圍城翻譯成英文語句的意思

原文：

鴻漸和辛楣照例説這小孩長得好，養得胖，討論他像父親還是像母親。這些話在父母的.耳朵裏是聽不厭的。鴻漸湊近他臉捺指作聲，這是他唯一娛樂孩子的本領。（錢鍾書 - 圍城 ）

翻譯關鍵詞：resemble，捺指作聲，本領

譯文：

Hung-chien and Hsin-mei dutifully remarked on how nice and well-fed the baby was and discussed whether he resembled his mother or his father. These are the sort of remarks parents never tire of hearing. Hung-chien went up close to its face and snapped his fingers. This was his only skill in amusing a child.(美 Jeanne Kelly, Nathan <譯> –Fortress Besieged)

翻譯筆記：

resemble

resemble並不陌生，但是用的時候必須注意它現在只用作及物動詞，後面沒有to哦。如：He resembles his brother.他像他的兄弟。resemble each other in appearance or nature 在外表或本性方面彼此相像

捺指作聲

其實就是我們常説的“打榧子”和“打響指”，我們常把這個動作譯為snap。* snap作不及物動詞，fingers snapped，發劈啪聲If I hit upon the right name, her fingers snapped.如果碰巧我把名字説對了，她的手指便啪地打一個榧子。* snap作及物動詞，snap one’s fingers，捻（手指）發劈啪聲She snapped her fingers to get the child’s attention.她打榧子叫孩子注意聽。

本領

“本領”在口語裏也常稱為“本事”，常用skill; ability; capability來翻譯。如：本領大 highly skilled; very capable掌握專業本領 master the skills needed for one’s occupation.