l 翻译的原则
翻译界长期信奉的原则是“信”、“达”、“雅”三原则,但在四级考试中,对汉语没有很高的要求,所以我们只要做到“信”和“达”就可以了。当然,要做到这两点的根本是理解。
1. 理解第一原则
很多的“名师”很重视英译汉的技巧,以至于很多趋骛的考生过分侧重对翻译技巧的训练,而忽略了翻译实际上是英文理解和英汉转换两个方面完美结合的过程。而从以往四级英语考试的翻译试题来看,往往要求翻译的句子正是阅读短文中的难句、长句,评分的原则也是“对译文的要求是“正确”和“表达清楚”,对汉语不作过高要求”。如果拿着翻译题就一味想着把英文往中文里套,却没有意识到自己对原文的理解实际上就有偏差,这就很难得到理想的分数了。
因此,拿到翻译题之后,第一重要的是先确定原句的意思。如果句子较长,可以先找主、谓、宾、定、状、补,分析清楚句子结构,然后再理解。切忌逐字翻译。
从四级考试选择翻译句子的特点上来说,有点象是针对大学英语精读课文中的重点难点句子的解析和翻译这一环节的测试。因此大家在平常英语课学习时,要注意积极参与课堂的句子解析活动,多分析复杂长句的结构。这样,到考试时驾轻就熟,就很容易得分。
为了便于大家复习,下面总结了一些在大学英语精读课文中出现的长句,大家可以自己分析理解一下。然后,译为中文。
1. Taboo is a word from the language of the Fiji Islands that is used to describe something that is forbidden
“禁忌”一词来自斐济群岛的语言,用来描述受到禁止的事。
“that is used to describe something that is forbidden” modifies “a word”.
2. Career planning includes gathering information about ourselves and about occupations, estimating the probable outcomes of various courses of action, and finally , choosing alternatives that we find attractive and feasible.
择业规划包括备齐有关我们以及职业的信息资料,估计各种行动过程中可能出现的结果,最后作出我们认为有吸引力并且可行的选择。
3.Of course, complacency is appropriate for any decision in which nothing much is at stake, but that does not describe career decisions
当然,对于那些不是厉害攸关的决策自满是可以的,但涉及职业方面的决策就不行了。
4.Society no longer attaches the stigma of “instability” to the idea of career hopping, as it once did.
社会已不再像过去那样把跳槽看作是“不安分”的事了。
5.The British Automobile Association, which is concerned with road safety, commissioned research into the relationship between serious accidents and music.
英国汽车协会关注道路安全,它委托进行了一次关于严重车祸与音乐关系的研究。
6. As well as the type of the music affecting road safety, the very fact that we have high-tech music systems built into our car also causes accidents.
和影响交通安全的某种音乐一样,我们给车里安装高科技的音响系统这个事实本身也是引起车祸的原因。 7. The distant sound of low voices, broken now and again by singing, reached Okonkwo from his wives’ huts as each woman and her children told folk stories.
从小木屋里远远传来的低声细语,时不时地被歌声打断,奥康瓦听到了,这是他的妻子们同各自的孩子在讲民间故事。
8. None of the birds had heard of this custom but they knew that Tortoise, in spite of his failings in other areas, was a widely traveled man who knew the customs of different peoples.
鸟儿们谁也没听说过这个习俗,但他们知道,尽管乌龟在其他方面有很多缺点,他却到过很多地方,知晓不同民族的风俗习惯。in spite of 引导让步状语
9.Even top corporate managers, who have mostly affected styles of leadership that can be characterized as tough, cold and aloof, have begun to learn the lesson, and earn the benefits, of writing notes that lift people up.
那些通常古板做作的公司高层经理们,其作风可以被形容为粗暴,冷漠,脱离群众。甚至这些人也开始学习写便函去鼓舞人心,且获益匪浅。
10.And knowing that this sort of marking can sting, I would of course write, onto the end of the paper, something about how I know the student really tried hard, something about his rich imagination or potential for doing well.
由于我懂得这种批改的做法会刺伤他,我当然会在作文的最后写上诸如我是如何了解学生真的很刻苦,他有如何丰富的想象力或他明显表露出的会写好作文的潜力等等。
11。Sometimes I think that these modern fairy tales create as many problems for women as the old stories that had us biding our time for the day our prince would come.
有时我觉得这些现代版童话故事给妇女带来的问题和那些使得我们总是等着王子的到来的古老的故事一样多。
12.They also serve who stand and wait,” wrote the poet John Milton, but he forgot to add that they don’t get to be superwomen that way.
They also serve who stand and wait 相当于They who stand and wait also do service to the society ,其中who stand and wait 是they 的定语从句,被后置。
句中that way相当于 in that way以那样的方式,文中指的是“站着等候”。
那些站着等候的人也在服务社会,诗人约翰 弥尔顿写道。但是他忘记了这些人站着等成不了女强人。
2. 信的原则
所谓“信”,就是要忠实、准确。
翻译所要表达的是被翻译文章的观点和内容,因而难免会遇到译者不同意或不熟悉的内容和观点。但是译者没有选择的权利,必须按照原文的内容和观点来译,使译文忠于原文。任何句子的翻译都必须准确、完整的传达原文作者的思想内容。译者不得对原文的意思做任何增删或改动。例如:
Many people would find it disgusting to eat rats, but there are forty-two different cultures whose people regard rats as appropriate food.(《新编大学英语(http://www.xmyuanda.com》 第二册)
误译:很多人会觉得吃老鼠是令人恶心的,但有四十二种文化中的人们认为老鼠肉是美味的食物。
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该句原文中前半句中说有人觉得老鼠肉恶心,句子中间是转折连词but ,很多译者想当然的认为后半句与前半句中的“恶心”相对,指出有些人认为老鼠肉很美味。但实际上,原文中并未谈到美味与否。因此,产生误译。
正确译文:很多人会觉得吃老鼠是令人恶心的,但有四十二种文化中的人们认为老鼠肉是可以吃的东西。
3. “达”的原则
所谓“达”,就是要顺达、通顺。翻译时必须做到译文通顺流畅,符合汉语的表达习惯。英语和汉语的语言思维差别很大。这样,译者翻译时必须在传达思想的同时,做好语言习惯的转化,以便得到的译文能够成为规范的汉语,为汉语阅读者读懂。例如: Conoco, the nation’s ninth largest oil company and its second largest coal producer, will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Du Pont, the largest U.S. chemical company.
误译:这个国家第九个最大的石油与第二个最大的煤炭生产公司康纳克,将成为完全归属于美国最大的杜邦化学公司的子公司。
该句原文中有较长的非限定定语后置修饰两个主要名词,但在汉语中很少有这种定语修饰结构。按照汉语习惯,不仅应将定语部分前置并要添加适当的功能词。 正确译文:作为该国第九大石油公司和第二大煤炭生产厂家的康纳克将完全归属于杜邦,成为这家美国最大的化学公司的子公司。
l 翻译的几种基本方法
翻译是一门很复杂的学问,不是三言两语几次讲座所能说明白的。本文也无法涵盖翻译的诸多方面,只拟就汉译英中的长句的译法、词汇转换、正反译与反正译几种基本方法进行介绍,最后简要提一下翻译中易犯的错误。。
一、长句的翻译
英语中长句比较常见,而汉语中句子一般都比较短。因此,在翻译时,为了使译文符合汉语习惯经常需要把英语句子分成几个短句来处理。在将长句切分之前,需要通过语法分析,弄清句子各部分之间的语法关系、逻辑关系、结构层次,尤其是要分辨出长句中的主句及主句中的主语、谓语、宾语。然后,按照汉语的特点和表达方式将长句译为几个短句。在长句的翻译中,通常会用到的方法有对原文逻辑顺序处理的方法:顺译法、倒译法和分译法,以及对原文从句的处理方法。
1.对原文逻辑顺序处理的方法
1)顺译法
所谓顺译法,是指按照原文顺序,从前往后译。
汉语叙述中基本上是按时间先后顺序进行的。在英语中表示连贯动作的并列句也是如此。另外,有些英语长句的逻辑结构和汉语的表达也比较一致。这些情况下,就可以采用顺译法,按原句顺序翻译。
例如:
1. Trying doors as he went, swinging his club with many clever movements, turning now and then to cast his watchful eyes down the peaceful street, the officer, with his strongly-built form and slight air of superiority, made a fine picture of a guardian of the peace.
译文:这位警官边走边审视周围的房门,灵巧的挥动着警棍,警惕的目光不时投向寂静的街头。他身材魁梧,姿态略显神气,展现出一幅和平卫士的优美画面。 原文的主句是the officer, with his strongly-built form and slight air of superiority, made a fine picture of a guardian of the peace。原文一开始先是时间状语从句描述一连串的伴随动作,随后主句描述动作发出者的样子,描绘顺序符合汉语习惯。因此,按原文顺序翻译。
2) 倒译法
所谓倒译法,是指在英语长句中的表达顺序与汉语习惯不一致,或者相反时,需要从后往前翻译的方法。
英语中,句子的顺序通常是先主句后从句,而汉语句子则是恰恰相反,先从句后主句。
l 英语中时间状语一般放在句子后部,而在汉语中通常时间状语应放在句首。 例如:
We are self-destructive when we envy a student who gets better grades.
译文:当我们嫉妒一个成绩更好的学生时,我们正在自我诋毁。
l 英语中,逻辑顺序通常是:结果在先,原因在后;推论在先,条件在后;事实在先,让步在后。汉语则相反:先因后果,先条件后推论,先让步后转折。因此,翻译时应注意按照汉语习惯调整语序。
例如:
In August1974 the Institute was instructed to carry on its research on the condition that the result of which did have a usefulness for market forcast.
译文:1974年8月研究所接到指示说,如果研究成果能应用于市场预测,则研究工作可继续进行。
原文中有on the condition that引导的条件状语从句,因此将该部分提前。条件状语从句中which的指代the research。
3) 分译法
有时,英语长句中主句与从句或主句与修饰语之间的关系比较松散,如果按原文翻译,会使译文结构松散,意义不明确,这时,可以按照汉语习惯,将长句拆分为若干个短句,甚至分开来叙述,这就是所谓的分译法。
可以拆分的句子通常带有从句、较多短语或较多并列成分。有时,意义比较复杂的形容词或副词也可能被译为短句,甚至于分拆成独立的句子。这些从句、短语或并列结构等成分分拆出来后,单独译成句子,对句子主干部分进行说明补充。
有些句子仅仅剥离其修饰成分还不够,还需要将句子结构打乱,重新组合。有时需要在译文句子当中添加表示逻辑关系的词。
例如:
1) Time is of no account with great thoughts which are as fresh today as when they first passed their author’s mind ages ago.
译文:时间和伟大的思想是没有什么重大关系的。那些思想直到今日,仍然和往昔在其创始者的头脑中最初出现时一样,依旧是新鲜的。 原文中thoughts后跟了很长的定语从句。按照汉语习惯,定语通常应放在被修饰词之前,这样就会出现一个长的令人难以接受的定语。因此,将该从句拆分出来,使译文更通顺。
2) The company’s top executives all are refugees from the country’s bureaucratic and underfinanced state research sector.
译文:该公司的高层经理人员都来自该国的国家研究机构,这些机构不仅充满官僚主义气氛而且研究经费不足,他们很难在那里呆下去。
句中两个形容词修饰语bureaucratic, underfinanced和表语refugee语意都很丰富,这样就需要将其拆分出来,充分明确表达各部分意思。
3) This was an intelligently organized and fervent(热烈的) meeting in a packed Town Hall, with Mr. Smith in the chair.
译文:这是一次精心组织的会议。市政厅里济济一堂,热情洋溢,主持会议的是史密斯先生。
句中短语intelligently organized和形容词fervent 和packed意义比较丰富,因此需要拆分为句子,其意义才比较明确。
4) The president, in giving to his most powerful and most distinguished rival the greatest place which a president has in his power to bestow, // gave an excellent proof of the nobleness of his own spirit.
译文:那位总统把自己的权力所能授予的职位,给予了他的最有势力、而又最为卓越的
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敌手。// 这便是他的崇高精神的最好证据。
原句中状语部分很长,因此按原句结构翻译会使译文很费解。按照句子逻辑意义,将句子从gave处分开,作为两个句子处理,中间加上适当的词联系两句。
5) There is no more difference, but there is just the same kind of difference, between the mental operations of a man of science and those of an ordinary person, as there is between the operations and methods of a baker or a butcher weighing out his goods in common scales(秤), and the operations of a chemist in performing a difficult and complex analysis by means of his balance and finely graded(分级) weights(砝码).
译文:科学家的思维活动和一般人的思维活动之间并没有多大的区别,无非是面包师或屠夫的操作和方法与化学师的操作之间有所差别:前者用普通的秤来称他们的货物,后者用天平和等级分得很精细的砝码来进行困难而又复杂的分析。
该句是一个并列复合句。句子基本结构应为:There is no more difference between …, but there is just the same kind of difference as there is between … . 由于前一个并列分句中修饰的成分过长,被后置。因此造成句子结构较为复杂。象这种情况,应恢复句子的正常逻辑顺序。
2. 从句的译法
英语中主从复合句十分常见,但汉语中却没有习惯这样频繁的使用从句句式。因此,在翻译时需要将各种从句进行处理,使之符合汉语习惯。
1)名词性从句
名词性从句包括:主语从句、宾语从句、表语从句和同位语从句等等。通常名词性从句可被译成名词词组,有时原文语序不需变化。
l 主语从句
What he said was recorded in this book.
译文:他的话被记录在这本书里。
主语从句译为名词词组,原句语序不变。
From some time past it has been widely accepted that babies --- and other creatures --- learn to do things because certain acts lead to rewards.
译文:婴儿和其他动物由于某些做法有回报才学着做事情,这种观点在过去一段时间里一直为人们所广泛接受。
主语从句提前,符合汉语习惯。
l 宾语从句
宾语从句译为汉语时,通常不需要改变语序。
Many people believe that man is not solving these problems of pollution quickly enough
and that his selfish pursuit of possessions take him past the point of no return before he fully appreciates the damage.
译文:许多人认为,人类没有尽快的解决这些污染问题而只顾谋求私利,以至于错过了悔改的机会以后才充分认识到这种损害。
原文中有两个由that引导的宾语从句,从句由and连接,翻译时根据其逻辑关系,添加“而”。
l 表语从句
表语从句翻译时通常也不用改变原文语序。
What he cares is how much profit he can get from the project.
译文:他关心的是他从该项目中能获得多少利润。 句中表语从句仍按原文顺序,主语从句译为名词词组。
l 同位语从句
同位语从句的翻译主要按照该从句与主句的逻辑关系来确定,在汉语中译为宾语、定语或补语等,通常不改变原句顺序。
The belief that failure is the mother of success has kept him go on experimenting.
译文:失败是成功之母的信念使他继续进行实验。
同位语从句说明主语内容,译做定语从句。
They jumped to the conclusion that all our flights out of China had been made from Beijing.
译文:他们匆忙作出了结论:我们从中国飞出的飞机都是从北京起飞。
同位语从句前用冒号,原句顺序不变。
There were indications that the enemy had retreated.
译文:有种种迹象表明敌军已经撤退。
根据逻辑关系同位语从句译为宾语从句,原句顺序不变。
No one can change the fact that we have lost our dearest friend.
译文:我们已经失去了最亲爱的朋友,这个事实无人能够改变。
按照汉语习惯,该句同位语从句提前。
2)定语从句
英语中的定语从句包括限定性定语从句和非限定性定语从句两种,通常在句中起修饰限定作用。但有时定语从句和主句之间还会存在状语的关系。定语从句可被译为做定语的形容词词组、独立分句或融合为主语的一部分。
例如:
The action it takes at any moment can’t be predicted, and people find that disturbing.
译文:它在任何一个时刻采取的行动都无法预见,这使人们觉得有些乱。
采用前置法,使限制性定语从句成为汉语中做定语的词组。
There is a man at the door who wants to speak to you.
译文:门口有个男人想和你讲话。
根据逻辑关系,原句主语和定语融合为一个独立的句子。
One explanation for the pig-eating taboo is that pork that is not cooked sufficiently may spread a disease called trichinosis.
译文:对禁食猪肉的一种解释是:如果未被煮透的话,猪肉可能会传播一种叫旋毛虫病的疾病。
根据逻辑关系,可将限定性定语从句译为汉语的条件分句。
The old lady, who was sad and disappointed, tore the check into little pieces.
译文:这个伤心失望的老太太将支票撕得粉碎。
原文中的非限定性定语从句可前置,成为修饰主语的定语词组。
School programs will be much more responsive to what the child is capable of thinking, which will minimize over-challeng and under-challenge.
译文:学校的课程将会更加适合学生的思考能力,从而减少课程过难或过于容易的现象。
根据原文中非限定性定语从句与主句的逻辑关系,译为汉语中的结果分句。
3)状语从句
英语中状语从句可表示时间、原因、条件、让步、地点和目的等等。翻译时通常将从句译为介词词组、副词词组或各种分句。
例如:
When she was in London, she had already heard of this disease.
译文:在伦敦时,她就已经听说过这种疾病。
状语从句可译为介词词组做状语。
They also find it difficult to be pleased by compliments because they be
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lieve they are unworthy of praise.
译文:因为他们认为自己不值得称赞,他们就又发现很难因别人的赞美而高兴。
将原文中的原因状语从句仍旧译为原因状语从句,原文中原因状语从句后置,按照汉语习惯将它提前。
It is clear that, while self-awareness is a healthy quality, overdoing it is detrimental, or harmful.
译文:很明显,尽管自我意识是一种健康的品质,过分的自我意识却是有害的。
将让步状语从句仍译为让步状语从句,原句顺序不变。
He set out early so that he could make it to the office.
译文:为了能及时到办公室,他很早就出发了。
目的状语从句仍译为目的状语从句,可将目的状语前置。
二、词汇转换
词语做为语言的基本单位,处于不断的发展变化之中。英汉词语在表达方式上差异较大,翻译时往往需要在词的数量上进行增减,或者对词性进行转换。
1.增词法
增词法是指在翻译时根据意义上、修辞上或句法上的需要,在原文的基础上增加一些必要的单词、词组、分句或完整句,以便更加忠实、通顺的表达原文思想内容,使得译文在语法和语言形式上符合译文语言习惯。
1)对代词意义的增补
英语中有时为了力求简练,避免重复、频繁的使用同一个词,通常会用代词来替代。但在汉语中,代词的使用往往会使语义不明。翻译时,为使译文意思清楚,对代词要进行意义的增补恢复。例如: The early trains were impractical curiosities, and for a long time the railroad companies met with troublesome mechanical problems. The most serious ones were the construction of rails able to bear the load, and the development of a safe effective stopping system. Once these were solved, the railroads were established as the best means of land transportation. By 1860 there were thousands of miles of railroads crossing the eastern mountain ranges and reaching westward to the Mississippi.
误译:这些一旦被解决了,火车就成为最佳陆上交通工具。
很多考生一看到these就译成“这些”。在该句中,these如果译做“这些”,就可以指前面提到的rails, railroads, railroad companies,但根据上下文,应该指代的是troublesome mechanical problems。而用“这些”语义不明确,应该补充为“这些问题”。
正确译法:这些问题一旦被解决了,火车就成为最佳陆上交通工具。。
2)增补动词
l 在并列结构中省略的动词要增补。
例如:We are concerned to develop the abilities of all our students to the full, not just their academic ability.
译文:我们关心的是全面发展学生的各种能力,而不仅仅是发展智力。
另外,有时汉语中适当的重复能够增强原文的表达效果。
例如:
Reading makes a full man; conference(讨论) a ready man; writing an exact man.
译文:读书使人充实,讨论使人敏捷,写作使人准确。
英语的并列句中 通常省略重复的动词,该句省略了makes。而汉语则通过重复动词,构成排比句式,增强表达效果,因此译文中添加了“使人”。 l 在名词前适当增加动词。
He favored the efforts to improve relations with all peace-loving countries.
译文:他赞成为了同所有爱好和平的国家改善关系而进行的努力。
原句若直译为“赞成 … … 的努力”,比较牵强,不符合汉语习惯。因此添加“进行”,比较自然通顺。
3)增补名词。
l 增补名词做宾语。
有些动词既可做及物动词又可做不及物动词。当它做不及物动词时,其宾语是隐含在动词词义之中的。在翻译时,有时只有将这隐含的宾语表达出来才能使意思完整。例如: Every day you can see her doing housework---cooking, sweeping, and cleaning.
译文:每天你都可以看见她作家务—做饭,扫地,收拾房间。
l 抽象名词之后添加名词。
有些抽象名词是由动词或形容词派生出来的,在翻译时需要根据意思添加适当的名词,使译文符合汉语习惯。例如:
The leader is not satisfied with our preparation.
译文:领导对我们的准备工作不满意。
We will help this region out of its backwardness.
译文:我们要帮助这一地区摆脱落后状况。
4)增补比较句中省略的部分。
例如:
Better be wise by the defeat of others than by your own.
译文:从别人的失败中吸取教训比从自己的失败中吸取教训要更好。
5)增补表示时间的词。
英语中动词有时态变化,通过时态变化可以体现时间概念,汉语中动词没有这种特点,因此在翻译时有时候要添加表示时间的词。例如:
He is no longer the man he was.
译文:他不再是过去的他了。
6)增补表示逻辑关系的词。
例如:
We were lucky enough to be alive after the accident. We wouldn’t have the chance to sit here and reflect on that night.
译文:真是很幸运,在那次事故之后我们还活着。否则,我们不可能有机会坐在这里回想那天晚上的事。
8)其他词的增补。
l 英语中没有量词,翻译时应根据需要增加。例如:
a film ticket —一张电影票
three guests——三位客人,
l 英语中名词有单复数变化,汉语中没有,翻译中有时需要增加一些词。
例如:
workers——工人们
Smiling faces——张张笑脸
3. 减词法
英译汉时,由于英汉两种语言的差异,不仅有时需要增补词语,有时还需要省略一些词语。英语中的冠词、代词、连词、介词以及名词的复数变化,在不影响原句意义表达时经常可以省略不译,这样可以使译文更加简单明了。 1)名词的复数形式的忽略
在汉语中,名词没有复数形式。英译汉时,在一般情况下,如果不强调事物(尤其是无生命的事物)数量很多,通常忽略不译复数形式。需要体现时,可以添加“这些”等表达方式。例如:
Summer is the best season for trees.
译文:夏天对树木来说是最佳季节。
2)系动词的省略
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英语中必须由动词担当谓语,而在汉语中形容词、介词等都可以当谓语。这样,一些说明主语状态、情况的系动词通常可以省略不译。例如:
As already discussed, the disease, if present at all, is usually a rather steady and continuous process.
译文:如上所述,一旦此病发作,其病程通常顽固而持久。
3)动词的省略
有些动词的意思在汉语中不用说出,句子的表达更符合汉语习惯。例如:
Stainless steel possess good hardness and high strength.
译文:不锈钢硬度大,强度高。
3.词性转换法
英语和汉语的词类大部分重合。但是在英语中可以充当某个句子成分的词类相对较少,例如:英语中充当主语的只有名词、代词或相当于名词的动名词或不定式,充当谓语的只有动词;而汉语中,名词、动词、形容词都可以做主语、谓语、宾语以及表语。因此,在翻译时,要灵活处理,不一定拘泥于原句所用的词性,根据译文的需要可以进行一些词性的适当转换。
1) 名词转换为动词
汉语句子中,动词使用较多,而英语句子中只有一个谓语动词。英语中由动词派生出的抽象名词往往译成汉语时转译为动词。例如:
There is a popular belief among parents that schools are no longer interested in spelling.
译文:学生家长普遍认为学校不再对教单词拼写感兴趣。
He is responsible for the translation of this chapter.
译文:他负责翻译这个章节。
I apologize if your enjoyment of the movie was spoiled.
译文:如果影响了您欣赏电影,我对此表示道歉。
2) 形容词转换为动词
例如:
He was popular among young people.
译文:他在年轻人中很受欢迎。
3) 动词转换为名词
例如:
We were most impressed by the fact that even those patients who were not told of the illness were quite aware of its potential outcome.
译文:给我们留下极深印象的是:即便那些没有被告知其病情的病人对其疾病的潜在后果也是非常清楚。
They signed two agreements that served to warm up the atmosphere of their relations.
译文:他们签署了两个条约,目的是使他们的关系热乎起来。
4) 副词转换为动词
例如:
The light was on, the TV was playing, but nobody was in.
译文:灯开着,电视放着节目,但没人在家。
5) 名词转换为形容词
例如:
The new designs should offer even greater security to cities where earthquakes often take place.
译文:新的设计应使地震频繁发生的城市更加安全。
词类转换在翻译时是必要的。如果每句都按照原句词类对应翻译,有时难免会出现译文不通顺的情况,这时就需要根据汉语习惯,进行适当的词性转换。 三、正反译与反正译
通常翻译时,英语原文是肯定句或否定句,译为汉语时也采取相应的形式即可。但有时,如果一味的按照原文的肯定形式或否定形式来翻译,会出现表达不通顺,或不符合汉语习惯的情况。这时,就需要将原文的反面表达(否定形式)转换为正面表达(肯定形式),或将原文的正面表达(肯定形式)转换为反面表达(否定形式)。这样才能既不改变原文意义,又使语句通顺流畅。
1. 正反译
所谓正反译是指原文通过正面(肯定形式)表达的词或句子,译文以反面(否定形式)来表达。
1)动词及短语
He missed the target.
译文:他没击中目标。
As a result, many people avoided the very attempts that are the souce of true happiness.
译文:结果,很多人没有尝试,而这些尝试正是幸福的源泉。
If he had kept his temper, the negotiation would have been a success.
译文:假如他不发脾气,谈判很可能已经成功了。
He refrained from further words.
译文:他没有往下多说。
I have heard of you. I expected to meet an older man.
译文:我听说过你,想不到你这么年轻。
2)副词
His manners are still to be polished.
译文:他不够有风度。
3)形容词及其短语
The light in the classroom is poor.
译文:教室里的光线不足。
He is reluctant to help me.
译文:他不情愿帮助我。
He felt ill at ease.
译文:他感到不自在。
He is in bad health.
译文:
他身体不好。
All music is alike to him.
译文:他不懂音乐。
Little hesitation was caused by the statement of the speaker.
译文:发言人的陈述并未引起人们多大的迟疑。
l 有些形容词的比较级和最高级可表示否定意义。
例如:
The beauty of this city is more than words can describe.
译文:这个城市之美不是语言所能描绘的。
At present it is generally accepted, although more as a self-evident statement than on the base of a closely-reasoned scientific proof.
译文:目前,这个观点已被普遍接受,虽然它是不言而喻的,并不是根据科学严密推理而证明的。
He knew the region better than to get lost.
译文:他对那个地区很了解不至于迷路。
I know better.
译文:我不至于那样糊涂。
I am wiser than to believe what you call money talks.
译文:我不至于愚蠢到相信你所谓的金钱万能的说法。
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He has seen happier times.
译文:他境况不佳。
4)介词及其短语
His answer is beside the mark.
译文:他的回答文不对题。
Under fifty people were there.
译文:那里的人不足五十个。
I am at a loss what to say.
译文:我不知道该说什么。
He wanted to buy a car instead of a house.
译文:他想买汽车而不是房子。
My memory was at fault.
译文:我想不起来了。
5)连接词
The soldiers would fight to death before they surrendered.
译文:战士们宁愿战死也决不投降。
I will not go unless he invites me.
译文:如果他不邀请我,我就不去。
l 在since引导的时间状语从句中,持续性动词或状态动词的一般过去时在从句中做谓语时,从句中往往肯定形式表达否定意义。这些持续性动词或状态动词有:be, teach, study, smoke, work, have, possess, hold, love, like, hate, respect等。
例如:
Two years have passed since I last drank.
译文:我戒酒已有两年了。
All has changed since he worked there.
译文:自他不在那里工作以来,一切都变了。
We have’t heard from each other since we studied in the same school.
译文:自我们不在同一所学校上学以来,我们彼此就没有通信了。
6)名词
Behave yourself during my absence.
译文:我不在时要规矩点。
Haste makes waste.
译文:欲速则不达。
7)习惯用法
He is anything but a writer.
译文:他决不是一个作家。
The islanders found themselves far from ready to fihgt the war.
译文:岛民发现自己远远没有做好作战准备。 The decision has to come.
译文:决定尚未作出。
It is a wise father that knows his own child.
译文:无论怎样聪明的父亲也不见得了解自己的孩子。
It is a bold mouse that breeds in the cat’s ear.
译文:无论怎样大胆的猫也不会在老鼠耳朵里做窝。
It is a good dog that can catch anything.
译文:无论多好的狗,不可能什么都能抓到。
It is wise man that never makes mistakes.
译文:智者千虑,必有一失。
2.反正译
所谓反正译是指原文通过反面(否定形式)表达的词或句子,译文以正面(肯定形式)来表达。 1)动词及短语
The doubt was still unsolved after his repeated explanations.
译文:虽经他一再解释,疑团仍然存在。
The examination left no doubt that the patient had died of cancer.
译文:调查结果清楚的说明病人死于癌症。
2)副词
It is the only possession that I have not given up.
译文:这是我所保留的唯一财产。
It is not rarely that they discuss the matter with Mr. Wu before they make a decision.
译文:他们常常在做决定之前同吴先生讨论一下问题。
3)形容词及其短语
He was an indecisive sort of person and always capricious(反复无常的).
译文:他这个人优柔寡断,而且总是反复无常。
All the articles are untouchable in the museum.
译文:博物馆内的一切展品禁止触摸。
4)介词及其短语
The whole gun was no longer than eight inches.
译文:整枝枪的长度只有8英寸。
An explosion is nothing more than a tremendously rapid burning.
译文:爆炸只不过是非常急速的燃烧。
No one is truly great but he who serves the people heart and soul.
译文:只有全心全意为人民服务的人才是真正伟大的。 The problem is not beyond our reach.
译文:这个问题我们能解决。
Students, with no exception, are to hand in their papers this afternoon.
译文:今天下午所有学生都要交作业。
5)名词
He showed a strong dislike for father’s business.
译文:他对他父亲的生意表现出强烈的厌恶。
6)句子
The significance of these incidents wasn’t lost on us.
译文:这些事件引起了我们的重视。
Such flights couldn’t long escape notice.
译文:这类飞行迟早会被人发觉的.
He has no smallest chance of success.
译文:他完全没有成功的可能。
I couldn’t feel better.
译文:我感觉好极了。
l 双重否定句
No man can have too much knowledge and practice.
译文:知识和实践越多越好。
You cannot be too patient.
译文:你要特别耐心。(你越耐心越好)
It never occurred to him that he and his doing were not of the most intense and fascinating interest to anyone with whom he came in contact.
译文:他总是以为只要与他交往的人都会感到他本人和他的所作所为最富有情趣,令人倾倒。
7)习惯用法
l no … less than, no … more than,“和 … … 一样”
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例如:
Violent video games appeared no more likely to cause loss of temper than other forms of play.
译文:含有暴力内容的电子游戏和其他形式的游戏一样,似乎都不大可能使人受挫发火。
四、翻译中应注意的问题
在考试中,除了很好的应用翻译技巧以外,还要注意避免一些错误,防止不必要的丢分。考试中考生在翻译方面常见的失误通常表现在指代关系的误译、时态的误译和语态的误译这三个方面。
1. 指代关系的误译
在原文中有时会出现代词或有指代意义的动词,很多考生直接将这些指代词按照该词的意思翻译。
因此,翻译时要注意联系上下文或通过语法分析,正确理解指代部分的含义,如果需要译出其含义时,要正确表达。在英语中代词的使用频率较高,而汉语则没有频繁使用代词的习惯。另外有时使用代词会使句子意义不明。因此,要结合具体情况,适当的译出指代部分的含义。
例如:
Money spent on advertising is as well as any money spent that I know of. It serves directly to assist a rapid distribution of goods at reasonable prices, thereby establishing a firm home market. By drawing attention to new ideas it helps enormously to raise standards of living. By helping to increase demand it ensures an increased need for labour and is therefore an effective way to fight unemployment. It lowers the costs of many services: without advertisements your daily newspaper would cost four times as much, the price of your television licence would need to be doubled, and travel by bus or tube would cost 20 per cent more.
很多考生的译文是:“它直接起到了推动产品能以合理的价格得以销售的作用,从而建立起一个强有力的国内市场。”
这句译文基本上是准确的,但是句子的主语译为“它”,出现了指代不明确和不符合汉语习惯的错误。
在原文中,it显然既可能指money,也可能指advertising。在这种情况下,就需要明确指代对象,以免语意不清。而且在汉语中通常很少说“它 … … ,它 … … ,它 … … ”的句式。
从句子平行结构来看,前一句的money和it都处于主语位置,it有可能指money。但是根据上下文分析,尤其是按照原文最后一句话的意思(没有广告,报纸会比现在贵一倍,… … ),it应指advertising。所以,原文中it应译为“广告”比较恰当。
2. 时态的误译
英语中有16种时态,每一种时态表示一定的时间概念。由于汉语中动词没有时态的变化,因此需要适当添加表示时间的副词,如:“以前”、“已经”、“现在”、“正在”等等。在增加这些副词时,要注意首先正确理解句中时态的含义。
例如:
The “shareholder” as such had no knowledge of the lives, thoughts or needs of the workmen employed by the company in which he held shares, and his influence on the relations of capital and labour was not good. The paid manager acting for the company was in more direct relation with the men and their demands, but even he seldom had that familiar personal knowledge of the workmen the employer had often had. Indeed just the size of operations and the numbers of workmen involved made such personal relations impossible.
对于这句话很多考生的译文是:“雇来为公司工作的经理和这些股东关系比较直接,他们直接对股东的要求负责。但是就是这些经理对工人们也很少有个人的了解和接触,而雇主对工人比较熟悉和了解。”
该译文前半部分翻译还是比较准确,但后半部分中突然冒出“雇主”让人很难理解是从何而来,同句中其他成分是什么关系。 在原文后一个并列分句中主句是一般过去时,而修饰that familiar personal knowledge的定语从句是过去完成时。由此可见,主句与从句的两种情况不是同时出现的。该错误译文中,用同一时间概念来翻译这样两件事,自然会造成误解和混乱。正确的译文中应恰当的反映出两个时间概念:“ … … 。但是就是这些经理对工人们也很少有个人的了解和接触,而在过去雇主对工人往往比较熟悉和了解。”
3. 语态的误译
英语中经常出现被动语态,而汉语则多用主动语态。另外,英语中有些动词兼有主动和被动的含义。因此,在翻译时还需要注意原文的语态。 例如:
If a child failed to hand in his homework in time, he might be severely scolded, even refused any reasonable help.
原文并不复杂,很多考生这样翻译:“如果一个孩子不能及时交家庭作业,这孩子就有可能会被严厉批评,甚至于拒绝合理的帮助。”
在这个译文中,考生忽略了原文中谓语refuse所表达的语态。原文中refused与scolded并列,同样表达被动语态,在句子中的意思是“得不到”。因此,正确的译文应为:“ … … ,甚至于不能得到合理的帮助。”
被动语态的句子通常可以做以下几种类型处理:
1) 仍译为被动句。
例如:One’s social status has been compared to his label.
译文:一个人的社会地位已经被比做是他的标签。
2) 译为主动句。
例如:Nothing can be wasted, and we are never troubled by extra food because we have never had any.
译文:什么也浪费不了,我们从不为有多余的食物困扰,因为我们从来没有过。
3) 译为汉语无主句。
例如:No discussion has been made on this question.
译文;对此问题我们还没有讨论。
4) 译为汉语的判断句。
例如:In addition, not all technology is based on science.
译文:另外,并不是所有的技术都是以科学为基础的。
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