The hazards of keeping up with the Joneses. The relentlessness with which central banks are increasing interest rates reflects alarm at rising prices—and an aversion to being portrayed as insufficiently courageous at a time of economic peril. With so much time hiking, officials should fret about the broader impact of the course they are on. The recession they are courting may be no ordinary downturn.跟风涨息/加息的危害。各国央行频频加息,既是对物价上涨的警惕之举,也表明它们不愿在经济衰退时期被塑造成一个缩头缩尾的形象。伴随央行利率大幅上涨,官员们也该担心加息这条路所带来的广泛影响,其所引发的经济衰退,或许并非单纯的/普通的经济下滑。重要翻译点拨1 keeping up with the Joneseskeep up with the Joneses表示与邻居、朋友等在物质生活方面攀比,力求不落人后,这里结合语境,指各国央行互相跟风加息( increasing interest rates)的行为,所以这里译为:跟风涨息/加息2 aversion to 厌恶,反感:对某事物或某种行为感到强烈的厌恶或反感3 With so much time hiking这句关键理解hike 这个词,其在这里用其另一个含义:(价格、税率等)大幅提高/升高,结合文章语境,讲的是加息(提高利率)的行为,so much 表示程度,修饰hiking,所以译为:随着/伴随央行利率水平大幅提升4 court 动词,表示“招致/引起/引发(失败、危险等负面情况),同样注意熟词辟义,对于熟悉的词,我们得掌握其比较少见的含义,这往往就是翻译考试考点所在。5 “raise/increase interest rates “加息”是指央行提高基准利率的行为,旨在控制通货膨胀或防止金融风险
(2)
We are experiencing one of the most synchronized bouts of monetary and fiscal tightening in the past five decades, according to the World Bank. While the Federal Reserve may steal the show Wednesday with a third consecutive hike of 75 basis points, rates will almost certainly march higher in coming days in places as diverse as the UK, Indonesia, the Philippines and Norway. Earlier this month, the European Central Bank pulled off its first 75 basis-point jump, and left the door open for more. Sweden’s Riksbank (瑞典央行) shocked markets Tuesday by lifting its main rate by a full percentage point.世界银行表示,我们现在正经历着过去50年来最为同步的货币与财政紧缩时期之一。尽管美联储本周三或因连续第三次加息超75个基点,而引发市场极大关注,但未来几天,英国、印尼、菲律宾及挪威等多国都可能进一步加息//迎来更高的利率水平。本月初,欧洲央行首次加息75个基点,这还不排除进一步加息的可能性。本周二,瑞典央行将其主要利率/基准利率上调了整整一个百分点,市场一片哗然。重要翻译点拨:1 基本术语,monetary and fiscal tightening货币与财政政策紧缩2 steal the show 本意指 大出风头,抢风头,结合这里语境,指美联储连续三次加息75个基点的行为引发全球关注,所才说steal the show3 leave the door open 本意指 保持机会开放:指故意保持机会或选项的开放状态,不排除任何可能性。这里结合语境,可处理为:不排除进一步加息的可能性,也可保留原文意象,处理为:为后续加息敞开大门/预留了空间4 main rate 主要利率:中央银行制定的用于指导货币市场利率的基准利率。5 lifting its main rate by a full percentage point这里不难,主要是用符合财经领域的说法习惯,比如lift本意指 提升或增加,按照专业领域说法,处理为“上调”更佳。即上调了整整一个百分点6 Sweden’s Riksbank (瑞典央行) shocked markets ,注意这里核心词shock 的理解,这里shock 不能字面译为 令……惊讶或惊骇,结合语境,这里强调的是 “瑞典央行上调基准利率对市场的影响,所以这里shock 取其另一个含义:对……产生冲击,结合语境内容,当然指”对市场产生冲击“。
(3)
It’s the countries that haven’t ratcheted up borrowing costs that stand out. The era of the global central bank may be with us in all but name, as much as policy makers themselves would bristle at the suggestion. About 90 central banks have raised rates this year, and half of them have increased by at least three-quarters of a percentage point in a single bound, based on Bloomberg News (彭博社) calculations. This week’s hikes alone may exceed 500 basis points.在全球加息大背景下,那些尚未提高借款成本的国家反而更加引入瞩目。全球央行时代或已来临,只不过还未获得名义上的认可,几乎所有政策制定者对此表示不满。据彭博社报道,今年全球共有90家央行先后宣布加息,其中45家银行单次加息幅度超过0.75个百分点(75个基点)。仅本周全球加息幅度就可能超过500个基点。1 ratchet up (稳步)提升或提高2 in all but name 固定用法,除了名义上的,在其他方面都是,有实无名3 bristle at 对……感到愤怒或不满:对某事物或某人的言行感到愤怒或不满。4 This week’s hikes alone may exceed 500 basis points这里hike 取得是其另一个含义:(数量、价格等)增加, 上升,结合文章语境,其实指加息幅度,且文章提到全球央行时代已经来临,因为各国央行几乎实施一样的紧缩政策(加息),所以这里的this week’s hikes 指全球加息幅度或加息涨幅
(4)
Even the outliers are less than comfortable. The Bank of Japan, which has refused to budge, faces hard questions about why it clings to an ultra-easy stance when inflation has well and truly breached its 2% target. Inflation climbed to the highest in more than three decades last month. 即使那些没有选择加息的国家,日子也并不好过。此前已经拒绝加息的日本银行如今却面临公众尖锐的质疑:在国内通胀率远超目标通胀率2%的情况下,日本银行为何还要继续实施超宽松的金融政策?上个月,日本通胀率攀升至三十多年来的最高水平。重要翻译点拨:1 注意理解the outlier 字面意为“异类”,结合语境,文章提到各国央行纷纷选择加息,那么这里the outlier 异类是相对于这些纷纷选择加息的央行而言的,即在此次加息浪潮中拒绝加息的央行,所以这里选择结合语境,明确真实信息,而不仅仅字面处理为“异类”。2 which has refused to budge,这里budge 如何理解?其本意指移动位置,经常引申为“改变或作出改变,所以这里初步译为:拒绝作出改变,那作出什么改变呢?文章提到,各国央行纷纷选择加息,那么这里budge 就是指“作出相关政策调整”,也就是后面提到的,日本始终坚持超宽松的政策(clings to an ultra-easy stance),所以可处理为 拒绝作出政策调整或进一步处理为“拒绝加息”。3 well and truely,固定用法,完全地、彻底地、毫无疑问地
(5)
It’s a brave central banker who worries too loudly about other countries when headlines scream about inflation at home and politicians pile on. Most monetary agencies have at least some autonomy, but they still operate in a political environment. Policy makers face hostile questions in parliamentary hearings and some legislators go so far as to call for resignations. That’s an understandable, if disappointing, reaction when jumps in CPI lead the evening news. If officials harbor concerns about the subpar performance of the global economy—and there are sound reasons to be anxious—they tend to be publicly muted about it.当新闻头条大肆报道国内通胀情况、政客们群起攻击时,央行官员如果此时呼吁关注其他国家的情况,那他着实勇气可嘉。虽然多数货币政策机构都享有一定自主权,但他们仍难逃政治大环境的影响。在议会听证会上,央行决策者会面临来自议员咄咄逼人的提问,一些议员甚至不惜要求央行决策者下台。当CPI指数大幅攀升的消息见诸晚间新闻报道时,这些反应尽管令人失望,但也可以理解。即便央行官员对全球经济疲软感到忧心—并且确实有充分理由感到担忧—他们在公开场合却往往保持缄默。重要翻译点拨:1but they still operate in a political environment字面初步译为:他们仍旧运作于一定政治环境,如果进一步将其明确,效果会更好,其实这句话言外之意强调的是,虽然这些货币政策机构拥有一定自主权,但仍旧难逃大的政治环境影响,即这一定的政治自主权其实也丧失了,所以这里我处理为:担他们仍旧难逃大的政治环境的影响2 hostile questions 字面初步译为:充满敌意的问题,但如果直译,无法反映原文真实含义,那么结合汉语表达和说法习惯,处理为 “咄咄逼人的提问”或“诘问”,能更加反映原文hostile 这层含义。3 If officials harbor concerns about the subpar performance of the global economy—and there are sound reasons to be anxious—they tend to be publicly muted about it.注意这里核心逻辑,前面虽是if(我们第一反应是处理为“倘若或如果”),但结合后面内容they tend to be publicly muted about it ,前后内容上存在转折,那么前面if 处理为让步逻辑会更高,即 即便……,他们却……
(6)
One person who has flagged the need to think globally is Fed Vice Chair Lael Brainard (莱尔·布雷纳德). While not for a minute challenging the desirability of reining in demand and prices, she did keep an eye on the potential consequences of the global policy lockstep. “The rapidity of the tightening cycle and its global nature, as well as the uncertainty around the pace at which the effects of tighter financial conditions are working their way through aggregate demand, create risks associated with over-tightening,” Brainard said in a speech. A bleak global outlook may also keep the Fed from moving by a full percentage point today.有人呼吁要从全球角度看待加息问题,美联储副主席莱尔·布雷纳德便是其中之一。虽然她从未质疑控制需求和价格的必要性,但她仍密切关注全球不断加码的加息政策所带来的潜在后果。布雷纳德在一次讲话中表示:“此次紧缩政策来势迅猛,影响全球,加之金融状况收紧对总需求影响所表现出的不确定性,与财政过度紧缩的有关风险便出现了”。全球经济增长希望渺茫,因此此次美联储加息不足一个百分点(100个基点)重要翻译点拨:1 One person who has flagged the need to think globally is Fed Vice Chair Lael Brainard (莱尔·布雷纳德).注意这句的处理思路,这里 one persos who……is sb,这里整体其实相当于英文 one of…… 是……人之一此外,这里flag 熟词辟义,意思是“引起对……的注意”,“呼吁关注……”,所以 flag the need to…… 呼吁……必要性,英文是名词思路,英译汉时需要改为动词思路,即呼吁要……2 think globally ,字面译为,从全球角度思考或考虑,但似乎少了什么,考虑什么呢?结合文章的核心,文章一直探讨的核心问题是“加息”,所以这里think的对象是也是加息,所以译为:从全球视角/角度思考/看待加息问题所以这句我处理为:有人呼吁要从全球角度看待加息问题,美联储副主席莱尔·布雷纳德便是其中之一。3not for a minute 固定用法,不可字面翻译,其含义是“从不,根本不”4 the global policy lockstep 如何理解?lockstep 本意指“密集连锁的步伐”,即一样的动作或行动,且先后持续发生,结合语境,文章提到各国纷纷加息,所以这里policy lockstep 指各国纷纷加息
(7)
There’s danger today that, acting out of domestic concerns, the response to higher inflation will ricochet far beyond national boundaries. Because these policies are highly synchronous across countries, they could be mutually compounding in their effects—tightening financial conditions and steepening the global growth slowdown more than envisioned. 现如今风险在于,各国会根据本国实际情况采取相应措施,应对不断攀升的通胀水平,但这样一来,其影响可能超出国界,引发连锁反应。由于各国加息政策高度同步,其效果可能互相增强,导致全球金融状况愈发收紧,全球经济增长疲软会比预期更为严重。【翻译:Eric,如需转载请联系:Eric342861】译后反思:今天这篇文章是2025年6月CATTI一级笔译英汉真题,文章让我印象深刻并非句子有多复杂,更多考察对词在具体语境中的把握能力,且多涉及金融领域相关术语,对背景知识要求较高,比如monetary and fiscal tightening, the Federal Reserve,downturn,main rate,basis points,ultra-easy stance………此外,文章也大量涉及一些很好的固定用法及表达,比如 keeping up with the Joneses,steal the show,left the door open for,in all but name,well and truely,bristle at ,scream about,not for a minute……,部分即便有字典也不一定立刻能查到,且实际考试紧张,根本没有多少时间用于查字典,所以还是考察考生日常积累,平常一定扩大单词量以及表达积累量。字典在CATTI考场永远是画龙点睛,而非救命稻草。另外,文章是个典型的经济金融类评论文章,风格类似于the Economist,如果平时读此类文章较多,相信并不是很难。此外还需要注意,文章里也涉及一些比较简单的熟词,但在文章中的意思并非我们熟悉的那个含义,比如 budge,hike,court等词,词本身简单,基本四级词汇,但在文章中用到的意思并非常见含义,比如,这里hike 取得是其另一个含义:(数量、价格等)增加或上升,并非远足。所以平时务必加强对简单词熟悉词的掌握,多掌握其偏僻的含义,这往往就是考点所在。最后说说个人感受,这次一笔考试题目,英汉比我3年前参加一笔考试的题目难一些,汉英则简单许多。昨晚得知去年考研翻译批改班学员拟录取广外MTI,恭喜,本号后续将发布她的经验帖,敬请期待。