活字典

句子：他学识渊博,被人称为活字典。

误译：Being profound in knowledge, he was called a living dictionary.

正译：Being profound in knowledge, he was called a walking dictionary.

解释：“活字典”是个比喻说法，形容一个学识渊博的人。living dictionary 的意思是a dictionary that exists，即“现在人们使用的字典”，不是用来指人。但是 walking dictionary的意思是a person who has an impressive knowledge of facts or words，指“学识渊博的人”。

作为形容词，“活”的第一个意思是指“有生命的、存活的或依然活跃的”。可译为living, live, active。如：1. 我只好死马当活马医。I could not but deal with it like treating a dead horse as if it were a live one. 2. 活火山随时都可能爆发。An active volcano can explode at any time.

形容词“活”的第二个意思是“生动的”。可译为 lively, vivid。如：3. 这个喝醉酒的司机成为醉酒驾车的活标本。The drunk driver became a lively example of those who drive while intoxicated. 4. 他的英雄事迹是一部反腐斗争的活教材。His heroic deed is a vivid object lesson in fighting against corruption.

形容词“活”的第三个意思是比喻“在某一方面与之相似”。可译为living, live。如：5. 这首歌的名字叫《东北人都是活雷锋》。This song is entitled Everybody from Northeast China is a living Lei Feng. 6. “饭后一支烟，赛过活神仙” 的说法对烟民其实是一种误导。The saying that one who smokes a cigarette after dinner is just like a living immortal is in fact misleading to the smokers.

形容词“活”第四个意思是“熟悉或精通某方面知识”。可译为 walking。如：7. 这位植物学家被称为中国植物学界的活字典。This botanist is regarded as a walking encyclopaedia in Chinas botanical circles. ▲

（本栏目供稿：王逢鑫教授）