問:It is my dream come true(我的夢想實現了)這一句,句子結構是怎樣的?為什麼不說It is my dream coming true或It is my dream that came true?
答:It is my dream come true全寫是It is my dream that is come true。根據文法,關係子句(relative clause)往往可畧去that、who等關係代名詞(relative pronoun)以及輔助動詞(auxiliary verb),成為分詞子句(participle clause),例如:(1)The man(who was)crossing the street was blind(正在過馬路的那個人雙目失明)。(2)Whose is the boat(which is)tied to the pier?(繫在碼頭那條小船是誰人的?)It is my dream(that is)come true就是用這句法。
It is my dream(that is)coming true是說「我的夢想正在實現」,和It is my dream come true意思不同,而It is my dream which came true的came則應改為is / has come。
問:A bird does not sing because it has an answer; it sings because it has a song這句名言,怎樣翻譯才好?
答:這一句直譯是「鳥兒歌唱,不是因為牠有一個答案,而是因為牠有一首歌」。所謂it has a song,無疑是說一切貴乎自然,貴乎真情,一如《毛詩序》的話:「情動於中,而形之於言;言之不足,故嗟歎之;嗟歎之不足,故詠歌之。」至於it has an answer的answer,卻可以有不同的引伸,最為難譯。全句我試譯如下,望能拋磚引玉:「禽鳥百囀千聲,蓋有歌欲唱,非有問須答。」