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catch-22

Chinese translation: 第二十二条军规的荒诞陷阱

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:catch-22
Chinese translation:第二十二条军规的荒诞陷阱
Entered by: Jingjing Yu (X)

07:39 Apr 18, 2006
English to Chinese translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
English term or phrase: catch-22
I don't want to go there but I go there all the time so it’s like a Catch-22.
Catch-22怎么译？谢谢！
Sunlight Trans
第二十二条军规的荒诞陷阱
Explanation:
I don't want to go there but I go there all the time so it’s like a Catch-22.

fy: 我不想去，还老是去，就像掉进了第二十二条军规自相矛盾的荒诞陷阱里。

实际上就是指荒诞，没有逻辑的，自相矛盾的情况。鉴于翻译者也有介绍西方文化的义务，所以这句的翻译最好第一阐清含义、第二保留原作表达法。

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Note added at 2 hrs (2006-04-18 09:41:04 GMT)
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Catch-22 n.

A situation in which a desired outcome or solution is impossible to attain because of a set of inherently illogical rules or conditions: “In the Catch-22 of a closed repertoire, only music that is already familiar is thought to deserve familiarity” (Joseph McLennan).
The rules or conditions that create such a situation.
A situation or predicament characterized by absurdity or senselessness.
A contradictory or self-defeating course of action: “The Catch-22 of his administration was that every grandiose improvement scheme began with community dismemberment” (Village Voice).
A tricky or disadvantageous condition; a catch: “Of course, there is a Catch-22 with Form 4868you are supposed to include a check if you owe any additional tax, otherwise you face some penalties” (New York).


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[After Catch-22, a novel by Joseph Heller (born 1923), American writer.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Catch-22 adj.

Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Catch-22

A no-win dilemma or paradox, similar to damned if I do, damned if I don't. For example, You can't get a job without experience, but you can't get experience unless you have a jobit's Catch-22. The term gained currency as the title of a 1961 war novel by Joseph Heller, who referred to an Air Force rule whereby a pilot continuing to fly combat missions without asking for relief is regarded as insane, but is considered sane enough to continue flying if he does make such a request.



Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Selected response from:

Jingjing Yu (X)
United States
Local time: 21:22
Grading comment
Thank you very much.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3FYI
Justin Lai
4 +3FYI
xuhuanyu
4 +3第二十二条军规的荒诞陷阱
Jingjing Yu (X)
4 +3进退两难的境地 / 进退维谷的境地
Naikei Wong
4 +2第22条军规
Ray Luo


  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
FYI


Explanation:
永远不可能赢的两难处境

http://garden.2118.com.cn/Wangxd/xzmw08.htm
Catch 22是美国英语的成语(idiom)，源出美国作家Joseph Heller的同名 小说，中文翻译成《第二十二条军规》，指的是永远不可能赢的两难处境，比如“ 没有工作经历就找不到工作，找不到工作就永远不会有工作经历”。

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Note added at 13 mins (2006-04-18 07:53:15 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/catch-22
Catch-22 or catch-22
A difficult situation from which there is no escape because it involves mutually conflicting or dependent conditions.

Justin Lai
Australia
Local time: 11:22
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 32

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Twinpens (X)
5 hrs
  -> thanks
agree  Denyce Seow
12 hrs
agree  IC --
12 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
FYI


Explanation:
It is something like " to be or not to be" or "左右为难".

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Note added at 21 mins (2006-04-18 08:00:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

我不想去那里,但每天得去,真是左右为难.

xuhuanyu
Local time: 09:22
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Twinpens (X)
5 hrs
agree  Justin Lai
6 hrs
agree  IC --
12 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
第二十二条军规的荒诞陷阱


Explanation:
I don't want to go there but I go there all the time so it’s like a Catch-22.

fy: 我不想去，还老是去，就像掉进了第二十二条军规自相矛盾的荒诞陷阱里。

实际上就是指荒诞，没有逻辑的，自相矛盾的情况。鉴于翻译者也有介绍西方文化的义务，所以这句的翻译最好第一阐清含义、第二保留原作表达法。

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2006-04-18 09:41:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Catch-22 n.

A situation in which a desired outcome or solution is impossible to attain because of a set of inherently illogical rules or conditions: “In the Catch-22 of a closed repertoire, only music that is already familiar is thought to deserve familiarity” (Joseph McLennan).
The rules or conditions that create such a situation.
A situation or predicament characterized by absurdity or senselessness.
A contradictory or self-defeating course of action: “The Catch-22 of his administration was that every grandiose improvement scheme began with community dismemberment” (Village Voice).
A tricky or disadvantageous condition; a catch: “Of course, there is a Catch-22 with Form 4868you are supposed to include a check if you owe any additional tax, otherwise you face some penalties” (New York).


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[After Catch-22, a novel by Joseph Heller (born 1923), American writer.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Catch-22 adj.

Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Catch-22

A no-win dilemma or paradox, similar to damned if I do, damned if I don't. For example, You can't get a job without experience, but you can't get experience unless you have a jobit's Catch-22. The term gained currency as the title of a 1961 war novel by Joseph Heller, who referred to an Air Force rule whereby a pilot continuing to fly combat missions without asking for relief is regarded as insane, but is considered sane enough to continue flying if he does make such a request.



Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.


Jingjing Yu (X)
United States
Local time: 21:22
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thank you very much.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Fan Gao
1 hr
  -> thanks alot! by the way, we are the same kind of two-member team as you are, though ours is a family team, 哈哈，家庭作坊
agree  Justin Lai
5 hrs
agree  IC --
12 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
进退两难的境地 / 进退维谷的境地


Explanation:
It means a very difficult, tricky situation... It's better to "意译"

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=define: catch-22
Definitions of catch-22 on the Web:

Catch-22 is a 1961 novel by American novelist Joseph Heller. Although primarily classified as an anti-war novel, Catch-22 is also a critique of bureaucracy in general. The phrase "catch-22" has come into common use to mean a cyclical conundrum, or "no-win situation" based on its meaning in the book as described below.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catch-22

Naikei Wong
Local time: 09:22
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Wilman
56 mins
  -> thanks Wilman!
agree  Justin Lai
3 hrs
  -> thanks Tony!
agree  IC --
12 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
第22条军规


Explanation:
第22条军规(Catch-22)是美国着名作家约瑟夫·海勒的成名作。作品是一部长篇小说。写于1961年。...这部小说是一个现代主义文学流派黑色幽默的代表作品。

最好不要加任何附加词，‘第22条军规’就够‘黑色幽默’了。

美国的‘军规’只有二十一条，所谓的第二十二条是上司要下属执行的出格的(二十一条中没有的)命令。由于军人只服从，所以进退两难了。

Ray Luo
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:22
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 28

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Justin Lai
2 hrs
agree  IC --
12 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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