(3)從句換位的操作還可用于翻譯一些定語從句或作定語的分詞短語。只要將這樣的定語成分提前,就可譯出通順的漢譯文。
The United Nations is attempting to settle conflicts around the world that have taken a terrible toll and misused the earth''s resources.
*聯(lián)合國正試圖要消除世界各地發(fā)生的各種沖突。這些沖突有的造成可怕的后果,有的濫用地球的資源.
世界上各種沖突時有發(fā)生,有的造成可怕的后果,有的濫用地球的資源。聯(lián)合國正試圖要消除這些沖突。
This province intends to cash in on the ambitious economic renaissance being planned for the neighboring city. [=that is being planned…]
鄰近的城市正在醞釀?wù)衽d經(jīng)濟(jì)的宏圖大計,這個省份打算乘此機(jī)會也有一番作為。
動詞詞組cash in on意為“利用時機(jī)獲利;乘機(jī)利用”。
*The very reason why the representation of nature can now be considered something commonplace should be of the greatest interest to art historians.
結(jié)構(gòu)分析:句子的框架是The very reason why the representationshould be of the greatest interest to art historians.本句是個簡單句,主語reason后跟why引導(dǎo)的定語從句。The representation of nature譯為“再現(xiàn)自然”,of表動賓關(guān)系;something commonplace在此譯為成語“老生常談”較好。
參考譯文:為什么現(xiàn)在再現(xiàn)自然被視為是老生常談的事情呢?其真正的原因,對美術(shù)史學(xué)家來說,應(yīng)該是饒有興趣的事情。
(4)從句換位的操作可用于翻譯一些狀語從句。
Quayle has been the object of jokes and criticism ever since Bush chose him, seemingly from out of nowhere, as his running mate at the 1988 Publican Convention.
一九八八年,在共和黨全國代表大會上,似乎名不見經(jīng)傳的奎爾被布什挑中,成了其競選伙伴。從那以后,奎爾便一直是被人們?nèi)⌒团u的對象。
注意:連詞(since, when等)需要個詞微調(diào),譯成“從那以后;此后”。
Many American firms have taken fright // at the prospect of being locked out of China // while companies from Japan and Europe crowd in.
日本和歐洲的公司大批涌入中國,而美國的公司卻將被拒之門外。許多美國公司對這種前景深感驚恐。
*We might be inclined to attribute to the act of thinking complete independence from language if the individual formed or were able to form his concepts without the verbal guidance of his environment.
結(jié)構(gòu)分析:句子的框架是We might be inclined to.if the individual formed or were able to form his concepts without…if引導(dǎo)條件狀語從句。介詞短語without the verbal guidance of his environment作狀語。be inclined to意為“易于,傾向于”。attribute…to在此句中意為“把…歸因于”,“把…認(rèn)為是…的結(jié)果”。to the act of thinking是動詞的狀語,complete independence from language是動詞的賓語。
參考譯文:如果有人不用語言作為周圍世界的向?qū),便已?jīng)形成或能夠形成他的概念,我們就可能把完全獨(dú)立于語言之外的概念歸因于思維活動。
長句之間往往被插入一個詞組或小句,有時甚至還會是一段文字,這可以說是英語典型的行文結(jié)構(gòu)之一。英譯漢時,將主句作為一句整句翻譯出來,插入成分則另行處理。這種“主句先行或主句后行”的操作方法能夠把主要和次要信息安置的流暢,表達(dá)上的矛盾也迎刃而解了。何時先行,何時后行?選擇的依據(jù)是要看,哪一個具體操作能使譯成的漢語更通順、地道、緊湊。
試比較下例:
Airlines around the world,spurred by growing passenger volume and the need to replace hundreds of aging 1960s-era jets,have embarked on an unprecedented shopping rush.
主句先行:世界各個航空公司掀起了一股空前未有的購機(jī)熱潮。購機(jī)是迫于乘客流量不斷增加,又加上各航空公司有必要對已日顯陳舊的60年代噴氣客機(jī)進(jìn)行更換。
主句后行:迫于乘客流量不斷增加,又加上各航空公司有必要對已日顯陳舊的60年代噴氣客機(jī)進(jìn)行更換,世界各個航空公司掀起了一股空前未有的購機(jī)熱潮。[此譯文讀起來更連貫、緊湊和地道,可接受程度較高。]
*It would have puzzled the brightest minds of the 18th century Enlightenment to be told by any of us how little we know and how bewildering the way ahead seems.
結(jié)構(gòu)分析:句子的框架是it would have puzzled the brightest minds.to be told.…h(huán)ow……and how。it為形式主語,真正的主語為后面的不定式結(jié)構(gòu)to be told。此不定式的被動結(jié)構(gòu)譯成主動態(tài)。兩個how引導(dǎo)的感嘆句做told的賓語。minds此處澤成“有才智的人”;Enlightenment此處指“啟蒙運(yùn)動”。
參考譯文:如果我們當(dāng)中任何一個人要告訴18世紀(jì)啟蒙運(yùn)動中最聰明的人,我們的知識有多么少,以及前途似乎又多么令人感到迷茫,這些都會使他們吃驚不已。
*What I see behind many of these exciting stories is the widespread and even revolutionary use of distributed Intelligence that is made possible by the wiringof the scientific community.
結(jié)構(gòu)分析:句子框架是What l see。is the widespread and even revolutionary use…。what引導(dǎo)名詞性從句做主語。句尾的關(guān)系代詞that引導(dǎo)定語從句修飾distributed intelligence.被動結(jié)構(gòu)be made possible by譯成主動態(tài)“……有可能實(shí)現(xiàn)靠的足……”。scientific community譯成“科學(xué)界”。
參考譯文:通過很多這樣激動人心的報道,我看到的是對分布式智能技術(shù)廣泛地,甚至是革新地加以利用;這一技術(shù)有可能實(shí)現(xiàn)靠的是科學(xué)界的“網(wǎng)絡(luò)化”。
*We wouldn''t have networks capable of handling massive amounts of data if physicists and astronomers hadn''t continuously forged tools to look more deeply into subatomic structures and the cosmos.
結(jié)構(gòu)分析:句子框架是We wouldn''t have networks。if…。if引導(dǎo)條件狀語從句。主句中capable of handling massive amounts of data為形容詞短語做后置定語修飾networks,相當(dāng)于。networks that are capable of handling massive amounts of data.forge原意為“打(鐵等);鍛造”,此處轉(zhuǎn)譯為“研制”。
參考譯文:如果物理學(xué)家和天文學(xué)家不曾連續(xù)研制各種工具,以便更深入地探討微原子結(jié)構(gòu)和宇宙的話,我們就不會有能夠處理大量信息的網(wǎng)絡(luò)系統(tǒng)。
*Given that the priorities of Congress will almost certainly differ from those of the president,it will take an unprecedented level of input and commitment from the research community to ensure the investments in science and engineering.
結(jié)構(gòu)分析:句子框架是it will take an unprecedented level of input and commitment from。to ensure…the investments…,it為形式主語,真正的主語為不定式結(jié)構(gòu)to ensure the investments。句首的given that引導(dǎo)狀語從句,譯為“考慮到;假如…”。指示代詞those代指前面提到的the priorities,以避免重復(fù)。priorities此處不要譯成“優(yōu)先考慮”,而是美國國會的“優(yōu)先權(quán)”。an unprecedented level of轉(zhuǎn)譯為“一筆可觀的”;commitment此處引申譯為“贊助”。
參考譯文:考慮到國會的優(yōu)先權(quán)幾乎肯定與總統(tǒng)的不同,那么要想保證科學(xué)和工程學(xué)的投資,就要從科研機(jī)構(gòu)那里接收一筆可觀的投入和贊助。
“順勢”主要是指譯者要把握好全句的語義宏觀結(jié)構(gòu),理順全句各部分之間的關(guān)系!皵嗑洹币线壿嬚Z義關(guān)系,比如因果關(guān)系、對比關(guān)系、遞進(jìn)關(guān)系、條件關(guān)系等。這個操作的關(guān)鍵,在于斷要斷得恰到好處。實(shí)際上,順勢斷句是通過兩個斷句成分相互換位、個詞微調(diào)、加字減字等手段將原文的各個成分有機(jī)地串起來。
例如:
Premier pledged to reform a political system // that sometimes looks as if it were geared more to raising money // than solving problems.
首相決心改革一種政治制度。這個制度有時看來似乎只適合搞搞籌款那一套,而不解決實(shí)際問題。
Today's teachers know // they have to make lessons fast-moving and entertaining // for children raised on television and computer games.
今天的教師懂得,他們給孩子們上課節(jié)奏要快,而且還要有情趣,因?yàn)檫@些孩子是在看電視和玩電腦游戲的環(huán)境中長大的。
注釋:①孩子重復(fù)使用;②children raised on television…譯成主謂結(jié)構(gòu)的小句;過去分詞的被動意義譯成主動句。
Despite this backwardness in the communications // — or perhaps because of it — // China hopes to leapfrog into the digital era // by bypassing many of the costly transitional technologies // that industrial nations are now seeking to replace with more advanced digital systems.
盡管中國的通訊落后,或者說正是由于這種落后,中國希望跳躍式地進(jìn)入通訊數(shù)字顯示時代,一下子越過耗資巨大的過渡技術(shù)階段。這個過渡技術(shù),工業(yè)化國家正在尋找用更先進(jìn)的數(shù)字顯示系統(tǒng)取而代之。
*The super-national character of scientific concepts and scientific language is due to the fact that they have been set up by the best brains of all countries and all times.
結(jié)構(gòu)分析:句子的框架是The super-national character of scientific.is due to the fact that they have been.that引導(dǎo)同位語從句,作fact的同位語。brain有多種解釋,在此句中意為“人才”。
參考譯文:科學(xué)概念和科學(xué)語言的超國界特性是由于它們是由各國最優(yōu)秀的人才經(jīng)歷了不同時期而被確立的。
*.You either have science or you don' t, and if you have it you are obliged to accept the surprising and disturbing pieces of information,along with the neat and promptly useful bits.
結(jié)構(gòu)分析:句子框架是You either have science or you don't,and.you are obliged to accept the.pieces of information.and連接兩個并列句。前面分句補(bǔ)充完整為you either have science or you don't have science;其中either.or.結(jié)構(gòu)譯成“要么……,要么……”。后面分句中有if引導(dǎo)的條件狀語從句,此從句中的此代指前面提到的science.bit原意為“(二進(jìn)制)位;比特”,此處引申為“數(shù)據(jù)傳輔”。
*That both houses of the Swiss parliament have come down against the genetics is comforting,but there may be a gap between the views and knowledge of politicians and that of the general public-only the public poll will tell.
結(jié)構(gòu)分析:句子框架是That.is comforting,but there may be gap.but連接兩個并列分句。前一個并列分句中有that引導(dǎo)的主語從句;后一個并列分句為there be句型,其中指示代詞that代指前面提到的the views and knowledge,以避免重復(fù)。house這里譯為“議院”;come down against…意為“做出決定不做(某事)”,還可以轉(zhuǎn)譯為“否定”。
參考譯文:瑞士國會兩院一致否認(rèn)遺傳學(xué)研究,這一點(diǎn)令人安慰。但是政治家的觀點(diǎn)和認(rèn)識與公眾的觀點(diǎn)和認(rèn)識之間會存在隔閡——只有全民投票可以明斷了(說清楚)。
另起爐灶指的不是個別的,或局部的調(diào)整,而是對英語句子作“傷筋動骨”的結(jié)構(gòu)手術(shù),即大幅度地打亂英語原句的詞序或句序和各種成分的排列,幾乎拆散原句,再對其重新組裝。
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