中文原文:
现在我请尊敬的王教授讲话。
错误译文:
Now I'd like to have our respectful Professor Wang talk to us.
正确译文:
Now I'd like to have our respectable Professor Wang talk to us.
翻译加油站:
我曾收到学生的信,开头写道:My Respectful Professor Wang,意思想说“尊敬的王教授”。这种说法不对,应改为My Respectable Professor Wang。动词to respect添加后缀 –ful,构成形容词 respectful,有主动意义,为 feeling or showing respect for,即表示施事者对受事者的尊重。例如:
1. 我们非常敬重在抗击非典斗争中牺牲的医生护士们。
We are very respectful towards those doctors and nurses who sacrificed themselves in the fight against SARS.
动词to respect添加后缀 -able,构成形容词 respectable,有被动意义,为 that must / should be respected,即表示按道理必须 / 应该受到尊重。例如:
2. 这些科学家确实是应该非常受人尊重的人们。
These scientists are very respectable people indeed.
respectable还有“体面的”的含义。例如:
3. 在大街上光着膀子是不体面的。
It's not respectable to be shirtless in the street.
respected 可以是过去分词,用于被动语态;也可以用作定语,表示实际上受到尊重。例如:
4. 尊重别人的人会受到别人的尊重。
Those who respect others will be respected by others.
5. 这位老人是深受尊敬的学者。
This old man is a highly respected scholar.
形容词respective和副词 respectively与“尊重”无关,它们表示“各自”和“分别”的意思。例如:
6. 早操后,各班学生回到各自的教室。
After morning exercises, the classes went to their respective rooms.
7. 李明和他的孪生兄弟已分别被北大和清华录取。
1) Li Ming and his twin brother have been admitted to Peking University and Tsinghua University respectively.
2) Li Ming and his twin brother have been enrolled by Peking University and Tsinghua University respectively.