补贴二：成语的翻译
汉语的成语或许可以从字词的历史说起。汉语早先使用单个的词就能表达意思，后来多习惯于用两个字构成一个词。这加一个字就可以表达各种各样微妙的意思，所以汉语的词汇非常丰富。改动一个字，意思就不同。外国人学汉语往往对此感到十分困难。正如Joseph Needham (Needham, Joseph born Dec. 9, 1900, London, England died March 24, 1995, Cambridge in full Noel Joseph Terence Montgomery Needham English biochemist, embryologist, and historian of science who wrote and edited the landmark history Science and Civilisation in China, a comprehensive study of Chinese scientific development.)语……it (the Chinese character) has greater significance as a single unitary emblem or symbol than the syllable of an Indo-European language. And on the other hand, as A.F. Wright has said, it possesses a set of meanings accumulated in the long history of language, to which one can add still wider range of allusive（暗指，隐喻） undertones derived from rich literary traditions, and finally still greater flexibility depending on the context of the noun, as in double forms and the like.如单个的词容易翻译，“轻”可以译成light，基本不错，但“轻快”译成“light and fast就不恰当，要译成brisk，lively或light hearted。轻柔也不宜译成light and soft，译成soft 或gentle 就满可以了。轻盈大约要译成lithe 或graceful才好。两个字已构成一个整体，不能再单独处理。如有人把盟友译成allied friend (ally), 把高寒译成high and cold (alpine)，把雅座译成elegant seat (comfortable or private room)，把凶宅译成fearful mansion (haunted house)。需要认真对待。
What I find difficult is when you are translation a four-character classical Chinese phrase into English, and it has a immensely rich connotation and many contain a classical allusion.
且不谈classical allusion, 说具体的。按本义或被普遍接受的转义，成语（包括四字词语）翻译可划分为两类，原则是即保持原来民族色彩和形象化，又能为外国读者所理解。直译（literal translation ) 和意译(free translation)。
直译大体包括两种情况：一种是四字一起构成缺一不可的意思，如
相形见绌pale by comparison
视死如归look upon death as going home
里应外合act from inside in coordination with what is outside
相得益彰 bring out the beat in each other
外强中干 strong in appearance but weak in reality等。
另一种是四个字的前后两个意思明显重复，如
相辅相成supplement each other，
如胶似漆（意译），
深情厚谊profound feeling，
赤手空拳bear handed，
高谈阔论talk vainly等。
意译大体也包括两种情况：套用英文原有的成语。
班门弄斧 teaching one’s grandmother to suck eggs.
事过境迁 a day after the fair
不可兼得 You can’t eat your cake and have it.
新官上任三把火 A new broom sweeps clean.
(有去无回 to cross the Rubicon.)
直言不讳 to call a spade a spade
爱屋及乌 Love me, love my dog.
一丘之貉 birds of a feather
饥不择食 Hunger is the best sauce.
车到山前必有路（船到桥头自然直） You will cross the bridge when you get to it.
江山易改, 禀性难移 A leopard never changes his spots.
心有余而力不足 the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. 等。
或另行译出:
(平易近人 amiable)
锲而不舍 work with perseverance
如胶似漆 dote on each other
驾轻就熟 be in one’s element
荒诞不经 fantastic
指桑骂槐 to make oblique accusation
沧海桑田 the world is changing all the time
削足适履 to cut the feet to fit the shoes
修辞、搭配问题：
汉语有：相辅相成，不三不四，浩浩荡荡，沸沸扬扬，重声叠韵。英语有as red as rose, by hook or by crook，spic-and-span, topsy-turvy。头韵alliteration, 尾韵rhyme
汉语“露出马脚”的独立意译是暴露了缺点，英语ins and outs 的独立意义是“底细、内幕，”词性发生了变化。一般不能改移，如Where there is a will, there is a way； to be at liberty 不能改用freedom 等等。
成语翻译往往要按具体情况灵活掌握:
只要听到几句恭维话他就会得意忘形。
A little flattery may set him carried away.
当下刘姥姥听见这般音乐，且又有了酒，越发手舞足蹈起来。
Now the music, on top of the wine, set Granny Liu waving her arms and beating time with her feet for sheer delight.
他对病中的母亲表现出无微不至的关心。
He showed his concern for his sick mother by his many little attentions.
Bring out the best in people, “人尽其才” 通常译为：put people’s talents to the best use, 而现英文句型更生动地表达了“充分发挥人的能力”的意思
(Tickets, priced from…to…,) are far out of the reach of the ordinary workers, “望尘莫及”
If …, all the other problems would melt away. “迎刃而解”
A special one-time case “下不为例”
Visitors who overstayed their permits “客人住宿证明过期”
Downsizing for efficiency or cut payroll to increase efficiency “减员增效”
上述这些英文说法用的都是小字、短字、简单字，都比较形象，均可为我所用。
综上所述，每种结构都有特定的语义功能，要使翻译做的恰如其分，就必须对每种结构进行深层次的语言学研究。真正做到根据实际语境作出最佳选择。
透过各种不同的语言现象发掘和综合表面上看不出来的、一般的客观规律，就可对两种语言的特点、共性及差异加深理解，从而进一步促进翻译。
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