Chinese to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings | | Chinese term or phrase: 身在曹营，心在汉 | | Thanks in advance! |
| | | English translation:While I may physically be here, my heart belongs elsewhere. | Explanation:
My two cents:
Several issues with translating classical Chinese.
1) Pronouns are ofttimes missing, so for clarity's sake (for non Classical speakers), I usually put them back in.
2) Historical references are difficult to place because it would cause endless confusion. So in this case, I chose to translate the meaning instead of trying to cram the historical references in. Of course, there are instances where the historical reference is more important and should be left in, but that's up to the discretion of the translator and the needs of the translation. (see Aaron's reference) |
| Selected response from:
Sze K. Aka Chan
United States
Local time: 22:36
| Grading comment Many thanks!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer |
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| Reference: Translation depends
Reference information:
This is from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Below is a telling of the phrase's origin (from http://zhidao.baidu.com/question/20308476.html)
刘备在请出孔明前先遇到一位叫“徐庶（字元直，为人非常孝顺）”的谋士，并在出山后即帮助刘备破了曹仁的八门金锁阵，击退来犯曹军。事后曹操因爱慕徐庶的才华，便听取程昱的计策，以徐庶好友的身份将其母骗至许昌（曹据点），并假其母笔记修书于庶，诱其降曹。当徐庶母子相见后，其母却认为庶的行为是愚蠢（被曹操骗了）以及不忠（刘备被认为是当时皇室）的，遂自杀；此后虽然身在曹营的庶便因记恨于曹操而从不给予正面的帮助。
这就是“身在曹营心在汉”的典故。
关羽的确有这样的经历，但这句话说的不是关羽。
As far as translation, it would depend on what/who you are translating for. Is it an audience interested in Chinese culture and history or some organization that wants all colloquialisms watered down to their basic meanings?
|  Aaron Gilkison
United States
Native speaker of:  English
PRO pts in category: 4
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