趙元任的中譯英

 最近重讀楊步偉的《一個女人的自傳》，中英文本一起讀，英譯是趙元任做的。楊步偉的文筆很好，平實中有幽默，而趙元任的英譯更佳，有時還技癢插入自己的妙筆。讀兩人的文章，對中英文會有深一層的認識。以下是我的摘錄：

我是五尺一，不是五尺四（要是的話我倒隨便）。我從前稱九十磅願意有一百二十五磅，後來我一百三十五磅還願意一百二十五磅（近來倒是差不多了）

I am five feet one and not five feet four, though I wouldn't mind if I were. I was once ninety pounds and wished I were a hundred twenty; now I am a hundred thirty-five pounds and still wish the same。
【注：「願意」是「希望」的意思。】

我脾氣很躁。我跟人反就反，跟人硬就硬。你要是跟我橫來，我比你更橫；你講理我就比你更講理。我最愛替受欺負的人打抱不平。我看見別人有不平的事情，我總愛去多管閒事。

I have a quick temper. I am contrary and stubborn. If you play rough, can play rough; if you are reasonable, I will beat you in reasonableness. If I see a wrong, I cannot look on but must meddle with what is none of my business.

講究人家總叫小孩子們不要站在大門口看熱鬧。

and parents of good families told their children to stay away from the front door, instead of watching the world go by.

【注：good families的中文是「講究人家」，又為good字多添了一種譯法(對照楊必把good Christian, a good parent, a good child, a good wife or a good husband譯為：虔誠的教徒，慈愛的父母，孝順的兒女，賢良的妻子，盡職的丈夫)；看熱鬧譯為watching the world go by也極好。】

    西曆一八八九年十一月二十五日，我這個不自由淘氣的孩子就出世了，公然是一個女的，只是—個。要是讓我挑哪一年生，也許挑這年夠好的了。

    The year 1899 was about as good as any to be born in if I had had my choice.

    他拿一雙四千年文化的眼光來照在我這二十世紀的問題上。
      He looked at me with his eyes of wisdom that brought four thousand years of China into the twentieth century.