雾雨春秋
Just a place to 痴语梦呓...
幽默之一：
[读者文摘 2007 三月号]
“说说你所期待的起薪数吧？”面对求职的大学毕业生，人事部主任要结束这场面试，便最后提了这个问题。
“嗯，先生，”年轻的毕业生顺从地答道。“基于我考虑的福利待遇，这年薪该在$125,000左右吧。”
“很好，”主任说。“那福利待遇是第一年五个礼拜的休假、14天法定节日、免去一切个人费用的医疗与牙科保险、联邦退休计划存款百分之百的公司补给和一辆保时捷专用配车。你看如何？”
“老天！”年轻人受宠若惊。“这太好了。您不会是在开玩笑吧？”
“当然是，”主任答道。 “那可是由你先起的头。”
[塞翁按]：这洋码字到东土神州方块字的翻译转换，的确是一门大学问。在洋文中，“起薪”用的是“starting salary”一词。而结尾的 “那可是由你先起的头”却是 “But you started it.” 这其中的奥妙与幽默，也只有读了洋码字本身才能体会得充分。
塞翁老矣，宝刀不再。 特抄录洋码全文如下望读者朋友斧正。
“What starting salary are you looking for?” the head of human resources asks the newly graduated engineer at the end of a job interview.
Going for it, the guy says, “Well, sir, I was thinking about $125,000, depending on the benefits package.”
“Okay,” the HR director says. “How about five weeks’ vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, 100% company match for your 401(k) and a Porsche for your company car?”
The engineer gasps and says, “Wow! Are you kidding?”
“Yeah,” he replies. “But you started it.”
[塞翁又按]：这主任也够损的。年轻人对生活缺乏经验，面对此类公式化的官腔，便天真地认为别人也是如此当真。
**********
幽默之二：
[读者文摘 2007 一月号]
当一个坏家伙将一座附有小商场的加油站炸得飞上天的时候，银幕上出现的镜头异常壮观：一团巨大的烈火将前景上几个注油泵和后面的商场平地裹起送上天空...然后再纷纷坠地粉碎。“哇...！”我的丈夫惊叹。
当我正想附和：那场景的确令人印象深刻；他继续叹息不已，“你没见爆炸前那注油泵上平价油的标价吗？那可是八毛七分钱一加仑哪！”
[塞翁按]：为加强效果，塞翁擅自将平价油的标价从原文中的一加仑$1.89跌至每加仑$0.89。那价格在八十年代末和海湾战争前是常见的；南部诸州有比它更低的。这则幽默对三十几岁以上的老美和在美十几年以上的外来移民，最能体会其中的难言之苦。唉，好景不再...!
抄录洋码全文如下：
The action movie had a spectacular scene where the bad guy blew up a convenience store. The building and the gas pumps in front were engulfed in a huge ball of fire. "Wow!" My husband gasped.
I was about to say, "That was a pretty impressive explosion," when he continued, "Did you see the price of regular? A dollar eighty-nine a gallon."
时光不再，时光不再啊。。。呵呵。