Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Chinese汉语 term or phrase:
卖梳子给和尚
English英语 translation:
sell the comb to Buddhist monk
Added to glossary by
Yurek
Dec 2, 2008 06:28
15 yrs ago
Chinese汉语 term
卖梳子给和尚
Chinese汉语译成English英语
艺术/文学
诗词与文学
Common Expression
This is a common Chinese expression which cannot be translated into Western languages literally least nodoby would undertand the sense.
有一家运营极佳的大公司，为了扩大经营规模，决定高薪招聘业务主管。广告一打出，应征者云集。招聘主考说：是骡是马，相不如赛，拉出来遛遛就知道；我们出一道实践的试题，那就是请你们想办法把木梳卖给和尚。
大多数的应征者感到大惑不解，甚至认为公司刁难而愤怒：出家人要木梳何用？这不是拿待业人开玩笑吗？于是纷纷拂袖而去，最后剩下甲乙丙三人。 考官交待：“十日为限，届时呈报销售成果。”
欲知后事如何，请待下回分解。
Question: How to translate this expression in such a sense that an English native speaker won't hestitate to catch the point?
TIA!
有一家运营极佳的大公司，为了扩大经营规模，决定高薪招聘业务主管。广告一打出，应征者云集。招聘主考说：是骡是马，相不如赛，拉出来遛遛就知道；我们出一道实践的试题，那就是请你们想办法把木梳卖给和尚。
大多数的应征者感到大惑不解，甚至认为公司刁难而愤怒：出家人要木梳何用？这不是拿待业人开玩笑吗？于是纷纷拂袖而去，最后剩下甲乙丙三人。 考官交待：“十日为限，届时呈报销售成果。”
欲知后事如何，请待下回分解。
Question: How to translate this expression in such a sense that an English native speaker won't hestitate to catch the point?
TIA!
Proposed translations
(English英语)
| 3 +4 | sell the comb to Buddhist monk |
Yurek
|
| 4 +1 | Sending coal to Newcastle |
QUOI
|
Change log
Dec 5, 2008 01:43: Yurek changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/73066">Wenjer Leuschel (X)'s</a> old entry - "卖梳子给和尚"" to ""sell the comb to Buddhist monk""
Dec 5, 2008 01:43: Yurek changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/721801">Yurek's</a> old entry - "卖梳子给和尚"" to ""sell the comb to Buddhist monk""
Dec 9, 2008 10:46: Yurek changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/721801">Yurek's</a> old entry - "卖梳子给和尚"" to ""sell the comb to Buddhist monk""
Proposed translations
+4
4小时
Selected
sell the comb to Buddhist monk
直译
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
tianshandun (X)
: the recruiter must have ulterior motives.
4小时
|
|
thanks
|
|
| agree |
Anna Maria Sciacca
: Speaking of Chinese culture, you shouldn't use expression containing geogr. reference outside China. Further, in this case the common say is not that difficult to understand, I would prefer the straight translation and put a foot note to explain it.
5小时
|
|
thanks
|
|
| agree |
Michael Lickorish
: Western monks also shave their heads, so I think the meaning transfers quite well.
13小时
|
|
thanks
|
|
| agree |
Helen Li
17小时
|
|
thanks
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "谢谢！这虽不是专利用词，直译确实也不错，而且很可以卖钱。"
+1
2小时
Sending coal to Newcastle
sell fridges to the Eskimos
Note from asker:
| Thanks. Not a bad suggestion. It happened once when people started sending oil to Kuwait. I guess the Eskimos might need some fridges, too. |
Discussion
甲答：“一支；如此如此卖的，利润40%。”
考官问乙：“你呢？多少支？怎卖的？”
乙答：“十支；如此如此卖的，利润30%。”
考官问丙：“那么你呢？多少支？怎卖的？”
丙答：“一千支；如此如此卖的，利润50%，老和尚下个月需要三千支，决定每个月二十五日下单确定订单数目，五日交货。”
景气差，百业萧条，翻译稿件减少，加上翻译服务推介网站增加不少，提供推介服务的商家才不管翻译者死活，多采取竞标方式让翻译者互相压价。要如何卖翻译给文盲，还要得到高利润呢？嗯，这也是个“卖梳子给和尚”的实践题。免费服务别人好占个醒目的地位吗？笨蛋才会那么做。最好的做法是，让老和尚有钱买梳子，而且觉得花钱花得值得。卖翻译也是这么卖的，而且不管你的翻译在吃醋的同事眼里看来有多烂。