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鞭尸

English translation: condemning the dead

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Chinese term or phrase:鞭尸
English translation:condemning the dead
Entered by: Wilman

20:03 Jun 11, 2007
Chinese to English translations [PRO]
Journalism
Chinese term or phrase: 鞭尸
这样的做法是民进党要对蔣介石鞭尸
Thanks.
Wilman
United States
Local time: 03:30
condemning the dead
Explanation:
李天命网上思考- 繁 - [ 转为简体网页 - Translate this page ]As far as history is concerned, we critize and even unearth the corpse (鞭尸) and condemn these historical figures. It is a common practice. ...
rthk27.rthk.org.hk/.../messages.php?id=21569&page_no=52&subpage_no=1&order=&suborder=desc - 35k - Cached - Similar pages
Selected response from:

pkchan
United States
Local time: 03:30
Grading comment
Thanks
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4literally: to whip the corpus
Shaunna (X)
3 +2condemning the dead
pkchan
4vent one'e hatred (by whipping the body of a deed enemy/tyrant)
Shang


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


46 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
condemning the dead


Explanation:
李天命网上思考- 繁 - [ 转为简体网页 - Translate this page ]As far as history is concerned, we critize and even unearth the corpse (鞭尸) and condemn these historical figures. It is a common practice. ...
rthk27.rthk.org.hk/.../messages.php?id=21569&page_no=52&subpage_no=1&order=&suborder=desc - 35k - Cached - Similar pages


pkchan
United States
Local time: 03:30
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thanks

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jason Ma: I feel this works better for native speakers, since it conveys what the author really wants to say.
5 hrs
  -> thanks
agree  IC --
11 hrs
  -> thanks
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13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
literally: to whip the corpus


Explanation:
Whipping the corpus of sb. was an ancient practice in China to express hatred toward somebody who had already dead.
《史记·吴太伯世家》云：“子胥、伯黼鞭平王之尸，以报父仇。”

I think here it just means "to denounce xxx who is already in tomb".

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Note added at 1 hr (2007-06-11 21:15:04 GMT)
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Ha, should be corpse not corpus.
Didn't realize that until I saw pkchan's answer.

Shaunna (X)
United States
Local time: 03:30
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  Francis Fine: Good historian. Of course, she meant for the terms to be used more figuratively.
16 mins
  -> Thank you lance. Yes obviously it is the figurative use here.
agree  Dr. Chun Biao Li: Great.
38 mins
  -> Thank you Chunbiao!
agree  orientalhorizon
4 hrs
  -> Thank you!
neutral  Jason Ma: Somehow, I feel native speakers might take it literally: the remains of the late Jiang Jieshi will really be unearthed and humiliated!
6 hrs
  -> Hi Martin, that's exactly what I think. Don't you see in my explanation ,I think here it just means "to denounce xxx who is already in tomb">?
agree  Fang Sheng: I think sometimes literal translation can help spread the culture of the source language; it can also help create a certain "exotic feel" of the target text. I like your rendition here and I think Western readers can also understand it well.
7 hrs
  -> Thank you Fang Sheng. I did't really mean to suggest the literal translation when I proposed this answer. But now I think you got a good point. Something for me to sleep on tonight. :-)
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
vent one'e hatred (by whipping the body of a deed enemy/tyrant)


Explanation:
这里并非真的鞭尸，比喻而已，翻译成whipping the body of a deed enemy/tyrant显然不合适。

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Note added at 6 hrs (2007-06-12 02:24:57 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or vent one'e anger/spite

Shang
China
Local time: 15:30
Native speaker of: Chinese
PRO pts in category: 6
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