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汉英主语比较—英译技巧

一、名词性词组

汉语名词性词组作主题的英译法，可参见汉语主语的英译法。

原文：船的使命，赵家本来是很秘密的，……

译文：The Chao family kept very quiet about the errand of the boat.

不译：As for the errand of the boat,the Chao family kept...

原文：小尼姑之流，阿Q本来视若草芥的，……

译文：Now though Ah Q had the greatest contempt for such people as little nuns,...

不译：Such people as little nuns are one...

利用句型转换的办法可以找出话题就是英语句子的什么成分。

原文：火柴擦一下就着了。→擦一下火柴便可使经燃烧。

译文：You ignite a match by scratching it.

原文：开头的镜头是孩子们在海滩上玩。→在开头我们就看到孩子们在海滩上玩。

译文：In the opening shot we saw children playing on the beach.

多数话题不可直译：

原文：经过一个学期的学习，我的英语有了很大的进步，特别是写作、翻译和口语。

原译：After on term of study, my english had got a great improvement, especially in terms of writing, translating and speaking.

修改：After one term of study, my english has been improved greatly, especially in terms of writing, translating and speaking.

说明：my english按汉语思维是话题，后边是说明。英语造句按语法得找出主语、动词、宾语等。这里若用my english作主语，应是my English has been improved...或者把主语改为人：I  have improved my englsih...

原文：我的成功一半要归功于他。

原译：Half of my success belonged to him.

修改：I owed half of my success to him.

说明：汉语里“我的成功”是话题，到英语里译为宾语，选“我”作主语。

二、动词性词组

汉语话题是事物，译为英语句子，在有些翻译书里讲要更换主语。

原文：红色跟蓝色混合会变成什么颜色？

原译：What color is got when red is mixed with blue?

改译：What color do you get when you mix red with blue?

原文：我们穿的鞋是用塑料做的。

原译：We wear the shoes are made of plastics.

改译：The shoes we wear are made of plastics.

说明：错句完全按汉语的词序对应直译，英语里应分清名词中心词和定语的关系与位置，we wear 是定语从句，应放在shoes后边。

三、介词词组

谈到功率，总是把时间计算在内。

When power is spoken of, time is taken into account.

By...定义句型：

By power is meant the speed of doing work.

所谓功率指的是做功的速度。

By force is meant the action of one body on another.

所谓力，指的是一物体对另一物体的作用。

四、时间所处词组

在盐水中会发生严重的腐蚀现象。

Serious corrosion occurs in salt water.

在第三条轨道上密集着18个电子。

The third orbit is packed with 18 electrons.

从这里可以看到富士山。

A view of Mt. Fuji can be obtained from here.

摘自《汉译英基础教程》马秉义

xiaoxiao123 发布在 又长经验  |  发布时间: 03:01PM Sep 03, 2007  |