4英语翻译-省译法

翻译技巧之：省译法
这是与增译法相对应的一种翻译方法，即删去不符合目标语思维习惯、语言习惯和表达方式的词，以避免译文累赘。

增译法的例句反之即可。

英译汉：省略代词，介词，冠词，连词，动词，短语等
英译汉的省译法
一、从语法角度来看
（一）省代词
（1）省略作主语的人称代词
I had many wonderful ideas, but I only put a few into practice.
我有很多美妙的想法，但是只把少数付诸实践了。

He was thin and haggard and he looked miserable.
他瘦弱憔悴，看上去一副可怜相。

He put his hands into pockets and then shrugged his shoulders.
他将双手放进衣袋，然后耸了耸肩。

Please let us know the detailed information on your market.
请告知（我方）贵方市场详情。

For two weeks, he had been studying the house, looking at its rooms, its electric wiring, its path and its garden.
两周以来，他一直注意观察房子的情况，查看各个房间，留心电线的走向、通道和花园的布局。

We live and learn.
活到老，学到老。

When will he arrive?—You can never tell.
他什么时候到？——说不准。

The significance of a man is not in what he attained but rather in what he longs to attain.
人生的意义不在于已经获取的，而在于渴望得到什么样的东西。

2．省略作宾语的代词
The more he tried to hide his mistakes, the more he revealed them.
他越是想要掩盖他的错误，就越是容易暴露。

Please take off the old picture and throw it away.
请把那张旧画取下来扔掉。

3．省略物主代词
I put my hand into my pocket.
我把手放进口袋。

She listened to me with her rounded eyes.
她睁大双眼，听我说话。

（二）代词it的省略
Outside it was pitch dark and it was raining cats and dogs.
外面一团漆黑，大雨倾盆。

He glanced at his watch; it was 7:15.
他一看表，是七点一刻了。

It took me a long time to reach the hospital.
我花了很长时间才到了医院。

It is the people who are really powerful.
人民才是最强大的。

It was just growing dark, as she shut the garden gate.
她关上园门时，已是暮色苍茫了。

It was only then that I began to have doubts whether my story would ever be told. 只是这个时候，我才开始怀疑，我的经历究竟是否可以公诸于众。

（三）省略连接词
He looked gloomy and troubled.
他看上去有些忧虑不安。

（省略并列连词）
Where there is will, there is a way.
有志者，事竟成。

（省略从属连词）
If winter comes, can spring be far behind?
冬天来了，春天还会远吗？（省略表示条件的连接词）
When I sing, I sing off-key.
我一唱歌就走调。

He declined to comment on the President’s statement, since he had not read the text. 他没有看总统讲话的文稿，不愿加以评论。

（省略表示因果的连接词）
As it is late, you had better go home.
时间不早了，你最好回家去吧。

（省略表示原因的连接词）
If I had known it, I would not have joined in to.
早知如此，我就不参加了。

（省略表示条件的连接词）
John rose gloomily as the train stopped, for he was thinking of his ailing mother.
火车停了，约翰郁郁地站了起来，因为他想起了病中的母亲。

（省略表示时间的连接词）（四）省略冠词
1．英语有冠词，汉语没有冠词；因此，英译汉时往往可将冠词省略。

A teacher should have patience in his work.
当教员的应当有耐心。

（省略不定冠词A）
The horse is a useful animal.
马是有益的动物。

（省略定完词The）
It is out of the question to fly to the moon in the past.
在过去，飞往月球是绝对办不到的事情。

（省略定完词The）
The moon was slowly rising above the sea.
月亮慢慢从海上升起。

（省略定冠词The）
2．英译汉时，省略原文中的冠词是一般情况。

但在某些场合，冠词却不能省略，可以翻译为“一个，每一，这个，那个”等。

例如：
He left without saying a word.
他一句话不说就走了。

He said he was getting a dollar a mile.
他说他开车每一英里赚一美元。

This is the book you wanted.
这就是你要的那本书。

（五）省略介词
1．省略表示时间的前置词
On July 1, 1997, Hong Kong returned to the People’s Republic of China.
1997年7月1日，香港回归了中华人民共和国。

Have you got any money with you?
你身上有钱吗？
The People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949.
一九四九年中华人民共和国成立。

比较：中华人民共和国成立于一九四九年。

（介词译成汉语在句首时可以省略，在句尾就没有省略）
2．省略表示地点的前置词
Smoking is prohibited in public places.
公共场所不准吸烟。

In winter, it is much colder in the North than it is in the South.
冬天，北方的天气比南方冷得多。

（六）省略动词
Through the history of this university is quite old, its buildings are quite up-to-date.
这所大学尽管历史久远，可建筑物却式样新颖。

Solids expand and contract as liquids and gases do.
如同液体和气体一样，固体也能膨胀和收缩。

In spring the day is getting longer and longer and the night shorter and shorter.
春季白天越来越长，夜晚越来越短。

A square has four equal sides.
正方形的四条边相等。

When the pressure gets low, the boiling-point becomes low.
气压低，沸点就低。

Delivery must be effected within the time stated on the purchase order.
必须在购货单规定的时间交货。

省略名词
The sun and a grain of sand are both bodies, for each consists of a definite amount of matter.
太阳和沙子都是物体，因为它们都是由一定数量的物质组成的。

（省略名词grain）Different kinds of matter have different properties.
不同的物质具有不同的特性。

（省略名词kinds）
Going through the process of heat treatment, metals become much stronger and more durable.
经过热处理后，金属强度更大，更加耐用。

（省略名词process）
二、从修辞角度看
（一）英语句子中有些短语重复出现，或者具有相同意义的词重复出现，英译汉时可按情况作适当省略。

University applicants who had worked at a job would receive preference over those who had not.
报考大学的人，有工作经验的优先录取。

Neither party shall cancel the contract without sufficient cause or reason.
双方均不得无故解除合同。

We take this opportunity to inform you that we are now in a position to make prompt shipment. 兹奉告，该商品可即期装运。

The cargo liner finally landed on the runway safe and sound.
那架大型货运飞机终于在跑道上安全降落。

The little match-girl shook and trembled with cold.
卖火柴的小女孩冻得瑟瑟发抖。

The love for her husband and child was part and parcel of her life.
她对丈夫和孩子的爱构成了她生命中的主要部分。

It is right and proper to have a try.
试一试是完全正确的。

Exercises:
1. He used poetry as a medium for writing in prose.
他用诗歌来写散文。

2. If you take this medicine, your illness will surely be cured.
这药吃了准好。

3. You don’t need to care about the affairs in the home.
家里的事，不用你管。

4. It was one of the few gestures of sentiment he was ever to make.
他很少表露感情，这是难得的一次。

5. We passed two neighbors. Havel nodded to both wishing them a good day.
我们走过两个邻居，哈维尔向他们点头，以示问候。

6. The western system is characterized by the existence of competitive elections.
西方制度的一个特点是竞选。

7. All evils are to be considered with the good that is in them, and with what worse attends them.
真是，我怎么不想想祸福相依和祸不单行的道理呢？
8. He was mature in years and tried in wars but had the old, inbred arrogance of his family. 他正当壮年，久经沙场，但是却带有他的家族的那种年深月久，代代相传的傲慢习气。

9. I sent you yesterday all the books you wanted, have you received them?
你所要的书籍，我已于昨日如数寄上，收到了没有？
10. They came in their thousands.
他们成千上万地赶来了。

11. The early autumn day was warm and charming.
初秋时节，日子温暖迷人。

12. As the temperature increases, the volume of water becomes greater.
温度升高，水的体积就增大。

13. More often we would go for a weekend to Camp David.
我们到戴维营过周末倒是更经常些。

14. Rumors had already spread along the streets and lanes.
大街小巷早就传遍了各种流言蜚语。

15. Men will reap as they sow.
种瓜得瓜。

汉译英省译法
汉译英
（1）You will be staying in this hotel during your visit in Beijing.
你在北京访问期间就住在这家饭店里。

（省译物主代词）
（2）I hope you will enjoy your stay here.
希望您在这儿过得愉快。

（省译物主代词）
（3）中国政府历来重视环境保护工作。

The Chinese government has always attached great importance to environmental protection. (省译名词)
1、在译文中看来是可有可无的或是多余的
2、其意思已经包含在上下文里
3、其含义在译文中是不言而喻的
一、原文中重复出现的词语
能说会道
To have the gift of the gab
在抗日战争中，八路军和中国人民组成了一道铜墙铁壁。

During the Anti-Japanese War, the Chinese people and the Communist-led Eighth Route Army built up a bastion of iron/ a wall of bronze.
增加的画线部分是为了让西方读者更好地了解背景——当时的八路军是由共产党领导的
等他回国再说！
Let’s wait until he is back to China
Chinglish: …and speak it again
他一开口总是三句话不离他女朋友。

He can hardly open his mouth without talking about his girlfriend.
广大人民群众是懂得这个道理的。

汉英对比里的主语
如广大、人民跟群众分别译出，就是all the people masses显得多余累赘
Masses就是表示广大、所有的人民群众
This point is well understood by the masses.
这架电视机真是价廉物美。

This television set is really cheap and fine
没有必要译成cheap in price and fine in quality,本身cheap就是指价格上的便宜
那位小伙子有点愣头愣脑的。

That young fellow is somewhat rash( in the head).
那时候党中央的所在地就在保安。

The (place of) Central Committee of the Party was then in Baoan.
汉语中有不少虚词如“就”、“又”、“还”、“都”等词可以不译
她就是这种脾气。

That is her temper!
如用this就没有用that能表达出“就是”的语气
师生关系愈好，就愈有利于教学水平的提高。

The better/ closer relations between teachers and students, the more chances for improving teaching.
有些前后意思已经很明确的动宾短语，可以省去搭配的动词不译，只译宾语。

总理在出席音乐会之前，还有许多工作要做。

The premier had a lot of work to do before the concert.
没有必要译成before attending…
她连续讲了两个小时的法语，没有出现任何错误。

She has been talking in French for two hours without any mistakes.
我们衷心祝愿非洲人民取得争取独立和自由的更大胜利！
We sincerely wish the African people’s bigger victory for freedom and independence!
我在等待几个高中同学的到来。

I’m waiting for some classmates in middle-school.
他们为国家作的贡献比我们所作的贡献要大的多。

They have done much more contributions for the state than we have.
动词或形容词分别带相同的宾语可以只翻出其中一个宾语，其余的省略不译
我们要培养分析问题、解决问题的能力
We should develop our ability to analyze and solve problems.
…to oppose the military, political and economic policy of appeasement .
有时汉语句子重复使用谓语动词是为了加强语气和平衡句子，译成英语可省去重复的词
生也好，死也好，我们要忠于党，忠于人民，忠于祖国。

Live or die, we should be loyal to our Party, to our people and to our motherland.
要是下三天的雨，难道我就在这儿住三天不成？
Am I to stay here for three days if it rains that long?
我昨天没进城，一来是因为天气不好，二来是因为我不舒服。

I did not go to town yesterday both because of the nasty weather and the fact that I was not feeling well.
二、原文中表示范畴的词语
译作
Contradictions among the people
中国足球的落后状态必须改变。

The backwardness of Chinese football must be changed.
师生关系愈好，就愈有利于教学水平的提高。

The better/ closer relations between teachers and students, the more chances for improving teaching (level×).
迅速改变我国贫穷落后的面貌，是我国各族人民的强烈愿望。

It is the burning desire of all the people to end our country’s poverty and backwardness quickly. To quickly end our country’s poverty and backwardness is the burning des ire of the Chinese people of all nationalities.
这种自满情绪会严重影响到你学习的进步的!
Such arrogance will severely affect your study.
除了进行公开真诚的交流，否则两国间的紧张局势不能得到缓解。

Without open-heart/ sincere communication, the tension between the two countries cannot be
eased.
她的疯狂行为真让人难以理解。

Her madness is so difficult to understand.
三、可省去影响译文行文或修辞效果的词。

所谓的简化和压缩无非是：1）译出主要的和不可缺少的词语，略去次要的或不言而喻的词语。

2）将具体的词语抽象概括为笼统的概念词。

1 他一开口总是三句话不离本行。

He can hardly open his mouth without talking shop.
2. 每条河流都有上游、中游、下游。

Every river has its upper，middle and lower reaches.
3. 多年来那个国家一直有严重的失业现象。

For many years there has been serious unemployment in that country.
4. 人们利用科学去了解自然，改造自然。

People use to understand and change nature.
5. 他把事情一五一十地都给父母讲了。

He told his parents the whole story exactly as it had happened.
6. 新老干部要互相学习，互相帮助，取长补短。

Old and new cadres should learn from and help each other，to make up for each other's deficiencies.
7. 这些新型汽车速度快，效率高，行动灵活。

These new cars are fast，efficient and handy.
8. 我厂生产的地毯图案新颖、色调雅致、美丽大方、富丽堂皇。

The carpets produced in our factory are well-known for their novel design, elegant colors, beautiful looks and magnificent air.。