老汪的烦恼（中英对照版）-南桥的博客-财新网

有人说中文最妙，文字游戏多，其他语言望尘莫及，也无从翻译。别人看过就算，但翻译绕不过去，很多时候不可译也得译，这时候需要找到动态的对应。下面是我在同学群里被激将，用段子练手。还望大家赐教。有兴趣做题的同学，答案可写在留言里。

2017最难国考题：

Old Wang's Woman Problem: A reading quiz

一

老汪在班级同学聚会上，看到自己曾经暗恋的女王，感慨万千，相谈甚欢。后来一时冲动向女王发一微信：滚床单不？女王回信：“滚”。

请问：这个“滚”字是什么意思？"

In a class reunion, Old Wang met his high school sweetheart, whom we shall call Queenie to show proper respect. With old flames stirred up, Wang texted Queenie later: "You want to come?" Please note that they texted back and forth using Wechat, the proper way for a Chinese to text.

Queenie texted back: "Fuck off."

Question: Given the context of this conversation, what does "fuck off" mean? [Bonus point] How about "come"?

二

老汪虽已是湖南某著名大学教授，竟也不明白这个“滚”字是什么意思！他心有不甘，回家失眠了几个晚上，终于鼓起勇气发一微信给女王：去我的家还是去你的家？”

女王回复：“去你的”。

问题：“去你的”是什么意思？"

Even though Wang teaches in a university, being intellectual, well-respected and all, he wasn't 100% sure about such matters. After a number of sleepless nights, he couldn't afford to be speechless anymore, so he sent another text: "Your place or mine?"

Back came this text: "Get lost."

Question: What does "get lost" mean here? That Wang should find a secret rendezvous?

三

老汪不解何意，几天后终于忍不住给女王发微信：那来我家吧！

女王回：“我去”。

老汪彻底懵了。

问题：“我去”是什么意思？"

Still feeling lost, Wang wrote back a few days later: "My place?"

Queenie replied: "Yeah, sure."

At this point, Wang's mind was pretty much fried.

Question: Does "yeah, sure" mean she has agreed?

四

过了几天，女神没去，老汪又忍不住，发信息问女王：我在家等着你？

女王回信：“你等着”！

问题：“你等着”什么意思？"

The woman didn't come. Wang became increasingly fidgety, and had to send a follow-up text: "Should I still expect you to come here?"

Queenie wrote: "Just you wait!"

Question: Does "just you wait" mean that she wanted Wang to wait at home?

五

又过了几天，老汪没等到女王，实在又忍不住了，就给女王发信息：要不我到你家试试？

女王回答：“你来试试”！

问题：“你来试试”什么意思？"

Still anxious, Wang sent another text: "How about your place?"

Queenie wrote: "You've got balls!"

Question: When Queenie said "You've got balls", was she A) asking Wang to play golf; B) indicating that size does matter in certain things, C) encouraging Wang to take bold actions; or D) None of the above?

六

又过了几天，女王感觉到老汪的困惑，为了表明自己的态度，回复：“我是个性开放的人，不是个性开放的人。”

问题：请问女王想表达什么意思？"

Finally, to solve Wang's problem once for all, Queenie texted: "I'm usually not closed-minded, but that doesn't mean I am open-minded on this."

Question: What in the world was she trying to say?

七

老汪最后孤注一掷，决定晚上去女王家。女王住外宾公寓，进去要填表，上有“性别”（sex)一栏。老汪感概，问得真细，诚信要紧，于是填道：每周六次。

问题：正确答案应该是什么？

"It wouldn't hurt to find out." Finally, Wang went to Queenie's place, an apartment building for international experts, where he was asked to fill out a form. The form includes an item for "sex".

Wang wrote: "Six times a week."

Question: What should he have written?

八

在门卫目瞪口呆之下，老汪按门铃，通过通话器怯怯问道：我可以进来么？

女王答：“你进来我今晚就弄死你”！

问题：老汪最后死了没有？

As the doorman looked with amazement, Wang rang the bell: "May I come in?" He asked shyly.

Queenie said through the intercom: "If you come in, you'll be royally screwed!"

Question: Was Wang screwed?

注：中文系朋友转发而来，出处不详，本文略有修改。翻译不说明赞同老汪的行为，仅说明文字各有各的难处和妙处。如果学过英语，但仍看不懂，说明美剧看得太少。

Note: Translating this joke does not mean I endorse Wang's behaviors. I just want to show that Chinese and English can both be tricky, ambiguous and expressive.

本译文不会有人发表，好歹忙乎半天，若觉得有趣或有收获，欢迎按下面二维码打赏以资鼓励。

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