当家做主

双语加油站●跟我学

句子：60年前随着新中国的成立，中国人民开始当家做主。

误译：With the founding of New China 60 years ago, the Chinese people started to be masters.

正译：With the founding of New China 60 years ago, the Chinese people started to be masters of their own country.

解释：master的意思是 a person who is able to control sth，即“主人”。但是，to be masters没有说明做谁的主人。“当家做主”实际上是“做自己国家或自己命运的主人”。“做主”的第一个意思是“做主人”。“当家做主”，就是“当家做主人”。英语可以译为 to become masters of ones own country, to become masters of ones own destiny。例如：1. 当西藏废除了腐朽、黑暗的封建农奴制的时候，百万农奴挣脱了枷锁，当家做主了。When the decadent and dark feudal serfdom was abolished in Tibet, one million serfs were unshackled and became masters of their own destiny.

“做主”的第二个意思是当事人自己“对某件事情负完全责任并做出决定”。如果强调“负责任”，英语可以译为 to take the responsibility 或on ones own responsibility；如果强调“做决定”，英语可以译为to decide, to make the decision, to have the final say。例如：2. 这件事，我来做主。Ill take the responsibility for this matter.

3. 我们是否做这个工作，我可做不了主。I am not in a position to decide whether well do this work.

4. 我们女儿的婚姻大事由她自己做主。Our daughter has the final say in choosing the man she wants to marry.

“做主”的第三个意思是当事人“支持别人”或“为别人撑腰”。英语可以译为 to back up, to support。例如：

5. 当官不为民做主，不如回家卖红薯。If I didnt back up the common people as an official, I would rather go back home to become a small pedlar selling sweet potatoes. ▲

（本栏目供稿：王逢鑫教授）