<blockquote>
<p>目标 can be 远大 or 宏大, only people can be 雄心勃勃, is my understanding correct?</p>
</blockquote>
<h3>答案</h3>
<p>The answer is NO.</p>
<h3>原因</h3>
<p>I think <code>only</code> in your problem is not appropriate.</p>
<p>世界上有一部分东西可以用<code>only</code>来强调，语言方面的东西或许不能够用<code>only</code>来限制某一种特定的情况。</p>
<h3>Example about ambitious:</h3>
<p><em>ambitious goals</em>  翻译中文为 <em>雄心勃勃的目标</em></p>
<p><em>the government’s ambitious plans for social reform</em> 翻译中文为 <em>政府耗资巨大的社会改革计划</em></p>
<p><em>Simon was an ambitious man, eager for power and prestige.</em> 翻译中文为 <em>西蒙雄心勃勃，一心渴求显达。</em></p>
<p><em>It was too ambitious a task for just one person.</em> 翻译中文为 <em>对一个人来说，这个任务太难了</em></p>
<h3>Example about straightforward</h3>
<p><em>The instructions are straightforward.</em> 翻译中文为 <em>说明书简单易懂。</em></p>
<p>在 <em>The instructions are straightforward.</em> 中，straightforward的意思是 easy to do or understand : not complicated</p>
<p>鉴于straightforward有一个意思是 easy to do or understand : not complicated，在某些情景下(在不考虑原问题情况下)，比如父亲鼓励儿子的时候，父亲可能会对儿子说：如果你是一个雄心勃勃的人，很有斗志，那么挑战是很简单的(easy to do)</p>
<h3>结论</h3>
<p>所以，我认为单纯一句 <em>The challenge is straightforward, if ambitious.</em> 不知道ambitious修饰的是什么，没有相关的上下文，很难翻译出具体的意思，需要结合上下文，在一定的语境才能给出合乎情理的中文解释。</p>
<p><strong>题外话</strong>：至少技术方面的书籍，英文版翻译的中文版好多错误的，有的甚至语句都不通。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-22T15:40:30.837Z
Ambitious這邊修飾challenge. 這句裡用If的定義是「雖然」
Curiosity
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-23T01:39:17.007Z
@Curiosity “Ambitious”修饰“challenge”这个说法是不对的。按照你的说法，那么“Ambitious”修饰“challenge”理解为雄心勃勃的挑战还是挑战雄心勃勃呢？我认为这里的Ambitious修改其他的东西，比如人或任务，这种情况下说明challenge是怎么样的，比如挑战是不言而喻的或者挑战是很简单的。
Tom
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-26T00:27:00.303Z
你的說法有點誤解了。"Ambitious"的確是在形容"challenge"本身的特質，並非其他對象。在這句話裡，"ambitious"指的是這項挑戰的規模或難度很大，而"straightforward"則強調挑戰的簡單明瞭。因此，整句意思是「這項挑戰雖然雄心勃勃，但其實相當簡單明瞭」。
Curiosity
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-26T00:51:48.743Z
@Curiosity 我的母语不是英语，或许我的理解不对，但是straightforward有一个意思是 easy to do or understand : not complicated，在某些情景下(在不考虑原问题情况下)，比如父亲鼓励儿子的时候，父亲可能会对儿子说：如果你雄心勃勃很有斗志，那么挑战是很简单的(easy to do)。
Tom
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-20T09:30:30.947Z
2024-10-26T02:06:30.927Z
2024-10-26T02:06:30.927Z
Tom
<p>The word ambition comes to us from the Latin adjective <em>ambitiosus</em> &quot;eager for public office, eager to win favour, ingratiating,&quot; from Latin <em>ambire</em>: &quot;to go around, go about&quot;. The adjective, in Ancient Rome, indicated a Roman Citizen who wanted to get elected to public office, so he (probably not she those days) went around chatting to people, canvassing for votes.</p>
<p>Thus, you are right: really, ambition should only apply to people, but the English don't care about that! You may often hear phrases like:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>He has ambitious plans.<br />
She has ambitious goals.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>as if goals or plans might be possessed of a conscious will to achieve something. English has just transferred the sense of &quot;wanting to achieve something&quot; to the idea that the person has, an understandable, albeit illogical, shift in meaning.</p>
<p>However, the Chinese, with more logic than the English possess, do care:</p>
<p>The Chinese below is not the translation of the ambiguous English sentence:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The challenge is straightforward, if ambitious.</p>
<p>若目标雄心勃勃，挑战就一定是不言而喻的。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The above is presented in the context of:</p>
<p>“译者行为批评理论&quot;
&quot;Translator Behaviour Critique Theory&quot;</p>
<p>Basically, those rabid translators in 江苏省 are anglicising 汉语。</p>
<p>目标雄心勃勃 is not good, which is probably why it is mentioned in the context of “译者行为批评理论”.</p>
<p>They might try:</p>
<p>宏伟的目标</p>
<p>如果你有宏伟的目标，那你面临的挑战就肯定是不言而喻的。<br />
If you have ambitious goals, then the challenges you face are (certainly) clear.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-24T14:06:43.553Z
ambitious goal is OK in English, but 雄心勃勃的目标 is wrong in Chinese, perhaps we could say 一个让人雄心勃发的目标.
NanningYouth
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-25T03:58:36.117Z
I don't think the goal makes people ambitious, but rather, the ambition the person has makes them try to achieve higher goals. The Citizen of The Roman Republic wanted high office, therefore he went around, ambire, trying to convince people he was the Right Man!.
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-27T09:52:02.017Z
If you wish to become a billionaire like Elon Musk, you will not have long hours to sleep or to play games online or to chat like an expert with whoever you encounter druing your trip to a public toilet, and that ambitious plan of course will make you an ambitious man.
NanningYouth
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-22T03:38:30.610Z
2024-10-22T03:38:30.610Z
Pedroski
<p>The original in English:</p>
<p>The challenge is straightforward, if ambitious.</p>
<p>--By Andrea Larson, a congressman of the US</p>
<p>The translation in Chinese:</p>
<p>若目标雄心勃勃，挑战就一定是不言而喻的。</p>
<p>--By 周领顺，中国英汉语比较研究会常务理事和副会长，“译者行为批评理论”原创人，博士、教授、博士生导师和博士后合作导师、扬州大学领军人才、扬州大学翻译行为研究中心主任、江苏省翻译协会副秘书长</p>
<p>目标 can be 远大 or 宏大, only people can be 雄心勃勃, is my understanding correct?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-19T17:46:41.077Z
It must be a printing error, as the original sentence did not contain the word "goal/target/objective(目标)." Also, I don't think straightforward can be interpreted as "不言而喻(goes without saying; self-evident)." I suggest sending your question to the publisher for clarification.
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-21T08:19:00.470Z
(I note the English "if" here [means "although"](https://www.aprendeinglesenleganes.com/if-meaning-although.php); it's not an if/then statement.)
Becky 李蓓
<translation><word>
Can 目标 be 雄心勃勃?
# Can 目标 be 雄心勃勃?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-10-19)

The original in English:

The challenge is straightforward, if ambitious.

--By Andrea Larson, a congressman of the US

The translation in Chinese:

若目标雄心勃勃，挑战就一定是不言而喻的。

--By 周领顺，中国英汉语比较研究会常务理事和副会长，“译者行为批评理论”原创人，博士、教授、博士生导师和博士后合作导师、扬州大学领军人才、扬州大学翻译行为研究中心主任、江苏省翻译协会副秘书长

目标 can be 远大 or 宏大, only people can be 雄心勃勃, is my understanding correct?

**Tags:** translation, word

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It must be a printing error, as the original sentence did not contain the word "goal/target/objective(目标)." Also, I don't think straightforward can be interpreted as "不言而喻(goes without saying; self-evident)." I suggest sending your question to the publisher for clarification.  
> **username_2**: (I note the English "if" here [means "although"](https://www.aprendeinglesenleganes.com/if-meaning-although.php); it's not an if/then statement.)  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2024-10-20. Score: 2

> 目标 can be 远大 or 宏大, only people can be 雄心勃勃, is my understanding correct?

### 答案

The answer is NO.

### 原因

I think `only` in your problem is not appropriate.

世界上有一部分东西可以用`only`来强调，语言方面的东西或许不能够用`only`来限制某一种特定的情况。

### Example about ambitious:

*ambitious goals* 翻译中文为 *雄心勃勃的目标*

*the government’s ambitious plans for social reform* 翻译中文为 *政府耗资巨大的社会改革计划*

*Simon was an ambitious man, eager for power and prestige.* 翻译中文为 *西蒙雄心勃勃，一心渴求显达。*

*It was too ambitious a task for just one person.* 翻译中文为 *对一个人来说，这个任务太难了*

### Example about straightforward

*The instructions are straightforward.* 翻译中文为 *说明书简单易懂。*

在 *The instructions are straightforward.* 中，straightforward的意思是 easy to do or understand : not complicated

鉴于straightforward有一个意思是 easy to do or understand : not complicated，在某些情景下(在不考虑原问题情况下)，比如父亲鼓励儿子的时候，父亲可能会对儿子说：如果你是一个雄心勃勃的人，很有斗志，那么挑战是很简单的(easy to do)

### 结论

所以，我认为单纯一句 *The challenge is straightforward, if ambitious.* 不知道ambitious修饰的是什么，没有相关的上下文，很难翻译出具体的意思，需要结合上下文，在一定的语境才能给出合乎情理的中文解释。

**题外话**：至少技术方面的书籍，英文版翻译的中文版好多错误的，有的甚至语句都不通。

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Ambitious這邊修飾challenge. 這句裡用If的定義是「雖然」  
> **username_3**: @username_4 “Ambitious”修饰“challenge”这个说法是不对的。按照你的说法，那么“Ambitious”修饰“challenge”理解为雄心勃勃的挑战还是挑战雄心勃勃呢？我认为这里的Ambitious修改其他的东西，比如人或任务，这种情况下说明challenge是怎么样的，比如挑战是不言而喻的或者挑战是很简单的。  
> **username_4**: 你的說法有點誤解了。"Ambitious"的確是在形容"challenge"本身的特質，並非其他對象。在這句話裡，"ambitious"指的是這項挑戰的規模或難度很大，而"straightforward"則強調挑戰的簡單明瞭。因此，整句意思是「這項挑戰雖然雄心勃勃，但其實相當簡單明瞭」。  
> **username_3**: @username_4 我的母语不是英语，或许我的理解不对，但是straightforward有一个意思是 easy to do or understand : not complicated，在某些情景下(在不考虑原问题情况下)，比如父亲鼓励儿子的时候，父亲可能会对儿子说：如果你雄心勃勃很有斗志，那么挑战是很简单的(easy to do)。  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2024-10-22. Score: 0

The word ambition comes to us from the Latin adjective *ambitiosus* "eager for public office, eager to win favour, ingratiating," from Latin *ambire*: "to go around, go about". The adjective, in Ancient Rome, indicated a Roman Citizen who wanted to get elected to public office, so he (probably not she those days) went around chatting to people, canvassing for votes.

Thus, you are right: really, ambition should only apply to people, but the English don't care about that! You may often hear phrases like:

> He has ambitious plans.  
> She has ambitious goals.

as if goals or plans might be possessed of a conscious will to achieve something. English has just transferred the sense of "wanting to achieve something" to the idea that the person has, an understandable, albeit illogical, shift in meaning.

However, the Chinese, with more logic than the English possess, do care:

The Chinese below is not the translation of the ambiguous English sentence:

> The challenge is straightforward, if ambitious.
>
> 若目标雄心勃勃，挑战就一定是不言而喻的。

The above is presented in the context of:

“译者行为批评理论"
"Translator Behaviour Critique Theory"

Basically, those rabid translators in 江苏省 are anglicising 汉语。

目标雄心勃勃 is not good, which is probably why it is mentioned in the context of “译者行为批评理论”.

They might try:

宏伟的目标

如果你有宏伟的目标，那你面临的挑战就肯定是不言而喻的。  
If you have ambitious goals, then the challenges you face are (certainly) clear.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: ambitious goal is OK in English, but 雄心勃勃的目标 is wrong in Chinese, perhaps we could say 一个让人雄心勃发的目标.  
> **username_5**: I don't think the goal makes people ambitious, but rather, the ambition the person has makes them try to achieve higher goals. The Citizen of The Roman Republic wanted high office, therefore he went around, ambire, trying to convince people he was the Right Man!.  
> **username_0**: If you wish to become a billionaire like Elon Musk, you will not have long hours to sleep or to play games online or to chat like an expert with whoever you encounter druing your trip to a public toilet, and that ambitious plan of course will make you an ambitious man.  

---

