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翻译思路拆解:外卖骑手,困在系统里

翻译思路拆解:外卖骑手,困在系统里

作者: 福州翻译Ivy | 来源:发表于2020-09-30 13:20 被阅读0次

    前段时间,有一篇网文在各大社交平台引起了热议;《外卖骑手,困在系统里》。这篇文章聚焦互联网经济下最没有话语权和议价权的底层参与者,深入剖析了各方的困境与无奈。今天这篇思路拆解,选择其中部分内容作为原素材。分几次发送,欢迎持续关注哟。

    原文

    每一个骑手要自己在安全和收入之间衡量。作为一个临时参与的局外人,XX点出了骑手们的困境:所有外送平台都在追逐利益最大化,最后,它们都把风险转嫁到了最没有议价能力的骑手身上。

    第一句

    每一个骑手要自己在安全和收入之间衡量。

    骑手,就是送货人,deliveryman, 还有delivery rider/worker,都是可以:

    《外卖骑手,困在系统里》这篇现象级文章也引起了外媒的注意,它们是这样翻译这个标题的:

    又get一个词:takeaway rider。

    权衡,第一反应会想到weigh, weigh A against B,注意介词搭配,相关例句如下:

    You must weigh up the pros and cons (= consider the advantages and disadvantages of sth) . 你必须权衡利弊。

    I weighed the benefits of the plan against the risks involved. 我认真权衡了这个计划的优点和有关的风险。

    如果用名词,可以是trade-off,例句:

    There is a trade-off between the benefits of the drug and the risk of side effects. 在这种药的疗效和副作用之间有个权衡利弊的问题。

    记住这个例句结构,等下会用到。

    再来看组句结构。

    可以用骑手做主语:

    Every delivery rider has to weigh safety against income.

    这是最简单的。

    可以用比较宽泛的it做主语,“骑手”放在状语里,for...:

    For takeaway riders, it is a balance between income and safety.

    这句话还可以写成there be句型,套用刚才trade-off的例句句型:

    For delivery workers, there is a trade-off between safety and income.

    有人可能会想到一句很经典的话:to be or not to be, it is a question. 发挥拿来主义,仿写吧:

    Safety or income? It is a choice facing every takeaway rider.

    第二句

    作为一个临时参与的局外人,XX点出了骑手们的困境:

    XX是人名啦。“局外人”是对他的解释,可以做同位语。

    局外人,outsider用得最多,暂时还没想到别的更好的词,如果有,评论区里告诉我们哦。

    点出,其实就是指出,point out。再看后面他提的观点,非常简洁明了,一语中的,所以可以“精辟独到”的方向去想词,比如:go straight to the point, reveal the heart of the matter。

    句子结构很简单:

    Xxx, 局外人(同位语)+临时参与的(后置定语), 点出(谓语)+骑手的困境(宾语)。

    XX, an outsider temporarily involved in the business, pointed out the dilemma behind the scenes/revealed the heart of the matter:

    XX, an outsider temporarily involved in the business, revealed the plight of the riders.

    第三句

    所有外送平台都在追逐利益最大化,最后,它们都把风险转嫁到了最没有议价能力的骑手身上。

    追逐,可以用动词seek after, pursue,也可以用名词rush,顺便搭配一个表示程度的定语mad。

    转嫁,transfer, shift, pass on... to都是很容易想到的。

    还可以做一个CC,把风险转嫁给骑手,结合现实情况,我们知道,骑手是奋战在前线的人,客户对配送时效的任何不满都直接发泄在骑手身上,给他们打差评,投诉。但真正的责任其实在于唯利是图的平台。从这个角度而言,骑手等于被平台当成了scapegoat,看下这个词的英文解释:a person who is blamed for sth bad that sb else has done or for some failure

    所以,“转嫁”也可以具体处理是make... a scapegoat

    议价能力,照字面,可以想到bargaining power。再去查bargaining一词,会看到这个例句:

    Exporters are in a strong bargaining position at the moment.

    仿写后为我所用:In an unfavorable bargaining position

    或者原文说的是“最没有”,那就用最高级the worst: in the worst bargaining position

    来组句。

    用“外卖平台”做主语:

    In a mad rush to maximize profits, all food-delivery platforms try to transfer/shift/pass on the accompanying risks to riders with the least bargaining power.

    在上面这句话中,In a mad rush to maximize profits和the accompanying risks可以合并处理:

    All food-delivery platforms are trying to transfer/shift/pass on risks accompanying profit maximization to riders who are in the worst bargaining position.

    还有刚才提到的scapegoat的思路,可以是:

    All takeout platforms are seeking after profits. To mitigate the risks of profit maximization, they ultimately make riders with the least bargaining power a scapegoat.

    All takeout platforms are trying to maximize profits, but this comes with risks. As a result, riders with the least bargaining power end up a scapegoat.

    本篇翻译思路拆解原文选自网络,译文及思路拆解由译群人团队原创。

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