你健康),现在道别时常说 “Take care!”(类似汉语的“保重!”),但是一般不会把“Your are in good health.”之类的话作为问候或恭维话(这更像是医生对病人或自以为有病的人说的话)。
可是,如果你对一个西方人说“You are having a fever. You must drink more water.”对方会觉得你把他当孩子,“I’m not a child. I surely know I should drink more water.”如果你将后一句直译成“You’d better go and see the doctor!”对方甚至会觉得你是在威胁他,要是他不去看医生,一切后果由他自负。(读者可以体会一下,You’d better give me the money this afternoon!完全是赤裸裸的威胁。)
如果你送别英美客人时说:“Please walk slowly!”老外一定觉得不可思议,“I have so many things to do at home, why should I walk ‘slowly’?”而对外国主人说“Please stop here”(“请留步”的直译)更会使他莫名其妙,他会以为路上有什么大坑呢!