【问】 a dog-eat-dog business from start to finish，with each side playing a fast and underhandedgame—F. B. Gipson自始至终都是狗咬狗的勾当，双方都在迅速而秘密的玩弄花样(《英汉辞海》，P.1522)请问将上面的dog-eat-dog译为“狗咬狗的”是否恰当?

【答】 英语的dog-eat-dog或dog eat dog与汉语的“狗咬狗”是“貌合”而“神离”的。

第一，汉语的“狗咬狗”含义比较狭窄，只用于反面人物之间的争斗，例如“帝国主义狗咬狗的战争”。而英语的dog eat dog则意义比较广泛，可用于指社会生活各个方面的竞争，如生存竞争、商业竞争、体育竞赛等等。

1. a raw tough city where dog-eat-dog was the law(New Republic)

以残酷竞争为法则的粗野无情的城市

2. During the California gold rush，men had a dog-eat-dog life. (DAI)

在加州陶金热时期人们过着残酷竞争的生活。

3. Clark explains： “Rugby League is a game of survival. It's dog eat dog...”克拉克解释说：“联盟制橄榄球赛是生存的竞赛。这是残酷无情的竞争……”第二，汉语的“狗咬狗”总是含有贬义，而英语的dog-eat-dog有时并不含有贬义：

1. As the proverb goes：“Dog does not eat dog.” They compromised with one another fi-nally.

正如谚语所说：“同类不相残。”他们终于互相让步了。

2. You need a strong character to survive the dog eat dog of big business.

为了在残酷无情的商业竞争中生存下去你需要具有坚强的性格。