中英之鉴 中式英语之鉴160

[误] Don\'t laugh at those who have covered 100 steps when you have covered 50. You have done no better

than me.

[正] The pot calls the kettle black! You have done no better than me.

注：以前，英国人烧水不是用 pot 就是用 kettle，而且它们的底总被熏得黑黑的。所以，“罐子笑锅黑”与我们的 “五十步笑百步”一样，都很形象，只是两种文化所深沉的东西不一样，因此表达也就大相径庭了。如若直译，很难传神，甚至理解都成问题。