王逢鑫
第一,“陰陽”是中國古代哲學(xué)思想,是自然界的根本規(guī)律?!瓣帯保⒄Z譯為Yin,“陽”,英語譯為Yang。例如:
1. 在中國古代哲學(xué)中,“陰”和“陽”指自然界物質(zhì)有內(nèi)在聯(lián)系的兩大對立面。In ancient Chinese philosophy, Yin and Yang are the two opposing aspects of matters in nature, which are interrelated with each other.
第二,“陰陽”是中國古代有關(guān)日、月等天體運行規(guī)律的學(xué)問。太陽是sun,太陰是moon?!俺枴保⒄Z譯為morning sun或rising sun?!跋﹃枴?,英語譯為setting sun?!膀滉枴?,英語譯為blazing sun。例如:
2. 朝陽正冉冉升起。The morning sun is rising slowly.
3. 夕陽無限好,只是近黃昏。Though the setting sun is unrivalled in its splendor, it is a pity that the dusk is fast approaching.
4. 驕陽似火。The blazing sun is like a fireball.
第三,“陰陽”與歷法相關(guān)?!疤枤v”或“陽歷”是以地球繞太陽公轉(zhuǎn)的運動周期為基礎(chǔ)而制定的歷法,英語譯為solar calendar。“太陰歷”或“陰歷”,是按月亮的月相周期來安排的歷法,英語譯為lunar calendar。我們所說的“農(nóng)歷”是兼顧月相周期和太陽周年運動所安排的陰陽合歷,英語譯為lunisolar calendar或traditional Chinese calendar。例如:
5. 陽歷以地球繞太陽公轉(zhuǎn)的運動周期為基礎(chǔ)。Solar calendar is based on the cycle of the Earths movement around the Sun.
6. 農(nóng)歷正月十五是元宵節(jié)。The 15th day of the first month of the traditional Chinese calendar is the Lantern Festival.
第四,“陽”表示有太陽的天氣,而“陰”表示沒有太陽的天氣?!捌G陽天”,英語譯為bright sunny day?!瓣幪臁?,英語譯為cloudy day或overcast day。例如:
7. 在一個艷陽天, 我站在山頂,遠眺大海。On a bright sunny day, I stood on the top of a hill, looking down at the sea.
8. 陰天時,有些人容易情緒低沉。On overcast days, some people tend to be in low spirits.
第五,“陽”與活著的人相關(guān),而“陰”與死去的人相關(guān)?!瓣栭g”就是“人間”,英語譯為the human world或the world of the living?!瓣庨g”或“陰曹”,英語譯為the nether world或the world of the dead。例如:
9. 這個人相信靈魂的存在,也相信陽間和陰間有關(guān)聯(lián)。The man believes that there exist souls and there is a connection between the world of the living and the world of the dead.
第六,在醫(yī)學(xué)檢查中,“陰性”(negative)表示檢查結(jié)果正常,而“陽性”(positive)則代表有病或者感染了病毒?!瓣柫恕钡囊馑际恰笆懿《靖腥?,檢測呈陽性”,英語譯為to test positive或to be tested and come up positive。例如:
10. 昨天我陽了,發(fā)燒而且頭很痛。I tested positive yesterday,having a fever and getting a very bad headache.
“轉(zhuǎn)陰”的意思是“受病毒感染已痊愈,檢測呈陰性”,英語譯為to test negative或to test negative and have a recovery。
第七,中醫(yī)的“陽虛”,英語譯為deficiency of Yang。中醫(yī)的“陰虛”,英語譯為deficiency of Yin。例如:
11. “陰陽”學(xué)說廣泛應(yīng)用于中醫(yī)。The principle of Yin-Yang is widely applied to traditional Chinese medicine.
12. “陽虛”指陽氣不足、機能衰退的癥候。Deficiency of Yang refers to such symptoms as lack of vital energy and decline of functions.
13. “陰虛”指津液虧損、臟器精氣不足的癥候。Deficiency of Yin refers to such symptoms as insufficiency of body fluids and insufficiency of vital essence of internal organs.
第八,英語語法中有專門屬于女人和雌性動物的陰性名詞(feminine noun)、陰性代詞(feminine pronoun)和陰性形式(feminine form),以及專門屬于男人和雄性動物的陽性名詞(masculine noun)、陽性代詞(masculine pronoun)和陽性形式(masculine form)。例如:
14. 有些人不喜歡使用actress這一陰性形式,而用actor指代兩個性別。Some people prefer not to use the feminine form “actress”, and they use the word “actor” for both sexes.
第九,一些西方語言(如法語)的詞匯有陰性(feminine gender)和陽性(masculine gender)之分。例如:
15. “書”這個詞在法語里是陰性,還是陽性?What gender is the word “book” in French, feminine or masculine?
第十,“陽”和“陰”分別表示男女的氣質(zhì)。男性的“陽剛”,英語譯為 masculinity、manhood或manliness。女性的“陰柔”,英語譯為femininity、womanhood或womanliness。例如:
16. “陽剛”是與男孩和男人相關(guān)的一組特點、行為和角色。Masculinity/ Manhood/Manliness is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles associated with boys and men.
17.“陰柔”被認為是女性的典型特點。Femininity/Womanhood/ Womanliness means the qualities that are considered to be typical of women.
第十一,“陽”表示“公開的”,而“陰”表示“隱蔽的”。“陽謀”,英語譯為overt scheme?!瓣幹\”,英語譯為plot、conspiracy、covert scheme。例如:
18. 敵軍軍官發(fā)現(xiàn)游擊隊的佯攻其實是個陽謀。The enemy officer found out that the simulated attack of the guerrilla was actually an overt scheme.
19. 緝毒警察挫敗了毒梟販毒的陰謀。The anti-drug police thwarted the drug lords conspiracy of drug dealing.