二、颜色词的译法
要想准确而生动地运用各种颜色词把原文中色彩斑斓的世界重新展现在读者面前使读
者有身临其境之感译者的确需要认真"察言观色"努力再现原文中的色彩。遇到词汇空白
和文化鸿沟时要采取灵活的补救措施使原文与译文相协调使读者真正欣赏原作的色彩
和意境。一般说来颜色词有以下几种译法
A. 把英语颜色词译成与之相应的汉语颜色词。如果英语颜色词与汉语颜色词在词义上相
同就可采用这种直译的方法。例如
1 The sun was dropping behind the farthest mountain, and the valleys were purple with
something deeper than aster. 夕阳已渐渐沉没在远山的背后壑谷间一片紫蔼颜色比紫菀还
浓。
2His arms and legs were thickly smeared with calamine lotion dried to a chalky white. 他
四肢上涂得厚厚的炉甘石液已干成粉白色。
3The very dust was scorched brown, and something quivered in the atmosphere as if the air
itself was panting. 连那尘土都被炙烤成褐色大气中似乎也有什么东西在颤抖仿佛空气本
身也在气喘吁吁。
4The clear, sharp cloven Carrara mountains sent up their steadfast flame of marble summit
into amber sky. 轮廓分明的卡拉拉山把永恒不变的火焰似的大理石山顶插入琥珀色的天空。
40 5The leafless trees, that against the leaden sky now revealed more fully the wonderful
beauty and intricacies of their branches. 那叶儿落尽的树木映衬着铅灰色的天空此刻显得更
加枝丫交错姿态万千。
B.改换英语颜色词。如一种颜色在两种语言中分别被不同的颜色词所指称而直译会导
致读者不正确的联想或是不为译入语的读者所接受这时可改换颜色词使之符合译入语的
表达习惯。例如
1 The floor was covered with ochre-colored sawdust, trampled here and there into mud.
地上全是黄褐色的木屑到处都给踩成泥糊糊的了。
2 The sun shining on her glossy hair, gave it a metallic luster, and it was difficult to say
what was the color , dark bronze or black. 阳光照在她光泽的头发上给它涂上一层金属似的光
彩。很难说出它究竟是什么颜色是深褐色还是黑色。
3 Lightness, rapidity, nimbleness, grace and rich apparel all belong to the humming-bird.
The emerald, the ruby, and the topaz gleam upon its dress.
蜂鸟具有轻盈、敏捷、灵活、优雅以及羽毛绚丽等一切妙处。它那翠绿的、鲜红的、嫩
黄色的羽毛闪闪发光。
4His face became blue with cold. 他的脸冻得发青。
5She dressed in a very short creamy skirt that day. 那天她穿着一条很短的米色裙子。
C.原文中无颜色词译文中增加颜色词。有时译文可根据具体语境添增色彩词以突出色
彩加强译文的感染力。
1And over all these, set close against the golden hair and burning cheek of lady and knight
is that untroubled and sacred sky_1 . 在这一切之上 同贵夫人和骑士金色头发和红润面颊相映
衬的是一片蔚蓝的天空。
2He didn't try in vain. 他没有白干。
3Her eyes became moist. 她眼圈红了。
4It is like a windfall, like a Godsend, like an unexpected piece of luck.
它像飞来的吉庆 像天降洪福 像意外红运。
D.原文颜色词有象征意义或意义有所引申一般采用意译灵活处理。例如
(1) You look blue today. What's wrong with you?
你今天看起来闷闷不乐出了什么事
(2) He is green with jealousy. 他醋意大发。
(3) He is a blue-blooded man . 他出生贵族。
4Her story immediately reminded me of a Chinese saying"The young beautiful lady will
always be star-crossed."
听了有关她的故事 我立刻想到中国的一句俗?quot;"红颜薄命"。 | 
英文翻译技巧44