呛 声

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句子：达赖喇嘛在台湾所到之处，当地民众对他呛声。

误译：Wherever Dalai Lama went in Taiwan, the local people made choking sounds to him .

正译：Wherever Dalai Lama went in Taiwan, the local people voiced strong protests against him.

解释：汉英词典将“呛”译为to choke。它的意思是to be unable to breathe because the passage to your lungs is blocked or you cannot get enough air，即“抽噎”。若将“呛声”字对字译为choking sound，就犯了错误。其实choking sound的意思是“因呼吸困难而发出的急促喘息声”，与“呛声”毫不相干。“呛声” 来自闽南话，即“唱声”，是台湾民众常用语，意思是“大声发出自己的声音，表达自己的意见和想法，以激烈话语公然向对方挑衅抗议”。英语可以译为 to provoke, to voice strong protests against。例如：1. 你怎么敢跟我呛声？How dare you provoke me?

“呛”(读第四声)的第一个意思是“有刺激性的气体进入呼吸器官而难以忍受”。英语可以译为 to irritate, to choke, to stifle。例如：2. 消毒水的气味呛鼻子，我受不了。As the smell of the disinfectant irritates my nose, I cant stand it. 3. 我被公共厕所的恶臭呛得几乎喘不过气来。I nearly choked at the foul smell of the public lavatory.4. 浓烟弥漫房间，呛得消防队员们喘不上气来。The heavy smoke filled the room and almost stifled the firemen.

“呛”(读第四声)的第二个意思是比喻“说话生硬尖刻有火气”。英语可以译为 provocative。例如：5. 为什么你今天说话这么呛？Why do you speak in such a provocative way today?“呛”(读第一声)的意思是“因水或食物进入气管引起咳嗽，又突然喷出”。英语可以译为 to choke。例如：6. 这个孩子吃饭吃呛了。The child choked over his food. ▲

(本栏目供稿：王逢鑫教授)