《乔布斯传》翻译笔记：海盗船长的日本行-英语课

时间：2019-02-09 作者：英语课 分类：英语笔译

英语课

第十三章中Lisa电脑问世，乔布斯的Mac 团队进展如何？麦金塔计划继续，乔布斯每隔半年就会带团队成员与附近的度假胜地休息放松下（a two-day retreat at a nearby resort），每次的度假他都会分享不同的格言（maxim）主题，与麦金塔项目的发展紧密联系。1983年1月底，团队成员为了庆祝乔布斯28岁的生日，帮乔布斯制作了一面很酷的海盗旗（Jolly Roger）。这面海盗旗在苹果新办公大楼的楼顶高高飘扬了好几个星期，后来被lisa团队给偷走了。为了帮Mac电脑选硬盘驱动器（disk drive），乔布斯和同事飞往日本考察。乔布斯选中阿尔卑斯电子公司（Alps Electronics Co.）并中断了与索尼的合作。然而到最后，由于阿尔卑斯电子无法按时供货，苹果公司还是采用了索尼的产品。乔布斯的日本之行表现如何？

【英语原文】
As they proceeded to visit other Japanese companies, Jobs was on his worst behavior. He wore jeans and sneakers to meetings with Japanese managers in dark suits. When they formally handed him little gifts, as was the custom, he often left them behind, and he never reciprocated 1 with gifts of his own. He would sneer 2 when rows of engineers lined up to greet him, bow, and politely offer their products for inspection 3. Jobs hated both the devices and the obsequiousness 4. “What are you showing me this for?” he snapped at one stop. “This is a piece of crap! Anybody could build a better drive than this.” Although most of his hosts were appalled 5, some seemed amused. They had heard tales of his obnoxious 6 style and brash behavior, and now they were getting to see it in full display.(Chapter 13 Building the Mac: Let's Be Pirates)
【译文】
乔布斯一行接着又参观了另外几家日本公司，乔布斯也依旧举止非常粗鲁。日本的经理们身着正式的深色西装和乔布斯见面，他却只随便穿着牛仔裤和运动鞋。日本经理会按照惯例郑重地递给他小礼物，但乔布斯经常把这些礼物随手丢在一边，也从未想过自己该回赠礼物。去工厂参观，日本公司的工程师站成一排欢迎他，鞠躬并礼貌地递上产品供他检测，他则对这些嗤之以鼻。乔布斯讨厌他们的产品，还有他们的谄媚奉承之态。在其中的一处工厂他厉声问道：“你给我展示这个干嘛？简直是一堆垃圾！随便找个人做的驱动器都比这个好。” 大部分的日方东道主都对他的态度感到震惊，不过似乎还是有人被逗乐了。他们早就耳闻关于乔布斯作风招人嫌举止傲慢无礼的种种故事，现在他们可是亲眼见到充分感受了。
【翻译笔记】
1. proceed to：proceed这个单词很有趣，可以表示开始，也可以表示继续进行。proceed to 可以表示开始进入或继续下去，另外还可以表示改读…学位。
She added the US would proceed to circulate this draft to all 15 members of the Security Council. 她还表示，美国将把决议草案提交安理会全体15个成员国。
The imperial couple arrived in Prague yesterday to start this leg of their itinerary 7 in the Czech Republic before they proceed to visit other countries such as Poland, Austria and Hungary. 皇室伉俪于昨天抵达布拉格，展开在捷克这一段的访问行程，之后，他们并将前往波兰、奥地利以及匈牙利等国访问。
2. in full display：充分发挥，全面展现。短语 in display 本意在展示，加上了形容词full 后短语的引申义加强。类似的用法还有：in full blossom 全面发展；in full charge 负全责；in full sail 全力以赴；in full swing 全力进行。
The true power of nature was in full display throughout the Midwest. 大自然的力量在美国中西部地区展现的淋漓尽致。
Although the industry has bright prospects 8 ahead, it has many challenges to face and many problems to deal with before it will develop in full swing. 我国的网络产业虽然前途光明，却也面临着许多挑战需要我们去应付，许多问题需要我们去解决，否则这个行业将难以得到充分发展。
3. 乔布斯的格言主题：
Don't compromise. 不要妥协。
It's not done until ships. 直到上市，产品才算完工。
The journey is the reward. 旅途就是收获。
Real artists ship. 真正的艺术家能将产品上市。
It's better to be a pirate than to join the navy. 宁做海盗，不当海军。