翻译题目

吉利数字(auspicious number)在中国文化一直起着重要的作用。不少人认为数字6、8、9吉利，因为它们跟一些具有积极含义的汉字发音相同或相近。如8与“发”的发音相似，象征着繁荣和财富；9与“久”发音一样，意为“长长久久”。因此，很多人在选择手机号码和车牌号码(license plate number)时会不惜花钱去选取这些数字。相反，没有人会选4，因为4与“死”发音一致,是不吉利的数字(inauspicious number)。

表达难点

1.第2句中的“认为数字6、8、9吉利”可采用结构consider sth. + a. 或consider sth. as sth.来表达。定语“具有积极含义的”较长，故将其处理成后置定语，用介词短语of positive meanings来表达。

2.第3句中的“如8与‘发’的发音相似”英译时，按照英语表达习惯,要在“8”前面补上表其性质的词，故增译 number。“象征着繁荣和财富”是“发”的含义，故可将其处理为定语修饰“发"，因此用现在分词短语symbolizing prosperity and wealth 作后置定语来表达，也可用定语从句 which symbolizes prosperity and wealth 表达。

3.第4句中的“很多人在选择手机号码……时”，根据英语表达习惯，宜在“手机号码”前增译一个物主代词 their，译为their phone number。“不惜花钱”意即“舍得花一大笔钱”,可用pay out表达。“去选取这些数字”，即让这些数字包括于手机号码和车牌号码中，故“不惟花钱去选取这些数字”译为pay out for these m numbers to be included in......

4.最后一句“因为4与‘死’发音一致，是不吉利的数字”可用并列结构译出，表达为it bears the same pronunciation...and is considered to be...。“是不吉利的数字”不应简单地译为 is inauspicious number，而应译为is considered to be inauspicious number，这样才能表达出“人为赋予数字含义”的意思。

参考译文

Auspicious numbers have long played an important part in Chinese culture. Many people consider numbers six, eight and nine as the auspicious ones because they have the same or similar sounds to the Chinese characters of positive meanings. For example, the pronunciation of the number “eight” is similar to the character “fa” symbolizing prosperity and wealth. The number “nine” has the same pronunciation with the character “jiu” which means "long lasting”. Therefore, many people are willing to pay out for these numbers to be included in their phone numbers and license plate numbers. On the contrary, no one will choose the number 4 because it bears the same pronunciation with the character “si” (die) and is considered to be inauspicious number.