“生肖”，据《汉英词典》的蓝本《现代汉语词典》，乃“代表十二地支而用来记人的出生的十二种动物即鼠、牛、虎、兔、龙、蛇、马、羊、猴、鸡、 狗、猪，如子年生的人属鼠，丑年生的人属牛等。也叫“属相”。《汉英词典》在“生肖”这一词条下给出的，与其说是译名，莫若说是注释：any of twelve animals, representing twelve Earthly Branches, used to symbolize the year in which a person is born”。

英国报纸Daily Mail曾有文字介绍过“生肖”且杷我们的“生肖”同他们的“Zediac signs”（即“黄道十二宮”)相提并论。请看：

... Ann Petrie looks at your animal year and your basic characteristics...

As with Western Zodiac signs, the Chinese astrological circle is a series of 12 — 12 years instead of 12 months ….Each year is given an animal name and this animal determines the character and motivation and destiny of people born during the year.

                                                          一 Daily Mail, February 1979, p,13

先把“生肖”译作“animal year”，接着还要作一长串的解释，不然读者还是不懂。两种文化的差异逼得你不得不如此。有没有简练一点的说法呢？在日本教英语的James Kirkup氏曾作过如下介绍，可供汉译英之参考：

Supposing Japanese or Chinese wished to discuss the matter in English, they would have to say:

"Under what animal sign (or symbol) were you born?" (or: "What animal sign were you born under?")

〔你属什么？〕

“Mine is the Rat.”(or: "I was born in the/a/ Year of the Rat.")

〔我属鼠〕

“What is next year's animal sign?”

〔明年是什么年? /明年是属什么的？〕

                                                         一Modern English Teaching，No- 3, 1969, p-40 

顺便提一下，十二生肖虽然都是很平常的动物，译作英语时也还有点讲究，如不注意也会出错：

鼠，是Rat而不是Mouse;

牛，是Ox而不是Cow;

兔，是Hare而不是Rabbit;

蛇，是Serpent而不是Snake;

羊，是Sheep而不是Goat;

鸡，是Cock而不是Hen，更不是 Chicken。

责任编辑：admin