原文:
The group was intended as a one-shot deal ─ we would play two shows at the American Booksellers Convention, get a few laughs, recapture our misspent youth for three or four hours, then go our separate ways.

中譯:
樂團有意在全美書商大展上大展拳腳,準備贏得笑聲無數,浪費四、五個小時的青春,然後就將樂團解散。

評論:
我先把一些關鍵字詞的定義查好了列出在此,
one-shot:happening only one time, happening or doing something only once.
convention:a gathering of people who have a common interest or profession.
misspend:to spend money or time badly or wastefully
recapture:to capture again or take back somebody or something that has escaped or that has been taken away.


以上定義取自 Encarta 英文辭典


樂團的目的在convention上應景演出,表演後就此解散。照Stephen的講法,將有兩場演出。convention也不該說成「大展」,應該以「大會」稱呼,畢竟一大群人的聚會,討論會務也好、選舉幹部也罷,就是個聚會,不見得有什麼「展覽」或「展出」。說大展,似乎有點牽強。

recapture our misspent youth for three or four hours,青春已經虛擲,他們是要在三、四個小時的時間裡,讓大家重拾這些已經虛擲的青春。並不是「浪費四、五個小時的青春」。這裡的「四、五個小時」與原文「三、四個小時」又有了一些誤差。

至於最前面的「大展拳腳」是不是要用到這麼誇張的字眼。讀者自己判斷了。



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