翻译中的英汉主语差异

从本学期开始，学生宿舍客访不得迟于10时， 星期天不得迟于晚10时半。 Starting with this semester, dorm residents won’t be able to have guests after 10 p.m. on week nights or 10:30 p.m. on weekends. 批评家的文字，看在不言之中，最为难解。 The unsaid meanings in critical essays make them the most difficult texts to be understood. 那天天色昏暗，黄沉沉，似乎要下雨，空荡荡 的山谷，一片寂静。 A dirty-yellow sky had threatened rain all day and a hollow stillness hung over the valley.
Construction of Chinese and English Sentences
实在太荒唐。 It’s utterly absurd. 是我不好。 It’s my fault. 热得我满头大汗。 I’m all in a sweat. 又盖了许多楼堂馆所。 Many tall buildings, big mansions, hotels and guest houses were built 有你的份。 You’ve got your share.
家事、国事、天下事、事事关心。 We must not only concern ourselves with personal affairs but the affairs of the state and the world. 汉英主语差异总结
汉英翻译中的主语转换问题
对应 Equivalence 转换 Shift 补充 Supplement
她一般到上海就大概年轻了5岁，而她丈夫呢，
却老了10年。 Moving to Shanghai may have taken five years off her, but it has put ten years on her husband. 只要稍稍恭维他几句，他就会乐以忘形。 A very little compliment would make him overjoyed. 游中国当然是必游长城。 A must for all tourists to China is a visit to the Great Wall.
以名词作主语：原语以专有名词及普通 名词作主语时，名词对应式的可能性很 大。
以动词或动词短语（非主谓结构 或词组）作主语的句子也可以形 成对应。
作弊不算数。 Playing foul doesn’t hold your score. 坐下来看不清，站起来才看得清。 Sitting obstructs your view; standing up makes it better. 倾囊相助是一种美德。 To empty one’s purse to help people in need is of course a virtue.
台上坐着主席团。 The members of the Presidium are sitting on the platform. 虽然只逗留了两天，但故乡那五彩缤纷 的景物却在心中留下了新的投影。 Although a two-day stay, a beautiful new fragment was added in my mind to the evolving mosaic that is homeland.
你走吧，还有我在呢。 Off you go, I’m here close at hand. 日本人的性格是长于出击，你让他随机
应变，他并不擅长；我们的性格则是恰 恰相反。 The Japanese character is suited to taking the offensive but does not adjust readily to the defensive. We are just the opposite.
孩子的过往往是父母的错。 The sins of the parents are frequently visited upon the children. 沿路都是小商店。 Small shops dot the way. 战争带来的是灾难。 顺译：War brings forth misery. 反逆：Misery follows war.
Shift
词类转换式主语转移 推导式主语转移 反逆式主语转移 主语转移的一般规范
词类转换式主语转移
我们的自然科学比较落后，要努力向外
国学习。 In natural sciences, we are rather backward and here, we should make a special effort to learn from foreign countries.
句法结构
我们盖了一栋房子。
施事主语
房子盖在西院。
受事主语
房子我们已经盖好了。
受事、施事并列主语，施受关系。
住户家具都搬进屋了。
受事、施事在形式上并列主语，领属关系。
去年又盖了一栋房子。
时间
东院又盖了一栋房子。
地点
ቤተ መጻሕፍቲ ባይዱ
这些材料只够盖一栋房子。
与事主语
这些材料我们只能盖一栋房子。
与事、施事在形式上并列主语，施用关系
汉语的“话题”及界定
我吃了一碗饭。 I ate a bowl of rice. 这碗饭我不吃了。 I’m not going to eat this bowl of rice. 桌上搁着一碗饭。 A bowl of rice is on the table. 锅里正在蒸饭。 Rice is being steamed in the cooker. 这点饭够吃吗？ Is the rice enough? 今儿早上吃的什么饭？ What did you have for breakfast this morning?
主语转移的一般规范：
必须紧扣原意，只要不违背全句的总体 意义，选择可灵活变通，不拘一格。 必须密切顾及英语的习惯表达法。 必须同时顾及便于英语句子的成形，也 就是说必须顺应英语SV提挈机制的决定 性作用。 必须充分注意到不同的主语选择可能带 来的意义差别，特别是强调意义的差别。
Supplement
推导式主语转移
我的法语看报很吃力，你呢？ I can’t read newspaper in French without difficulty, how about you? 中国的国民意识是把追求家庭幸福提到个人幸 福之上，而美国人似乎与此相反。 In the Chinese national ideology, the pursuit of family happiness has been elevated over personal happiness, while for the Americans the order seems to be the reverse.
珠宝佩戴得体，可令你旧日的衣裳平添 色泽。 The right jewellery can revitalize the old standby that you have had in your wardrobe for years and bring it right into the “new look”.
业精于勤。 顺译：Professional expertise comes from diligence. 反逆：Diligence brings about professional expertise.
把这些胸针嵌上小巧精美的宝石，那就 更具一番风姿，可令女士们着实迷人了。 Set with small but perfect stones, these clips are fun and add to the unique charm of the wearer. Ladies will enhance their charm when they wear these clips set with small but perfect stones.
汉语主语的形态弱势
他们将她数落了一顿，可她却连顶他们 一句的勇气都没有。 They scoffed at her but she even did not have the pluck to talk back. 人不可以无耻，无耻之耻，无耻矣。 A man must not be shameless; being shameless is a shame in itself.
反逆式主语转移
他这样悍然行事使我们非常气愤。 Hot anger burned in our minds against him at his flagrant action. 一胎生了三个女儿。 Three daughters were born at one birth. 吃饭得用筷子。 Chopsticks are used for eating meals.
话题式主语句 零位主语句 隐含主语句
补充主语的手段 补充泛指性代词或名词 补充人称代词 补充逻辑推导产生的主语
话题式主语句
今天他要去看病。
He is going to see the doctor today. 街上很多人。 There are many people in the street. 窗外传来了一阵笑声。 From outside the window came a gust of laughter.
Equivalence
苏轼是为才华横溢的文学家。
Su Shi was a writer with superb talent. 这种药治感冒特别灵。 This medicine is death on colds. 财源有限，开销无穷。 (Our) financial resources are limited but expenses limitless.
SV有以下几个显著的共同点：
1. 每一个句子结构都有一个不可或缺的、作为 核心、作为基本构架的SV结构； 2. 每一个句子结构都以SV作为句子的起点，做 顺线性延伸；没有SV，即可谓“群龙无首”。 3. S与V之间有严谨的形式连接规范；而英语的 动词则又具备纷繁多变的动词变化形式。英语 中有许多动词句型必须与主语配合，从而形成 种种以SV的提挈机制而派生出的SV种种句子类 型。
The Difference between subject of Chinese and English
Comparison of Characteristics of Subject of Chinese and English
计算机很有用。 The computer is useful. 计算是第一步。 The first step is to calculate. 冷静才能计算得准确。 Exact calculation depends on a calm mind. 十六两算不准。 Miscalculations are possible if you count it on 16-liang system.
财务方面我们不了解情况。
与事、施事在形式上并列主语，关涉关系
英语的主谓提挈机制-6个基本句型
The policemen are carefully searching the room. The girl is now a student at this college. The door was painted yesterday. It rained steadily all day. I had taken the medicine twice by 6 P.M. They make him the chairman every year.