翻譯英語句子方法
翻譯英語句子方法
由于英漢兩種語言在積句成篇的規(guī)則和習(xí)慣上的差異,翻譯時(shí)往往要對原語句子進(jìn)行分。分的基本原則是以命題所構(gòu)成的主謂結(jié)構(gòu)為單位。下面小編就跟你們詳細(xì)介紹下翻譯英語句子方法,希望對你們有用。
翻譯英語句子方法如下:
其基本過程是:將原文分成一個(gè)個(gè)命題,并將命題重新組成主謂結(jié)構(gòu)小句來翻譯成譯語,并按譯語積句成篇的規(guī)則加以整合。分之后,尤其要注意分出來的各個(gè)小句之間的邏輯關(guān)系,在翻譯表達(dá)時(shí),用譯語的約束機(jī)制進(jìn)行積句成篇。
英語分時(shí)可以按下列標(biāo)記進(jìn)行:限定動(dòng)詞,從句標(biāo)志詞,非謂語動(dòng)詞,獨(dú)立主格,介詞短語,形容詞和副詞(主要是小品副詞和adj+ly副詞)。
漢語分時(shí)可以按動(dòng)詞、形容詞、介詞來分。
名家翻譯
(1)(a)She was small and slight in person; (b)pale, (c)sandy-haired, and (d)with eyes habitually cast down: (e)when they looked up (f)they were very large, (g)odd, and (h)attractive, (i)so attractive, (j)that the Reverend Mr. Crisp, (k)fresh from Ox ford, and (l)curate (m)to the Vicar of Chiswick, (n)the Reverend Mr. Flowerdew, (o)fell in love with Miss Sharp. (W.M. Thackeray:Vanity Fair)
(a)她身量瘦小,(b)臉色蒼白,(c)頭發(fā)是淡黃色的。(d)她慣常低眉垂目,(e)抬起眼來看人的時(shí)候,(g)眼睛顯得很特別,(f)不但大,(h)而且動(dòng)人。(n)契息克的弗拉沃丟牧師(m)手下有一個(gè)副牧師,(l)名叫克里斯波,(k)剛從牛津大學(xué)畢業(yè),(j)竟(i)因此(o)愛上了她。
譯析:原文為一句,可分出15個(gè)命題。譯文也也保留了15個(gè)命題,因此,保持了原文的內(nèi)容的完整性,譯文分成三個(gè)句子,主要信息命題句(a-e和o)保持原文順序。試比較:修改后的譯文。
(a)她身量瘦小,(b)臉色蒼白,(c)頭發(fā)是淡黃色的。(d)她慣常低眉垂目,(e)抬起眼來看人的時(shí)候,(f)眼睛顯得很大,(g)很特別,(h)很動(dòng)人,(i)動(dòng)人得(j)就連克里斯波牧師也(o)愛上了她??死锼共?l)是(n)契息克的弗拉沃丟牧師(m)手下的一個(gè)副牧師,(k)剛從牛津大學(xué)畢業(yè)。
(2)(a)A fearful man, (b)all in coarse grey, (c)with a great iron on his leg. (d)A man with no hat, and (e)with (f)broken shoes, and (g)with an old rag tied round his head. (h)A man who had been soaked in water, and (i)smothered(j) in mud, and (k)lamed by stones, and (l)cut by flints, and (m)stung by nettles, and (n)torn by briars; (o)who limped, and (p)shivered, and (q)glared and (r)growled; and (s)whose teeth chattered in his head (t)as he seized me by the chin.(Charles Dickens: Expectations)
(a)好一個(gè)可怕的人!(b)穿一身灰色粗布衣服,(c)腿上拴一副大鐵鐐。(d)頭上也不戴一頂帽子,(g)只裹著一塊破布,(f)一雙鞋子破爛不堪。(h)他剛在水里泡過,(j)滿頭滿臉都是爛泥,(i)悶得他透不過氣來;(k)兩條腿給亂石堆子絆得一瘸一拐,(l)給碎石片兒劃出一條條創(chuàng)痕,(m)給蕁麻戳得疼痛難挨,(n)給荊棘扯得皮開肉裂;(o)走起來高一腳低一腳,(p)一邊走一邊抖,(q)又瞪眼又(r)咆哮。他趕過來,(t)一手抓住我的下巴,(s)一口牙齒捉對兒廝打。(王科一譯)
譯析:此段有三個(gè)非主謂句,特點(diǎn)是:定語+名詞(+定語)。這種句式起環(huán)境烘托的作用,漢譯時(shí)一般采用分法和移位法,將英語 “定語+中心詞”結(jié)構(gòu)譯為漢語描寫句句式:主語+描寫性謂語。
舉一反三
一、分原則
分法的總原則是分后各個(gè)小句能保持原語順序盡量保持。如果因保持原語順序而導(dǎo)致不符合譯語語法習(xí)慣或意思不明時(shí),則必須加以移位。
二、分技巧
(一)英譯漢
1.單詞分
1)名詞分成句子
(1)A movie of me leaving that foxhole would look like a shell leaving a rifle.
我離開那個(gè)單人掩體速度之快,要是拍成電影的話,會(huì)象出膛的子彈一樣。
(2) Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.
歲月悠悠,肌膚易衰老;熱忱消卻,靈魂更易頹唐。
2)形容詞或定語分為句
形容詞或定語分為句的原則:
英語:adj+NP
漢語: NP(, (這)(NP)是+)adj+(的)。
(1)I returned home, and suffered all the afternoon; suffered all through an unconscious and unrefreshing dinner.
我回到家里,折騰了整個(gè)下午;折騰了整個(gè)晚餐,晚餐無滋無味,了無感覺。
(2) There were the same mountains and the same lovely valley at their feet.
山還是那些山,山腳下,谿還是那條谿,依然那么秀美。
翻譯賞析
In the garden the sparrow chants—a desultory second courtship, a subdued passion, in keeping with the great heat, love in summertime, relaxed and languorous.
花園里,麻雀啾啾——仿佛是再度尋愛,懶心無腸;仿佛是盛夏才有的情愫,熱而不烈;仿佛是夏日之愛,讓人輕松,也讓人倦慵。
譯析:原句中desultory和subdued作定語,漢譯時(shí)移位于謂語,從而分成小句來翻譯。同時(shí)采用易格而譯的技巧通過增益“放佛”將原文破折號(hào)后的暗喻譯為明喻。3)小品副詞或派生副詞adj+ly分為句:
英語小品副詞和修飾整個(gè)句子的副詞,漢譯時(shí)可以按下列規(guī)則分成句子。
小品副詞分格式:
英語:NP+小品副詞
漢語:NP+謂語
Adj+ly副詞分格式:
英語:(1)adj+ly+S +…V…(=It is (was) adj that S+V)
漢語:1) S+V (,(這/那)是+)adj+(的)。
2)無主句,+S+V。
3)形容詞+“的”是+S+V
描寫性派生副詞分格式:
英語:S+V...adj+ly
漢語:主語+謂語, 名詞+adj
(1)My head kept humming, “A blue trip slip for an eight-cent fare, a buff trip slip for a six-cent fare,” and so on and so on, without peace or respite.
腦海里不斷地轟鳴著“藍(lán)色票,八分錢;黃色票,六分錢,” 如此反復(fù),從不間斷,沒有片刻的安寧,沒有片刻的稍息。
(2)No judgment can be rightly formed either of my method or of the discoveries to which it leads, by means of anticipations (that is to say, of the reasoning which is now in use); since I cannot be called on to abide by the sentence of a tribunal which is itself on trial.
用臆測(即現(xiàn)行的推理)來對我的方法或者由此得出的發(fā)現(xiàn)加以評判,那是不恰當(dāng)?shù)?;因?yàn)橐粋€(gè)自身正在接受審判的法庭,是不能強(qiáng)迫我去服從它所做出的判決。
(3)Amelia took the news very palely and calmly.(William, Makepeace Thackeray:Vanity Fair)
愛米利亞得信的時(shí)候,顏色蒼白,樣子倒很鎮(zhèn)靜。
拓展練習(xí)1
翻譯下列句子,注意斜體字詞的分。
(1)That region was the most identifiable trouble spot.
(2)The first is (the ambition)of those who desire to extend their own power in their native country, a vulgar and degenerate kind (of ambition).
(3)They, not surprisingly, did not respond at all.
(4) Constitutionally, Putin was to offer up a progress report at this yearly address.
(5)We cannot politely turn down their invitation.
(6)Japan tries vainly to blame us for the breakdown of the China-Japan relations.
2.非謂語短語分法
1)分詞短語分成句子
分詞分理據(jù)與原則:英語中任何分詞都可以找到其邏輯主語,這樣,邏輯主語和分詞便構(gòu)成一個(gè)主謂結(jié)構(gòu)。這個(gè)主謂位結(jié)構(gòu)翻譯成漢語自然就構(gòu)成了句子。
分詞短語分原則:
英語:(邏輯主語)… +分詞短語(V+ing, V+ed)
漢語:(邏輯主語)… +動(dòng)詞短語。
(1) I was a mile from Thornfield, in a lane noted for wild roses in summer,for nuts and blackberries in autumn,and even now possessing a coral treasures in hips and haws.
我此時(shí)離桑菲爾德還有一英里的路程,正走在一條小徑上,這條小徑夏天以野薔薇聞名,秋天以堅(jiān)果和黑莓著稱,即使是現(xiàn)在,小徑上也還長有一些珊瑚珍寶般的野薔薇果和山楂。
(2)The days of his youth appeared like dreams before him, and he recalled the serious moment when his father placed him at the entrance of the two roads——one leading to a peaceful, sunny place, covered with flowers, fruits and resounding with soft, sweet songs; the other leading to a deep, dark cave, which was endless, where poison flowed instead of water and where devils and poisonous snakes hissed and crawled.
青春年華如夢一般浮現(xiàn)眼前,老人想起了人生的關(guān)鍵時(shí)刻,他的父親將他放在人生岔路口:一條通往祥和明媚的地方,那里花香果甜,歌聲婉轉(zhuǎn);一條通向黑暗幽深的洞穴,那里深不可測,到處毒液橫流,不見清水,四處惡魔肆虐,毒蛇嘶嘶爬行。
翻譯賞析
For everyone (besides the errors common to human nature in general) has a cave or den of his own, which refracts and discolors the light of nature, owing either to his own proper and peculiar nature; or to his education and conversation with others; or to the reading of books, and the authority of those whom he esteems and admires; or to the differences of impressions, accordingly as they take place in a mind preoccupied and predisposed or in a mind indifferent and settled; or the like.(Francis Bacon)
因?yàn)槊恳粋€(gè)人(人性共有的錯(cuò)誤除外)都有自己的洞穴,從而扭曲改變自然的本色,這要么歸咎于他固有的特性,要么歸咎于他所受的教育程度以及與他人的社會(huì)交往;或者是歸咎于他所閱讀的書籍以及他所尊敬欽佩的權(quán)威;或者是歸咎于因人而異的印象:有的人心有成見、胸中有數(shù);有的人冷漠麻木、冥頑不化等等。(分詞和形容詞分為句)
譯析:句中which為關(guān)系詞,譯為“這”指代中心詞,四個(gè)(owning) to 介詞短語易為動(dòng)詞與“refracts and discolors the light of nature”搭配,從而分出四個(gè)小句“要么......要么......;或者......或者......”。句中分詞和形容詞preoccupied, predisposed,indifferent和settled與mind分別分成四個(gè)小句。
拓展練習(xí)2
翻譯下列句子,注意斜體字詞的分。
(1) In sciences founded on opinions and dogmas, the use of anticipations and logic is good; for in them the object is to command assent to the proposition, not to master the thing.
(2)What seems to come nearest to one is that of the waterspouts, often seen in the voyage over the Atlantic Ocean toward either of the Indies.
(3)Sunrays filtered in wherever they could, driving out darkness and choking the shadows.
2)同位語名詞短語分成句子
同位語分的理據(jù)與原則:英語中本位語和同位語可以是名詞(短語)也可以是句子;但翻譯時(shí)要把同位語分成句子,同位語必須是一個(gè)帶有定語的名詞短語或句子,這樣同位語才能分成句子。圖示如下:
同位語短語分成句:
英語: NP1(S) (“,”、“――”、“:”、“namely, that is, vz.”) +attr+NP2+(attr).
漢語: NP1(S), (這/所謂)(NP1(S))是+attr+NP2+(的)。
(3)The last time I tried to purify myself by fire, I managed to acquire a zoo in the process and am still supporting it and carrying heavy pails of water to the animals, a task that is sometimes beyond my strength.
上一次想法用火燒來凈化自己時(shí),我總算弄到了一個(gè)動(dòng)物園,至今都還維持著那個(gè)動(dòng)物園,挑著沉重的水桶給動(dòng)物喂水,這活兒有時(shí)還真讓我吃不消。
翻譯賞析
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is pressing Congress to lift cold war trade restrictions on Russia, a country Romney has labeled America’s “No. 1 geopolitical foe.”
美國商會(huì)正在向國會(huì)施壓要求解除對俄羅斯的冷戰(zhàn)式貿(mào)易限制,而羅姆尼卻給俄羅斯貼上了“第一地緣政治敵人”的標(biāo)簽。
譯析:a country Romney has labeled America’s “No. 1 geopolitical foe.”是其Russsia的同位語,翻譯時(shí)分為小句,同時(shí)增益連接詞“而”。
3)介詞短語分成句子
介詞短語的理據(jù)與原則:英語介詞分為兩種:虛義介詞和實(shí)義介詞。虛義介詞本身無意義(in, on, at),只有和名詞(短語)才能構(gòu)成實(shí)義,因此,翻譯時(shí),虛義介詞本身無法分成句,只能分其中的名詞(短語);實(shí)義介詞往往含有動(dòng)詞含義,翻譯只要找到實(shí)義介詞的邏輯主語就可以分成句子。
介詞短語分成句:
英語:(邏輯主語)… +介詞+NP
漢語:(邏輯主語)… +動(dòng)詞+NP。
(3) Tired from my run and the Texas heat, I got a cup of water and sat under a tree with the dog.
因?yàn)榕懿皆偌由系驴怂_斯的炎熱的天氣,我感到很累,我要了杯水,挨著狗狗坐在樹下。
(4) Forty-two years ago, on my maiden voyage in the family car with my mother in the passenger seat, I accidentally hit a dog. On Easter Sunday.
四十二年前,我開著家轎和坐在副駕位的母親開始了我的處女行,途中我意外地撞倒了一條狗。那天正好是復(fù)活節(jié)。
4)獨(dú)立主格分為句:
所謂獨(dú)立主格,是指英語中帶有自己主語的非限制性從句,從意思上看,仍然是相對完整。故漢譯時(shí)可以分成句子。
獨(dú)立主格結(jié)構(gòu)分成句:
英語:Np+adj/小品副詞/pp/participle/動(dòng)詞不定式/同位語
漢語:Np+謂語
(5)When Miss Emily Grierson died, our whole town went to her funeral: the men through a sort of respectful affection for a fallen monument, the women mostly out of curiosity to see the inside of her house.
艾米莉·格里爾遜小姐走了,我們?nèi)?zhèn)的人都去為她送葬:男人們出于一種崇敬之情,因?yàn)橐蛔S碑倒塌了;女人們大多出于好奇之心,想進(jìn)屋子看看究竟。
翻譯賞析
(a)The mornings are the pleasantest times in the apartment, (b)exhaustion having set in, (c)the sated mosquitoes at rest on ceiling and walls, (d)sleeping it off, (e)the room a swirl of tortured bedclothes and abandoned garments, (f)the vines in their full leafiness filtering the hard light of day, (g)the air conditioner silent at last, (h)like the mosquitoes. ( 2012,《第三界<英語世界>杯翻譯比賽英譯漢原文》)
清晨呆在公寓里很是愜意;倦慵襲身;飽餐的蚊子停在屋頂和墻上休憩打盹,房間里全是卷裹皺褶的床單、廢棄的外衣;藤蔓青青繁茂,遮擋著白日的強(qiáng)光,空調(diào)就像蚊子一樣,終于安靜了下來。
譯析:英語中的獨(dú)立主格結(jié)構(gòu),具有靜態(tài)描寫,補(bǔ)充信息的作用。本句可分為8個(gè)小句,其中(a)為主句,(b) (-(g)為獨(dú)立主格結(jié)構(gòu),表示靜態(tài)描寫,翻譯時(shí)翻譯成漢語的描寫小句。
5)從句標(biāo)志處分為
(6)Yet surely (a)it is not fair (b)that the credit of true history should be lessened (c)because it has sometimes been injured and wronged by fables. (Francis Bacon:The New Organon)
當(dāng)然,(c)真正的歷史有時(shí)因受到寓言的中傷,從而(b)導(dǎo)致聲譽(yù)受損,(a)這的確很不公平。
(7) (a)Nay, (b)it is obvious (c)that when a man runs the wrong way, (d) the more active and swift he is, (e)the further he will go astray. (Francis Bacon:The New Organon)
(a)非但如此,(c)人一旦走上歧途,(d)步伐越加快捷,(e)就迷失得就越加遙遠(yuǎn)。(b)這是顯而易見的事。
翻譯賞析
(1) (a)It was hard (b)for me to accept (c)that it had mostly been about sex for him, (d)that and some damsel-in-distress fantasy (e)I seemed to have dispelled, (f)because I think (g)it’s possible (h)that he did care for me at some point.
此句可以分為6個(gè)小句。其中(a)與(f)構(gòu)成因果關(guān)系,因此,翻譯時(shí)將(a)句后移盡量靠近(f)句,這樣(f)表示的原因就清晰起來。(c)和(d)屬于 (a)句accept并列的賓語從句,翻譯時(shí),在每一個(gè)賓語從句前增益謂語動(dòng)詞“很難接受”;(e)屬于定語從句,(g)屬于(f)think的賓語從句,(h)是主語從句。試比較下列譯文:
譯文一:如果說自己頂多就是他的一個(gè)性伴侶,(如果)說我的幻想——那種只有多愁善感的少女才有的幻想——仿佛已悄然而失,我很難接受,因?yàn)槲矣X得他在某些方面可能還是很關(guān)心我的。
譯文二:回想起和他一起的日子,我能想到的都是一些和性有關(guān)的記憶,這讓我難以接受。一些女性特有的被保護(hù)感從我身上逐漸消失,因?yàn)樵谀撤N程度上他還是在意我的。
(2) (a)Days would pass and (b)I’d grit my teeth (c)to avoid picking up the phone, (d)like an addict in rehab; (e)it felt (f)as if toxins were slowly leaving my body.
此句可分為6個(gè)小句。其中(e)中的it指代整個(gè)(e)小句,(f)小句中were...leaving my body表示對將來的假設(shè),帶有目的的含義。是比較下列兩個(gè)譯文
譯文一:日子一天天地過去,我咬牙強(qiáng)忍著不去接電話,就像吸毒者戒毒一般,仿佛要讓毒癮慢慢地離開我的身體。
譯文二:日子總會(huì)過去,我咬緊牙關(guān),不去接電話,像吸毒者一樣;那感覺就像毒液從我身體里慢慢散去一樣。
拓展練習(xí)3
翻譯下列句子,注意斜體字詞的分
(1) The station chief would have to be close to the director,a member of the inner circle.
(2) The military is forbidden to “kill” the vessel, a relatively easy task.
(3) He arrived in Washington at a ripe moment internationally.
(4)Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, a universally accepted law.
(5) Their power increased with their number.
(二)漢譯英
漢語句子分,一般按照“主謂結(jié)構(gòu)”、“定中結(jié)構(gòu)”和句子變換來進(jìn)行分。
1.流水句各個(gè)小句分為獨(dú)立句。
流水句中各個(gè)小句如果內(nèi)容較多,而且呈現(xiàn)并列敘述時(shí),可以分為獨(dú)立句。
(1)(B611M)先進(jìn)的戰(zhàn)術(shù)地地導(dǎo)彈武器系統(tǒng),用于精確打擊裝甲集群、部隊(duì)集結(jié)地、防控設(shè)施、機(jī)場、指揮中心等各類地面軍事目標(biāo),用于火力壓制和火力支援。
B611M is an advanced tactical ground-to-ground missile weapon system. It can precisely attack various types of ground military targets such as armored groups, troop concentration area, air defense facilities, airfields and command centers. It is mainly used for fire suppression and fire support.
2.連動(dòng)句分為兩個(gè)獨(dú)立句子。
(2)(a)張家窨子閣樓上的書房里,(b)順慶油號(hào)老板張恒泰,正在(c)關(guān)著門(d)訓(xùn)斥自己的獨(dú)生子張復(fù)禮。
(a)In the Zhangs’ Yinzi house, (b)Zhang Hengtai, the boss of Shunqing Oil Company, (c)shut himself up in the study of the attic. (d)He was tongue-lashing his only son Zhang Fuli.
試比較:
In the Zhangs’ Yinzi house, Zhang Hengtai, the boss of Shunqing Oil Company, was tongue-lashing his only son Zhang Fuli in the study of the attic with the door closed.
(3)(a)在此情況下,(b)我們重申關(guān)于支持增長和維護(hù)金融穩(wěn)定的強(qiáng)烈承諾,(c)并強(qiáng)調(diào)發(fā)達(dá)經(jīng)濟(jì)體需要采取適當(dāng)措施以重建信心,(d)促進(jìn)增長并確保經(jīng)濟(jì)強(qiáng)勁復(fù)蘇。
(a)In such circumstances, (b)we reaffirm our strong commitment to support growth and foster financial stability. (c)We also underscore the need for appropriate action to be taken by advanced economies in order to rebuild confidence,(d) foster growth and secure a strong recovery.
3.定語分為句或同位語
(4) (a)身材魁梧的張復(fù)禮(b)栽著腦殼,(c)耷著眼皮,(d)一聲不吭地(e)站在父親跟前,(f)任憑數(shù)落。(李懷蓀,2011《湘西秘史》)
Zhang Fuli, (a)a burly-set young man, (e)were now standing (d)silently before his father, (b) with his head bowed and (c) his eyelids drooped, (f) letting himself at the mercy of his father’s scolding.
4.小句主語變換處分為句
(5)“你倒好,偏在這時(shí)候出了事,滿浦陽鎮(zhèn)傳得個(gè)百丑,叫你老子怎么去跟劉家人交待?!”
“But now you, you did such a foolish deed, and made it public in all parts of the Puyang Town. How do I give your father-in-law a proper explanation?!”
5.動(dòng)靜轉(zhuǎn)換處分為句。
我的母親很高興,但也藏著許多凄涼的神情,教我坐下,歇息,喝茶,且不談搬家的事。(魯迅,《故鄉(xiāng)》)
Though Mother was delighted,she was also trying to hide a certain feeling of sadness.She told me to sit down and rest and have some tea