Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
A mean tango
Chinese translation:
我的探戈的确跳得很狂野 / 我的确是个难于与之周旋的对手
Added to glossary by
Smartrans He
May 6, 2002 23:49
22 yrs ago
English term
A mean tango
English to Chinese
Art/Literary
News
Asked which was his favourite insult (from the communist Chinese), Mr. Patten replied, "In the interest of generosity, I have forgotton them all. But I do dance a pretty mean tango."
Proposed translations
(Chinese)
Proposed translations
+1
8 hrs
Xiaoping Fu
Canada
Canada
Native in Chinese
Canada
Professional Translating with Enthusiasm
Native in: Chinese 
Works in: Chinese to English, English, English to Chinese, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
2566
Selected
我的探戈的确跳得很狂野 / 我的确是个难于与之周旋的对手
抱歉，又是乱码。再贴一次。
我同意上面 Bin Li 和 Kevin 的意见。
这句话基本上是不可以翻译的，因为它使用了中国人不熟悉的比喻。按比喻的表面意义翻译，中文读者往往不知所云；按隐含的意义翻译，又往往难以简洁地表述，而且比喻的妙趣也损失了。二者很难兼顾。
但我们又不得不翻译这种不可以翻译的东西。
按表面意义可以考虑译为：
“我的探戈的确跳得很狂野 ”。我知道“狂野”不是 "mean" 的准确翻译，但这样也许可以让读者比较容易猜到，彭定康是在自鸣得意，暗喻自己在执政后期的确给中国当局出了很多难题，令其疲于奔命，是个极难驾驭的对手。
按隐含的意义可以考虑译为：
“我的确是个难于与之周旋的对手”。用“周旋”二字，是想多少与原文的"tango" 相扣。Bin Li 的“不是个省油的灯”也挺传神，只是太中国、太俚俗了一点，不太像彭定康这样一个英国外交老手的语言。
我同意上面 Bin Li 和 Kevin 的意见。
这句话基本上是不可以翻译的，因为它使用了中国人不熟悉的比喻。按比喻的表面意义翻译，中文读者往往不知所云；按隐含的意义翻译，又往往难以简洁地表述，而且比喻的妙趣也损失了。二者很难兼顾。
但我们又不得不翻译这种不可以翻译的东西。
按表面意义可以考虑译为：
“我的探戈的确跳得很狂野 ”。我知道“狂野”不是 "mean" 的准确翻译，但这样也许可以让读者比较容易猜到，彭定康是在自鸣得意，暗喻自己在执政后期的确给中国当局出了很多难题，令其疲于奔命，是个极难驾驭的对手。
按隐含的意义可以考虑译为：
“我的确是个难于与之周旋的对手”。用“周旋”二字，是想多少与原文的"tango" 相扣。Bin Li 的“不是个省油的灯”也挺传神，只是太中国、太俚俗了一点，不太像彭定康这样一个英国外交老手的语言。
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks, Xiaoping.
The comments are great, too."
+5
15 mins
“从待人要宽容的角度来讲，我全都忘记了。但是我确实也不是省油的灯。”
Declined
“从待人要宽容的角度来讲，（中共对我的侮辱）我全都忘记了。但是我确实也不是省油的灯。”
我的理解是，"But I do dance a pretty mean tango."指的是我在和他们打交道的时候，也没让他们好受，即经常给他们出难题。
相信各位同仁还有高见。
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 00:08:48 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
generocity当人也可译成宽宏大量。
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 02:34:38 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
以下是《金山词霸2002》上的例句：
lead sb. a pretty dance
使某人疲于奔命; 给某人造成许多麻烦
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 03:44:13 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Here is the full text of the article. Patten insisted to the insult of 千古罪人和妓女，he was not bitter.
Patten: China was right, I am a tango dancer
Copyright 2002 by Agence France-Presse (via ClariNet) / Thu, 4 Apr 2002 4:10:12 PST
BEIJING, April 4 (AFP) - European Commissioner Chris Patten said Thursday he held no hard feelings about the \"colourful\" invective Beijing hurled at him in the past, such as the accusation he is a slippery \"tango dancer\" -- and confessed he does indeed dance a mean tango.
The last British governor of Hong Kong was bombarded with numerous insults by China, also including \"sinner for a thousand generations\" and \"whore\", when he tried to introduce democratic reforms ahead of Hong Kong\'s 1997 handover to China.
However the EU external affairs commissioner was received with warmth and smiles by a string of Chinese leaders including President Jiang Zemin this week during his first official visit to China since the handover.
Asked at a news conference Thursday how he and Beijing could have put the past behind them so quickly after he was called \"sinner for a thousand years\" by Beijing, Patten corrected the reporter.
\"Generations. Slightly longer,\" Patten said with a grin.
Overall, he said: \"Politics is politics.\"
\"All I can say is I think that Chinese officials recognize that the Hong Kong sovereignty they assumed in 1997 was prosperous, stable and well-governed and I think that has been good in many cases for Hong Kong\'s contribution to China\'s development in the years ahead,\" he said.
\"I also think that Chinese leaders are grown-up, serious, pragmatic and take a long-term view.\"
Patten added he had never believed Sinologists\' loudly expressed views during the handover process that rows with China at the time would forever throw a shadow over his relationship with Beijing.
Asked for his favourite insult, Patten agreed some of them were \"colourful\" but insisted he was not bitter.
\"In the interest of generosity in spirit, I\'ve forgotten them all, but I do dance a mean tango.\"
Patten also expressed confidence in Hong Kong, praising it for continuing to be a \"resilient and entrepreneurial\" society.
\"There is in Hong Kong a sense of citizenship which I think makes Hong Kong very special,\" said Patten, who has visited the territory three times since it returned to Chinese rule on June 30, 1997.
But he avoided giving advice on how Hong Kong should handle the case of around 4,300 mainland Chinese who are refusing to leave despite a decision to deport them.
\"I would hope that whatever is done is in the law and I\'m sure that whatever is done will be managed with the maximum humanity and the maximum consideration of the impact on individual families,\" he said.
A court ruling in January 1999 gave all children with one parent holding permanent residency in Hong Kong the right to remain, but the ruling was later overturned by Beijing amid fears it could open the floodgates to an exodus of mainland citizens into the tiny territory.
It prompted some international criticism of Beijing\'s interference in Hong Kong\'s domestic affairs.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 04:11:35 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
另外，有关Mean，确实有好极了，非常好的意思，但是，这是二十世纪早期以来美国黑人的用语，作为欧洲的白人上层人士，我怀疑Patten是否会用这个意思。这里他坚持说对中国对他的侮辱他并不耿耿于怀，记恨在心。同时，我们还要记住另一个惯用语，It takes two to tango. 即探戈需要两个人才能跳得起来。而他自己说他跳得是很mean的，也就是说，跟他跳探戈是一件折磨人的事情。结合前面他说得并不耿耿于怀，可以理解成我把他们也折磨得够惨的了。这仍然是我的理解。也许查到其他资料后，我会转而同意其他同仁的观点。
我的理解是，"But I do dance a pretty mean tango."指的是我在和他们打交道的时候，也没让他们好受，即经常给他们出难题。
相信各位同仁还有高见。
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 00:08:48 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
generocity当人也可译成宽宏大量。
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 02:34:38 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
以下是《金山词霸2002》上的例句：
lead sb. a pretty dance
使某人疲于奔命; 给某人造成许多麻烦
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 03:44:13 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Here is the full text of the article. Patten insisted to the insult of 千古罪人和妓女，he was not bitter.
Patten: China was right, I am a tango dancer
Copyright 2002 by Agence France-Presse (via ClariNet) / Thu, 4 Apr 2002 4:10:12 PST
BEIJING, April 4 (AFP) - European Commissioner Chris Patten said Thursday he held no hard feelings about the \"colourful\" invective Beijing hurled at him in the past, such as the accusation he is a slippery \"tango dancer\" -- and confessed he does indeed dance a mean tango.
The last British governor of Hong Kong was bombarded with numerous insults by China, also including \"sinner for a thousand generations\" and \"whore\", when he tried to introduce democratic reforms ahead of Hong Kong\'s 1997 handover to China.
However the EU external affairs commissioner was received with warmth and smiles by a string of Chinese leaders including President Jiang Zemin this week during his first official visit to China since the handover.
Asked at a news conference Thursday how he and Beijing could have put the past behind them so quickly after he was called \"sinner for a thousand years\" by Beijing, Patten corrected the reporter.
\"Generations. Slightly longer,\" Patten said with a grin.
Overall, he said: \"Politics is politics.\"
\"All I can say is I think that Chinese officials recognize that the Hong Kong sovereignty they assumed in 1997 was prosperous, stable and well-governed and I think that has been good in many cases for Hong Kong\'s contribution to China\'s development in the years ahead,\" he said.
\"I also think that Chinese leaders are grown-up, serious, pragmatic and take a long-term view.\"
Patten added he had never believed Sinologists\' loudly expressed views during the handover process that rows with China at the time would forever throw a shadow over his relationship with Beijing.
Asked for his favourite insult, Patten agreed some of them were \"colourful\" but insisted he was not bitter.
\"In the interest of generosity in spirit, I\'ve forgotten them all, but I do dance a mean tango.\"
Patten also expressed confidence in Hong Kong, praising it for continuing to be a \"resilient and entrepreneurial\" society.
\"There is in Hong Kong a sense of citizenship which I think makes Hong Kong very special,\" said Patten, who has visited the territory three times since it returned to Chinese rule on June 30, 1997.
But he avoided giving advice on how Hong Kong should handle the case of around 4,300 mainland Chinese who are refusing to leave despite a decision to deport them.
\"I would hope that whatever is done is in the law and I\'m sure that whatever is done will be managed with the maximum humanity and the maximum consideration of the impact on individual families,\" he said.
A court ruling in January 1999 gave all children with one parent holding permanent residency in Hong Kong the right to remain, but the ruling was later overturned by Beijing amid fears it could open the floodgates to an exodus of mainland citizens into the tiny territory.
It prompted some international criticism of Beijing\'s interference in Hong Kong\'s domestic affairs.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 04:11:35 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
另外，有关Mean，确实有好极了，非常好的意思，但是，这是二十世纪早期以来美国黑人的用语，作为欧洲的白人上层人士，我怀疑Patten是否会用这个意思。这里他坚持说对中国对他的侮辱他并不耿耿于怀，记恨在心。同时，我们还要记住另一个惯用语，It takes two to tango. 即探戈需要两个人才能跳得起来。而他自己说他跳得是很mean的，也就是说，跟他跳探戈是一件折磨人的事情。结合前面他说得并不耿耿于怀，可以理解成我把他们也折磨得够惨的了。这仍然是我的理解。也许查到其他资料后，我会转而同意其他同仁的观点。
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
eandli
18 mins
|
| agree |
Chinexpert
2 hrs
|
| agree |
Donglai Lou (X)
5 hrs
|
| agree |
Li-chuan Yen
14 hrs
|
| agree |
daniel Xu
12 days
|
46 mins
Haichao Wang
Native in Chinese
Accurate, Fluent and Elegant
Native in: Chinese
Works in: English to Chinese, Chinese to English
Related KudoZ points
:
57
彭定康承认：“自己的探戈舞还是跳得很难看。”
Declined
参见BBC中文网站：http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/chinese/news/newsid_1910000/1910806...
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Note added at 2002-05-07 00:37:20 (GMT)
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他说：\"因为宽宏大量，我已经全都忘了。但我的探戈的确跳得难看。\"
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Note added at 2002-05-07 13:52:45 (GMT)
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he is a slippery \"tango dancer\" -- and confessed he does indeed dance a mean tango.
I think here \"slippery\" is quite similar to \"mean\" as Patten admits the statement that he is a slippery tango dancer.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 17:39:57 (GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
\"mean\" here refers to \"average\", \"just so-so\", etc.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 00:37:20 (GMT)
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他说：\"因为宽宏大量，我已经全都忘了。但我的探戈的确跳得难看。\"
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 13:52:45 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
he is a slippery \"tango dancer\" -- and confessed he does indeed dance a mean tango.
I think here \"slippery\" is quite similar to \"mean\" as Patten admits the statement that he is a slippery tango dancer.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 17:39:57 (GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
\"mean\" here refers to \"average\", \"just so-so\", etc.
Comment: "I suppose Mr. Patten is not meaning it literally."
1 hr
糴 み и 竒 Ч а 癘 и 铬 贝 籖 琌 郴 ㎏ ㎏
Declined
another interpretation from Apple Daily in Hong Kong.
Comment: "I still don't think Mr. Koo (translator)got the hang of it."
1 hr
Sunshine Wang
Native in Chinese
Best-seller Translator/ Interpreter; MBA
Native in: Chinese 
Works in: English to Chinese, Chinese to English
Related KudoZ points
:
94
扵滣晳挼摼欕欕嫨
"mean" (adj., used in slang) = "skillful","impressive"
It should be translated as "...扐惀懠彸认帺屓揑扵滣晳还惀挼摼欕欕嫨."
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Note added at 2002-05-07 02:01:55 (GMT)
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I am sorry that something is wrong with my translation\'s encoding.
A mean tango=\"呱呱叫的探戈\"; \"很棒的探戈\"
I am afraid that BBC and some websites made a mistake for translating the slang.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 02:06:14 (GMT)
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最末一句应译为:\"......但是我探戈的确跳得很棒.\" 或 \"......但是我探戈的确跳得呱呱叫.
It should be translated as "...扐惀懠彸认帺屓揑扵滣晳还惀挼摼欕欕嫨."
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 02:01:55 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I am sorry that something is wrong with my translation\'s encoding.
A mean tango=\"呱呱叫的探戈\"; \"很棒的探戈\"
I am afraid that BBC and some websites made a mistake for translating the slang.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 02:06:14 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
最末一句应译为:\"......但是我探戈的确跳得很棒.\" 或 \"......但是我探戈的确跳得呱呱叫.
+2
3 hrs
Kevin Yang
Native in Chinese
Translation, Graphic Design, Copywriting
Native in: Chinese
Works in: English to Chinese, Chinese to English, English to Korean, and 12 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
346
A mean tango = 一场冷酷探戈; 一场冷酷探戈舞
I am pretty sure this quote of Mr. Patten has been translated by the many people in the past. I heard of this quote before. But I have never seen a Chinese translation for it. The suggestions of my colleagues above are pretty good, but I think it is necessary to mention where this expression actually came from.
According to my understanding, tango, the popular Latin dance, has several styles. "A mean tango" is talking about a particular style, which required the man and woman to have a "straight face", kind of looking very "angry", no smile at all, the man is in full control of direction, movement, or "call the shot", etc. I think Mr. Patten spoke it figuratively. It did not mean that he actually can do such special training required dance. If Mr. Patten is the man in the mean dango, I wonder who is the lady? Hong Kong or China? Or both?
As everyone suggested, "mean" also means "very good", "one is very good at something", for example: "I am a mean cook."
It is a chanllenge to combine both meanings into this translation. For the entertaining purpose, I would translate "But I do dance a pretty mean tango." as "但是我的确能够跳一场非常漂亮的冷酷探戈舞。"
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 05:37:14 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
When I describe \"mean tango\" above, I forgot mention that this both dancers are very aggressive in movement. It is NOT at all a gentle, slow dance for sure.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 05:40:21 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Sorry about the typos:
When I describe the \"mean tango\" above, I forgot to mention that both dancers are very aggressive in movement. It is NOT at all a gentle, slow dance for sure.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 08:26:42 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
xiaoping\'s suggestion triggered me to come up with this new translation:
\"But I do dance a pretty mean tango.\" = “但是我的确是个探戈高手。”
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 08:27:41 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
xiaoping\'s suggestion triggered me to come up with this new translation:
\"But I do dance a pretty mean tango.\" = “但是我的确是个探戈高手。”
According to my understanding, tango, the popular Latin dance, has several styles. "A mean tango" is talking about a particular style, which required the man and woman to have a "straight face", kind of looking very "angry", no smile at all, the man is in full control of direction, movement, or "call the shot", etc. I think Mr. Patten spoke it figuratively. It did not mean that he actually can do such special training required dance. If Mr. Patten is the man in the mean dango, I wonder who is the lady? Hong Kong or China? Or both?
As everyone suggested, "mean" also means "very good", "one is very good at something", for example: "I am a mean cook."
It is a chanllenge to combine both meanings into this translation. For the entertaining purpose, I would translate "But I do dance a pretty mean tango." as "但是我的确能够跳一场非常漂亮的冷酷探戈舞。"
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 05:37:14 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
When I describe \"mean tango\" above, I forgot mention that this both dancers are very aggressive in movement. It is NOT at all a gentle, slow dance for sure.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 05:40:21 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Sorry about the typos:
When I describe the \"mean tango\" above, I forgot to mention that both dancers are very aggressive in movement. It is NOT at all a gentle, slow dance for sure.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 08:26:42 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
xiaoping\'s suggestion triggered me to come up with this new translation:
\"But I do dance a pretty mean tango.\" = “但是我的确是个探戈高手。”
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-05-07 08:27:41 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
xiaoping\'s suggestion triggered me to come up with this new translation:
\"But I do dance a pretty mean tango.\" = “但是我的确是个探戈高手。”
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Yubing YANG (X)
: From Patten's Politics is Politics, my understanding is in harmonious tango with Kevin. But my suggestion for MEAN is 刻薄的、尖刻辛酸、酸楚、令人心碎的的
1 hr
|
|
I agree that "mean tango" here does carry a undertone of the speaker's attitude, that is agressive, opinionated, wants to take in control. I like to see the translation which carry the flavor of the English expression.
|
|
| agree |
leuliu
: how about"但我的確是個冷酷的探戈高手"
7 hrs
|
8 hrs
Xiaoping Fu
Canada
Canada
Native in Chinese
Canada
Professional Translating with Enthusiasm
Native in: Chinese
Works in: Chinese to English, English, English to Chinese, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
2566
~{NR5DL=8j5DH7Lx5C:?qR0~} / ~{NR5DH7JG8vDQSZSkV.VP}5D6TJV~}
~{NRM,RbIOCf~} Bin Li ~{:M~} Kevin ~{5DRb<{!#~}
~{Ub>d;0;y1>IOJG2;?IRT7-Rk5D#,RrN*K|J9SCAKVP9zHK2;JlO$5D1HSw!#041HSw5D1mCfRbRe7-Rk#,VPND6AU_MyMy2;V*KyTF#;04R~:,5DRbRe7-Rk#,SVMyMyDQRT<r=`5X1mJv#,6xGR1HSw5DCnH$R2KpJ'AK!#6~U_:\DQ<f9K!#~}
~{5+NRCGSV2;5C2;7-RkUbVV2;?IRT7-Rk5D6+Nw!#~}
~{041mCfRbRe?IRT?<BGRkN*#:~}
~{!0NR5DL=8j5DH7Lx5C:\?qR0~} ~{!1!#NRV*5@!0?qR0!12;JG~} "mean" ~{5DW<H77-Rk#,5+UbQyR2Pm?IRTHC6AU_1H=OH]RW2B5=#,Em6(?5JGTZWTCy5CRb#,05SwWT<:TZV4U~:sFZ5DH78xVP9z51>V3vAK:\6`DQLb#,AnFdF#SZ1<C|#,JG8v<+DQ<]T&5D6TJV!#~}
~{04R~:,5DRbRe?IRT?<BGRkN*#:~}
~{!0NR5DH7JG8vDQSZSkV.V\P}5D6TJV!1!#SC!0V\P}!16~WV#,JGOk6`IYSkT-ND5D~}"tango" ~{O`?[!#~}Bin Li ~{5D!02;JG8vJ!SM5D5F!1R2M&4+Iq#,V;JGL+VP9z!"L+Y5KWAKR;5c#,2;L+OqEm6(?5UbQyR;8vS"9zMb=;@OJV5DSoQT!#~}
Discussion