形形色色的mask

文/王逢鑫

英语mask的意思是a covering for part or all of the face, worn to hide or protect it，即“整个面部或口鼻的遮蔽物，可以是实体物件，也可以是贴在脸上的薄膜或用油彩勾画的脸谱，具有遮掩、保护、伪装、仪式、娱乐、医用和养颜护肤等不同功能”。

英语mask这个词因形状、材质和功能各异，而在汉语中有不同的对应词。我们首先想到的是“面具”或“面罩”。例如：

1.自古以来，面具一直用于仪式性和实用性目的。Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practical purposes.

2.为防止毒气攻击，这个士兵戴着自己的防毒面具，挡住了致命的烟雾。The soldier kept out deadly fumes wearing his own gas mask as a precaution against attacks.

3.氧气面罩是放置在口鼻之上供人吸氧的一种装置。An oxygen mask is a device placed over the nose and mouth through which a person can breathe oxygen.

“面纱”作为“女性蒙在脸上的纱巾”，虽然也是面部遮蔽物，却不译为 mask，而是veil (a covering of very thin transparent material worn by women to protect or hide the face)。例如：

4.这位中年妇女戴着一条黑色面纱，遮掩了她的真容。The middleaged woman was wearing a black veil which obscured her true features.

“面纱”可以比喻“掩盖真实面目的东西”，也译作veil。例如：

5.古典学派认为货币不过是“覆盖在经济活动上的面纱”。Classical School considered money was only“the veil which covers the activities of economy”.

关于mask，我们还会想到“口罩”这种口鼻遮掩物。surgical mask是“医用口罩”，disposable mask是“一次性口罩”，anti-dust mask是“防尘口罩”，mask with filters in it是“夹带滤芯的口罩”，air-filtration mask是“空气过滤口罩”，anti-pollution mask是“防污染口罩”，anti-smog mask是“防雾霾口罩”。例如：

6.这位外科医生在给一名肝炎患者做手术时戴着蓝色医用口罩。Thesurgeon wore a blue surgical mask when he was performing an operation for a patient with hepatitis.

7.这位老人坐着轮椅被推进医院急诊部时，戴着一次性口罩。The old man was wearing a disposable mask as he was pushed in a wheelchair into the emergency department of the hospital.

8.在这座被雾霾笼罩的城市里，许多人外出时戴着防雾霾口罩。In the city which was shrouded by smog, many people wore anti-smog masks when they went out.

说到mask，我们还会想到“面膜”这种面部遮掩物，译作face mask。例如：

9.面膜是一种由各种不同材料制成的浓稠的柔软物质，可以敷在面部和颈部以增进肌肤的质感。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还使我们想到“假面具”。例如：

10.假面舞会是一个客人们戴假面具出席的正式聚会。A masked ball is a formal party at which guests wear masks.

我们还会想到我国传统戏剧独有的脸谱，指男演员面部的彩色化妆。“脸谱”，英语译为facial mask。例如：

11.京剧脸谱是一种具有民族特色的特殊的彩色化妆。The Beijing Opera facial mask is a special colourful makeup with national characteristics.

同样地，mask也有a manner or an expression that hides your true character or feelings的喻义，即“掩饰真实面目”的比喻意义，是一种无形的面具。例如：

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

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

13.在长途飞行中，有些乘客戴着眼罩睡觉。Some passengers sleep wearing eye-shades during their long-distance flight.

14.这个农夫给马的眼睛一侧蒙上眼罩，阻止马向侧面斜视。The farmer placed a pair of blinkers at the side of his horse’s eyes to stop it from looking sideways.