2016考研英语翻译试题每日一句精析（10）

When it comes to the slowing economy, Ellen Spero isn't biting her nails just yet. But the 47-year-old manicurist isn't cutting, filing or polishing as many nails as she'd like to, either.

词汇：

nail//n. 指甲

manicurist//n. 美甲师

file//v. 锉，磨

polish//v. 上光，打磨，改进

结构：

When it comes to the slowing economy(when时间状语从句), //Ellen Spero isn't biting her nails just yet(主句).

But the 47-year-old manicurist isn't cutting,filing or polishing as many nails(主句，cutting，filing，polishing是并列谓语动词) //as she'd like to, either(as比较状语从句).

译文：

说起经济放缓的时候，埃伦·斯佩罗并没有咬指甲。但这位47岁的美甲师修磨和上油的指甲却不像她想的那么多了。

翻译思路：直译还是意译西医综合考研大纲

这个句子中的biting her nails是直译还是意译好?

我选择了直译。原因在于，bite nail本身并不是一个固定的词组，并没有约定俗成的涵义。它的本来意思就是“咬指甲”。

其次，作者这里为什么用biting her nails，是因为下文他想用一个美甲师的经历这一件小事来说起经济发展的问题。如果意译，丢失掉了与下文的nails的照应关系。

这样看来，这里的“咬指甲”直译为好。让中文读者也去思考，干嘛是“咬指甲”呢?

本句话的When it comes to sth.也值得注意，它相当于as for sth., speaking about sth.。