台灣俗語的智慧(3)
F. 虎父無犬子
在十二生肖中「虎』屬大的生肖，因屬同科故常與「狗」並提。這是當面恭維他人的話，意謂『父親有了不起的才能與成就，兒子也不平凡』(多用於肯定)：
直譯：A tiger does
not breed a son like a dog.
意譯：As the father is remarkable
or capable, so is his son.
兒子像父親一樣了不起或能幹。(as…., so…..
與…. 一樣)
當然，英文有 “Like
father, like son” 『有其父必有其子』。但它有時正、負面意義皆可用。
*台語常用『小犬』比喻自已「不成材」的兒子，是一種謙虛的說法，英譯用my son即可，千萬不可譯成my dog
son，my son like a
dog或my humble (卑微的)son 等
G. 畫虎不成反類犬 (此俗語用於漢語較多) 。
直譯：The drawing
of a tiger looks more like that of a dog.( 老老虎的畫像看起來更像狗)
意譯：In failure to
achieve something magnificent, a rather insignificant and ridiculous thing is
done.( 未能成就大事，相反地卻做了不起眼與可笑的事)
註：failure to+ v 未能做到；magnificent a. 壯觀的insignificant a. 微不足道的，ridiculous
a. 可笑的。本俗語含「嘲笑」(ridicule)之意
H. 虎卡毒也沒吃甲己的子 (即虎毒不食子)
直譯：Vicious as a
tiger is, it will not eat his own son.(Vicious
as…= Though a tiger is vicious….)
意譯：However
wicked and vicious a person is, he will not hurt his own son. (however= no matter how；vicious a. 惡毒的；wicked a. 狡猾的)
I. 不入虎穴焉得虎子
直譯：One cannot
get a baby tiger without entering
a tiger’s cave.
【指鳥巢用nest，洞穴用cave，兩邊通的穴叫tunnel (隧道) ，指避難庇護所叫shelter，人的住處叫residence (dwelling place)
】
意譯：Nothing venture, nothing have. (原句為Venture nothing, have nothing.=
If you venture nothing, you will have (gain) nothing. 本句含鼓勵冒險之意。故兩人合夥的事業叫joint
venture，投資創投公司(start-up)
的商人叫venture capitalist
4) 兔 (rabbit)- 漢語較常用
A. 靜如處女，動如脫兔
直譯：as tender as
a unwed maid；as vivacious as a rabbit just released from a cage.
註：
「處女」此處若譯為virgin恐欠妥，unwed maid (未婚姑娘= not
married yet未婚的)) ；vivacious a. 充滿活力= full of animation或very lively；released = (which is) just released剛從籠中釋出
意譯：At rest, one can be very composed while in motion, one can be very
energetic. (composed a. 冷靜自處；at rest靜止；in motion=moving動起來)
B. 抓兔仔
意譯：vomiting (=throwing up) after heavy drinking (台語『吐』與兔同音)，喝酒過量後的嘔吐行為。台灣有些大餐廳的洗手間內，都附加一大水槽，水槽上面再畫一隻「小白兔」，以暗示提醒酒客，不勝酒力時，在此『「大兔」一番-出酒』。
5) 龍：
A. 生龍活虎
直譯：Live dragons
and live tigers. / as energetic as live dragons and tigers. (live + n. 活的，未用的，如a
~match 未點過的火柴，直播的a ~ broadcast)
意譯：a very energetic
or vigorous (精力充沛的) person
B. 龍交龍、鳳交鳳，隱亀的交棟戇-物以類聚
直譯： Dragons keep
company with fellow dragons；phoenixes with fellow species, and the hunchbacks (humpbacks)
getting along with the damned fools. 《keep company with…與…. 交往；phoenix鳳凰；hunchback駝子，species品種)
【評】：台語把駝子與儍瓜歸成一類，顯有畸視殘障人士(disabled) 之嫌。駝子不一定笨?
意譯：Birds of a
feather flock together. (同羽毛的鳥棲息在一起) (a feather= the same
feather) 。是『群英會』? 或『臭氣相投』? 悉聽尊便。
C. 龍生龍子，虎生豹兒 (有點類似虎父無犬子)
直譯：Dragon breeds
dragon; tigers breeds leopards. (leopard n.
豹-虎豹屬同科動物。 “Can the leopard change his spots?”-難道豹會改變身上的斑點? (聖經-喩本性難改) 。另jaguar生於美洲之虎，英國名車Jaguar-台灣譯為『積架』。
意譯：Good
descendants come from good ancestors. 好後代來自好祖先(既純又好)
D. 龍爭虎鬥/龍虎鬥
直譯：Dragons and tigers
are fighting with each other.
意譯：Two parties
with equal strength or power are fighting, not giving in to each other. (两造相爭互不相讓) (give in to...屈服)
6) 蛇 (snake/ serpent)
A. 死蛇活尾溜
直譯：Even if the
main body of a snake is dead, its tail is still wagging. (wag v. 搖尾巴)
意譯：It is like a nine-life cat, with strong potency to survive.not
easily annihilated. (像九命貓，
存活力强不易被消滅)
或Something is not completely
eliminated. (事情未被完全消滅-【尚留餘患】)
Justin Lai, 06/20/2013
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