1.What a dull speech! He's merely parroting what many others have said.多么单调乏味的讲话!他不过是鹦鹉学舌,重复许多人说过的话而已。
2. A wolf in sheep's clothing披着羊皮的狼
3. One swallow does not make a summer.孤燕不成夏。
4. He is as sly as a fox. You've got to watch him.他狡猾得像个狐狸。对他你可要当心点儿。
5. You stupid ass! How could you do a thing like that?你这头蠢驴!怎么会干出那种事儿来?
6. The children were as busy as bees, making preparations for the festival.孩子们准备过节忙得像蜜蜂一样。
另一类是:同一动物形象在原语和译语中的语用意义相去甚远,甚至完全相悖。因此,在翻译过程中就出现了动物形象名称的转换。这种动物形象的转换可以是一种动物形象转换为另一种动物形象。例如:
1. Talk horse.吹牛。(horse译为“牛”)
2. Ass in a lion's skin.狐假虎威。(ass译为“狐”,lion译为“虎”)
3. Black sheep.害群之马。(sheep译为“马”)
4. Lock the stable door after the horse is stolen.亡羊补牢。(horse译为“羊”)
5. Cast pearls before swine.对牛弹琴。(swine译为“牛”)
6. When the cat is away, the mice will play.山中无老虎,猴子称大王。(cat译为“老虎”,mice译为“猴子”)
7. As hungry as a bear.饿得像狼。(bear译为“狼”)
8. Kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.杀鸡取卵。(goose译为“鸡”)
9. As timid as a hare.胆小如鼠。(hare充为“鼠”)
10.Neither fish, flesh nor fowl.非驴非马。(fish, flesh译为“驴”owl译为“马”)
11.Break a fly upon the wheel.杀鸡用牛刀。(fly译为“鸡”)
另一方面,在翻译专利号,一种动物形象转换成人的形象(transfer of Denomination between Animals and Human Beings.)则主要是依据动物自身的习性、特点以及该词汇的内涵和具体的语境而定。例如:
1. Every dog has his day.凡人皆有得意日。
Help a lame dog over stile.救人之急;帮助人度过难关。
A dog in the manger.占着茅坑不拉屎。(dog译为“人”)
2. Bill is taking his bird to the pictures tonight.比尔今晚带着他的女朋友去看电影。(bird译为“女朋友”)
3. In the city I was nothing, but there in the countryside I was considered a big fish.在城里我还是什么人物,但是在乡下我却被认为是个了不起的人物。(fish译为“人物”)
4. Don't listen to her gossip; she is a cat.别听她搬弄是非,她是个心地恶毒的女人。(cat译为“心地恶毒的女人”)
5. “Don't be scared, Chickens!”came her voice with teasing gaiety.“另害怕,胆小鬼们!”她开玩笑地说。(chickens译为“胆小鬼”)
6. The lions at her party included two famous authors and a musician.她宴请的社会名流包括 两名作家和一名音乐家。(lions译为“社会名流”)