第三章 翻译技巧:句法翻译法
三、状语从句的翻译
单个单词作状语的情况 法则:灵活运用
状语从句可以表示:时间、原因、条件、让步、目的和结果等意义。
(一)时间状语从句
时间状语从句的连接词常常有:
when (当...的时候),whenever (每当...),as (当...时),since (自从...),until (直到...,如果不...), till (直到...),before (在...前),after (在...后),as soon as (一...就),once (一旦...),
the moment (一...就),immediately (一...就),the day (在...那天),no sooner...than (一...就), hardly (scarcely)...when (一...就),the instant (一...就),instantly (一...就),directly (一...就), the minute (一...就),the second (一...就),every time (每当...),by the time (等到...的时候)等。① 译成相应的时间状语
例1. While she spoke ,the tears were running down .
她说话时,泪水直流。
例2. She came in when I was having supper .
我正在吃饭的时候,她进来了。
例3. As he finished the speech ,the audience burst into applause .
他结束讲话的时候,听众掌声雷动。 ② 译成“一(刚、每当)...就”的结构 例1. I’ll let you know as soon as I have it arranged .
我一安排好就通知你。
例2. Directly he uttered these words ,there was a dead silence . 他刚说出这些话,大家就沉默下来。
③ 译成条件句
例1. Turn off the switch when anything goes wrong with the machine . 如果机器发生故障,就把电门关上。
例2. A body at rest will not move till a force is exerted on it . 若无外力的作用,静止的物体不会移动。
例3. We can’t start the job until we have the approval from the authority concerned . 如果没有有关当局的批准,我们不能开始这项工作。
(二)原因状语从句
英语中,原因状语从句的连接词常常是:
because (因为),since (既然,由于),as (因为),now that (既然),seeing that (既然), considering that (考虑到,因为),in that (在某方面),in view of the fact that (鉴于)。
① 译成表“因为”的分句,放在主句前翻译,显示“前因后果”的关系。 例1. The crops failed because the season was dry . 因为气候干燥,作物欠收。
例2. We had to put the meeting off ,since so many people were absent . 由于很多人没有来,会议只好延期。
② 用汉语的“之所以...是因为”的结构来连接。 例1. He will get promoted ,for he ha