英译汉常见错误 | keep one's head above water 不负债

[例句] That seaman was very poor, but he was keeping his head above water.
[误译] 那个水手不善于游泳,但尚可将头部浮在水面上。
[原意] 那个水手很穷,但却没有负债。
[说明] 本例中的keep one's head above water 意为“不负债”。若能从逻辑推理去判断就不会出现上述误译,因为在现实生活中,不善于游泳的人是绝对不会去当水手的,雇主也绝对不会雇用不会游泳的人当水手。