双关语通常利用多义词或同音/谐音,制造出幽默或讽刺的效果。很多英语双关语都让人过目难忘,但要把它们翻译成中文,并做到“信达雅”,却不是那么容易的事。下面列举一些英语双关语的例子,中文解释仅供参考。欢迎留言提供你的翻译版本。Trump: Everyone will be covered.
特朗普:(医疗保险)将覆盖每一个人。/每个人都会被盖上(死亡)。
Seven days without water makes one weak(week).
七天不喝水就是一周。/七天不喝水让人身体虚弱。
weak与week同音
Men to the left, because women are always right!
男人靠左,因为女人永远靠右/永远是对的。
Did you hear about the guy whose whole left side was cut off?
He's all right now.
你听说那个人的左半边全切掉了吗?
他现在没事。/他现在只剩下右半边。
War does not determine who is right - only who is left.
战争并不决定谁正确,只决定谁剩下。
right-left:左-右,正确-错误; left: leave的完成时
A bicycle can't stand on its own because it is two-tyred(too tired).
自行车自己站不起来,因为它有两个轮胎/太累了。
two-tyred与too tired同音
Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.
时光像箭一样飞逝,水果像香蕉一样飞翔/果蝇喜欢吃香蕉。
fruit flies可以理解为 水果飞翔或者果蝇
Obama: What will you have for thanksgiving dinner?
Putin: Turkey.
Turkey除了土鸡,还有土耳其的意思
I wasn't originally going to get a brain transplant, but then I