“拿铁”新解
There’s Iron in My Coffee
【图片来源于某咖啡厅】 企图表达（正确）：
Latte
拿铁咖啡
实际表达（错误）：
Take the coffee of iron
把铁制咖啡拿走
分析
On this beverage menu, the drink “拿铁咖啡(latte)” was mistranslated as “take the coffee of iron把铁制咖啡拿走”. Of course, “拿铁” has nothing to do with either “take” or “iron”; it is simply a transliteration of the word “latte”.
上面这份饮料菜单中的“拿铁咖啡(latte)”被误译为“take the coffee of iron把铁制咖啡拿走”。我们固然明白，“拿铁”和“take”以及“iron”风马牛不相及。随意直译的滑稽可见一斑。
知识扩展
How many coffee beverages can you name in English? Here are some of the popular ones that you’ll find at cafés in China and around the world. If some of the spellings look difficult, it’s because many of these words are derived from Italian or French.
Here are some common expressions containing the word “iron”:
ironman ['ai?nm?n] n. 铁人（在运动方面有过人的忍耐力或持久力的男性）
cast-iron stomach 强壮的胃（什么都消化得了）
have too many irons in the fire 同时要做的事情太多
iron out the kinks 解决小问题，消除缺陷
iron sth. out 解决（问题、困难等）
pump (some) iron 举重，锻炼肌肉
rule with an iron fist 严加管理，控制得很严
Strike while the iron is hot. 趁热打铁。
说不清道不明
A Clear Blunder
True Story
One weekend, I went to a restaurant to have lunch with an old friend who had recently completed a law degree. Out of curiosity, I asked him, “How did you first decide to become a lawyer?” My friend paused for a moment before replying, “I can’t speak clearly.” At first, I was startled. My friend’s English wasn’t perfect, but his pronunciation was excellent. I tried to encourage him: “Your English is fine,” I said. After seeing the puzzled expression on his face, I realized what he had really wanted to say:“It’s hard / difficult to say. (我说不清。)”
某个周末，我和一位老朋友去下馆子，这位朋友刚拿到了法律学位。我好奇地问道：“你当初是怎么决定要成为律师的呢？”朋友顿了顿，然后答道：“I can’t speak clearly.（我发音不清。）”乍一听，我吃了一惊。这位朋友的英文虽然不能算特棒，但发音挺标准的。我试着鼓励他：“Your English is fine.（你的英文还不错啊。）”看到他一脸困惑的样子，我才知道他先前其实想要说的是：“It’s hard / difficult to say.（我说不清。）”
知识扩展
与“发音”相关的词汇：
accentuate [?k'sentjueit] v. 重读或以重音读出
articulate [ɑ:'tikjulit] v. 发音，清晰并仔细地发音
enunciate [i'n?nsieit] v. 发音，念字
mouth [mauθ] v. 做口形，无声地说
pronounce [pr?'nauns] v. 发音
……
新书资讯