美文欣赏——节选自钱钟书《围城》 ——“老科学家” 、“老的科学家”、“科学老家” 和“老科学的家”傻傻分不清

三闾大学校长高松年是位老科学家。这“老”字的位置非常为难，可以形容科学，也可以形容科学家。不幸的是，科学家跟科学大不相同；科学家像酒，愈老愈可贵，而科学像女人，老了便不值钱。将来国语文法发展完备，总有一天可以明白地分开“老的科学家”和“老科学的家”，或者说“科学老家”和“老科学家”。现在还早得很呢，不妨笼统称呼。

Gao Songnian, the president of Sanlv University, was an “old science scholar.” The word “old” here is quite bothersome. It could describe science or it could just as well as be describing a scientist. Unfortunately, there is a world of difference between a scientist and science. A scientist is like wine. The older he gets, the more valuable he is, while science is like a woman. When she gets old, she is worthless. Once Mandarin grammar reaches its full development, the time will come when “old science scholar” can be clearly distinguished from “scholar of old science” or one will say “science old scholar” or “old science scholar.” But as it’s still too early for that yet, a general term of reference will have to do in the meantime.  

高校长肥而结实的脸像没发酵的黄面粉馒头，“馋嘴的时间”咬也咬不动他，一条牙齿印或皱纹都没有。假使一个犯校规的女学生长得非常漂亮，高校长只要她向自己求情认错，也许会不尽本于教育精神地从宽处分。这证明这位科学家还不老。

Gao Songnian’s fat but firm face was like unleavened millet-flour steamed bread. “Voracious time” (Edax vetustas) could not make adent on it. There was not a single tooth mark or crease. If a coed who hadviolated a school rule was extremely pretty, President Gao would want her to beg for mercy and admit her mistake before him; then perhaps he would not carryout the law to the fullest extent but would let her off with a light punishment. This proves that this scientist wasn’t old yet.

PS:此文曾被恩师赵伐教授用于文学翻译课期末考试，只道当时一脸茫然。

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