【一起听英语】中式英语

 在街边的广告上我们经常会看到中式英语类的翻译....

Dima: Hi, welcome to this edition of 6 Minute English with me, Dima Kostenko

Rebecca: and me, Rebecca Byrne. Hi.

Dima: Today we'll be doing something we don't normally do. In fact, we'll be doing

the opposite to what we usually do. Normally you would expect us to talk

about how to use English correctly. But today we'll spend some time looking at

the inaccurate¹ use of the language - and the funny side of it! How does it sound

to you Rebecca?

Rebecca: Responds

Dima: Today's topic was prompted by a report by our correspondent in Shanghai,

Chris Hogg, and we'll hear parts of that report in just a few moments. But first,

it's time for this week's question for you. Rebecca, are you ready?

Rebecca: Responds

Dima: Which of these types of incorrect English are we going to be talking about, do

you think? Is it

a) Chinglish

b) Spanglish, or

c) Hinglish?

Rebecca: Responds 

6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2009

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Dima: We'll check your answer in a minute, but first do you mind going through

some of today's key vocabulary?

Rebecca: OK. First of all, the phrasal verb 'to get at'. If you're 'getting at' something,

you're implying it - you mean to say it. Then another verb, 'to mistranslate',

meaning to change words from one language to another incorrectly, losing the

original meaning. And the adjective 'crucial' which means vitally important,

impossible to do without.

Dima: So that's 'crucial', 'to mistranslate' and 'to get at'. Let's now listen to Chris

Hogg:

Clip 1 0'27"

You can find Chinglish all over this city. Often it can be blamed on software used to translate

Chinese automatically. Sometimes you can see what the author was getting at, such as the

sign that warns people to 'keep valuables snugly², and beware the people press close to you

designedly'. Then there are signs where they've mistranslated a crucial word. One in a hotel

lift advises people 'please leave your values at the front desk'.

Dima: So which type of incorrect English is mentioned in the report Rebecca?

Rebecca: Chinglish… Which means that my earlier guess was right/wrong… Our

reporter says that quite often the mistakes are caused by bad automatic

translation, and while in some cases you can guess what is meant - or, as he put

it, what the author was getting at - in others a crucial word gets translated

incorrectly.

Dima: And this can sometimes be quite funny. Let's look at the two examples from

the report. First, the sign 'keep valuables snugly, and beware the people press

close to you designedly'… What do you think was meant by this and why is it

funny? 

6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2009

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Rebecca: Explains

Dima: And what about the second one, 'please leave your values at the front desk'?

Rebecca: Explains

Dima: Let's hear a few more examples, and here are some key words for you.

Rebecca: First, the expression 'the wrong way round', meaning opposite to how it should

be, incorrectly. And secondly³, the adjective 'surreal' which means very strange,

weird⁴, bizarre.

Dima: That's 'surreal' and 'the other way round'. Let's listen:

 

Clip 2 0'20"

Sometimes they've just got it the wrong way round, such as on this sign in the stairwell of a

department store asking shoppers to 'please bump your head carefully'. My favourites though

are those which get more surreal, like the one on the Shanghai metro⁵ from the public security

bureau that reads 'if you are stolen, call the police at once'.

Dima: Chris Hogg reporting there. What do you think was meant by 'please bump

your head carefully' Rebecca, and why is it funny?

Rebecca: Explains

Dima: And what about 'if you are stolen, call the police at once'?

Rebecca: Explains

6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2009

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Dima: Thanks for your explanations Rebecca - and if you would like to find out more

about Chinglish, as well as Hinglish and Spanglish - simply follow the links

from our website, bbclearningenglish.com. That's it then. Until next week.

Both: Goodbye! 

1 inaccurate   

adj.错误的，不正确的，不准确的

参考例句：

• The book is both inaccurate and exaggerated.这本书不但不准确，而且夸大其词。
• She never knows the right time because her watch is inaccurate.她从来不知道准确的时间因为她的表不准。

2 snugly   

adv.紧贴地；贴身地；暖和舒适地；安适地

参考例句：

• Jamie was snugly wrapped in a white woolen scarf. 杰米围着一条白色羊毛围巾舒适而暖和。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The farmyard was snugly sheltered with buildings on three sides. 这个农家院三面都有楼房，遮得很严实。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

4 weird   

adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的

参考例句：

• From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。
• His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。

5 metro   

n.地铁；adj.大都市的；(METRO)麦德隆(财富500强公司之一总部所在地德国，主要经营零售)

参考例句：

• Can you reach the park by metro?你可以乘地铁到达那个公园吗？
• The metro flood gate system is a disaster prevention equipment.地铁防淹门系统是一种防灾设备。