英语翻译之词语的选择

英译汉中常用的确定词义的手段
一、根据词语搭配和上下文选择词义
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– – – – – – He reached his hand out for the book I offered him. We tried to reach them by cable. She reached up and picked a pear off a branch. The speaker's voice couldn't reach to the back of the auditorium. The insecticide was put out of the child's reach. The upper reaches of Minjiang River serves as ecological barriers of Sichuan Province and even the west of China.
• Most of the money came from selling the secret of a new type of potato he had developed. • 大部分钱是靠出售他培育土豆新品种的秘方得来的。 • As early as his second film, Chaplin had developed his own manner of acting, the one that was to become world famous. • 早在卓别林演第二部电影时，他就已形成了自己的表 演风格，这就是他后来闻名于世的那种表演风格。
• 语言的形式与意义之间的关系可粗略划分 成以下三种： F1→M1; F1→Mx; Fx→M1（F代表形式， M代表意义，x＞1） • 明辨词义不仅是翻译的起点，而且也是翻 译的基础和关键环节。用词错误往往会影 响整个句子、乃至整篇文章的意思，正所 谓“差之毫厘，谬以千里。”
• Operate：
他伸出手来接我给他的书。 我们试着用电报跟他们联络。 她抬起手从一根枝上摘下一只梨。 礼堂后排听不到演讲人的声音。
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杀虫剂放在孩子够不着的地方。
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岷江上游是四川省乃至我国西南重要的生态屏障
1. We had a grand view of a sea of clouds when we climbed to the top of the mountain. 当我们爬上了山巅时，看到了云海的壮观景象。 2. We must do away with the grandiose style of work. 我们必须摈弃浮夸的工作作风。 3. It is indeed the most magnificent drawing-room I have ever seen. 那的确是我所见到的最豪华的客厅。 4. The buildings around the Circus are rather nondescript, though some of them are large and quite imposing. 广场周围的建筑物并不起眼，不过其中有一些还比较高 大、宏伟。 5. Whenever the stately national anthem is performed, I am invariably emotionally roused. 每当奏起庄严的国歌时，我总在感情上受到激发。
• Photographers return and the photos are quickly developed. • 摄影记者回来了，很快把照片冲洗好了。 • In developing a design, the engineer must apply his knowledge of engineering and material science. • 在进行设计时，工程师必须应用自己在工程学和材料 学方面的知识。
• It is believed that before writing was developed, people in China used to keep records by putting a number of stones together. • 人们认为，在出现书写之前，中国人常把石头放在 一起来记事。 • Some married people who are not satisfied with their family may resort to the internet to develop an extramarital affair. • 一些对家庭不满意的已婚男女也会借助互联网去搞 婚外恋。
第三章 词语的选择
• • • • • • • • • • •
学历造假 散伙饭 具有时效性的 录取分数线 经适房 家庭主男 小白脸，吃软饭的 二奶 另类 菜鸟 裸奔
• fabricate academic credentials • farewell dinner • time-efficient • admission scores • affordable housing • house-husband • kept man • kept woman • offbeat • rookie • streaking
二、根据词语搭配和上下文变通词义
词义引申的手段
词义的转化
词义的具体化 词义的抽象化
1、词义的转化
1）The factors which are likely to influence investment spending do not stop here. 译：可能影响投资开支的因素并不止这些。 2）Whether you like it or not, globalization is here to stay. We are not going to reverse the trend. 译：不管你对它的态度如何，经济全球化已成为我们生活的 一部分，这个趋势不可逆转。 3）Our products, if maintained properly and regularly, can at least see twenty years’ service. 译：我们的产品如果适当地定期检修，至少可以使用20年。 4）That’s a tall story about the town’s high street. 译: 有关这城主街的说法是在令人难以置信。
He took the machine to pieces to try and find out how it operated. 他把机器拆开，想看看机器怎么运转的。 If there’s an electrical failure, it’s possible to operate the lift manually. 如果停电，可以由人力开动电梯。 Changes are being introduced to make the department operate more efficiently. 变革正在进行，以提高部门的工作效率。
• 发展是硬道理。 Development is the absolute / cardinal / primary principle.
• 假日经济在我国已经呈现出广阔的发展前景。 The holiday economy promises remarkable growth. The holiday economy holds great promise of growth. The holiday economy has remarkable potential for growth. The holiday economy has the prospect of remarkable growth.
• 译文：由于文字的发明，人类取得了巨大的进步， 因为此时知识不仅可以交流，而且可以储存。图 书为开展教育活动提供了可能性，而教育又反过 来增加了图书的数量和内容。
develop=发展?
• His plane developed engine trouble only seven miles after take-off. • 他的飞机起飞后只飞行了七英里就发生了机械故障。 • Modern aircraft are so heavy that the wings must develop a very large life force in order to sustain the aircraft. • 现代飞机很重，机翼必须产生很大的升力才能保持飞 机在空中飞行。
6. 搞花架子 do something superficial 7. 搞活国营大中型企业 invigorate large and medium-sized stateowned enterprises 8. 更加注重搞好宏观调控 pay more attention to exercising macrocontrol 9. 开放搞活 open up and enliven the economy 10. 靠扩大财政赤字搞建设 increase the deficit to spend more on development
• 11）With the invention of writing, a great advance was made, for knowledge could then be not only communicated but also stored, libraries made education possible, and education in its turn added to libraries.
• While people in other countries in the world were trying to catch wild animals and birds and were still collecting seeds and nuts, farmers in China were developing the science of agriculture. • 当世界上其他国家还在捕猎飞禽走兽、采 集种子坚果的时候，中国农民就已经在从 事农业科技研究了。
1. 集中精力把经济建设搞上去 go all out for economic development 2. 坚持对话,不搞对抗 persist in dialogue, refrain from confrontation 3. 不搞劳民伤财的“形象工程” refrain from building “vanity projects ”that waste both money and manpower 4. 对内搞活，对外开放 revitalize domestic economy, open up to the outside world 5.Hale Waihona Puke Baidu恶搞 spoof
Specially equipped troops are operating undercover activities in the hills. 专门部队在山上进行秘密训练。 We have representatives operating in most countries. 我们在许多国家都有代理开展业务。 Exchange rates are currently operating to the advantage of exports. 目前的汇率走势对出口有利。 Destructive forces are clearly operating within the community. 显然社区中有破坏势力在活动。
2、词义的具体化
1) There is more to their life than political and social and economic problem, more than transient everydayness. 他们的生活远不止那些政治的、社会的和经济的问题， 远不止一时的柴米油盐问题。 2) The factory is famous for its arsenal of technical geniuses. 这家工厂以拥有众多技术精英而著称。 3)Our unique concept was a response to buyer needs, bringing greater reliability, higherquality output, exceptional user-friendliness and operational ease. 我们唯一的信念就是要适应购买者的需要，生产更可 靠的、质量更高的产品，让使用者感到格外好用和操作 方便。