“纠结”这个词在现今这个高速发展的社会被人们使用的频率非常地高,再加之有不少学生问本蟹“纠结”用英语怎么说,因此今天来讨论一下。
《现代汉语词典》第6版对“纠结”一词的解释如下:
释义1和2我们在日常生活中不怎么用,释义3经常使用:思绪纷乱,心情烦闷。其实“纠结”还有另一个意思,那就是“处于面临两难的选择而不好做决定的状态”。
一、纠结:思绪纷乱,心情烦闷。这个意思可以翻译为
upset; annoyed; irritated
这三个单词意思差不多,但要注意upset已经是形容词(或者理解为过去分词)形式,不能自作聪明地把它写成upsetted,这样是错误的。
【例】Don’t get upset about the dress – there’s only a little stain on it. 不要再纠结连衣裙的事了,其实也就弄脏了一点。
(来源: Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary)
【例】I was really annoyed that I hadn’t been invited. 他们没有邀请我,所以我非常纠结。
(来源:MacMillan English Dictionary – American)
【例】I was beginning to get irritated at the long delay. 知道要推迟很久,我就开始纠结了起来。
(来源:MacMillan English Dictionary – American)
二、纠结:处于面临两难的选择而不好做决定的状态。这个意思可以有以下三种翻译方法
1. be torn between…and…
torn是tear(撕;扯)的过去分词,纠结也就是扯来扯去扯不清楚,因此torn在这里还是比较形象的。Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary 5th Edition对be torn between…and…的解释是:If you are torn between two or more things, you cannot decide which to choose, and so you feel anxious or troubled
【例】Robb is torn between becoming a doctor and a career in athletics. 罗布很纠结,因为他不知道该当医生还是该当运动员。
(来源:Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary 5th Edition)
2. be of two minds about
mind的意思是“想法;看法”,be of two minds about也就是对某事心中有两种想法,拿不定主意,因此可以理解为“纠结”。MacMillan English Dictionary – American对be of two minds about的解释是:to not be certain about something, or to have difficulty in making a decision
【例】I’m of two minds about accepting the job. 对于是否该接受这份工作,我很纠结。
(MacMillan English Dictionary – American)
3. face the dilemma of
dilemma这个词很容易拼错,所以一定要注意:di-le-mma,有两个m。Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary对dilemma的解释是:a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two different things you could do
【例】She faces the dilemma of disobeying her father or losing the man she loves. 她要么会违背父亲的意愿,要么会失去她所爱的男人,对此她很纠结。
(来源:Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary)
总结一下,“纠结”可以翻译为:
1. upset; annoyed; irritated 思绪纷乱,心情烦闷
2. be torn between…and…; be of two minds about; face the dilemma of 处于面临两难的选择而不好做决定的状态