三、英译汉基础翻译要点——名词从句的译法

例3.What he has once heard be never forgotten. 他听过的话,再也不会忘记
上述译文同样将宾语从句前置,收 到了强调宾语的效果.但有时也可 依汉语的表达习惯将宾语从句后置.
C.用it作形式宾语的句子,汉译时 that引起的宾语从句一般可按原文语 序,it不必译出.
例Βιβλιοθήκη Baidu. I leave it to you own judgment whether you should do it. 我让你自己判断你该不该做这事. 汉译英时也可将that引起的宾语从 句提前.如:
例1.I regarded it as an honor that I am chosen to attend the meeting. 我被选参加会议,感到光荣. 例2.We think it true that the election in Britain is mainly a contest between the two big parties, Labor and Conservative. 英国的选举主要是工党与保守党两大政党 之间的竞争,我们认为确实如此.
6.2 宾语从句 A.以从属连词或连接代词引起的宾 语从句汉译时,语序一般不变.如:
例1.Some people, however, maintain that this is precisely where the danger lies. 可是,有些人则坚持认为,这恰恰是 危险所在. 例2.This shows that something unexpected may have turned up. 这表明可能出现了意外情况.
从例4可看到英汉两种语言思维合和表 达方式的不同.英语重直线思维,汉 语重曲线思维.英语直截了当,习惯 把要点放在句首先说出,然后再把其 他信息一一补进;而汉语习惯于从侧 面说明,先阐述外围的环境,最后点 出信息中心.从形式看,英语是前重 心,头短尾长;汉语则是后重心,头 大尾小.
3.以it作形式主语而主句的谓语是 被动语态的句子,一般宜转译为主 动语态,可译为"据….."或补上泛 指主语"有人","大家","人 们"等,主语从句保留原文的语序. 如:
例4.The result of invention of steam engine was that human power was replaced by mechanical power.发明蒸 汽机的结果是机械力代替了人力. 例5.This is because people engaged in changing reality are usually subject to numerous limitations. 这是因为致力变革现实的 人们常常受到许多限制.
C. 把同位语从句译成独立的句子, 并在其前加"即",或在从句所修 饰的名词之后加冒号.
例1.We are familiar with the idea that all matter consists of atoms. 我们都熟悉这样一个概念,即一切物质都是由原 子组成的. 例2.Through many years' practice of teaching foreign language, I have derived a new experience that translation is the best possible approach to studying English. 通过多年的外语教学经验,我获得了一条新经验: 翻译是学习英语的最好办法.
6.3 表语从句 表语从句汉译时的语序一般不变. 如:
例1.Time factor is what we have to take into consideration.时间因素是我 们应考虑的. 例2.The question which worries everyone today is: how long will these fuels last? 今天人人担心的问题是:这 些燃料能维持多久?
例4. The idea that for every word in any one language there is another word accurately equivalent to it in every other language, is not in accordance with the facts, in his search for the equivalent of a word the translator meets many difficulties. (Dr. Johnson) 认为一种语言每一个单词都 能在另一种语言中到确切相等的词,是不 符合事实的,译者如追求对号入座式的翻 译,势必到处碰壁.
B.同位语从句提前,如: 例1.Do away with the mistake metaphysical notions that "gold must be pure" and that "man must be perfect". 要打破"金要足赤","人要完 人"的形而上学的错误思想.
例2.Obviously there was little probability that they would succeed, but they don't mind. 很显然,他们成功的可能性很小,但 是他们不在乎. 例3. This is a universally accepted principle of international law that the territorial sovereignty doesn't admit infringement. 国 家领土主权不容侵犯,这是举世公认的国 际法准则.
例3.It could be argued that the radio performs this service just as well; but on television everything is much more living, much more real. 可能有人会提出,无线电广播也同样 能够做到这一点;但是在电视屏幕上, 每个节目都显得更加生动,更加真实.
但有时在译文中也可依汉语的表达 习惯,把表语从句提前.如: That is why the "know-all" is ridiculous. "知识里手"之所以可笑,原因就在 这个地方.
6.4 同位语从句 英语中的同位语从句与其所修饰的 名词处于同等的地位,只作进一步 解释的作用,汉译时一般用下述方 法处理. A.同位语从句不提前,如:
2.如主语从句较长,不宜与主句合 译为汉语的"是"字结构,一般可 译为并列分句或独立的句子,即先 译从句,而在主句之前加"这"字 译出.如:
例1.It is a matter of common experience that bodies are lighter in water than they are in air. 物体在水中比在空气中轻,这是一种大家 共有的经验. 例2.It is common sense that a liquid has no definite shape, but it has a definite volume. 液体没有一定的形状,但有一定的体积, 这是普通常识.
例3.He has fully lived up to what he promised. 他完全实现了他的诺 言. 例4.Knowing that every object draws every other object, we cannot know why it does so. 虽然 我们知道物体彼此吸引,但却不知 其中的道理.
例1.It is reported that the meeting will be held in June. 据报导,这个会将在六月间举行. 例2.It is said that there are now three times as many factories in that district as in 1970. 据说,那个地区的工厂比1970年增加 了两倍.
三,英译汉基础翻译要点
第六章 名词从句的译法
6.1 主语从句
A. 以从属连词或连接代词位于句首的主语从 句翻译时语序一般不变.如:
例1.That a man could live for so many years alone in the mountains is really something unthinkable. 一个人 能够单独在山里生活这么多年真是不 可思议. 例2.That substances expand when heated and contract when cooled is a common physical phenomenon. 物质 热长冷缩是一个普通的物理现象.
B.以形式主语it引出的主语从句, 翻译时有三种处理办法: 1. 如主语从句较短,可提前与主 句合译为"是"字结构.如:
例1. It is dangerous that you have a smattering of superficial knowledge on a subject. 对任何问 题一知半解都是危险的. 例2.It is good news that our team has won the championship. 我们队得了冠军是好消息.
例1.We expressed the hope that they would come over to visit China again. 我们表示希望他们再到中国来访问. 例2.There can be no doubt that he is qualified for the job. 毫无疑问他做这工作很合适.
B. 英语中的宾语从句有时置于句首, 其修饰作用在于强调宾语.为了使 译文达到相同的修辞效果,翻译时 也宜将宾语从句前置.
例1.Whether they like it or not, I don't care. 他们喜欢不喜欢,我可不管. 例2.What they were asked to do in 10 days, they finished in two. 让他们十天做的事,他们两天就 做完了.
例4.It therefore becomes more and more important that, if students are not to waste their opportunities, there will have to be much more detailed information about courses and more advice. 因此,如果要学生好好利用他们上大学的 机会,就应该为他们提供大量关于课程方 面更为详尽的信息和更多的指点.这个问 题显得越来越重要了.
例1. We think it certain that American English does have a considerable influence upon British English. 我们 认为美语必然对英语产生相当大的影 响. 例2. I make it clear that I was determined to carry out the plan. 我已 表明决心去执行这个计划.
例3.What the students find most difficult in a foreign language is its idiomatic usage.学 生感到,一种外语最困难的地方是它的习惯 用法. 例4.What struck me most in this book was the author's true-to-life description of the people's life in that country. 这本书给我印象 最深的是作者对那个国家的人民生活所做的 真实的描写. 例5.Whatever was said here must be kept secret. 这里说的每句话都应保密.