2010-04-20 09:53:26Lovedrin

欺善怕惡怎翻譯?

【明報專訊】讀者Wilson來電郵問,fair to middling是什麼意思?又fair means or foul作何解?

(1)fair to middling即so-so,指「馬馬虎虎」,例如:

How are you feeling today?
Oh, fair to middling.
你今天感覺如何?
哦,還過得去。
(2)fair means or foul使用時,一般要在其前加上介系詞「by」;而by fair means or foul即by any method, honest or not,指「不擇手段」,例如:

He will win the election by fair means or foul.

他將不擇手段贏取選舉。
(3)茲介紹fair及foul二字,前者解作「好」,後者解作「壞」,例如:

In fair weather prepare for foul.
未雨綢繆 [在好天氣時為壞天氣作準備]。
趙姓讀者來電郵問,「欺善怕惡」英文如何講?
(a)欺善怕惡:bully the good people, fear the evil ones

(b)介紹一些類似的用法:

欺弱怕強:bully the weak, fear the strong

欺軟怕硬:bully the fainthearted, fear the stouthearted

當然,以上只是翻譯之一種,還有不少其他形式可加採用。

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