绝望主妇的学习笔记:与“Label”相关的英文表达
在绝望的主妇第一季第四集开头,Narrator(讲述员)谈到一个词:Label,也是以上这段剪辑的核心。我们都知道Lable这个词常用的它的名词意思:标签,动词则是打标签。首先,我们先理解下标签的原始意义:被做了标记以便于分类和识别。当某种东西被打上标签,则表明它的重要性和价值多少;而给某个人打标签, 是因为我们“See someone as…”,即我们根据这个人所表现出的性格特质对TA进行了归类,比如:给人授予某个称谓及头衔。
与“Label”意思非常相近的一个英文词叫“Tag”,它也有标签这层含义,不过经常被广泛使用于计算机和互联网。如互联网相关的话题(Hashtag)、计算机程序元标记(Meta tag)等。与“Label”经常打照面的一个词叫“identity”,它的意思是(标识、身份),相信大家知道身份证的英文译名是:identification,它就是用来将我们打上标签,以方便识别的。
以下是绝望主妇中英对照剧本S01E04节选:
Narrator: When I was alive, I maintained many different identities. 我活着的时候 有着多重社会角色
——>> Lover, wife, and ultimately, victim. 爱人 妻子 最后变成了受害者
——>> Yes, labels are important to the living. 是的 一个人的称谓很重要
——>> They dictate how people see themselves. 它决定了人们如何给自己定位
——>> Like my friend Lynette. 比如我的朋友勒奈特
——>> She used to see herself as a career woman, 过去她认为自己是一名职业女性
——>> and a hugely successful one at that. 一名非常成功的女强人
——>> She was known for her power lunches, 她以处理公事时雷厉风行
——>> her eye-catching presentations, 演示报告时巧舌如簧
——>> and her ruthlessness in wiping out the competition. 挫败对手时冷酷无情而闻名于圈内
——>> But Lynette gave up her career to assume a new label. 但勒奈特放弃了事业 并换上一个全新的称谓
——>> The incredibly satisfying role of full-time mother. 无比幸福满足的全职太太
Lynette: Scavo residence. Yes, this is me. 斯加沃家 对 我就是
Narrator: But, unfortunately for Lynette, 很不幸 对勒奈特而言
——>> this new label frequently fell short of what was advertised. 这个称谓总是有点名不副实
以下是绝望主妇欧文版学习笔记S01E04节选:
Identities:the distinguishing character or personality of an individual, the fact of being who or what a person or thing is. (身份、角色)
Label:a classifying phrase or name applied to a person or thing, especially one that is inaccurate or restrictive. (标识、称谓)
Dictate:to decide and say what will happen, usually in a forceful way. (决定、主宰)
See herself as:To imagine, view or regrad that one is or might be a certain type of person or thing. (认为、想像某人是什么、将某人视作成什么)
Power lauches:a lunch during which business people discuss important plans, ideas, or decisions. (直译:当权派聚餐,高层峰会,商务或政治人士执行重大决议时的午餐会,在这里我们应根据剧情选择符号职场女强人特性的词进行翻译,如雷厉风行、精明强干、自信果断等)
Ruthless:not thinking or worrying about any pain caused to others; cruel.(冷酷无情的、心狠手辣的)
Wiping out the competition:To wipe out something such as a place or a group of people or animals means to destroy them completely. To eliminate the opposition, destroy your opponents. (歼灭、挫败或挤走竞争对手)
Eye-cathing:very attractive or noticeable. (吸人注目的、吸睛的,意思类同的词汇如:compelling,)
Assume:to take or begin to have responsibility or control, sometimes without the right to do so, or to begin to have a characteristic: { 承担、继承(某种责任与权利),开始具备(某种特质与个性)}
Fall short of:to be less than what you need, expected, or hoped for, or to fail to reach a satisfactory standard. (与实际情况或期望中有所差距,达不到令人满意的标准,即:差强人意、名不副实)
Advertise:If someone or something advertises a particular quality, they show it in their appearance or behaviour. (注意:这里的advertise跟我们常见的“做广告、搞宣传”不一样,它是指人的某种对外公示的品性特质)