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1、数字文化与翻译,In Chinese,we can often see such idioms as those with Numbers deal with many fields:politics, economy, history, geography, satronomy, marriage, religion, etc. In Chinese,we can hear “三大纪律，八项注意；三大改造；四马分肥；三国演义；（中国经济特区）金三角；三生有幸；etc.In English, we can often see such idioms as follow: Idioms with
2、 “one”,1)When one is one too many? Go get thee from the door.(From William Shakespeare,The Comedy of Errors) 译文：一个已太多了，你要这么多干什么？走，快滚！ Notes: “one too many”, created by William Shakespeare, can be translated into “多余，碍手碍脚. 2)He looks as if he has had one over eight. 他看上去喝得有点醉。,Note: “have one over ei
3、ght” is translated into “微醉；多喝了一杯”, in which “eight” refers to “eight pints”,namely one gallon and people take it for granted that its enough for one to drink eight pints of beer , one more pint and he will look drunk . 2 Idioms with “two” Putting two and two together ,as the saying is ,it was not d
4、ifficult for me to guess who the expected Marquis was.(W. Thackeray, The Newcomes ) 译文：正如俗话云，二加二等于四，我不难推断出还没有来的侯爵是谁了。,Note: “Put two and two together” means “根据现有的事实或材料推断”，and the translation here tells us that it can be specifically translated into another kind of version. 2)Everyone sprang to his
5、feet, but the business was over in two twos.(R Stevenson , New Arabian Nights) 译文：此时大家一跃而起，但转眼间他一命呜呼。 Note: “in two twos或twos” can be translated into “顷刻间，一下子就，一转眼”。,3 Idioms with “three” He that has one servant has two, he that has two has but half a one, and he that has three has none at all.一个和尚挑
6、水喝，两个和尚抬水喝，三个和尚没水喝。/大懒使小懒，小懒使虾蟆，虾蟆手一摊，你懒我也懒。 The proverb has told the truth. When you are courting ,two is company , three is none.二人成伴，三人不欢。你在求爱时，该谚语千真万确。,4 Idioms with “four” 1)Many of those pigs live here. Do they ever wonder why their masters walk upright in lieu of going on all-fours? And why t
7、hey talk instead of grunting？有许多猪在此。它们可否知道：其主人为何用两条腿直挺着身子走路，可它们则用四腿爬行？主人为何是侃侃而谈而非象它们那样咕咕叫？ Note: “on all-fours或on all fours” has the meaning of “匍匐着，爬着。” 2）Today she is wearing a pair of plus fours, walking down the street.,5 Idioms with “six” 1)theres a regular shindy in the house ; and everything
8、at sixes and sevens.(W. Thackeray , Vanity Fair)家里乱透了，一切都是乱七八糟。 Note : “at sixes and sevens” in the passage has the meaning of “乱七八糟，杂乱无章，七零八落”，and sometimes it can be converted into “七嘴八舌，纠缠不清”. His brotheris known to be no better than himself in inclinationIn the old phrase it is six of one and ha
9、lf a dozen of the other .(R Stevenson, The Master of Ballantrae).人所共知，其兄的居心并,不比他好如老话说的，两人是半斤八两，相差无几. Note : “six of one and half a dozen of the other”or “six and half a dozen ” can be translated into “半斤八两，本质一样，相差无几.” 6 Idioms with “seven” Seventy times seven did I take counsel with my soul.我在内心深处不知
10、考虑了多少次。 Note : “Seventy times seven” can be translated into “很大的数目” in the English sentence , but its,original meaning is “七十个七次” ，which comes from The Bible: Jesus saith unto him , I say not unto thee ,until seven times: but , until seventy times seven.(Matt,18: 22) Keep a thing seven years and you
11、ll find a use for it.东西放着，总会派上用场。 7 Idioms with “nine” The new electric cars may turn out to be a nine days wonder ;no one seems interested in buying them any longer.此种新型的电动汽车原来只是轰动一时的新鲜玩意，再也无人对它们感兴趣了。,Note: “nine days wonder” has the meaning of “轰动一时”, which originates from Chaucers work. And W Sha
12、kespeare once used it in his historical play “Henry IV”, so did Dreiser use it in his novel Financier. 2)shes dressed up to the nines for some grand party.(Th Hardy, Ethelberta) 她穿得很讲究，准备参加某个大型宴会。 Note: “be dressed up to the nines” can be translated into “穿得很讲究, 打扮得很华丽.” 7 Idioms with “ten”,Heres a
13、man ,an army officer, in such a rotten shape that if I sent a good horse after him now its ten to one he couldnt get on him.(Th Dreiser, Twelve Men, Culhane, The Solid Man) 此处有位军官，可他身体是如此虚弱，以至于即使我们用一匹马送他，十之八九他也上不去。 Note: “ten to one” has the meaning of “十有八九，很可能”，but its original meaning is “十比一.” A
14、ccording to Jack London , people in the upper ten are not cleverer than people in the lower classes.根据杰克.伦敦的看法，上层,社会的人并不比下层社会的人聪明。 Note: “the upper ten” or “the upper ten thousand” can be translated into “上层社会，贵族阶级”. 8 Idioms with “eleven” or “twelve” If any guest failed at the eleventh hour, Tod wa
15、s asked to dine.(W. Thackeray, Vanity Fair ) 若到最后时刻有什么客人来不了，就把托德请来凑数一起吃。 Note: “at the eleventh hour” has the meaning of “在最后时刻，在危急关头.” And it originates from The Bible.,Their best parts were slowly revealed ; they didnt strike twelve the first time.他们的优点是慢慢显露出来的；他们并没有一开始就全部表现出来。 Note: “strike twelv
16、e” has the meaning of “表现出全部的才能，获得辉煌的成就”。But its original meaning is “(钟)敲响十二点”. 9 Idioms with “nineteen” or “forty” At tea-time , he came down to drawing room , and found them talking , as he expressed it, nineteen to the dozen.(J. Galsworthy , The Man of the Property ) 茶点时分， 他来到楼下的客厅，,见他们-照他自己的话说-
17、说个没完没了。 When asked whether he was a member of the CP, he took the fifth. 问及是否是共产党员时，威廉.柯林斯拒绝作危害自己的证词。 Note: “take the fifth” has the meaning of “拒绝作危害自己的证词; 以美国宪法修正案第5条作庇护拒绝回答” or “拒绝回答，避而不答”. Cf: “take five/ten” means “小憩（qi）”, but it can be literally translated into “休息无分钟，休息十分钟.” See the following example:He decided to take five-on a reviewing stand in Ethiopias Revolution Square.他决定小憩片,
