《英汉报刊翻译常见错误》（6）

6、to be cut out for是什么意思？

"I was never cut out to be a doctor," she said recently. "I got queasy, found it unappetising and didn't find it stimulating particularly either."

原译

前不久，她说：“我从没想过要当医生。当医生我感到不自在，觉得没有吸引力，也不感到特别刺激。”

改译

前不久，她说：“我根本不是当医生的料。当医生我感到不自在，觉得没吸引力，也不感到特别刺激”

点评

I was never cut out to be a doctor译成“我从没想过要当医生”理解有误。to be cut out for(to be, to do)在口语中的意思是“适合于；天生是干……的；天生是干……的料”。例如：

I am sure he would make a good journalist; he seems to be cut out for the job.
我确信，他会成为一个好的新闻工作者；他似乎天生是干这一行的。