中英之鉴 中式英语之鉴385

病人坐在里排的桌前吃饭，大粒的汗从额上滚下，夹袄也贴住了脊心，两块肩胛骨高高凸出，印成一个阳文的“八”字。

[误] The patient was sitting at the table by the wall, eating. Beads of sweat stood out on his forehead, his lined jacket was sticking to his spine, and his shoulder blades stuck out so sharply, an "eight" seemed stamped there.

[正] The patient was sitting at the table by the wall, eating. Beads of sweat stood out on his forehead, his lined jacket was sticking to his spine, and his shoulder blades stuck out so sharply, an inverted V seemed stamped there.

注：第一句其实翻译得不错，就是“八”字的英文表达不妥。要知道汉字的书写与英文完全不同，若译成

eight 英国人是不懂的。an inverted V(一个反的英文字母V)就化腐朽为神奇了。