作者：杨秉政
风花雪月wind, flower, snow and the moon连在一起，在汉语里别有洞天a place of unique, enchanting beauty。原指古典文学里描写自然景物的四种对象，后转喻堆砌词藻而内容贫乏的诗文，又指男女爱情的事referring originally to certain types of literary words and later to effect and sentimental in general, romantic themes。
选择风花雪月说事，盖因中国素有散文大国之誉，古之文章，传唱千秋China is famous for her fine prose, which is handed down from ancient times。风人墨客 poets and literary men：花信年华The time when the spring breezes bring the news of the flowers；雪中送炭a friend in need；月圆易缺The fool moon is apt to mane。
风
风是一种自然现象，由同大地大致平行的空气流动而生成。风是看不见摸不着的，故有成语“捕风捉影”catch at shadows, make accusations on hearsay。中国的风有四季，春天的为东风east wind，夏天的为南风south wind，秋天的为西风west wind，冬天的为北风north wind。郑燮有一首著名的《竹石》七绝：咬定青山不放松，立根原在破岩中。千磨万击还坚劲，任尔东南西北风。Bamboo out of Rocks:
So deeply rooting in poor rock
Never let the rest in green hills
Experiencing strong hardships
Not fearing winds year rounds
“风”有时要直译成“风”，如风吹雨打The wind blows and the rain beats down，风雨如晦It blows and rains like a dark night，风雨无阻to go somewhere, wind of，风行草偃Where the wind passes, the grass bends，“风帆”又称作“风樯”，指乘风扬帆的船sailed boat。英语take the wind out of sb’s sail是指大泼冷水，使某人丧失信心。
风无影无踪，有时汉语中用“风”，英语未必使用，如“风言风语”就是groundless, satiric remarks；风雨飘摇precarious；风土人情local customs and practices；风吹草动slight commotion；东风吹马耳to pay no attention to。
“东风”在汉语里比喻革命的力量或气势，翻译成英语不可直译为east wind, 大西洋的英国，喜欢西风，不喜欢东风。“东风压倒西风”不宜于翻译成east wind prevailing over west wind，可以翻译成the progressive forces prevailing over the reactionary forces。
(待续)