英文裡已經很多外來字了,
法文的 cuisine (美食佳餚)、déjà vu (似曾相識)、fiancé(未婚夫),西班牙語的 fiesta (慶祝)、aficionado (熱衷者)、macho(大男人的)等等。
中文有 Feng Shui (風水)、Kung Fu(功夫)、禪(zen),為何不多加一個 Yuanfen呢?
我們一起探討 ⬇️
Yuanfen 目前常見的翻譯
Fate 和 Destiny 都是命運嗎?Yes, 在英文裡的命中注定基本上都可以用 fate & destiny 來解釋,例如 a relationship by fate or destiny,另外還有一些比較詩意的說法也可以參考。
🗣️ 例句
Eric and Amy were fated to be together.
It was fate that brought them together.
It was written in the stars.
They were meant for each other.
💡 有人回答:「那 serendipity 呢?」在單字的複雜程度上,它跟緣分相近,藉由莫名的運氣而發生的好事情,你會在許多英文字典上找到這個字跟 luck「運」比較有關係。現實生活中的實用程度上它是 0%。
緣與分的差異
中文的「有緣沒份」很巧妙地將過去與未來劃分,在我個人看來跟華語世界的前世因果和宗教可能畫上關係。
Yuanfen is a complex1 concept. There is an element2 of predetermination(預先注定), of a binding force(綁定的關聯) between people, chance encounters(偶然相遇)or affinities (說不出的好感和親和感)to someone.
有緣相遇的人,不一定有未來在一起的份。
文化是互相的
I firmly believe that cultural exchange should go both ways3. Even though it is great that we ”foreigners” learn to speak English, it is mutually important that English-speaking folks learn about us, too. One language is not better than the other. 我堅信文化交流應該是雙向的,雖然我們這些「外國人」學英文是件好事,但說英語者也同樣地應該了解我們,因為沒有哪一種語言比另一種語言更好。
Instead of trying to translate Yuanfen into English, how about we interpret the concept and have them speaking our language? 與其試圖把「緣分」翻成英文,我們不如用英文詮釋這個概念,然後讓他們來說我們的語言吧!
complex (adj) 複雜的
element (n) 元素
go both ways 雙向的