第4课：科技英语词汇特点与翻译

2. Translation of Compound


Most of such compound words may be translated literally, Sometimes, however, there are exceptions. For example, bull’s eye ( 靶心)，cat-and-mouse( 航向与指挥 的)，dog house (高频高压电源屏蔽罩)，etc.literal translation in tackling such terms may lead astray. Therefore whenever we are confronted with unfamiliar terms and are not sure of their meaning, we should frequently consult dictionaries of relevant specialties. In many cases some additional explanations are needed to make the original meaning clear and accurate.
Affixation/derivation

Besides prefix and suffix of English origin, there are some foreign borrowings, noticeably the Latin ones, e.g. bio-（生物， 生命）, thermo-（热）, electro-（电）, aero-（空气）, carbo-（碳）, hydro-（水） , -ite（矿物）, -mania（热，狂）, etc. If we are familiar with these prefixes and suffixes, many technical terms of such formation can be translated appropriately.

EST专业词汇的构成
专业词汇的构成
派生词 (derivation) 复合词 (compounding) 混成词 (blending) 缩略词 (shortening)
借用词 缩写
前缀
后缀
压缩和省略
计算机专业英语
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1.借用外来语（Borrowing）
大部分科技英语词汇来源于外来语，特 别是一些新出现的科技术语(以及由它们派生 的形容词)经常借用其它语言的词汇。其中拉 丁语、希腊语对科技英语词汇的影响源远流 长。现代科学技术一方面仍直接从拉丁语、 希腊语借用术语，而另一方面又利用拉丁语、 希腊语的词根，加上英语、拉丁语、希腊语 的词缀构成无穷无尽的科技词汇。 e.g. science & technology acoustics，aerodynamics ambulance, acupuncture
e.g.

复合名词: bar code，information highways， heat wave, toothpick，acid cloud，cold fusion， pocket office 复合形容词: nuclear-weapon-free areas point-to-point 点到点 easy-to-use 易用的 plug-to-plug即插即用 复合动词: to mass-produce, to window-dress， to globe trot，to air-condition，to hand-carry
A mastery of them will benefit us a great deal in the translation of EST.
classification of technical words
single words ( robot, internet, etc.)， compound forms ( e.g. feedback 反馈， splashdown 溅落，) phrases on-and-off-the-road路面越野两用的， anti-armored-fight-vehicle-missile 反装 甲车导 power-transmission-relay system 送点中继体系，
3. Acronyms

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Sometimes, an acronym happens to be an actual English word, or it may possess more than one meaning. In this case, special attention should be paid to pick out the right equivalent in Chinese. Mouse minimum orbital unmanned satellite of the earth （仪表载重 50 攻击以下的）不在人的最小人造地球 卫星 SALT Strategic Arms Limitation Talks限制战略武器会谈 SNAP subsystem for nuclear auxiliary power辅助原子核动力 系统 space nuclear auxiliary power空间核辅助能源 systems for nuclear auxiliary power辅助核动力系统
3. Acronyms

An acronym is a word formed from the initials or other parts of several words. Acronyms are widely accepted to coin English technical terms. With the rapid development of science and technology, more and more acronyms are being extensively use in various fields. Simple and brief, acronyms sometimes tend to cause ambiguity in meaning. Therefore, it is up to the translator to discern their actual meaning in different contexts.
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2. 2合成法(compounding)
Two or more words combined t form a new word is called compounding. English technical terms formed by compounding generally take three forms:
科技英语词汇与翻译
从事科技文献翻译和其它翻译一 样，首先碰到的便是词的翻译。要想 处理好词的翻译，必须要有足够的词 汇量，同时还需了解科技英语词汇的 来源与特点，掌握词的构成方式及翻 译技巧。
I. 科技英语词汇的来源及构成

One of the most distinctive features of EST is its technical terms, which not only account for a large part of English vocabulary, but also are the most important source of newly coined words in modern English, ranging over an extensive area of various fields.
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从上述例子可以看出，科技英语中大 量使用复合名词和复合形容词。复合动词 的使用是现代英语中一种比较简练的表现 手段。如果不用复合动词来表达，句子会 冗长拖沓。但复合动词的使用范围有一定 的局限性，不宜任意套用。对这类动词本 身，也要区别对待:有临时性词语，时过境 迁不再使用;有些富于表现力，能比较长期 地保存下来;在翻译过程中，一定要多注意 这些词。
除此以外，英语科技词汇还不断从其它语 言借用，来丰富、发展自己。 e.g. 借自汉语的有: typhoon(台风), suan-pan(算盘) 借自法语的有: chiffon(雪纺稠或薄稠); plateau(高原) 借自波斯语的有: shawl(披肩)，bazaar(市场); 借自印地语的有: nabob(大富翁); 借自意大利语的有: fresco(壁画); 借自德语的有: anti-body(抗体); blitz (闪电战) 借自西班牙语的有: canyon (峡谷 ), mosquito (蚊子) 借自阿拉伯语的有: algebra(代数), alcohol (酒精)



Hyphenated: ( e.g. salt-former 卤素， dew-point 露点， pulse-scaler 脉冲定标器) Unhyphenated/solid: ( e.g. fallout 放射性尘埃， hovercraft气垫船， waterlock 水闸， thunderstorm 雷暴)， two or more separate words forming a word combination( e.g. stem cell 干细胞， optical drive 光驱， satellite antimissile observation system 卫星反导弹观察 系统)。
2. 通过构词法(Word formation)

2. 1词缀法(affixation) Affixation is an important means of coining new English words and technical terms, with prefix and suffix as inseparable elements of the words being coined. The advantage of affixation is evident: it is the most flexible means of forming new words and its potential of creation is almost boundless, therefore it is extensively used in the formation of technical terms.
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掌握一些常见的缩略词对外文资料的阅读是十分必要的。此外， 由于科学技术的不断发展，各个学科的新术语不断出现，使得缩 写调也具有一词多义，因而在学习时应引起重视。例：
3. Acronyms
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ADP automatic data processing自动数据处理 AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome 爱滋病 DEPM electronic data processing machine电子数据处理 机 DINK double income, no kids双收入无子女家庭 GSV guided space vehicle制导宇宙飞船 Laser light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation激光 RAM random access memory 随即存取存储器 UFO unidentified flying object不明飞行物 WWW World Wide Web 万维网
1. Affixation/derivation
The following are some typical examples. • miniultrasonicprober = mini +ultra + sonic + prober 微型超 声波金属探伤仪 • macrospacetransship = macro + space + trans + ship巨型 空间转运飞船 • teletypesetter = tele + type + setter 电传排字机 • bathythermograph = bathy + thermo + graph 海水测温仪 • barothermograph = baro + thermo + graph 气压温度记录 器 • deoxyribonucleic = de + oxy + ribo + nucleic 脱氧核糖核的 • photomorphogenesis = photo + morpho + genesis 光形态 11 发生