汉译英第二讲(句子技巧翻译)学生讲义

汉译英（二）句子翻译技巧

主语选择

汉语：话题式主语，不一定是动作的执行者，作主语的词性很灵活。

英语：主语是动作的执行者，词性很固定，只可以是名词，代词，非谓语动词（doing, to do), 主语从句等。另外，英语表达侧重于多样性，可以用不同的单词作为主语。汉译英时，不同的句子起始点，结构完全不同，我们要尽可能变化思路，使译文句式多样。

例1：中国人民的生活水平近年来得到很大提高。思路一：Chinese people’s living standard has been improved a lot in recent

years. （语序未调整，句子起始点没有

变化。）

思路二：There has been great raise in the living standard of the Chinese people

in recent years.

(以“提高”作主语，原文动词作谓语，现变为名词，作主语)

思路三：These years have witnessed great improvement in the Chinese people’s

living standard. （以“近年”作主语，

原文时间状语变为主语）

（还有其他思路吗？仔细想想。记住：汉语中名词皆可以充当英语句子中的主语，只看你想不想的到，当然句子有优劣之分。）

以上三个版本，第三句应该评分最高。用时间或者地点作主语，不仅强调了时间观念，而且句子简洁、生动，符合西方人的思维模式和英语表达习惯。类似的动词有：see, witness, find等。

拓展练习：

(1 )这个运动会首先在北京兴起。

Beijing first saw the rise of the movement.（地点作主语）

(2) 在南京城发生过许多重大的历史事件。

Nanjing witnessed many great historic events.（地点作主语）

(3) 近十年来，中国教育发生了重大变革。

The past decade has witnessed great changes in Chinese education.（时间作主语) China has witnessed enormous changes in education in the past ten years.

(地点作主语）

(4) 中国在2012年成功发射了“神州九号”飞船。

2012 saw the successful launching of China’s “the Ninth Shenzhou Spacecraft”. （地点作主语）

主语选择还必须符合逻辑关系。

例2：我们国家的建设事业不仅需要工程师和科学家，同样需要各行各业的能工巧匠。

难点一：选词：能工巧匠：talents, skilled workers, craftsmen, artisan, gifted people. 应该选哪个？建设：building-up, construction, development应该选哪个？

难点二：主语的选择。我们国家，建设事业，应该选择哪个？

译法一：Our country’s construction not only needs engineers and scientists, but also various craftsmen.(字对字翻译，不符合逻辑）译法二：In her development, our country needs not only engineers and scientists, but also various skillful craftsmen.（主语选择正确，与need照应）

译法三：Our country in her development needs

not only engineers and scientists, but also talents of various kinds.

换个思路：以工程师，科学家，能工巧匠做主语怎么改？

译法四：Engineers, scientists, as well as craftsmen play a vital role in our national development.

记住：多积累地道的英文好词好句，不要拘泥于中文形式“亦步亦趋”，“东施效颦”，“闭门造车”。地道保持原汁原味是汉译英的王道。

例3：这个战略思想现在已经有了实施的机遇。译法一：This strategy has the opportunity to implement itself now.

译法二：This strategic idea has already had the opportunity to be implemented.

诊断：主语选择错误。不符合主谓逻辑。

改译一：Now we have the opportunity to implement this strategy. （主谓符合逻辑）改译二： An opportunity has unfolded before us to adopt the strategy. (注意“策略”之前的动词选择）

拓展练习：我们的成长和壮大离不开大家的支持和

帮助。

译法一：Our growth and development is without your help and support.

译法二：Our growth and development can’t be realized without your help and support.

病症诊断：完全按照原文形式，思路不开阔，主语选择不符合逻辑，与谓语搭配不当，译文“中式英语”现象十分突出。

改译一：Without your help and support, we can’t grow up.

改译二：We can hardly turn into what we are today without your help and support.

改译三：We can’t flourish (thrive, prosper) without your help and support.

思考题：“我们公司发展历程简介”如何翻译？

例4：我们的事业从胜利走向胜利。

译文一：Our career has won one victory to another.

点评:主谓搭配不当，“win”主语一般是人。

改译：We have won one victory after another for our cause.

A series of victories have been won for our