句子：現(xiàn)在國(guó)內(nèi)正在熱播電視連續(xù)劇《蝸居》。

誤譯：The TV series “Living in a Snails Shell” is hitting the TV screen in China.

正譯：The TV series “A Nutshell of a House” is hitting the TV screen in China.

解釋?zhuān)簼h語(yǔ)可以用蝸牛殼比喻窄小的住處，有“蝸居”的說(shuō)法。英語(yǔ)snail 的意思是a small soft creature with a hard round shell on its back, that moves very slowly，有“行動(dòng)緩慢”的聯(lián)想，但與“狹小”無(wú)關(guān)。這是它與漢語(yǔ)的文化差異。英語(yǔ)習(xí)語(yǔ) slow as a snail具有very slow的意思。at a snails pace 具有very slowly的意思。例如：

1. 我的互聯(lián)網(wǎng)連接慢如蝸牛。My Internet connection is slow as a snail.

2. 這位老人慢慢地行走。The old man walked along at a snail's pace.

“蝸居”的第一個(gè)意思是比喻“狹小的住所”，用作名詞。英語(yǔ)可以譯為 humble abode, a nutshell of a house。例如：

3. 有空請(qǐng)來(lái)蝸居小坐。Please drop in and visit with me in my humble abode when you have time.

4. 奢談在像我們這樣的蝸居里舉行晚會(huì)是多么荒唐呀！ How absurd it is to talk of giving a party in such a nutshell of a house as ours!

注意，narrow dwelling表示的是“窄”，但是并不一定“小”，因而不一定是“蝸居”。例如：

5. 我的家是一所長(zhǎng)條的窄房子，有許多房間，照明也好。My home was a long narrow dwelling with many rooms, and good lighting.

“蝸居”的第二個(gè)意思是比喻“住在狹小的住所”，用作動(dòng)詞。英語(yǔ)可以譯為to live in a small room, to confine oneself to a small room。例如：

6. 過(guò)去他們一家五口人蝸居一間僅10平方米的斗室。In the past, the five people of his family lived in a small room that covered an area of only ten square meters.

7. 這位孤獨(dú)老人蝸居斗室。This lonely old man confines himself to a small room.▲

（本欄目供稿：王逢鑫教授）