原文:
We will easily be late.
原译:
我们将很容易迟到。
辨 析:
且不说原译中的“将”字颇有点翻译腔,全句意思在逻辑上也说不通。
easy的意思是“容易的”,easily意为“容易地”好像是顺理成章的事。可是原译者忘了上下文这一重要原则。在We can win/do it easily 之类的句子里,将easily译为“容易地”、“轻而易举地”等没有问题,如:
We easily identified the man.我们很容易地 查明了那个人的身份。
在形容某个人具有的某种特点时则可译为“轻易地”,如:
She doesn't blush easily .她轻易 不脸红。(注意词序)
有时easily有“顺利”的意思,如:
The machine was running easily .机器运转顺利 。
可是原句中的easily却是另一个意思,这里表示说话人的一种猜测,常和can, may一类的情态助动词连用,意思为“多半”、“很可能”,如:
The terrorist might easily have boarded the plane.那个恐怖分子很可能已经上了飞机。
That may easily be the case.情况很可能是这样的。
Gambling can all too easily become an addiction.赌博极容易上瘾。
所以原句的正确译文应该是:我们很可能迟到 。
实际上easily作为一个常用词,还有别的意思,比如:
He was easily the greatest painter of his times. 中的easily也不能译为“容易地”。全句的意思是“(毫)无疑(问) ,他是他那个时代最伟大的画家。”
His son grinned easily back at him. 中的easily是“轻松地”、“自在地”的意思。
在口语中,easily还有“至少”的意思,如:That job would easily take us three whole weeks.(那项工作至少要花去我们整整三个星期的时间。)
easily accessible:容易接近的;易于获得的
The library is easily accessible from the main campus. (图书馆从主校区很容易到达。)
easily understood:易懂的;容易理解的
The teacher explained the concept in a way that was easily understood by the students. (老师用一种学生容易理解的方式解释了这个概念。)
easily confused:容易混淆的
The two species of birds are easily confused because they look so similar. (这两种鸟因为看起来太相似,很容易混淆。)
easily broken:易碎的
The vase was easily broken, so we had to handle it with care. (花瓶很容易打破,所以我们必须小心处理。)
easily accessible:容易接近的;易于获得的
The library is easily accessible from the main campus. (图书馆从主校区很容易到达。)