“一屁股债”的英译
汉语以债台状负债额,故负债等,亦称债台髙筑。不信请査《汉英词典》:负债累累和债台髙筑有它们的共同译名 be heavily in debt 和 be debt-ridden; 还有不同的译名 be up to ones ears in debt(债台高筑)和 be up to one's eyes in debt(负债累累)。
但这只是说这两个汉语四字语含义相同,而不是在其它方面也完全同一。例如,债台高筑比较形象,负债累累则是抽象的。因此,似乎得分一下工,让比较抽象的be up to one's ears in debt译债台髙筑。这样,也许更为贴切吧。
不管怎么说,两种译法中有一点是共同的:英语得以be in debt表达债或负债。但描述负债之重,英语未必要用heavily 而也可以,比如说,用deep:
1. The result was that his father cut his allowance, which soon put Charles deep in debt.
True Detective, August 1980, p. 24
既然可以用deep,当然也可以更进一步用deeper:
2. The strike cost the company a small fortune: executives say it is now $340 million deeper in debt, and may have lost as much as 10 per cent of the British steel market during the stoppage.
一 Newsweek,April 14,1980, p. 30
但是用deep(er)同上文所说的heavily一样,也不是形象的描述。如是形象化的描述,则与上述 be up to one's ears in debt(浑身是债?)相类的还有be up to one's ass(hole) in debt"( 背了一屁股债?),请看实例:
3. With two children in college,he is up to his ass in debt .
The Study of Current English, May 1980, p. 49
在西方,举债往往得有什么东西作抵才行,所以债台高筑也意味着押台高筑:
4. George: Just drop it, Jeff!
Jeff: Yuh marry a dame with three kids,you buy a big house with mortgages up to your ass, you change your religion and you forget about business, great! Really great! (George swings at Jeff to punch his jaw)
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