第一节 句子成分的译法 下载本文

?例如,在快速旋转球的情况下,向心力作用于球上,而离心力作用于绳子上。

?二、译成复合句?英语并列句在汉译时,有时可以译为复合句,这种译法主要有以下两种情况。

?(一)用and连接的两个分句,前一个分句有时可以是祈使句。这时,祈使句往往表示条件的含义,汉译时可以译为条件从句,可增译―如果‖、―要使‖、―假若‖等。如:

?Look at crystals of table-salt under a magnifying glass and you will see that each crystal is a cube with six faces.

?假如将食盐放在放大镜下观察,你就会发现每粒食盐都是一个有六个面的立方体。 ?Close an electric circuit and electricity begins flowing. ?如果闭合电路,电流就开始流动。

?(二)作为并列连词for引出的句子,在汉译时常常译为―因为……‖,但它不表示前一个分句动词发生的原因,而是对前一个分句做出补充性说明,或表示一种推测的理由。如: ?There exist neither perfect insulators nor perfect conductors, for all substances offer opposition to the flow of electric current.

?没有绝对的绝缘体也没有绝对的导体,因为一切物体对电流都有阻力。 ?The material first used was copper for it is easily obtained in its pure state. ?最先使用的材料是铜,因为纯铜易于炼取。 第三节 否定句的译法

?英汉两种语言在表示否定概念的词汇、语法、句型等诸多方面都存在着许多不同之处。英语中表示否定的形式可以说是多种多样的。英语中的否定句型有全部否定、部分否定,意义否定、双重否定和几乎否定。所以,在翻译否定句,特别是科技英语的否定句时,译者应格外小心。因为无论是对否定句的理解上的错误,还是在翻译否定句上出现的翻译错误,都会给科研、生产和生活等各方面造成不应有的麻烦,甚至是损失或事故。因此,翻译英语否定句,必须对其进行认真地分析,准确地理解和掌握英语否定句的表达规律。

?一、全部否定句的译法?全部否定句是指否定整个句子的意思。英语全部否定通常是通过否定词not, no, none ,never, neither, nothing, nobody等词来实现的。这些否定词不论在句子中做什么成分,其所在的句子大都要译为全部否定。如:

?Hardened steel and brittle materials such as glass and ceramics are not normally amenable to diamond turning.

?一般情况下,淬硬钢材及玻璃和陶瓷等脆性材料,通常不宜使用金刚石切削。

?There are no constants at all, and measurements of time and space depend on the position of the observer—they are relative.

?不存在什么恒量,时间和空间的测量结果取决于观测者的位置。 ?In contradiction to solids, gases never have a definite volume.

?与固体不同,气体从来没有固定的体积。?Nobody knows what proportion of aircraft accidents occur during the pilot’s natural nighttime.

?还没有人知道有多大比例的飞机失事发生在驾驶员的自然的夜间。 ?None of these substances are good conductors of electricity.

?这些物质都不是电的良导体。?Neither refractory materials nor magnetic materials can be used to make the part.

?耐火材料和磁性材料都不适合生产这种零件。

?二、部分否定句的译法?部分否定是指非全部否定,即句子的意思部分否定,部分肯定。这种句子的特征是由all, always, some, both every, many much, well, often等于否定词not

搭配使用。汉译时,一般常译为―并非所有‖、―并非每个‖、―未必都‖、―不全是‖、―不都是‖、―不总是‖、―不是都‖、―并未都‖、―不多‖、―不常‖等。如:

?Properly speaking, not all substances exist in three states.

?确切地说,并非所有的物质都有三种状态。?Not everybody is convinced the Leaning Tower of Pisa really can be saved.?并非每一个人都相信比萨斜塔真的能够被拯救。?Not many of the things are of use in form in which they are found.?不是所有的东西在刚发现时都有用。

?This situation did not often occur.

?这种情况并不常发生。?Everything is not straightened out.?并非每个问题都弄清楚了。 ?三、意义否定句的译法?英语里有些句子从形式上看是肯定句,但实际上是否定句,这是因为句子中含有带否定意义的词或词组。这类句型在英语中非常普遍,翻译时,要注意以适当的方式表达其否定含义。如:

?One wonders also why Nature, with some snakes concocted poison of such extreme potency.

?人们也不明白,为什么大自然在某些蛇身上配制如此剧烈的毒液。(动词wonder 具有否定含义)

?The performance of the machine is short of the requirements. ?这台机器的性能没有达到要求。(be short of 短语具有否定含义) ?The angularity of the parts is too great for proper assembly. ?零件斜度太大,不宜装配。(too…for短语具有否定含义)

?In such cases an antifriction bearing might be a poor answer.?这时如果用减摩轴承,可能不是一种好的解决方法。(形容词poor具有否定含义)

?Indirect evidence suggests that they (Neptune’s rings) exist, but as arcs rather than true rings.

?间接的证据表明海王星的光环是存在的,但它是弧形,而不是真正的环形。(rather than 具有否定的含义)

?四、双重否定句的译法?所谓双重否定就是否定之否定,实际上等于肯定,其语气较肯定句更为强烈。通常是由not, no, never, neither, nobody, nothing等否定词和其他含有否定意义的词或词组搭配使用而构成的。 汉译时,可以直译为双重否定句,也可转译为肯定句。 ?(一)译为双重否定句?Synthesis cannot take place without analysis and optimization. ?不进行分析及优化工作就不能进行综合。

?Without the laws of motion as a basis, thousands of discoveries and inventions would have been out of the question.

?没有运动定律作为基础,就不可能有成千上万的发现和发明。

??(二)转译为肯定句?Dynamics is a discipline that cannot be mastered without extensive practice.

?动力学是一门要做大量练习题才能掌握的学科。

?To fix the column ends is difficult, if not impossible, so that the factors n=2 or n= 4 would apply.

?即使有可能将压杆两端固定,那也是相当困难的,因此,系数n应当取2或4。 ?The importance of proper lubrication can not be overemphasized. ?应特别强调适当进行润滑的重要性。

?五、几乎否定句的译法?在英语中,几乎否定虽然没有完全否定,但肯定的含义很少,通常这些句子中都含有barely, hardly, rarely, scarcely, few, little, seldom, almost no 等表示几乎

否定的词。汉译时,可译为―极少‖、―几乎没(不)……‖、―很少‖等。如:?Little information is given as to the origin of life. ?关于生命起源方面的资料极少。

?In old China, there was hardly any machine-building industry, to say nothing of automobile and aviation industries.

?在旧中国,几乎没有什么机器制造工业,更不用说汽车和航空工业了。

?Mercury, so small and close to the sun that its gases were quickly lost to space, is nearly airless.

?水星几乎没有空气,因为它体积很小,并且离太阳很近,所以它的气体很快就散失在太空中。

?Curiously, Uranus has almost no such excess heat. ?奇怪的是天王星几乎没有这种多余的热量。

?六、否定的转移:?汉英两种语言在表达否定方面有一定的差异,有些句子,在英语中否定的是主语,而汉译时则否定谓语;还有一些句子英语中否定的是谓语,而译成汉语时却否定了状语,这种否定转移现象在以上我们所讨论的各种形式的否定句都可见到。只有注意到这种差异性才能正确理解原文,并在汉译时做到译文通顺,符合汉语表达习惯。

?(一)一般的否定转移?No battery system presently in commercial production can offer all of theses facilities.

?目前还尚无一例商业产品中的电瓶系统具有所有这些优点。(否定主语转为否定状语)?Nowhere in nature is aluminum found free. ?在自然界任何地方都找不到处于游离状态的铝。(否定状语转为否定谓语)?Neither plan is practicable.

?两个方案都行不通。(否定主语转为否定谓语)

?The motor did not stop because the electricity was off. ?电机停止运转,并非因为电源中断了。(主句的否定转为从句的否定) ?We know of no effective way to store solar energy. ?我们不知道储藏太阳能的有效方法。(否定宾语转为否定谓语)

?In the printing industry there are very few parts that have a predetermined life expectancy.

?在印刷业中,任何零部件几乎都无法预定其寿命期限。(否定主语转为否定谓语)

?(二) 在英语以动词think, suppose, believe, seem, expect,feel, anticipate 等作谓语且后接不定式短语的否定句中,汉译时,经常会出现否定转移现象,即在原文中否定谓语动词,而译文中则改为否定不定式短语。如:

?Liquids, except for liquid metal such as mercury, are not considered to be good conductors of heat.

?除了液体金属如水银外,其他液体则被认为是不良导热体。 ?For many years the atom was not believed to be divisible. ?过去多年来原子一直被认为是不可分割的。 ?The earth was not believed to be round but flat. ?人们曾经认为地球是扁的而不是圆的。

?Our space and time laws don’t seem to apply to objects in the area of a black hole. ?我们的空间和时间定律似乎不适用于黑洞地区内的物体。

?(三)有些表示否定意义的介词短语如:under no circumstances, on no conditions, in no circumstances等,在汉译时通常要将否定意念转移为否定谓语,如:

?Under no circumstances is aluminum found free in nature. ?在自然界,任何情况下都找不到处于游离状态的铝。

?Under no circumstances can energy be created or destroyed. ?在任何情况下,能量既不能创造,也不能消灭。

?(四)在翻译一个主句为否定句,从句是as引导的定语从句(且as做―像……一样‖解),的复合句时,多数情况可把主句的否定含义―转移‖到as引导的定语从句上来,通常可译成―与……相反‖,或译成―主句主语 + 并不像……那样‖较为固定的汉语句型。如: ?The patient did not have a heart attack as the doctor had feared. ?与医生所担心的相反,患者并没有复发心脏病。(患者并没有像医生所担心的那样复发心脏病。)

?An atom is not a solid spherical particle, as it was once thought to be. ?与人们曾经所认为的相反,原子并不是刚性球粒。(原子并不像人们所曾经认为的那样是刚性球粒。)

?七、否定的延续 ?在英语中有时会遇到这样的句型:主语+带否定词的谓语+and /or +谓语,既有两个并列谓语,前一个谓语有否定词,而后一个谓语没有否定词,遇到这种情况,否定是否延续到后一个谓语呢?

?(一)前一个谓语有助动或情态动词,而后一个谓语没有助动或情态动词,否定延续到后一个谓语。如:

?Carbon dioxide does not burn and support combustion. ?二氧化碳既不自燃,也不助燃。

?If Einstein didn’t have all these qualities, he could never have done what he has done or have the chance of succeeding in what he is trying to do.

?假如爱因斯坦没有这些素质,就不可能做出已经做出的成绩,也不可能在努力从事的工作中有成功的机会。

?(二)前后谓语都没有助动词或情态动词,用or连接则否定延续,用and连接则要看上下文,否定有时延续,有时不延续。如:

?Lines of magnetic force never touch or (或and)cross. ?磁力线从不相碰或相交。

?The purpose of this chapter is not to describe the various fasteners or tabulate available sizes.

?本章不是讲述各种紧固件或是用表格列出可用的各种尺寸。

?Thomas Edison never talked about his own greatness, or seemed to think about it much. ?托马斯·爱迪生从不吹嘘自己有什么了不起,看来也从不多想这种事情。

?(三)前一谓语有助动词或情态动词,后一谓语也有助动词或情态动词,否定不延续到后一个谓语。如:

?Thus when coal is piled too deeply, heat formed by slow oxidation of coal within the pile can not find a way out and may cause the pile to catch fire of itself.

?因此,当煤堆得太厚,煤在堆里缓慢氧化而产生的热无法散出,就可能引起煤堆自行着火。 ?

第十章 从句的翻译

第一节 名词性从句的翻译