Childhood瞿秋白Qu Qiubai🔥背景知识：瞿秋白（1899-1935），江苏常州人，是中国共产党早期主要领导人之一。他既是政治家，又是文学家。《”儿时“》是他写于1933年9月28日的一篇杂文，选自人民文学出版社1986年版《瞿秋白文集》第2卷。文章认为那些留恋“儿时”的人们，往往是由于缺乏积极向前的人生观，只有面对现实，与人民大众打成一片，献身人类进步事业，才能领略到“永久的青春”。生命没有寄托的人，青年时代和“儿时”对他格外宝贵。One who lives a life without high aspirations will treasure all the more the memory of his own youth and childhood.🎈此句意即「一个没有崇高抱负的人会格外怀念他的青年时代和儿时」，译为“One who lives a life without high aspirations will treasure all the more the memory of his own youth and childhood”，其中用high aspirations表达「寄托」；all the more是成语，作「更加」「格外」等解；to treasure the memory of意同to cherish the memory of，作「深情怀念」解。此句也可译为One who has no high aspirations in life is apt to look back most nostalgically on his own youth and childhood。🎈who lives a life without high aspirations作为定语从句修饰one这种浪漫谛克的回忆其实并不是发见了“儿时”的真正了不得，而是感觉到“中年”以后的衰退。As it is, the sentimental recollection marks his awareness of post-middle age decline rather than his discovery of anything truly remarkable in the bygone days.🎈「这种浪漫谛克的回忆」译为the sentimental recollection，其中sentimental与romantic有类同的意思，但前者偏重于「感伤」之意，后者偏重于「不切实际」之意，今根据上下文选用前者。🎈「其实」意即「事实上」，可译为in fact、as a matter of fact等，今译as it is，能更好地承上启下。🎈「发见」和「感觉」都发生了词性转换，由动词转为名词awareness和discovery。本来，生命只有一次，对于谁都是宝贵的。Life is of course precious to anyone because he will pass through it but once.🎈「生命只有一次」可译为he will pass through it but one”或“he will pass through this life but once，未按原文逐字处理。今选用前者，是为了避免life一词的重复使用。代词的使用也是翻译中的重要手法，以要保证译文的简洁性。🎈关于「宝贵的」同义表达：precious=valuable=valued=of great value关于「无价的」同义表达：priceless=invaluable但是，假使他的生命溶化在大众的里面，假使他天天在为这世界干些什么，那末，他总在生长，But one will long remain fresh and vigorous, if he identifies himself with the broad masses of people and day in, day out does his bit for the good of the public.🎈「假使他的生命溶化在大众的里面”意即“如果他与大众打成一片」，故译为if he identifies himself with the broad masses of people或if he becomes one with the people。「identify…with」意为to feel that you can understand and share the feelings of sb else 与某人产生共鸣；谅解；同情例句I didn’t enjoy the book because I couldn’t identify with any of the main characters.我不喜欢这本书，因为我无法与其中的任何角色产生共鸣。🎈「假使他天天在为这世界干些什么」译为「（if he) day in, day out does his bit for the good of the public」，其中把「天天」译为day in, day out（=day in and day out），在此处意同always；「为这世界干什么」意即「为公益，为世界做贡献」，故译为do his bit for the good of the public。其中do one’s bit为固定词组，尽微薄之力，尽一份力例句Marcie always tried to do her bit. 玛茜总是努力尽一份力。🎈「他总在生长」意即「他始终充满活力」，故译为one will long remain fresh and vigorous。虽然衰老病死仍旧是逃避不了，然而他的事业——大众的事业是不死的，他会领略到“永久的青年”。Although, being subject to the law of nature, he too will eventually become aged and die, yet his cause — the public cause — will be everlasting. He will enjoy perennial youth in spirit.🎈「衰老病死仍旧是逃避不了」译为being subject to the law of nature, he too will eventually become aged and die，其中用being subject to the law of nature（按自然规律性）来表达「逃避不了」。Q：为何nature前不加the？不是说独一无二的事物前都要加定冠词the吗？🎈具体名词表示独一无二时为特指，因此要加定冠词，如the sun, the earth, the moon, the sky, the universe等。但是，nature作自然之意时，是个抽象名词，抽象名词表达的概念是看不见摸不着，与独一无二无关。当nature, society, space表示「泛指」时，用零冠词。🎈nature还有本质，特点，类型之意，这是要加the例句Mr. Sharp would not comment on the nature of the issues being investigated.夏普先生不愿就被调查问题的性质发表评论。🎈「他会领略到‘永久的青年’」可译为He will enjoy perennial youth in spirit，其中in spirit作「精神上」或「内心中」解，是增译成分，原文虽无其词而有其意。而“浮生如梦”的人，从这世界里拿去的很多，而给这世界的却很少，——他总有一天会觉得疲乏的死亡：他连拿都没有力量了。Those who dream away their life without doing anything useful are taking from this world much more than they are giving to it until at last they are too enfeebled to take any more and die of weariness.🎈「‘浮生如梦’的人」意即「虚度光阴，无所事事的人」，故译为Those who dream away their life without doing anything useful或those who dawdle away their precious days in inaction。🎈此处，有些小伙伴可能出现一个错误：前面「浮生如梦」的人译的是复数those，但是后面看到「他」译成he。要注意前后人称的一致性~做完翻译后，一定要再检查一遍！🎈分析一下「Those who dream away their life without doing anything useful are taking from this world much more than they are giving to it」的语法结构who dream away their life without doing anything useful是those的定语从句，后面的than they are giving to it也是一个定语从句，than为关系词。🎈than引导的定语从句的用法than可作关系代词引导定语从句，在从句中一般作主语（也可作宾语）；than前面的主句需有形容词的比较级形式比较级所修饰的名词即为先行词例句Don’t give him more money than is needed, since money will burn a hole in his pocket. 不要多给他钱，他需要多少就给多少，因为他有钱就花光。分析：than引导定语从句，并指代money在从句中充当主语成分，故be动词用单数形式。burn a hole in one’s pocket为固定词组，花钱如流水。例句He soon found it easy to make more money by thieving than his father had done by a lifetime of honest work. 很快他就发现，通过盗窃所得的钱比他爸爸一辈子辛勤劳动挣来的钱要多得多。分析：than引导定语从句，并指代money在从句中充当宾语成分。因此，在我们的译文中，than引导定语从句，并指代much在从句中充当宾语成分。🎈too…to结构意为「太…以至于不能…」，另外类似的词组为so…that意为「如此…以至于」。衰老和无能的悲哀，像铅一样的沉重，压在他的心头。Consequently, a sad feeling of getting senile weighs heavily on their mind like a lump of lead.🎈显而易见，此句是对上文的总结，所以翻译时要加上Consequently这类结构词，原文虽无其词而有其意。🎈「像铅一样的沉重，压在他的心头」译为weighs heavily on their mind like a lump of lead，其中a lump of是增译成分。weigh heavily on 重重地压在…上青春是多么短呵！All they do is bemoan the transience of youth!🎈此句意即「他们只好悲叹青春是多么短暂」。Q：此处be动词后面为何是动词原形bemoan？此处涉及了「有do没to」的语法现象。1）连词连接两不定氏前面有do，后面to do的to省略例句I had nothing to do but watch TV.Tom have no choice but to give it up. 在nothing but句型中，有do没to是指nothing前有do的任何形式出现，but后的动词前就不能出现do例句He did nothing but piddle away the time. Jim chose nothing but to buy a basketball that morning.2）用be动词连接，不定式作表语时前面主语有do时后面表语to do省略to例句What I want to do is stay at home.What I want is to stay with you.“儿时”的可爱是无知。Childhood is lovely in terms of our erstwhile childish ignorance.🎈此句意即「儿时令人感到可爱是由于那时候我们的年幼无知」。in terms of的意思是「就……而论」「从……方面（说来）」等。那时候，件件都是“知”，你每天可以做大科学家和大哲学家，每天在发见什么新的现象，新的真理。In those early days, everything was new to us. Every day we were something of a great scientist or philosopher. Every day we discovered something new — new phenomena or new truth.🎈「件件都是‘知’」意即「一切都是新鲜的，未知的」，故译为everything was new to us。🎈「你每天可以做大科学家和大哲学家」译为Every day we were something of a great scientist or philosopher，其中用something of把原文「在某种意义上」（to some extent）或「多少有点」（a bit of）的含义表达出来，以缓和语气。现在呢？“什么”都已经知道了，熟悉了，每一个人的脸都已经看厌了。What about now? Now we know everything only too well. We are tired of seeing every familiar human face.🎈此句意即「现在我们什么都知道了，看厌了每一张熟悉的脸」。🎈only too为固定词组，意同very。例句I was only too pleased to help.我非常乐意帮忙。宇宙和社会是那么陈旧，无味，虽则它们其实比“儿时”新鲜得多了。The whole universe and society seem stale and boring to us though, in fact, they have a lot more new things now than when we were in our childhood.🎈此句中seem的作用也是「原文虽无其词而有其意」，原句意即「当今宇宙和社会看似陈旧无趣，但比幼时新鲜」。我于是想念“儿时”，祷告“儿时”。Hence I feel nostalgic for my childhood and pray for it.🎈feel nostalgic for即怀念某事不能够前进的时候，就愿意退后几步，替自己恢复已经走过的前途。When we cease to advance any more, we are inclined to fall back a few paces and indulge in reminiscences of the path we have already trodden.🎈「替自己恢复已经走过的前途”意即“回忆曾走过的路」，故译为indulge in reminiscences of the path we have already trodden。indulge in是沉湎于，纵情于的意思。请求“无知”回来，给我求知的快乐。可怕呵，这生命的“停止”。We pray for the return of “childish ignorance” so as to re-experience the joy of knowledge-seeking. O this cessation of life! How horrible it is!🎈「回来」进行了词性转换，由动词转为名词。🎈「给我求知的快乐」意即「再让我体验求知的快乐」，故译为re-experience the joy of knowledge-seeking。过去的始终过去了，未来的还是未来。What is gone is gone, and what is to come is to come.🎈what is gone和what is to come为主语从句。究竟感慨些什么——我问自己。What are my innermost feelings of it?🎈此句意即「我内心深处的感受是什么呢？」，故译为What are my innermost feelings of it。🔥必背词汇sentimental adj. 感情上的，情绪上的，非理性的英义based on or relating to your feelings rather than on practical reasons例句a sentimental journey to the place of his birth到他出生地的一次怀旧之旅vigorous adj. 充满活力的；果断的；精力充沛的英义very active, determined or full of energy 例句a vigorous campaign against tax fraud 坚决打击骗税的运动 subject adj. 须遵守规则/须遵守法令/须缴纳罚款/须缴纳税款等英义if you are subject to a rule, law, penalty etc, you must obey the rule or pay an amount of money例句Violators are subject to a $100 fine.违者须被罚款 100 美元。perennial adj. 长久的；持续的；反复出现的英义continuing for a very long time; happening again and again例句 the perennial problem of water shortage 缺水这个老问题 enfeebled adj. 长久的；持续的；反复出现的英义If someone or something is enfeebled, they have become very weak. 例句He finds himself politically enfeebled.他发现自己的政治势力变得衰弱。senile adj. 衰老的；老年糊涂的英义behaving in a confused or strange way, and unable to remember things, because you are old例句I think she’s going senile.我想她是衰老了。lump n. (通常为无定形的)块英义a piece of sth hard or solid, usually without a particular shape 例句a lump of coal / cheese / wood 一块煤 / 奶酪 / 木头 bemoan v. 哀怨；悲叹英义to complain or say that you are not happy about sth例句They sat bemoaning the fact that no six would give them a chance. 他们坐着埋怨别人不肯给他们一个机会。stale adj. 不再有趣的，没有新意的，乏味的英义not interesting or exciting any more例句stale jokes老掉牙的笑话nostalgic adj. 留恋过去的，怀旧的英义if you feel nostalgic about a time in the past, you feel happy when you remember it, and in some ways you wish that things had not changed例句Seeing those old school photographs has made me feel quite nostalgic .看到那些学生时代的旧照片，我不禁产生了怀旧之情。reminiscence n. 回忆；追忆英义the act of remembering things that happened in the past 例句Here I am boring you with my reminiscences.我要拿旧事来烦你了。cessation n.停止；终止；中断；暂停英义the stopping of sth; a pause in sth例句Mexico called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. 墨西哥要求立即停止敌对行动。🔥重点词汇更加 all the more浪漫谛克的回忆 the sentimental recollection 按自然规律 be subject to the law of nature精神上 in spirit疲倦而死 die of weariness变老 get senile 厌烦做某事 be tired of doing sth. 陈旧无味 stale and boring愿意做某事 be inclined to do sth. 生命没有寄托的人 one who lives a life without high aspirations发见了“儿时”的真正了不得 his discovery of anything truly remarkable in the bygone days感觉到“中年”以后的衰退 mark his awareness of post-middle age decline生命只有一次 he will pass through it but once假使他的生命溶化在大众的里面 if he identifies himself with the broad masses of people; if he becomes one with the people为这世界干些什么 do his bit for the good of the public总在生长 long remain fresh and vigorous浮生如梦的人 those who dream away their life without doing anything useful; those who dawdle away their precious days in inaction像铅一样重压在他的心头 weigh heavily on their mind like a lump of lead想念儿时 feel nostalgic for my childhood退后几步 fall back a few paces替自己恢复已经走过的前路 indulge in reminiscences of the path we have already trodden 🔥复盘测试更加浪漫谛克的回忆按自然规律精神上疲倦而死变老厌烦做某事陈旧无味愿意做某事生命没有寄托的人发见了“儿时”的真正了不得感觉到“中年”以后的衰退生命只有一次假使他的生命溶化在大众的里面为这世界干些什么总在生长浮生如梦的人像铅一样重压在他的心头想念儿时退后几步替自己恢复已经走过的前路🔥表达对比关于「儿时」的不同表达生命没有寄托的人，青年时代和「儿时」对他格外宝贵。One who lives a life without high aspirations will treasure all the more the memory of his own youth and childhood.这种浪漫谛克的回忆其实并不是发见了「儿时」的真正了不得，而是感觉到“中年”以后的衰退。As it is, the sentimental recollection marks his awareness of post-middle age decline rather than his discovery of anything truly remarkable in the bygone days.「儿时」的可爱是无知。Childhood is lovely in terms of our erstwhile childish ignorance.宇宙和社会是那么陈旧，无味，虽则它们其实比「儿时」新鲜得多了。The whole universe and society seem stale and boring to us though, in fact, they have a lot more new things now than when we were in our childhood.
帕布莉卡
朗读这篇文章
瞿秋白《“儿时”》 
爱是一颗心遇到另一颗心（出处+配图） 
