汉语中象“他那号人”或“你那号人”的说法都可用his sort或your sort来表示。刚才这句话就可以用英语这样表达:How could he think I would go back on my words? I am not his sort, who is fickle and always blowing hot and cold.在译文中,我们把“变卦”译成“to go back on one's words”而不用“to eat one's words”,因为它们表达的概念不一样。to eat one's words的意思是“被迫收回自己说出的(错)话”,而to go back on one's words的意思是“说话不算数”,“失言”的意思,相当于我们口语中所说的“变卦”。译文中“blowing hot and cold”是个idiom(成语),就是“喜怒无常”的意思。
但是,你要捍卫自己的尊严时,就可以放心用它了。比如:“我可不是你那号人,整天唠唠叨叨的,总爱挑别人的不是。”I'm not your sort, who is always keeping harping on things and trying to find fault with others. “我可不是你那号人,老爱占别人的便宜。”I'm not your sort, who always wants to get the best of others.
当你的朋友被人冤枉时,你也会挺身而出,“干吗要怀疑她?她可不是你那号人,办事总是偷偷摸摸的。”你怎样译成英语呢?对,就是:Why should you suspect her? She is not your sort, who is always doing things on the sly.(on the sly暗暗地,秘密地)