張曦
翻譯技巧分析
筆者將以此次考試真題為例來(lái)具體講解漢譯英時(shí)的以下五種翻譯技巧。
給長(zhǎng)句斷句
漢語(yǔ)中的一個(gè)長(zhǎng)句中往往包含多個(gè)分句,漢譯英時(shí)若很難將多個(gè)分句合并譯為一個(gè)英語(yǔ)長(zhǎng)句,考生可嘗試對(duì)漢語(yǔ)長(zhǎng)句適當(dāng)斷句。關(guān)系較為緊密的分句應(yīng)該合并譯為一個(gè)英語(yǔ)句子,而關(guān)系較為松散的分句則可嘗試將其斷開(kāi)。下面我們來(lái)看幾個(gè)例句。
例1:中國(guó)應(yīng)進(jìn)一步發(fā)展核能,因?yàn)楹穗娔壳爸徽计淇偘l(fā)電量的2%,該比例在所有核國(guó)家中居第30位,幾乎是最低的。
評(píng)析:原文分句較多,其中前兩個(gè)分句為因果關(guān)系,關(guān)系較為緊密,漢譯英時(shí)可以用because、for等表示因果關(guān)系的連接詞將它們合并譯為一個(gè)英語(yǔ)長(zhǎng)句。后兩個(gè)分句的關(guān)系也很緊密,第四個(gè)分句是對(duì)第三個(gè)分句的補(bǔ)充說(shuō)明,漢譯英時(shí)可以將第四個(gè)分句譯為名詞短語(yǔ),作為第三個(gè)分句的同位語(yǔ),起補(bǔ)充說(shuō)明作用。如此一來(lái),原文的長(zhǎng)句在漢譯英時(shí)斷為兩部分,條理清晰、意義明確。
參考譯文:China should further develop nuclear energy, for nuclear power accounts for only 2 percent of the total volume of Chinas current energy production. This proportion makes China rank 30th out of all nuclear-capable countries, almost the lowest in the list.
例2:閱讀對(duì)于中小學(xué)生尤為重要,假如他們沒(méi)有在這個(gè)關(guān)鍵時(shí)期培養(yǎng)閱讀的興趣,以后要培養(yǎng)成閱讀的習(xí)慣就很難了。
評(píng)析:原文第一個(gè)分句較為獨(dú)立,漢譯英時(shí)可將其譯為一個(gè)獨(dú)立的英語(yǔ)句子。原文后兩個(gè)分句的關(guān)系比較緊密,又因第二個(gè)分句提出了一種“假設(shè)”,因此漢譯英時(shí)可嘗試將第二個(gè)分句譯為if引導(dǎo)的狀語(yǔ)從句,將最后一個(gè)分句譯為主句。
參考譯文:Reading is of great importance to students in elementary and secondary schools. If they dont develop an interest in reading at this critical stage, it will be quite difficult for them to develop the habit of reading later on.
關(guān)注時(shí)態(tài)和語(yǔ)態(tài)
時(shí)態(tài)和語(yǔ)態(tài)也是漢譯英時(shí)考生需要關(guān)注的問(wèn)題,比如,若句子的時(shí)間狀語(yǔ)涉及過(guò)去,譯文要采用一般過(guò)去時(shí);若句子的時(shí)間狀語(yǔ)由過(guò)去延續(xù)到現(xiàn)在或?qū)ΜF(xiàn)在產(chǎn)生影響,譯文要采用現(xiàn)在完成時(shí)。另外,漢語(yǔ)中有不少句子雖然沒(méi)有表示被動(dòng)的標(biāo)志性詞語(yǔ),但主語(yǔ)和謂語(yǔ)之間卻存在被動(dòng)關(guān)系,漢譯英時(shí)仍然需要采用被動(dòng)語(yǔ)態(tài)。下面我們來(lái)看幾個(gè)例句。
例1:中國(guó)教育工作者早就認(rèn)識(shí)到讀書(shū)對(duì)于國(guó)家的重要意義。有些教育工作者2003年就建議設(shè)立全民讀書(shū)日。
評(píng)析:原文第一個(gè)句子中的謂語(yǔ)“早就認(rèn)識(shí)到”說(shuō)明情況在過(guò)去就已發(fā)生,延續(xù)到現(xiàn)在,因此漢譯英時(shí)譯文應(yīng)采用現(xiàn)在完成時(shí)。第二個(gè)句子的時(shí)間狀語(yǔ)“2003年”為過(guò)去的時(shí)間,其譯文應(yīng)采用一般過(guò)去時(shí)。
參考譯文:Chinese educators have long realized the importance of reading for the country. As early as 2003, some educators recommended the establishment of a national reading day.
例2:換句話說(shuō),核能是可以完全開(kāi)發(fā)和利用的。
評(píng)析:原文中的“核能”和“可以完全開(kāi)發(fā)和利用”之間雖然沒(méi)有表示被動(dòng)關(guān)系的詞語(yǔ),但兩者存在被動(dòng)關(guān)系,所以譯文要采用被動(dòng)語(yǔ)態(tài)。
參考譯文:In other words, nuclear energy can now be fully developed and utilized.
注意調(diào)整語(yǔ)序
漢譯英時(shí)需要正確調(diào)整語(yǔ)序,尤其在中文句子的定語(yǔ)和狀語(yǔ)較多、較長(zhǎng)的情況下,考生需要先確定出短語(yǔ)的中心詞,而后將修飾成分重新安排,譯出流暢的譯文。
例:一些為接受更好教育而轉(zhuǎn)往城市上學(xué)的學(xué)生如今又回到本地農(nóng)村學(xué)校就讀。
評(píng)析:原文“為接受更好教育而轉(zhuǎn)往城市上學(xué)的學(xué)生”中,中心詞為“學(xué)生”,定語(yǔ)非常復(fù)雜,漢譯英時(shí)可將其處理為定語(yǔ)從句,按照從后往前的順序?qū)訉犹幚矶ㄕZ(yǔ),先譯“轉(zhuǎn)往城市上學(xué)”,再譯“為接受更好教育”。此外,漢語(yǔ)中的動(dòng)詞較多,漢譯英時(shí)可適當(dāng)省略,如“為接受更好教育”可簡(jiǎn)化為for a better education。
參考譯文:As a result, some students who had initially transferred to urban schools for a better education have returned to their country homes to be educated in local schools.
避免中式英語(yǔ)
在漢語(yǔ)中,“讓”字句和“使”字句出現(xiàn)頻率較高,將其譯成英文時(shí),不少考生常用let和make去對(duì)應(yīng),這樣就會(huì)使譯文的中式英語(yǔ)痕跡較重。在翻譯這類(lèi)句型時(shí),考生可以使用一些英語(yǔ)及物動(dòng)詞,或省略“讓”字或者“使”字,以使譯文更為地道。
例:這些資金用于改善教學(xué)設(shè)施、購(gòu)買(mǎi)書(shū)籍,使16萬(wàn)多所中小學(xué)受益。
評(píng)析:原文中的“使……受益”可以結(jié)合起來(lái)譯為“benefit …”,又因“使”字所在的分句體現(xiàn)了一種目的,漢譯英時(shí)可以為此分句添加表示目的的連接詞so as to或in order to,銜接到前文上。
參考譯文:The funds are being used to upgrade teaching facilities and purchase books so as to benefit over 160,000 elementary and secondary schools.
采用亮點(diǎn)句型和結(jié)構(gòu)
在翻譯中文句子時(shí),英語(yǔ)譯文可適當(dāng)采用一些地道的英語(yǔ)句型和結(jié)構(gòu),例如倒裝句、強(qiáng)調(diào)句、并列結(jié)構(gòu)等,這些亮點(diǎn)句型和結(jié)構(gòu)會(huì)使譯文更具有表現(xiàn)力,幫助考生取得高分。
例1:通過(guò)閱讀,人們能更好地學(xué)會(huì)感恩、有責(zé)任心和與人合作,而教育的目的正是要培養(yǎng)這些基本素質(zhì)。
評(píng)析:英語(yǔ)中的并列結(jié)構(gòu)具有較強(qiáng)的表現(xiàn)力,對(duì)于漢語(yǔ)中并列的信息,英語(yǔ)中可以采用并列結(jié)構(gòu)翻譯。例如原文中的“感恩、有責(zé)任心和與人合作”可以采用三個(gè)平行的形容詞(grateful, responsible, and cooperative)來(lái)翻譯,或者采用三個(gè)平行的不定式短語(yǔ)(to be grateful, to have a sense of responsibility, and to cooperate with others)來(lái)翻譯。
參考譯文:Through reading, one can learn to be grateful, responsible, and cooperative, which indeed are the essential qualities that education aims to cultivate.
例2:到2012年10月,審批才又謹(jǐn)慎地恢復(fù)。
評(píng)析:原文若按照英語(yǔ)的一般語(yǔ)序來(lái)翻譯,可以得出如下譯文:“Approval wasnt renewed with caution until October of 2012.”如果對(duì)譯文的語(yǔ)序適當(dāng)進(jìn)行調(diào)整,采用強(qiáng)調(diào)結(jié)構(gòu)來(lái)翻譯,就能使句子更具表現(xiàn)力。
參考譯文:It was not until October of 2012 that approval was renewed with caution.
漢譯英真題及參考譯文
本次四級(jí)考試共出現(xiàn)了三道段落翻譯題,內(nèi)容涉及核能發(fā)展、閱讀的重要性和教育公平。以下是筆者給出的真題及參考譯文,僅供參考。
中國(guó)應(yīng)進(jìn)一步發(fā)展核能,因?yàn)楹穗娔壳爸徽计淇偘l(fā)電量的2%,該比例在所有核國(guó)家中居第30位,幾乎是最低的。
2011年3月日本核電站事故后,中國(guó)的核能開(kāi)發(fā)停了下來(lái),中止審批新的核電站,并開(kāi)展全國(guó)性的核安全檢查。到2012年10月,審批才又謹(jǐn)慎地恢復(fù)。
隨著技術(shù)和安全措施的改進(jìn),發(fā)生核事故的可能性完全可以降到最低程度。換句話說(shuō),核能是可以完全開(kāi)發(fā)和利用的。
參考譯文:China should further develop nuclear energy, for nuclear power accounts for only 2 percent of the total volume of Chinas current energy production. This proportion makes China rank 30th out of all nuclear-capable countries, almost the lowest in the list.
After the Japanese nuclear power station accident in March of 2011, China halted its development of nuclear energy, suspended its approval for new nuclear power plants and carried out the nuclear safety inspections across the country. It was not until October of 2012 that approval was renewed with caution.
With improvements in technology and security measures, the possibility of nuclear accidents can be reduced to a minimum. In other words, nuclear energy can be fully developed and utilized.
中國(guó)教育工作者早就認(rèn)識(shí)到讀書(shū)對(duì)于國(guó)家的重要意義。有些教育工作者2003年就建議設(shè)立全民讀書(shū)日。他們強(qiáng)調(diào),人們應(yīng)當(dāng)讀好書(shū),尤其是經(jīng)典著作。通過(guò)閱讀,人們能更好地學(xué)會(huì)感恩、有責(zé)任心和與人合作,而教育的目的正是要培養(yǎng)這些基本素質(zhì)。閱讀對(duì)于中小學(xué)生尤為重要,假如他們沒(méi)有在這個(gè)關(guān)鍵時(shí)期培養(yǎng)閱讀的興趣,以后要培養(yǎng)成閱讀的習(xí)慣就很難了。
參考譯文:Chinese educators have long realized the importance of reading for the country. As early as 2003, some educators recommended the establishment of a national reading day. They stressed that people should read good books, especially classics. Through reading, one can learn to be grateful, responsible, and cooperative, which indeed are the essential qualities that education aims to cultivate. Reading is of great importance to students in elementary and secondary schools. If they dont develop an interest in reading at this critical stage, it will be quite difficult for them to develop the habit of reading later on.
為了促進(jìn)教育公平,中國(guó)已投入360億元,用于改善農(nóng)村地區(qū)教育設(shè)施和加強(qiáng)中西部農(nóng)村義務(wù)教育(compulsory education)。這些資金用于改善教學(xué)設(shè)施、購(gòu)買(mǎi)書(shū)籍,使16萬(wàn)多所中小學(xué)受益。資金還用于購(gòu)置音樂(lè)和繪畫(huà)器材?,F(xiàn)在農(nóng)村和山區(qū)的兒童可以與沿海城市的兒童一樣上音樂(lè)和繪畫(huà)課。一些為接受更好教育而轉(zhuǎn)往城市上學(xué)的學(xué)生如今又回到本地農(nóng)村學(xué)校就讀。
參考譯文:In order to promote equality in education, China has invested 36 billion yuan to improve the educational facilities in rural areas and enhance compulsory education in the midwestern rural regions. The funds are being used to upgrade teaching facilities and purchase books so as to benefit over 160,000 elementary and secondary schools. The funds are also being used to purchase musical instruments and painting materials so that now the children in rural and mountainous regions can have music and painting lessons just like those in the coastal cities. As a result, some students who had initially transferred to urban schools for a better education have returned to their country homes to be educated in local schools.