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考研英语必掌握的翻译技巧(上)

 鱼小鸟爱吃鱼 2018-09-03
语法关系密切的两个句子成分被其他句子成分分隔的现象称为分割结构。英语中,分割结构的类型是多种多样的。例如,英语句子的主语和谓语一般都紧密相联,它们之间很少插入介词等比较长的结构。
但是,在有些情况下,或是为了保持句子的平衡,避免头重脚轻,或是为了语义严密,结构紧凑,在主语和谓语之间有时也会插入其他成分。
此外,还有定语(或定语从句)与其中心词被分隔;某些词语与其所要求的介词被分隔;动词与其宾语被分隔;介词与其宾语被分隔等等。
总之,英语的分割应遵循尾重原则(应把长而复杂的成分放在句末,使结构匀称)和句尾信息焦点原则(把新信息,即语意重点放在句末)。同时,在阅读时要注意找出原来属于一个整体部分的意义。
1. Most novelists and historians writing in the early to mid-twentieth century who considered women in the West, when they considered women at all, fell under Turner's spell.
分析:本句的主干结构是:Most novelists and historians…fell under Turner’s spell. Turner 是美国历史学家。under a spell:被迷住,着迷。
writing in the early to mid-twentieth century who considered women in the West, when they considered women at all 修饰主语,起分割主谓的作用。而其中的状语从句when they considered women at all 是定语从句who considered women in the West中的状语成分。

译文:从本世纪初到本世纪中叶从事写作的小说家和历史学家只要描写妇女,就会描述西部妇女,而且都被特纳迷住。
2. In the last eight years there were difficult, almost non-stop negotiations and reported threats of failure, ultimately overcome by a combination of creative compromise and stubborn determination—indeed, some call it unprecedented determination—to succeed.
分析:本句的主干结构是:…there were negotiations and…threats of failure。“overcome by…”是过去分词短语,修饰 threats of failure。stubborn determination 和其定语动词不定式“to succeed”被“indeed, some call it unprecedented determination”分割。
译文:在最后的八年里,进行了艰苦卓绝的、几乎是不间断的谈判,其间屡经失败之虞,但最终通过创造性的协调和要取得成功的顽强决心——确实有人称之为前所未有的决心——而渡过难关,取得了胜利。
3. Abraham Lincoln is the most famous instance of the claim that Americans often made that in their country a man may rise from the lowest to the highest position.
分析:the claim 和其同位语 that in their country a man may rise from the lowest to the highest position 被 the claim 的定语从句that Americans often made 分割。同位语从句在翻译时可按照顺序翻译,将其翻译为分句。

4. As they grow old, people also accumulate belongings for two other reasons: lack of physical and mental energy—both of which are essential in turning out and throwing away—and sentiment.
分析:该句包含了并列结构被分割的情况。lack of physical and mental energy和sentiment 是并列结构,作two other reasons的同位语。但是被非限定性定语从句both of which are essential in turning out and throwing away分割。
译文:人们随着日趋年迈,积存物品还有其他两个原因:一是缺乏体力和精神,两者在清理和扔掉无用之物时不可或缺,二是感情上的原因。

·倒装句
为了强调句子的某些部分,或是为了保持句子平衡,英语中常常使用倒装。大体说来,倒装可以分为主谓倒装和非主谓倒装。主谓倒装里又分为完全倒装和部分倒装。
在翻译的时候,既可以按照主谓语的顺序翻译,也可以按照字面意思翻译。非主谓倒装只是将强调部分前置,以保持句子平衡或是起强调作用。翻译时可以采用顺序译法或是倒序译法。
1. For example, they do not compensate for social inequality, and thus do not tell how able an underprivileged youngster might have been had he grown up under more favorable circumstances.
分析:本句中had he grown up under more favorable circumstances 属于部分倒装。正常语序为:if he had grown up under more favorable circumstances。在正式文体中,可以将虚拟条件句中的if 省略,并将助动词提前。
译文:例如,它们(指测试)并不弥补社会的不公,因此不能说明一个贫困青年,要是在比较有利的境况下长大,会有多大才干。
2. Nonstop waves of immigrants played a role, too and so did bigger crops of babies as yesterday’s “baby boom” generation reached its child-bearing years.
分析:该句中so did bigger crops of babies 属于语法倒装。用so 来代替前述肯定句谓语部分所说情况。
译文:不间断的移民浪潮也起了作用——而且随着昔日在“生育高峰期”出生的一代人达到生育年龄,婴儿的出生数量增加了,这同样起了作用。
3. Much as I have traveled, I have never seen anyone to equal her in thoroughness, whatever the job.
分析:该句的Much as I have traveled是一个由as 引导的让步状语从句。相当于though I have traveled much,但语气要比后者强。这种结构要求部分倒装。
译文:我虽然见多识广,但还从未见过比她细心的人,不管什么职业。
4. Only when you have acquired a good knowledge of grammar can you write correctly.
分析:相信大家对这种结构都不陌生。Only后加副词、介词、状语从句时要用部分倒装。但是要注意的是,如果only修饰的不是状语,则不用倒装。
译文:只有很好地掌握了语法知识,写出来的东西才会正确。
5. Nowhere do 1980 census statistics dramatize more the American search for spacious living than in the Far West.
分析:当句首是否定副词或含有否定词的词语时,一般要部分倒装。
译文:1980年哪里的人口普查统计资料也不如远西地区的更能生动地说明美国人对宽敞的生活环境的追求。
6. Hardly had he began to speak when the audience interrupted him.
分析:hardly…when 的结构表示“刚…就…”。含有这种结构的句子常将 hardly 置于句首,而采用部分倒装的语序。此外,hardly 分句中一般采用过去完成时,而 when(或 before)分句中使用过去时。还有,与 hardly…when…结构类似的用法还有 barely (scarcely)…when…
译文:他刚开始讲,听众就打断了他的话。

·被分割定语从句
通常,定语从句紧跟在先行词之后,但在具体的运用中,往往也出现有定语从句与先行词被分隔的现象。本文就定语从句与先行词分隔的种种情况、分隔的原因及其汉译进行探讨。
一、定语从句与先行词分隔的形式
1.被谓语分隔,例如:
Many forms of apparatus have been devised by which a more ac- curate knowledge of blood pressure can be obtained.人们已经设计出许多医疗器械,通过这些医疗器械,可以对血压有一个更为精确的了解。
Hardly a man came to the exhibition but was deeply impressed by the originality of his works.来参观的人几乎无一不对他的作品的创造性留下深刻印象。
2.被非从句定语分隔,例如:
Singapore is at the start of a long road,already well trodden in the west,that leads to such solutions as shelter and rest homes.新加坡眼下正踏上一条西方国家早已走了很远的漫长道路,即最终建立收容所和休养院来解决问题。
Does this mean that in time fish might learn to leave alone all food on hooks that they have seen before?这难道不就意味着,鱼儿很快就可能学会避开那些它们常见的鱼钩上的食物吗?
3.被状语分隔,例如:
Never say anything behind a person's back that you wouldn't say to his face.当面不愿说的话,千万不要在背后说。
I remember viewing a half dozen men in a chair factory whose job was to bend several pieces of steel and attach them so that a folding chair would result.我记得曾在一家椅子厂见过六个工人,他们的工作是将几根钢管弯曲并组成一把折椅。
4.被补语分隔,例如:
The cook turned pale,and asked the housem aid to shut the door,who asked Brittles,who asked the tinker,who pretended not to hear.厨子的脸色变得苍白,要女仆把门关上,女仆叫布立特尔关,布立特尔又叫补锅匠关,而补锅匠装着没听见。
5.被同位语分隔,例如:
One was a violent thunderstorm ,the worst I had ever seen,which obscured my objective.有一次是暴风骤雨,猛烈的程度实为我平生所仅见。这阵暴风雨遮住了我的目标。
二、定语从句与先行词分隔的原因
1.为了保持句子结构平衡,避免“头重脚轻”,将定语从句与先行词分隔,例如:
Mr.Leon said in the future,computer would be developed which would be small enough to carry in the pocket.利昂先生说,将来会生产出小得可以放在口袋里的计算机。

2.为了突出或强调主句中的主谓结构所表达的意义,将定语从句与先行词分隔,例如:
Chinese trade delegations have been sent to African countries,who will negotiate trade agreem ents with the respective govern-ments.中国已派出贸易代表团前往非洲各国,以便与这些国家的政府商谈贸易协定。
The day is not far off when a lot of housework can be done by machine.大量家务活由机器来干的日子不远了。
3.先行词所带的非从句定语常需置于定语从句之前而造成先行词与定语从句分隔,例如:
There was som ething original,independent and heroic about the plan that pleased all of them .这个方案有创造性,而且别出心裁,又有魅力,所以深得他们的喜欢。
三、与先行词分隔的定语从句的汉译
1.将定语从句译为汉语“的”字结构,置于先行词之前,例如:
Yet there exist com plex computations in science and engineer-ing which people are unable to make.到目前为止,在科学和工程方面还存在许多人们无能为力的复杂计算。
He merely swallows this theory because there is something about it that appeals to the twentieth-century m entality.他全盘接受这一理论,只是因为这一理论中有一种迎合二十世纪心理的东西。
I think it is clear that each side entertainssuspicions of the other which are unjust.我认为双方显然相互怀着没有正当理由的猜疑。
2.将定语从句单独译为一个分句,例如:
There is som ebody waiting for you who I think might be one of your friends from your native town.有个人在外面等你,我想这个人可能就是你家乡的一位朋友。
The molecules exert forces upon each other,which depend upon the distance between them .分子相互之间存在着力的作用,该力的大小取决于它们的距离。
The result of this is the retention of too much air in the respiratory tract at each expiration which prevents the fresh air from being taken in at the next inhalation from reaching the lung alveoli.
其结果就是在每次呼气时呼吸道里保留过多的空气,这样就在下次吸气时妨碍吸入的新鲜空气抵达肺泡里。
3.将定语从句与先行词溶合译出,例如:
He is a wise man who speaks little.智者言少。
·6类常用词
1.名词:It is the two superpowers that should be responsible for the hostilities in the Middle East.应对中东战争(×敌对状态)负责的是两个超级大国。
有一些名词,特别是抽象名词的单数变成复数后,意义是不一样的。“hostility单数作“enmity,“ill will“敌意”“敌视”解,但“hostilities复数作“war战争”解。

2.动词:They were obviously quite impressed by the arguments that the Chinese were advancing.他们对中国人提出的(×正在前进)这种论点显然颇为赞同。
to advance作不及物动词用是“come or go forward“前进”,在这里作及物动词用是“put forward“提出”,宾语是arguments,应译为“提出论点”,that the Chinese were advancing是arguments的定语从句,而不是它的同位语从句。
3.副词:The basketball team was organized two years ago and it has yet to win a single game.这个篮球队两年前成立,还没赢过(×还得赢)一次比赛。
这里yet与不定式连用,含有“到目前为止还没有做某事”的意义。
虚词虽没有实际意义,在句中不能独立担任任何成分,可是由于误解虚词而引起的误译却也不少。
4.连词:And I do not know whether the sun will rot or dry what is left,so I had better eat it all although I am not hungry.
×我不知道太阳会不会把剩下的鱼给晒坏了,晒干了,所以倒不如把它统统吃下去,虽然我现在不饿。
or的选择意义没有译出来,成了并列意义,给人造成错觉,好像晒干了同晒坏了一样也是坏事,其实晒干了是好事。这句话应译成:
我不知道太阳会把剩下的鱼是晒坏了还是晒干了,……。
英语拥有大量的多义词,而且它们多半是常用词,有时一个词条往往可以举出几种乃至几十种意义。绝大多数情况下,一个词脱离了上下文是
不能翻译的。一个词的意义是它在语言中的应用。我们要通过它和其他词的搭配以及上下文做出选择,单凭自己所记得的最常用的意义去译,就不免要出错。
·并列平行结构
英语常用并列连词,如and, but, so, yet, for, nor, or, not only…but also, either…or或 neither…nor等连接两个或几个同等成分,这种结构称为并列结构。连接的同等成分可以是两个或几个动词的宾语、两个或几个名词的定语、两个或几个介词短语等。如果并列连词连接的是两个或几个简单句,则构成一个并列句,使用并列结构可以使文字简洁,结构紧凑,并避免重复。
1. But the individualist approach, by attacking gender roles, denying the significance of physiological difference, and condemning existing familial institutions as hopelessly patriarchal, has often simply treated as irrelevant the family roles important to many women.
分析:句中由by引导的三个并列平行结构表示原因。treated as…结构使用了倒装结构,因为the family roles后面有修饰成分,故将其置后。
译文:而个人主义的方法由于攻击性别角色,否定生理差别的重要性,攻击现存的家庭体制是不可救药的父权制,结果把对许多妇女来说非常重要的家庭角色完全视为无关紧要了。
2. There is no complete inventory of positions or people in federal service at this level. The lack may be explained by separate agency statutes and personnel systems, diffusion among so many special services, and the absence of any central point (short of President himself) with jurisdiction over all upper-level personnel of the government.
分析:介词by 后面的separate…personnel systems, diffusion…special services和the absence of…the government为三个并列成分。表示缺少详细记载的原因。句中一些词要转译。
译文:这个级别的联邦政府官员和职位没有完整的记载。对此(缺少详细记载)所做的解释可能是,各部门的条例和人事制度各不相同,分布的特殊服务部门太多并缺少一个中心机构(总统本人除外)来管理所有的政府高级官员。
3. He refuses to consider sufficiently the wants of the customer, who must buy, not the thing he desires but the thing the English gentleman wants to sell.
分析:动词consider 后面的宾语是the wants of the customer。 非限定性定语从句who must buy… 修饰the customer,not the thing …but the thing…是并列成分。
4. That is why women remain children their whole life long: never seeing anything but what is quite close to them, clinging to the present moment, taking appearance for reality, and preferring trifles to matters of the first importance.
分析:该句中,四个现在分词短语构成并列结构,做状语。对前面的表语从句进行补充说明。
译文:那就是为什么妇女一生都不成熟:从来都只看见眼前的事情,都只抓住眼前的一刻,都把表面当本质,都倾心于琐事而放过至关重要的事。
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