翻译三：无主句译法

无主句译法Daisy Xue
I. 汉语无主句特点
在汉语中，只有谓语部分而没有主语部分的句子叫做无主句。

这里所谓的无主句，并不是省略了主语的句子，而是在汉语习惯上就这么讲、这么写。

至于其主语到底是什么，往往很难确定。

但是这种句子在任何语言环境下都能表达完整明确的意思，如：“房子前面有一棵树，树下拴着一头老牛”，“刮风了，要下雨了”，“要吃什么，尽管跟我说”等等。

II. 翻译思路
汉语句子中主语隐含或无主语时常可见。

译成英文必须依照英语的要求，将主语增补进来，或者另觅它途。

进行增补时首先要推敲语境，其次要考虑英语语法习惯和行文的需要.另觅它途时要考虑句子的功能以及和上下文的衔接情况。

构建翻译句子的整体框架。

确定译文整个句子中各个成分，尤其是确定以什么作为英语主语。

III. 翻译方法
添加适当的代词或名词充当主语
用“it”充当主语
采用英语的被动结构译出
采用“There be”结构译出
汉语祈使句译成英语祈使句
采用倒装语序译出
将非主语成分转为主语
A. Adding subjects
B. Using the empty subject “it”
C. Translating into English passive sentences
D. Translating into English “there be”structure
E. Translating into English imperative sentences
F. Translating into English inversion
G. Converting the non-subject part into subject
A.Adding subjects
添加适当的代词或名词充当主语
Since an English sentence usually requires a subject, the translator can add the subject that is omitted in the Chinese original when he translates a Chinese subjectless sentence. For instance,
你一旦开始，就必须继续下去。

Once you begin, you must continue.
(amplification)
活到老，学到老。

One is never too old to learn.
It is never too late to learn.
It is never too old to learn.
不入虎穴，焉得虎子。

If one does not enter a tiger’s den, how can one get a tiger’s cub?
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
不识庐山真面目，只缘身在此山中。

We can’t get a good view of the mountain we’re standing in.
不以物喜，不以己悲。

We should not get affected by things around us, however stirring they may; neither should we feel sad about our misfortune.
忍一时风平浪静，退一步海阔天空。

If you are patient during one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.
只有走着瞧了。

Only time can tell.
弄不好，就会前功尽弃。

If things are not properly handled, our work will have been in vain.
白天里一定要做的事，一定要说的话，现在都可不理。

All that one is obliged to do, or say, in the daytime, can very well be cast aside now. （朱自清《荷塘月色》，朱纯深译）
这几天心里颇不宁静，今晚在院子里坐着乘凉，忽然想起日日走过的荷塘……
I have felt quite upset recently. Tonight, when I was sitting in the yard enjoying the cool, it occurred to me that the Lotus Pond……(同上)
B. Using the empty subject “it”
“It”in English is always used for weather, time, and some other natural phenomena. Some of the Chinese subjectless sentences describing natural phenomena or time can be translated into English sentences with “it”being the subject.
十点钟了，他还没有回来。

It's ten o'clock now. He didn't return home yet.
下雨了，我们快走吧。

It's raining now; let's hurry up.
要解决问题，还须做系统而周密的调查工作和研究工作。

In order to solve a problem it is necessary to make a systematic and thorough investigation and study．
要成功，就要付出劳动。

It will cost one / you a lot of effort to succeed in anything.
能不能提前完成计划呢？
Is it possible to carry out the plan ahead of time?
不是因为不存在问题，而是因为看不见问题。

It is not that the problem is not there; it is just not visible.
青天白日点灯笼—白费蜡。

It is not necessary to light a candle to the sun.
重要的是保持理性。

重要的是不再等待，而是安顿下来，是自己过得舒服，……
It’s important to stay rational. It’s important to stop waiting and settle down and make ourselves comfortable,... (Unit 5)
很容易产生这样的印象：贿赂以及其他可疑开支正日渐增多。

It is difficult to resist the impression that bribery and other questionable payments are on the increase. (Unit 6)
是否有可能制订一套公司法则，防止各种类型的贿赂呢?
Is it possible to devise a code of rules for companies that would prohibit bribery in all its forms? (Unit 6)
C. Translating into English passive sentences
必须保证产品质量。

The quality of product must be guaranteed.
去年发现了一种稀有元素。

A rare element was found last year.
封面上印着一个猎人的像。

The figure of a hunter was printed on the cover.
没有爱心，就无法了解人生。

Life cannot be understood without much charity．
给了他两天时间来作必要的准备。

Two days were allowed him to make the necessary preparations.
He was allowed two days to make the necessary preparations.
为什么总把这些麻烦事推给我呢？
Why should all the unpleasant jobs be pushed on to me?
希望今后上海能够与更多的外国城市结为友好城市。

It is hoped that Shanghai will establish friendly relationships with more foreign cities in future. 后来发现，这家公司也打算资助美国推翻智利政府的秘密行动。

The same company, it was revealed, was ready to finance secret US efforts to throw out the government of Chile. （Unit 6）
据闻其他国家也是如此，向外国公司施压，要他们向党派组织的账户捐款。

Other countries have also been known to put pressure on foreign companies to make donations to party bank accounts. （Unit 6）
D. Translating into English “There be”structure
除了枪声，再没有其他声音了。

There was no sound but that of gunfire.
要发展就要变，不变就不会发展。

Development means change；without change，there can be no development．
在经济建设的实践中，已经涌现了大批的优秀人才。

There have emerged a large number of talented persons in economic construction.
不努力就不会成功。

There is no success without effort.
好多年以前，这个村子里住着六个盲人。

A long, long time ago, there lived six blind men in this village.
楼下有人想和你说话。

There is a man downstairs who wants to speak to you.
没有顺利，无所谓困难；没有困难，也无所谓顺利。

Without facility, there would be no difficulty; without difficulty, there would also be no facility.
Without facility, there would be no difficulty, and vice versa.
也许这里的启示是：自我意识越强，就越不需要其他的人在周围。

Perhaps there’s a message here: The larger the ego, the less the need for other egos around. (Unit 5)
E. Translating into English imperative sentences
此处不准抽烟！
No smoking!
请大声点！
Louder, please.
中华人民共和国万岁
Long live the People's Republic of China!
不自由，毋宁死。

Give me liberty or give me death.
E. Translating into English imperative sentences
忠诚党的教育事业。

Be loyal to the Party's educational cause.
对什么人说什么话。

Speak different words to different people.
量体裁衣，看菜吃饭。

Fit the dress to the figure and fit the appetite to the dishes．
Act according to the actual circumstances.
不要去等待“合适的时间”，现在就行动！
Don’t wait for the “right time”. Move now!
别费心机去洞察女孩的心思，因为她们总在变。

Don’t bother to penetrate girls’minds as they are always changing.
Don’t even try to understand a girl’s mind as it is always changing.
听听他是怎么说的：“我从未发现比独处更好的伙伴。

”
Listen to him: “I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude.”(Unit 5)
F. Translating into English inversion
远处传来悲壮的笳声。

In the distance sounded a solemn, stirring reed flute．
随着一声吼叫，呼地从树林里窜出一只老虎来。

Following the roar, out rushed a tiger from among the bushes.
山里住着个虔诚的老和尚。

In the mountain lived an old devout monk.
地下埋藏着大量的金、银、铜、铅和锌。

Hidden underground is a wealth of gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc.
然而，找不到任何迹象表明这两者之间存在着关系。

Nowhere, however, are any indications found of those relationships holding between the two (things).
就在他们的试管中，放着世界上最早的部分纯化的镭的样品。

Here in the bottom of their test tube lay the world’s first partially purified sample of radium. 家里则自有亲人备好了热茶，等着他们回家。

The indoors was full of loved ones keeping the kettle warm till they came home.（Unit 5）
G. Converting the non-subject part into subject
在那桃花盛开的地方，有我可爱的故乡。

My lovely hometown lies (in the place) where peach flowers are in blossom.
热得我满头大汗。

I’m all in a sweat.
有你的份。

You’ve got your share.
只准州官放火，不准百姓点灯。

The magistrates are free to burn down houses, while the common people are forbidden even to light lamps.
One man may steal a horse, while another may not look over the hedge.
世上无难事，只怕有心人。

Nothing is difficult in the world if one puts his heart to it.
Nothing in the world is difficult for the one who sets his heart on it.
认识落后，才能去改变落后；学习先进，才有可能赶超先进。

Backwardness must be perceived before it can be fought. A person must learn from the advanced before he can catch up and surpass them.
如果以上方法都不妥，就要具体问题具体对待。

例如：
聪明一世，糊涂一时。

Smart as a rule，but this time a fool．
不怕一万，就怕万一。

You can never be too careful.
Exercises
说了半天也不知道他说什么。

爱一个人就要爱他的一切，包括优点和缺点。

在这个充满竞争的社会里，该如何使自己脱颖而出呢？
不过，能过自己想过的生活，不也是一种幸福吗？
由于生活的忙碌，读书的时间越来越少，以至于有几年没有真正认真地读过书了。

要适可而止，否则就要完蛋。

很容易看得出来那作家是一位生手，刚从事写作的。

还看不出来他能挑得起这副担子。

他如此固执，我们已对他失望了。

跟他争论一点意义都没有。

（Unit 6 P142 Translation 2）改革开放胆子要大一些，要敢于试验。

冒一定的风险是必要的。

不冒点风险，办什么事
情都有百分之百的把握，万无一失，谁敢说这样的话？一开始就自以为是，认为百分之百正确，没那回事。

我就从来没那么认为。

每年领导层总结经验，对的就坚持，不对的就丢掉或赶快改。

新问题出来抓紧解决。

无论是打仗还是搞改革，都经不起慢腾腾的决策。

在很多情况下，都需要冒险试一试，然后一边改正自己的错误。

恐怕再有三十年的时间，我们才会在各方面形成一套更加成熟，更加定型的制度。

在这个制度下的方针、政策，也许更加定向化。

说了半天也不知道他说什么。

I don’t understand a word even he has talked for a long time.
爱一个人就要爱他的一切，包括优点和缺点。

If you love someone else, you must love all things with him including merits and demerits.
在这个充满竞争的社会里，该如何使自己脱颖而出呢？
In this society that is full of competition, how should we make our talent shown?
不过，能过自己想过的生活，不也是一种幸福吗？
However, isn’t it a kind of happiness if you can live what you want to?
由于生活的忙碌，读书的时间越来越少，以至于有几年没有真正认真地读过书了。

Time of studying is becoming less and less because of busy life, so I haven’t read books earnestly for several years.
要适可而止，否则就要完蛋。

One step further and you will be lost.
很容易看得出来那作家是一位生手，刚从事写作的。

It is very easy to see that the writer is a novice at his task.
还看不出来他能挑得起这副担子。

Nothing suggests that he will be equal to such a task.
他如此固执，我们已对他失望了。

跟他争论一点意义都没有。

（Unit 6 P142 Translation 2）We’ve given up on him because he is so stubborn. It is pointless to argue with him.
改革开放胆子要大一些，要敢于试验。

冒一定的风险是必要的。

不冒点风险，办什么事情都有百分之百的把握，万无一失，谁敢说这样的话？
一开始就自以为是，认为百分之百正确，没那回事。

我就从来没那么认为。

1) We must be courageous enough to venture on experiments/risk experimentation with regard to reforms and open-up.
2) A certain amount of risk-taking is necessary.
3,4) Who dares to claim that he is 100 percent sure of success right from the beginning and without taking any risk? There is no such thing as certainty.
5) I have never had such notions as thinking I’m 100 percent correct.
每年领导层总结经验，对的就坚持，不对的就丢掉或赶快改。

新问题出来抓紧解决。

无论是打仗还是搞改革，都经不起慢腾腾的决策。

在很多情况下，都需要冒险试一试，然后一边改正自己的错误。

恐怕再有三十年的时间，我们才会在各方面形成一套更加成熟，更加定型的制度。

在这个制度下的方针、政策，也许更加定向化。

6) Every year, leaders should review what they have done so as to hold on to what works and
discard what does not, or take immediate corrective actions.
7) We should lose no time in tackling them whenever new problems arise.
8) No one can afford the luxury of slow decision-making, whether it involves fighting a battle or making a reform.
9) In many cases, you have to take chances, and correct your mistakes as you go along.
10,11) I’m afraid that it may take another 30 years to establish a set of more mature and more consistent system in all fields of endeavor, under which all policies will be more consistent, too.
中美两国的社会制度和对外政策有着本质的区别。

但是，双方同意，各国不论社会制度如何，都应根据尊重各国的主权和领土完整、不侵犯别国、不干涉别国内政、平等互利、和平共处的原则来处理国与国之间的关系。

国际争端应在此基础上与以解决，而不诉诸武力和武力威胁。

术语：
对外政策：foreign affairs 主权：sovereignty
领土完整：territorial integrity 内政：internal affairs
和平共处：peaceful coexistence
争端：dispute
中美两国的社会制度和对外政策有着本质的区别。

但是，双方同意，各国不论社会制度如何，都应根据尊重各国的主权和领土完整、不侵犯别国、不干涉别国内政、平等互利、和平共处的原则来处理国与国之间的关系。

国际争端应在此基础上与以解决，而不诉诸武力和武力威胁。

There are essential differences between China and the United States in their social systems and foreign policies. However, the two sides have agreed that countries, regardless of their social systems, should conduct their relations on the principles of respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states, non-aggression against other states, non-interference in the internal affairs of other states, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence. International disputes should be settled on this basis, without resorting to the use or the threat of force.
Homework
Unit 6 P141 Sentence Structure IX。