英语长句的翻译策略

英语长句的翻译策略

英语长句翻译是一个难题。英语长句错综复杂,而汉语在表达复杂的思想时,多结构简单,短小而精悍。在翻译英语长句时很多句子不适合直译,应该在透彻理解原文的基础上,根据句子的语法结构进行解构,再按照汉语的行文习惯进行重组。本文从英汉句法结构的差异着手,以解构与重组为策略,探讨英语长句的翻译方法。

1.英汉句法解构的差异

从句子形式来看,英语是形合语言,句子中各个意群、成分常是通过关联词或其他语法手段来表达其相互关系的。而汉语是意合语言,句中意群、成分往往是通过内在的联系串在一起,不一定或很少用关联词或其他语法手段,相对较松散。英语长句是在简单句的基础上通过使用较长的修饰语或从句变长变复杂。汉语在表达复杂的思想时,多借助于动词,虚词和词序,经常使用松散句和流水句,按照一定的时间和逻辑顺序组句,结构简单。

2.解构与重组的定义

翻译理论家尤金·奈达从翻译的思维活动过程对翻译进行了描述,他认为翻译主要由三个阶段构成,即分析,转换和重构。“解构”是指对原句的字、词、短语、从句及上下文和语用环境等进行剖析,将其肢解为若干部分以弄清其结构关系和含意,并将其语言形式转换成思想概念,即语义信息。“重组”则是指在理清了原句的结构关系之后,再将“解构”原句所得到的语义信息按照译入语的句法规则重新组装起来使之成为符合译入语表达习惯的译句(孟庆升,2009:6)。

3.英语长句解构与重组的原则

3.1解构的原则—意群划分原则

在翻译英语长句时,首先必须找出主句,理顺小句间的关系和修饰语间的关系,在透彻理解原文的基础上,将英语按语法结构逐层分解,划分为一个个的意群。例如:

Sherman had recently turned down a $50,000-a-year job at a consulting firm, after careful deliberation with his parents; because he hadn’t connected well with his potential bosses.

此句的主句为:Sherman had recently turned down a $50,000-a-year job at a consulting firm,而after careful deliberation with his parents是主句的时间状语,because he hadn't connected well with his potential bosses是主句的原因状语,主句又包含了两层意思,即Recently, Sherman had turned down a job和the consulting firm had offered him a $50,000-a-year job，此句可以解构成四个意群,即:①Recently, Sherman had turned down a job②the consulting firm had offered him a $50,000-a-year job③after careful deliberation with his parents④because he hadn’t connected well with his potential bosses.

3.2重组的原则——时间和逻辑顺序重组的原则

3.2.1时间原则

如果英语原句中出现了表示时间顺序的关系副词或连词，如when, before, until, at first, then, later, meanwhile, in the end, finally, as soon as, the next moment and so on, 就按时间先后顺序进行翻译。如果英语原句没有强调时间先后顺序，翻译时要把最重要的事放在句首。

例如，Sherman had recently turned down a $50,000-a-year job at a consulting firm, after careful deliberation with his parents;按照解构的原则，我们把它分为三个意群，:①Recently, Sherman had turned down a job②the consulting firm had offered him a $50,000-a-year job③after careful deliberation with his parents；这句中有after这个词，意思是“在、、、、、之后”，按照汉语的表达习惯，我们在翻译时，可以调整顺序为①③②，翻译如下，最近，一家咨询公司给谢尔曼提供了一份年薪5万美元的工作。在与父母仔细商量之后，他没有接受那份工作。

3.2.2逻辑原则

英译汉时,正确的逻辑判断可以帮助理解英语原文中所包含的逻辑关系。英汉在逻辑顺序的表达方面不大相同,比如在表示因

果关系的英语复合句中,因果顺序比较灵活,而汉语在大多数情况下,原因在前,结果在后,有时也结果在前,原因在后。在翻译时,应该了解两者的差异,然后按照译入语的行文习惯进行表达。例如，Sherman had recently turned down a $50,000-a-year job at a consulting firm, after careful deliberation with his parents; becaus e he hadn’t connected well with his potential bosses.此句中because表示因果关系，按照逻辑关系原则，可以译为最近，一家咨询公司给谢尔曼提供了一份年薪5万美元的工作。在与父母仔细商量之后，他没有接受那份工作，原因是他和可能成为他上司的人在沟通方面有些问题。

4.英语长句的解构与重组的翻译策略

4.1形合变意合

英语的句子是通过语法手段和逻辑手段连接起来的。汉语是意合语言,注重的是意义的连贯,语法意义和逻辑关系通常隐含在字里行间。汉译英时应添加应有的连接词,而英译汉时则要省略一定的连接词。所以在英译汉时,首先要将“形合”语言进行解构,然后按照汉语“意合”的特点进行重组。例如，They note that it’s a good time to reevaluate career choices; that since joblessness is now so common among that peers, it has lost much of its stigma; and that since they don’t have mortgages o r kids, they have flexibility, and in this respect, they are lucky.根据意群划分原则，这句可以分为7个短句。①They note that…

②It’s a good time to reevaluate career choices

③that since joblessness is now so common among that peers④it has lost much of its stigma⑤and that since th ey don’t have mortgages or kids⑥they have flexibility⑦and in this respect, they are lucky①是主句,②③④⑤⑥⑦是①的宾语从句,②/③④/⑤⑥⑦是并列的,③和④分别为原因和结果,⑤和⑥也是原因与结果,⑤⑥和⑦是并列的,⑤⑥是叙事,⑦是评价。在翻译时,应将英语的连接手段进行适当的隐性化,此句所用到的词汇表连接手段的有:that, since, and。此句可以译为：他们发现，现在是重新审视职业选择的好时机；失业这种现象在同龄人中太常见了，也不会觉得丢人了；他们既没有房贷，又没有孩子，生活也随意自由，单从这点来说，他们是幸运的。

4.2复杂变简短

英语中复杂的长句非常多，而汉语常见松散句、省略句、流水句等短句。英语长句在译为汉语的时候常常需要根据解构重组的原则变繁为简。例如，Examining national longitudinal data, Mossakowski had found that people who were unemployed for long periods in their teens or early 20s are far more likely to develop a habit of heavy drinking (five or more drinks in one sitting) by the time they approach middle age. 根据语法结构,可将它解构成以下几个意群: ①Examining national longitudinal data②Mossakowski had found that③people are far more likely to develop a habit of heavy drinking ④who were unemployed for long periods in their teens or early 20s⑤(five or more drinks in one sitting)⑥by the time they approach middle age. ②是主句,①先于②,③是宾语从句里的主句,④是个定语从句修饰③的主语people,⑤是对③里的“heavy drinking”进行补充说明,⑥是个介词短语是③的时间状语。根据解构重组原则，按照汉语表达习惯，这句可以译为：调查了全国范围的纵向数据之后，克莱西娅发现，青年时期或20多岁就长期失业的人，中年之后更容易染上酗酒（一次可以喝五杯甚至更多）的恶习。

综上所述,英语的长句错综复杂,而汉英两种语言又存在诸多差异。本文从“解构与重组”的角度介绍了英语长句翻译的策略,但是,真正的翻译境界,仅仅了解英汉两种语言的差异和一定的翻译技巧还是不够的,翻译工作者必须加强平时的练习,将这些技巧应用到翻译实践之中。