原文:
“Enjoyed” is too mild a word. I walked on air. I really lived.
原译:
“享受”这个词太温和了。我兴高采烈。我这才叫生活。
辨 析:
尽管大多数英汉词典将enjoy翻译成“享受”或“欣赏”,但实际上enjoy翻译成这两个词的机会并不多,例如:
He enjoys reading.他喜欢读书。
How did you enjoy your dinner? 饭吃得 怎么样?
We really enjoyed meeting them. 见到他们,我们真的很高兴 。
The children enjoyed themselves during the vacation.孩子们假期里玩儿得很开心 。
根据上下文看,原文中的enjoy可以译成“高兴”。“温和”主要说态度,不如将“(这个词)太温和” 改成“不够劲”,甚至“根本不足以表达我的心情”。
walk on air(也说tread on air)是习语,《当代英语习语大词典》解释为feel happy and excited(得意洋洋,兴高采烈),用来形容某人非常高兴、兴奋,感觉就像在云端行走一样轻盈和快乐。这个短语传达了一种非常强烈的幸福感和满足感。如:
The execution of this arrangement so thrilled Thomas that he felt as though he were walking on air . 这一安排落实后,托马斯十分兴奋,简直飘飘然 了。
至于really lived,原译“这才叫生活”不足以表达其意思,因为really lived要比walk on air更进一步,倒颇有点“总算没有白活”的意思。
全句似可改译为:“高兴”一词远不足以表达我当时的心情,我简直飘飘欲仙,感到人生从来没有那么美好过 。
英语里表示“高兴”的习语很多,下面是一些常见的:
Beside oneself - 忘乎所以
In high spirits - 兴高采烈
In high feather - 非常高兴
In great delight - 非常高兴
In one's altitudes - 高兴至极
In raptures - 欣喜若狂
In ecstasies - 狂喜
In paradise - 像在天堂一样
In (seventh) heaven - 非常高兴(第七天堂)
On top of the world - 感觉像在世界之巅
On cloud nine - 极度高兴
On highest bliss - 极度幸福
Over the moon - 非常高兴
Carried away - 被冲昏头脑
Thrilled to bits - 非常激动
Flushed with pleasure - 满面红光,非常高兴
Throned - 得意洋洋
Bubling over - 兴奋不已
对“高兴”的形象比喻:
As happy as a lark - 像云雀一样快乐
As happy as a cow - 像牛一样满足
As happy as a king - 像国王一样高兴
As happy as a sandboy - 像沙男孩一样快乐(这个短语可能需要具体文化背景来理解)
As happy as Larry - 非常高兴(Larry 可能是一个常见的名字,用来表示普遍的幸福感)
As the day is long - 非常高兴(这个短语可能需要具体文化背景来理解)
As a clam at high water - 像潮水高涨时的蛤蜊一样满足
As a pig in muck - 像泥浆里的猪一样快乐(通常用来形容某人在糟糕的环境中感到非常满足或快乐)