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标题: 考研教育网索玉柱07英汉翻译八大操作策略之从句换位 [打印本页]

作者: 幽幽草    时间: 2007-3-20 09:42     标题: 考研教育网索玉柱07英汉翻译八大操作策略之从句换位

“从句前后换位”特指一个英语句子在翻译时将从句(clauses)和其他语法成分的位置互换,目的是使译文可读性更强,更通顺、地道、简洁。

  (1)从句换位的操作可用于翻译表语从句。

  例如:One sign of how badly the seas have been overfished is that population of sharks have declined 94% since 1970.

  *有一个迹象说明,对海洋渔场的狂捞滥捕已到了什么程度,这就是自从1970年以来,鲨鱼的总存活量递减了94%.

  自从1970年以来,鲨鱼的总存活量递减了94%,从中可以看出,对海洋渔场的狂捞滥捕已到了什么程度。

  ①下一句的可读性优于上一句译文。

  ②被动句译成“对……(动词)”。表语从句换位,先译出来。

  (2)前后换位的操作还可用于翻译同位语从句。一般将从句的主要成分或者整个从句前移,特别是在从句明显长于主句的情况下更需如此。

  例如:Concern is mounting that the estimated 1.5 million people left homeless will fall victim to epidemics of cholera and other illnesses.

  *人们的担心日甚一日,因为估计有150万人无家可归,霍乱及其他流行病的爆发会危及到他们。

  估计有150万人无家可归,霍乱及其他流行病的爆发会危及到他们。人们对此的担心日甚一日。[此句对原文忠实程度及行文的可接受性优于上句。]

  For far too long Asia has suffered from a delusion of specialists devoted to the idea that development is only a billion dollars or a billion birth-control devices away.

  只要能得到十亿美元的援助,或者只要让十亿人实行计划生育,亚洲的经济就可以发展,这是众多的专家潜心研究出的一个思路。这个思路对亚洲一直起误导作用,时间已经太长了。

  这里,译文对原句中主句和同位语从句在位置上进行了置换,否则汉译不会通顺。

  (3)从句换位的操作还可用于翻译一些定语从句或作定语的分词短语。只要将这样的定语成分提前,就可译出通顺的汉译文。

  The United Nations is attempting to settle conflicts around the world that have taken a terrible toll and misused the earth''s resources.

  *联合国正试图要消除世界各地发生的各种冲突。这些冲突有的造成可怕的后果,有的滥用地球的资源.

  世界上各种冲突时有发生,有的造成可怕的后果,有的滥用地球的资源。联合国正试图要消除这些冲突。

  This province intends to cash in on the ambitious economic renaissance being planned for the neighboring city. [=that is being planned…]

  邻近的城市正在酝酿振兴经济的宏图大计,这个省份打算乘此机会也有一番作为。

  动词词组cash in on意为“利用时机获利;乘机利用”。

  *The very reason why the representation of nature can now be considered something commonplace should be of the greatest interest to art historians.

  结构分析:句子的框架是The very reason why the representationshould be of the greatest interest to art historians.本句是个简单句,主语reason后跟why引导的定语从句。The representation of nature译为“再现自然”,of表动宾关系;something commonplace在此译为成语“老生常谈”较好。

  参考译文:为什么现在再现自然被视为是老生常谈的事情呢?其真正的原因,对美术史学家来说,应该是饶有兴趣的事情。

  (4)从句换位的操作可用于翻译一些状语从句。

  Quayle has been the object of jokes and criticism ever since Bush chose him, seemingly from out of nowhere, as his running mate at the 1988 Publican Convention.

  一九八八年,在共和党全国代表大会上,似乎名不见经传的奎尔被布什挑中,成了其竞选伙伴。从那以后,奎尔便一直是被人们取笑和批评的对象。

  注意:连词(since, when等)需要个词微调,译成“从那以后;此后”。

  Many American firms have taken fright // at the prospect of being locked out of China // while companies from Japan and Europe crowd in.

  日本和欧洲的公司大批涌入中国,而美国的公司却将被拒之门外。许多美国公司对这种前景深感惊恐。

  *We might be inclined to attribute to the act of thinking complete independence from language if the individual formed or were able to form his concepts without the verbal guidance of his environment.

  结构分析:句子的框架是We might be inclined to.if the individual formed or were able to form his concepts without…if引导条件状语从句。介词短语without the verbal guidance of his environment作状语。be inclined to意为“易于,倾向于”。attribute…to在此句中意为“把…归因于”,“把…认为是…的结果”。to the act of thinking是动词的状语,complete independence from language是动词的宾语。

  参考译文:如果有人不用语言作为周围世界的向导,便已经形成或能够形成他的概念,我们就可能把完全独立于语言之外的概念归因于思维活动




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