在江苏省出版的《汉英成语手册》篇幅虽小，但至少在“（放）马后炮”这一成语的英译上来说，却要比同类辞书中的庞然大物强得多——无论在数量上，还是在质量上。请看该《手册》第116页至117页：

放马后炮 to start firing after the enemy has gone// to do sth. which no longer needs to be done// to lock the stable door after the horse has been stolen// after dinner (meat) mustard// to talk about afterthoughts as if they were forethoughts// a Monday morning quarterback

语云“万宝全书缺只角”，非“万宝全书”的《手册》当然也难免有遗漏之处。比如说，“ to second-guess”就可用作“放马后炮”的英译之—。请看下例：

"Well，Wayne, that's unfortunate. I personally felt that perhaps we were taking on too large a risk, but I don't intend to second-guess you on that issue. The Board members approved it. The proposal ——your proposal——had merit and was well received. Naturally, we'll review our corporate guideline after a loss of this magnitude. You'll have to make a presentation to the Board. I'll get back to you later on that."

                                                      一 Thomas Black; Mayday, NY 1979, p. 173

“to second-guess”的释义，据 COD 是“know only by hindsight”；据 WNWD，则是 “vt.，vi. ﹝Colloq﹞to use hindsight in oriticizing or advising (someoae), resolving (a past problem), remaking (a decision) etc.”；据《远东英汉大辞典》，其汉语译义之一，是“放马后炮”，那么“马后炮”就不妨译作“second-guessing”或干脆作“second-guess（用作名词）”，“放马后炮的人”不妨译作“second-guess”。嘿，“放马后炮的人”不就是“事后诸葛亮”吗?那么，“事后诸葛亮”怎么译呢？译成“Mr. Second-Guess”（比照“Mr. Know-all”）行不行？向读者请教。

责任编辑：admin