Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Chinese汉语 term or phrase:
学得越多，懂得越少。
English英语 translation:
The more you dabble in, the less you grasp
Added to glossary by
Wenjer Leuschel (X)
Aug 29, 2008 13:16
15 yrs ago
Chinese汉语 term
学得越多，懂得越少。
Chinese汉语译成English英语
艺术/文学
诗词与文学
Common Expression
我的一位朋友翻译 José Saramago 的著作时，按照 Saramago 的阐释，把拉丁文句子 "Onerat discentem turba, non instruit, multoque satius est paucis te auctoribus tradere, quam errare per multos."（英译：The learner is, not instructed, but burdened by the mass of them, and it is much better to surrender yourself to a few authors than to wander through many.）简译成“学得越多，懂得越少”。Saramago说得有道理，但我有点纳闷，他对这句话的理解是否正确。如果不正确，那么“学得越多，懂得越少”应该怎么翻译成英文呢？
道谢在先!
道谢在先!
Proposed translations
(English英语)
| 4 | The more you dabble in, the less you grasp |
orientalhorizon
|
| 3 +3 | The more you learn, the less you know |
carol so
|
Proposed translations
49分钟
orientalhorizon
Native in Chinese汉语
Banking,law,commerce,engineering
Native in: Chinese汉语 
Works in: English英语译成Chinese汉语, Chinese汉语译成English英语, English英语, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
21
Selected
The more you dabble in, the less you grasp
不真懂拉丁文。从英文来说，其本义大致相当于中文的“贪多嚼不烂”，似乎是“全才”，实则啥都是只知道点皮毛，所谓“样样通、样样松”。有点象家庭烙大饼，摊得越大，就越薄，切下一块来也就越没什么东西可吃，连塞饱肚子都成问题。从总体而言，在这个上下文里，这句话译为“学得越多，懂得越少”应该是不错的，而且还有“平淡之中更出味道”的感觉。
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "也谢谢Carol！但为避免弦外之音，我选择这个翻译。"
+3
35分钟
The more you learn, the less you know
I have encountered this quote many times and it seems like it is quite a popular one:
The more you learn, the more you know.
The more you know, the more you forget.
The more you forget, the less you know.
So why LEARN?
The more you study, the more you remember.
The more you remember, the more you forget.
The more you forget, the less you remember.
So why STUDY?
You can see it quite often on bookmarks and souvenirs sold in Oxford but unfortunately I still can't work out who said this.
If you google it you will find that sometimes people change the quote a bit and they would just say ' The more you learn, the less you know'.
The link attached said it's from George Bernard Shaw, I don't know.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2008-08-29 14:39:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
It seems that the quote I quoted here doesnt really mean exactly the same thing as the Latin quote. I agree with orientalhorizon on the interpretation of the Latin quote in question, which roughly means that it's better to devote yourself into a few limited specialisms/ theorists/ theories, rather than knowing a bit of everything. The more authors you read, the more confused you are.
The quote " The more you learn the less you know" is a bit different. It is a kind of paradox due to the fact that we are just human being but not computers, and we have limitations.
Another interpretation to the Chinese quote is that the more you learn, the more you know what you dont know, so you understand how ignorant you are, and how less you know in the sea of knowledge.
I am not sure if different interpretation to the Chinese saying would give different translations.
The more you learn, the more you know.
The more you know, the more you forget.
The more you forget, the less you know.
So why LEARN?
The more you study, the more you remember.
The more you remember, the more you forget.
The more you forget, the less you remember.
So why STUDY?
You can see it quite often on bookmarks and souvenirs sold in Oxford but unfortunately I still can't work out who said this.
If you google it you will find that sometimes people change the quote a bit and they would just say ' The more you learn, the less you know'.
The link attached said it's from George Bernard Shaw, I don't know.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2008-08-29 14:39:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
It seems that the quote I quoted here doesnt really mean exactly the same thing as the Latin quote. I agree with orientalhorizon on the interpretation of the Latin quote in question, which roughly means that it's better to devote yourself into a few limited specialisms/ theorists/ theories, rather than knowing a bit of everything. The more authors you read, the more confused you are.
The quote " The more you learn the less you know" is a bit different. It is a kind of paradox due to the fact that we are just human being but not computers, and we have limitations.
Another interpretation to the Chinese quote is that the more you learn, the more you know what you dont know, so you understand how ignorant you are, and how less you know in the sea of knowledge.
I am not sure if different interpretation to the Chinese saying would give different translations.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Beyondlingua
12分钟
|
|
thanks
|
|
| agree |
orientalhorizon
16分钟
|
|
thanks
|
|
| agree |
Du Wei
2天 11小时
|
Reference comments
1小时
Reference:
Not necessarily related to Wenjer's question, just treat this as brainstorming.
Nice parodox, but a poor joke:
Reading is knowledge. Knowledge is power. Power corrupts. Corruption is a crime. Crime doesn't pay. Therefore if we read more, we go broke!
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2008-08-29 14:25:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I'm amazed to find the enthusiastic participation in English Kudoz.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2008-08-29 14:43:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
我曾读到有人一生只读一两本书，却获得无尽的财富。这书可能是《毛泽东选集》，可能是Bible，可能是Koran, 可能是... 总之，因人而异。
不过像我这样的初入门槛的译者，不多看书就会捉襟见肘。
Nice parodox, but a poor joke:
Reading is knowledge. Knowledge is power. Power corrupts. Corruption is a crime. Crime doesn't pay. Therefore if we read more, we go broke!
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2008-08-29 14:25:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I'm amazed to find the enthusiastic participation in English Kudoz.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2008-08-29 14:43:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
我曾读到有人一生只读一两本书，却获得无尽的财富。这书可能是《毛泽东选集》，可能是Bible，可能是Koran, 可能是... 总之，因人而异。
不过像我这样的初入门槛的译者，不多看书就会捉襟见肘。
Reference:
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/english/certificates_diplomas_licenses_cvs/2683943-crime_doesnt_pay.html
Note from asker:
| 老九嘛，三日不读书，便觉言语无味，面目可憎，是不是？ |
Discussion