Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
for want of a better term
Chinese translation:
找不到更好的说法，只能说...
Added to glossary by
Wenjer Leuschel (X)
May 28, 2004 08:44
19 yrs ago
1 viewer *
English term
China
for want of a better term
English to Chinese
Social Sciences
History
"About four years ago we spent a total of $66.4 million for the entire federal effort in the drug abuse area. . . .This year we have spent $796.3 million and the budget estimates that have been submitted indicate that we will exceed the $1 billion mark. When we do so, we become, for want of a better term, a drug abuse industrial complex.
试译：
“大约四年前，我们在反对吸毒滥用方面的联邦计划总共花了6640万美元……今年，我们已经花了近8亿美元，已经呈递上去的预算估计表明将会突破10亿美元大关。怎么说呢？（？？？）这样一来，我们简直成了毒品滥用大工业中心。”
有没有比较生动的说法？
试译：
“大约四年前，我们在反对吸毒滥用方面的联邦计划总共花了6640万美元……今年，我们已经花了近8亿美元，已经呈递上去的预算估计表明将会突破10亿美元大关。怎么说呢？（？？？）这样一来，我们简直成了毒品滥用大工业中心。”
有没有比较生动的说法？
Proposed translations
(Chinese)
| 3 +3 | 找不到更好的说法，只能说... |
Wenjer Leuschel (X)
|
| 3 +3 | TRY-说得难听一点 |
SHbreeze
|
| 4 | 講得貼切一點 |
jjy
|
| 3 | 可惜/恐怕没更好的说法;不好意思说;为难说的;只好说是... |
chica nueva
|
| 3 | 说得好听一点 |
Denyce Seow
|
Proposed translations
+3
3 hrs
Selected
找不到更好的说法，只能说...
“大约四年前，我们联邦在反毒品滥用的工作上总共花了6640万美元……今年，我们花了将近8亿美元，而呈上去的预算估计显示将会突破10亿美元大关。如果真是这样，我找不到更好的说法，只能说我们简直变成毒品滥用共犯结构里的一员了。”
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "谢谢！
这个版本比较紧捉原文。
不过，译成“毒品滥用共犯结构”实在不敢恭维。还是译成“滥用毒品的大工业中心”吧，这样形象一点：）"
+3
22 mins
TRY-说得难听一点
这样一来，说得难听一点，我们简直成了滥用毒品的大工业中心。
仅供参考。
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Note added at 24 mins (2004-05-28 09:08:50 GMT)
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“简直”可改成“反倒”。
仅供参考。
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Note added at 24 mins (2004-05-28 09:08:50 GMT)
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“简直”可改成“反倒”。
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Marc Van Gastel
: very nice suggestion , better than 换句话说,
10 mins
|
|
Thanks a lot!
|
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| agree |
isahuang
2 hrs
|
|
thank you
|
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| agree |
Shang
7 hrs
|
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thank you
|
1 hr
chica nueva
Native in English
Specializes in field
http://youtube/iraVWQu3Zf8
Native in: English (Variants: New Zealand, British)
Works in: Chinese to English
Related KudoZ points
:
24
可惜/恐怕没更好的说法;不好意思说;为难说的;只好说是...
for/from want of = because of a lack or absence of something wanted or needed 由于缺乏(某物) eg The plants died for want of water. 植物因缺水而枯死.We watched television for want of anything better to do. 因为没有更好的事情可做,我们便看电视.
Reference:
8 hrs
Denyce Seow
Singapore
Singapore
Native in English
Singapore
Business & Legal Translator
Native in: English (Variants: US, Singaporean, UK) 
Works in: Chinese to English
Related KudoZ points
:
37
说得好听一点
Hmm... I think "for want of a BETTER term" should be 说得好听一点... Correct me if I am wrong... :p
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Note added at 8 hrs 10 mins (2004-05-28 16:54:48 GMT)
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Here are more examples with \"for want of a better term\":
\"The article was, in fact, the first in a series De Volkskrant intends to publish on the expected disastrous effects on this country of what for want of a better term I\'ll give the ame \'gerontofication\' of society.\"
\"I\'ve also written a number of shorter stories which, for want of a better term, I call fairy tales.\"
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Note added at 8 hrs 11 mins (2004-05-28 16:55:59 GMT)
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Note \"drug abuse area\" vs. \"drug industrial complex\"
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Note added at 8 hrs 10 mins (2004-05-28 16:54:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Here are more examples with \"for want of a better term\":
\"The article was, in fact, the first in a series De Volkskrant intends to publish on the expected disastrous effects on this country of what for want of a better term I\'ll give the ame \'gerontofication\' of society.\"
\"I\'ve also written a number of shorter stories which, for want of a better term, I call fairy tales.\"
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Note added at 8 hrs 11 mins (2004-05-28 16:55:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Note \"drug abuse area\" vs. \"drug industrial complex\"
2 days 17 hrs
講得貼切一點
term有術語、命名之意，用better來形容，應該不是道德上的好或不好，而是這個術語能否確切表達出它所要表達的事物。因此a better term譯為講得貼切一點。如果是壞事，講得雖然難聽一點但卻貼切，這裡若譯為講好聽一點，則意思連不起來，毒品濫用工業中心怎麼會好聽呢？
complex一詞有綜合體、複合體之意，譯為大工業中心似乎是馬虎掉了，共犯結構意思稍近，但嫌太過。試譯為：
這樣一來，講得貼切一點，我們其實就成了藥物濫用綜合產業中的一環了。
complex一詞有綜合體、複合體之意，譯為大工業中心似乎是馬虎掉了，共犯結構意思稍近，但嫌太過。試譯為：
這樣一來，講得貼切一點，我們其實就成了藥物濫用綜合產業中的一環了。
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