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句子：60年前隨著新中國(guó)的成立，中國(guó)人民開始當(dāng)家做主。

誤譯：With the founding of New China 60 years ago, the Chinese people started to be masters.

正譯：With the founding of New China 60 years ago, the Chinese people started to be masters of their own country.

解釋：master的意思是 a person who is able to control sth，即“主人”。但是，to be masters沒有說明做誰的主人?！爱?dāng)家做主”實(shí)際上是“做自己國(guó)家或自己命運(yùn)的主人”?！白鲋鳌钡牡谝粋€(gè)意思是“做主人”?！爱?dāng)家做主”，就是“當(dāng)家做主人”。英語可以譯為 to become masters of ones own country, to become masters of ones own destiny。例如：1. 當(dāng)西藏廢除了腐朽、黑暗的封建農(nóng)奴制的時(shí)候，百萬農(nóng)奴掙脫了枷鎖，當(dāng)家做主了。When the decadent and dark feudal serfdom was abolished in Tibet, one million serfs were unshackled and became masters of their own destiny.

“做主”的第二個(gè)意思是當(dāng)事人自己“對(duì)某件事情負(fù)完全責(zé)任并做出決定”。如果強(qiáng)調(diào)“負(fù)責(zé)任”，英語可以譯為 to take the responsibility 或on ones own responsibility；如果強(qiáng)調(diào)“做決定”，英語可以譯為to decide, to make the decision, to have the final say。例如：2. 這件事，我來做主。Ill take the responsibility for this matter.

3. 我們是否做這個(gè)工作，我可做不了主。I am not in a position to decide whether well do this work.

4. 我們女兒的婚姻大事由她自己做主。Our daughter has the final say in choosing the man she wants to marry.

“做主”的第三個(gè)意思是當(dāng)事人“支持別人”或“為別人撐腰”。英語可以譯為 to back up, to support。例如：

5. 當(dāng)官不為民做主，不如回家賣紅薯。If I didnt back up the common people as an official, I would rather go back home to become a small pedlar selling sweet potatoes. ▲

（本欄目供稿：王逢鑫教授）