句子：瑞雪兆豐年。

誤譯：An auspicious snow foretells a year of bumper harvest.

正譯：1) An auspicious snow foretells a big harvest.

2) A seasonable snow predicts a good yield.

3) A timely snow promises a good harvest.

4) A seasonable snow promises to bless the crops in the coming year.

5) A fall of seasonable snow gives promise of a fruitful year.

6) Snow is the harbinger of an abundant year for harvest.

解釋：bumper 的意思是 unusually large, producing an unusually large amount，即“特大的”。bumper harvest 指“特大豐收”，是罕見的。上世紀70年代，我國媒體將“我國連續(xù)3年獲得豐收”，譯為 We have had bumper harvest for three successive years in our country。對此，一位英國專家說，一年獲得bumper harvest，已屬不易。3年連續(xù)獲得 bumper harvest，有些夸張。這句話不妨改為We have had good harvest for three successive years in our country。“豐年”實指“好收成”，譯為good harvest就可以了。

“瑞雪”可以譯為 timely/auspicious/seasonable snow。例如：

今天早晨，北京普降瑞雪。This morning, there was an extensive and timely snowfall in Beijing.

英語有下面幾個諺語，與漢語“瑞雪兆豐年”的意境相近：

A snow year, a rich year. 瑞雪年，豐收年。

A good winter brings a good summer. 好冬能帶來好夏。

作為動詞，“兆”的意思是“預示”，英語可以譯為to foretell, to predict, to promise, to give promise of, to be the harbinger of, to forebode, to augur, to portend。

作為名詞，“兆”的意思是“預兆”或“兆頭”。英語可以譯為 omen, portent, sign, harbinger, augury。例如：

風濕痛預示著暴風雨的來臨。Rheumatic pain foretells the coming of a storm.

打雷是即將來臨的暴風雨的預兆。Thunder is a sign of an impending storm. ▲

（本欄目供稿：王逢鑫教授）