文/王逢鑫
“匠”的第一個意思是“有專門技術或有手藝的人”,即“匠人”或“工匠”。英語一般可以譯為craftsman 或artisan。但是不同行業(yè)的匠人,英語都有自己的對應詞,構成職業(yè)名稱,有金匠(goldsmith)、銀匠(silversmith)、銅匠(coppersmith)、鐵匠(smith/blacksmith/ironsmith)、錫匠(tinsmith)、鎖匠(locksmith)、造槍匠/修槍匠(gunsmith)、石匠(stonemason/mason)、瓦 匠/ 泥 瓦 匠/ 泥 水 匠(builder/bricklayer/tiler/plasterer)、木 匠(carpenter)、陶匠(potter)、漆匠(lacquerer)、花匠(gardener)、畫匠(painter)、鞋匠(shoemaker)、皮匠(cobbler/tanner)、理發(fā)匠(barber)等。例如:
1. 根據(jù)中國傳說,魯班被木匠尊為木工技術的祖師爺。According to Chinese legends, Lu Ban was honored as the founder of carpentry by the carpenters.
2. 這個鐵匠在鐵砧上打成了一個馬蹄鐵。The blacksmith shaped a horseshoe on his anvil.
3. 隨著工業(yè)革命的到來和機器的廣泛應用,在英國像金匠、銀匠、銅匠、鐵匠、錫匠、造槍匠等匠人的個體作坊越來越少。With the coming of the Industrial Revolution and the wide use of machines, there were fewer and fewer individual workshops of such craftsmen as goldsmiths, silversmiths, coppersmiths,ironsmiths, tinsmiths and gunsmiths in Britain.
4. 過去,男人去理發(fā)鋪找理發(fā)匠剃頭?,F(xiàn)在,女士進美發(fā)廳請美發(fā)師或發(fā)型師美發(fā)。In the past, a man went to a barber shop to have his head shaved by a barber. Now, a lady goes to a beauty salon to have her hair done by a hairdresser or a hair stylist.
英語職業(yè)名詞是英語姓氏的來源之一,常見的有Smith(史密斯)、Goldsmith(戈德史密斯)、Silversmith(西爾弗史密斯)、Carpenter(卡彭特)、Barber(巴伯)等。例如:
5. Mr. Smith is a carpenter whose job is making and repairing wooden objects and structures. 史密斯先生是個木匠,他的工作是制作和修理木器和木結構。
6. Mr. Carpenter is a smith, whose job is making and repairing things made of iron, especially horseshoes. 卡彭特先生是個鐵匠,他的工作是制作和修理鐵器,尤其是馬蹄鐵。
“匠”的第二個意思是“在某方面有突出成就的人”,即“名匠” “宗匠”或“能工巧匠”。特指“有絕活兒的匠人”,英語一般可以譯為 skilful craftsman、consummate craftsman、master artisan 等?!熬藿场狈褐浮捌渌袠I(yè)出眾的人”,英語一般可以譯為 great master,像“文壇巨匠”(great master in literature / literary giant)。例如:
7. 注意細節(jié)是能工巧匠的特點。Attention to details is the hallmark of a skilful craftsman.
8. 能工巧匠需要有高超技藝和極大耐心。A master artisan requires superb skill and great patience.
9. 文壇巨匠魯迅指出“教育根植于愛”。他認為:愛是教育的源泉;沒有愛,就沒有教育。Lu Xun, the great master in literature, pointed out that education should get rooted in love. He believed that love is the source of education;Without love, there would be no education.
“匠心”的意思是“巧妙的心思”。特指專門技術或手藝,英語可以譯為 craftsmanship;泛指其他行業(yè),英語可以譯為ingenuity。例如:
10. 這座建于六百多年前的宏偉宮殿是古代工匠的匠心的一座豐碑。The magnificent palace, built over six hundred years ago, is a monument to the ancient artisans’ craftsmanship.
11. 在明清家具展覽會上,我們欣賞了古代木匠制作精美家具的高超匠心。At the Ming-Qing Furniture Exhibition, we appreciated the ancient carpenters’superb craftsmanship in making exquisite furniture.
12. 站在雄偉的長城上,游客們驚奇地凝視著這個數(shù)千年前的建筑奇跡,它是中國古代勞動人民匠心與智慧的象征。Standing on the splendid Great Wall, the tourists gazed in wonder at the architectural marvel from thousands of years ago, which serves as a symbol of the ingenuity and intelligence of the ancient Chinese labouring people.
“獨具匠心”和“別具匠心”的意思是“具有與眾不同的巧妙構想”。英語可以譯為 to show unusual craftsmanship/ingenuity。例如:
13. 在古代中國,勞動人民獨具匠心,建造了從西安一座秦陵出土的那批兵馬俑。In ancient China, the labouring people showed unusual craftsmanship in making the terracotta warriors and horses excavated from a Qin Tomb in Xi’an.
14. 中國科學家和技術人員在“探月工程”中別具匠心,成功地利用航天器對月球進行了探測。In their “Lunar Exploration Project”, Chinese scientists and technicians showed unusual ingenuity and made successful explorations on the moon with spacecrafts.
“匠心獨運”的意思是“在文學、藝術等方面獨創(chuàng)性地運用巧妙心思”。英語可以譯為 to give full play to one’s ingenuity。例如:
15. 在這部小說中,這位作家在人物塑造和情節(jié)結構方面匠心獨運。In this novel, the writer gave full play to his ingenuity in its characterization and plot structure. □