原 文:
His speech at the meeting was nice and short, and to the point.
原 译:
他在会上的讲话又好又短,而且讲到了点上。
辨 析:
译文主要错在第一部分对nice 的理解上。这里的nice 不是「好」的意思,应将nice and short看成一个整体,nice修饰后面的short,起强调作用,意思相当于very,因此nice and short的意思是「很短」。后面的to the point可译做「中肯」,所以全句可译做:他在会上的讲话很短,但是很中肯。或简化为:他在会上的讲话简明扼要。
类似的用法除了nice之外,常用的还有good,fine,well,rare等。下面是一些例子:
Most students are good and hard working. 大部分学生都很用功。(不是「又好又用功」。)
This time he was really good and angry. 这一次他可是真的很生气/气得不轻。(「又好又生气」显然不合逻辑。)
We hit him beautiful and hard. 我们狠揍了他。
I'm sure, by morning you'll feel nice and sick. 我敢肯定,到了早上你会很不舒服。
We had a good supper, and grew rare and happy. 我们美美地吃了一顿晚饭,高兴极了。
I'll see to it bright and early in the morning. 天一亮我就去办这件事。
「That boy was bad.」「Yes! He was good and bad.」「那个孩子很坏。」「可不,坏透了。」
类似的短语good and well则相当于thoroughly,如:The two of us went for a ride in the afternoon, and got lost good and well. 下午我们出去兜风,结果完全迷了路。