形形色色的mask

文/王逢鑫

英語mask的意思是a covering for part or all of the face, worn to hide or protect it，即“整個面部或口鼻的遮蔽物，可以是實體物件，也可以是貼在臉上的薄膜或用油彩勾畫的臉譜，具有遮掩、保護、偽裝、儀式、娛樂、醫用和養顏護膚等不同功能”。

英語mask這個詞因形狀、材質和功能各異，而在漢語中有不同的對應詞。我們首先想到的是“面具”或“面罩”。例如：

1.自古以來，面具一直用于儀式性和實用性目的。Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practical purposes.

2.為防止毒氣攻擊，這個士兵戴著自己的防毒面具，擋住了致命的煙霧。The soldier kept out deadly fumes wearing his own gas mask as a precaution against attacks.

3.氧氣面罩是放置在口鼻之上供人吸氧的一種裝置。An oxygen mask is a device placed over the nose and mouth through which a person can breathe oxygen.

“面紗”作為“女性蒙在臉上的紗巾”，雖然也是面部遮蔽物，卻不譯為 mask，而是veil (a covering of very thin transparent material worn by women to protect or hide the face)。例如：

4.這位中年婦女戴著一條黑色面紗，遮掩了她的真容。The middleaged woman was wearing a black veil which obscured her true features.

“面紗”可以比喻“掩蓋真實面目的東西”，也譯作veil。例如：

5.古典學派認為貨幣不過是“覆蓋在經濟活動上的面紗”。Classical School considered money was only“the veil which covers the activities of economy”.

關于mask，我們還會想到“口罩”這種口鼻遮掩物。surgical mask是“醫用口罩”，disposable mask是“一次性口罩”，anti-dust mask是“防塵口罩”，mask with filters in it是“夾帶濾芯的口罩”，air-filtration mask是“空氣過濾口罩”，anti-pollution mask是“防污染口罩”，anti-smog mask是“防霧霾口罩”。例如：

6.這位外科醫生在給一名肝炎患者做手術時戴著藍色醫用口罩。Thesurgeon wore a blue surgical mask when he was performing an operation for a patient with hepatitis.

7.這位老人坐著輪椅被推進醫院急診部時，戴著一次性口罩。The old man was wearing a disposable mask as he was pushed in a wheelchair into the emergency department of the hospital.

8.在這座被霧霾籠罩的城市里，許多人外出時戴著防霧霾口罩。In the city which was shrouded by smog, many people wore anti-smog masks when they went out.

說到mask，我們還會想到“面膜”這種面部遮掩物，譯作face mask。例如：

9.面膜是一種由各種不同材料制成的濃稠的柔軟物質，可以敷在面部和頸部以增進肌膚的質感。A face mask is a thick cream made of various substances that you put on your face and neck in order to improve the quality of your skin.

此外，mask還使我們想到“假面具”。例如：

10.假面舞會是一個客人們戴假面具出席的正式聚會。A masked ball is a formal party at which guests wear masks.

我們還會想到我國傳統戲劇獨有的臉譜，指男演員面部的彩色化妝。“臉譜”，英語譯為facial mask。例如：

11.京劇臉譜是一種具有民族特色的特殊的彩色化妝。The Beijing Opera facial mask is a special colourful makeup with national characteristics.

同樣地，mask也有a manner or an expression that hides your true character or feelings的喻義，即“掩飾真實面目”的比喻意義，是一種無形的面具。例如：

12.他渴望丟掉那副道貌岸然的面具。He longed to throw off the mask of respectability.

雖然眼睛是面部的一部分，但是mask不表示“眼罩”。英語用eyeshade、eye-patch或blindfold表示“人用眼罩”；用blinders、blinkers表示“馬眼罩”。例如：

13.在長途飛行中，有些乘客戴著眼罩睡覺。Some passengers sleep wearing eye-shades during their long-distance flight.

14.這個農夫給馬的眼睛一側蒙上眼罩，阻止馬向側面斜視。The farmer placed a pair of blinkers at the side of his horse’s eyes to stop it from looking sideways.