千回百转说“过去 ”

句子：他在整理祖父的老宅时，发现了许多过去的东西。
误译：When he tidied up his grandfather's old house, he found many former things.
正译：When he tidied up his grandfather's old house, he found many old things.
解释：former 用来修饰事情，不修饰具体的实物。former things指“过去的事情”。而“过去的东西”就是“老物件”，要译为 old things 或 old objects。

“过去”的第一个意思是“说话时或某一特定时刻以前的时间”。名词译为 past, bygones。形容词译为 past, last, former, previous, old。副词译为 in the past, formerly, previously。例如：
1. 这个失足青年下定决心与过去决裂。The juvenile delinquent made up his mind to break with his past.
“过去”的第二个意思是“时间流逝或消逝”。英语可以译为 to pass, to lapse, to tick away。例如：
2. 自从我们上次见面，五年已经过去了。Five years have passed/lapsed since we last saw each other.
“过去”的第三个意思是“反应或作用逐渐消失”。英语可以译为 to wear off。例如：
3. 她用冷水洗了洗脸，困劲儿顿时就过去了。She washed her face with cold water, and her sleepiness wore off instantly.
“过去”的第四个意思是指“离开或经过说话人或被叙述对象的所在地，向另一个地点去”。表示空间概念。译为 to go over，to walk over, to pass by, to go further。例如：
4. 再过去是一个大池塘。When you go further, you'll see a large pond.
“过去”的第五个意思是“过世”，是委婉语。可以译为 to pass away。