同样的工具,不同的词汇，你都掌握了吗？

中文原文:

马鞍是放在马背上供人骑的器具。

错误译文:

A saddle is a utensil put on horseback for a person to ride on.

正确译文:

A saddle is a seat put on horseback for a person to ride on.

这是为什么呢?

问题出在“器具”二字。马鞍实际上是个坐位,不妨将utensil改为seat。 utensil经常用在cooking utensil(烹饪用具), kitchen utensil(厨房器具)等与“吃”有关的搭配中,与坐位相联系是不妥的。

汉语成语“工欲善其事,必先利其器”,可以译为 A workman who intends to do a good job must first sharpen his tools. 英语有句意境类似的谚语:A bad workman quarrels with his tools. 其字面意思是:“笨拙的工匠干不好活赖工具不好使”。不妨简单译为:人笨赖刀钝。

汉语的“工具”、“用具”和“器具”,英语的对应词有tool, implement, instrument, utensil, appliance 等。tool 一般指用手操作的简单工具,像farm/farming tool(农具), garden/gardening tool(园艺工具)。 例如:

1. 螺丝刀、锤子和刀子都是工具。

Screwdrivers, hammers and knives are all tools.

2. 犁是农具。

A plough is a farm/farming tool.

implement一般也用来指用手操作的工具,像farm/farming implement(农具), garden/gardening implement(园艺工具), household implement(家用器具), fire-fighting implement(消防用具)。 例如:

3. 铁锹是农具

A spade is a farm/farming implement.

4. 灭火器是消防用具。

A fire extinguisher is a fire-fighting implement.

5. 人类最早的工具是由石头和骨头凿成的。

Man’s earliest implements were carved from stone and bone.

instrument 指与科技相关的精密工具,像 medical instrument(医疗器械), surgical instrument(外科器械), optical instrument(光学仪器)。例如:

6. 手术刀是外科器械。

A scalpel is a surgical instrument.

7. 显微镜是光学仪器。

A microscope is an optical instrument.

utensil 有两层意思。一是用手操作的“工具”或“用具”,像 writing utensil(书写工具), household utensil(家用器具), gardening utensil(园艺工具)。二是容器和器皿形式的“器具”,像cooking utensil(烹饪用具), kitchen厨房器具(kitchen utensil)。 例如:

8. 钢笔和铅笔是书写工具。

Pens and pencils are writing utensils.

9. 他购置了所需的全部园艺工具,包括铁锹和锄头。

He bought all the gardening utensils he needed, including spades and hoes.

10. 壶和锅是烹饪用具。

Pots and pans are cooking utensils.

11. 晚饭以后,她洗刷了厨房器具。

After supper, she washed the kitchen utensils.

appliance 指以煤气和电为动力的器具,像gas appliance(煤气灶), electrical appliance(电器), domestic appliance(家用电器), kitchen appliance(厨房电器), heating appliance(电暖气), office appliance(办公用具)。 例如:

12. 我们的煤气灶定期维修。

Our gas appliances are serviced regularly.

13. 洗衣机和洗碗机是家用电器。

Washing machines and dishwashers are electrical appliances for the home.

14. 这个厨房充满了家用电器。

The kitchen is full of electrical appliances.

15. 打印机、复印机和传真机是现代办公用具。

Printers, photocopiers and fax machines are modern office appliances.