2012年考研英语英汉翻译策略之扩充词义
“扩充词义”可以指下列方面的操作:
(1)译文增字法:即对原文的某个词做“放大”或“延伸”处理。它是需要译者根据原文的特定的上下文在汉译句中适当增加几个字或一句话,以使句义在逻辑上更忠实于原文的内涵。
例如一些抽象名词、形容词可译为:
Respect尊敬→受人尊敬
Affection喜爱→惹人喜爱
Banquet宴会→摆宴席、搞宴请
Breakdown of equipment and morale装备逐渐破损、士气不振
Be always quite difficult是很困难的→一直困难重重
1.A settlement and peace will remain elusive.
*解决与和平仍然是一件毫无把握的事。
解决问题,实现和平,仍然是一件毫无把握的事。
2.In California,hundreds of billions of dollars ride on the success of earthquake prediction.
*在加利福尼亚,地震预报的成功关系到千百亿美元。
在加利福尼亚州,地震预测的成功与否关系到千百亿美元的财产和投资。
3.At this difficult stage,ex-president of the USA may have more celebrity than influence.
*在这个困难阶段,前任美国总统可能仍会有声望,但已无影响。
在这个困难阶段,前任美国总统可能仍会享有声望,但已无影响力可言。
4.Rushing to the scene to congratulate his troops on a textbook performance,Interior Minister Charles Pasqua told reporters,The nightmare is over.
内政部长查尔斯·巴士奎赶到现场,祝贺内务部队官兵干得漂亮而又完全符合规范。他对在场的记者说:“噩梦已经结束”。
5.Britains will have the chance in the next few months to try out an emerging technology that could put mobile telephones within the reach of even modest domestic budgets.
*英国人在未来的几个月里可能研制出一种新兴的技术,这种技术能使中等收入的家庭也能用得起移动电话。
英国人在未来的几个月里可能研制出一种新兴的技术,这种技术一投入使用,即使是中等收入的家庭也能用得起移动电话。
*What science strives for is an utmost acuteness and clarity of concepts as regards their mutual relation and their correspondence to sensory data.
结构分析:句子的框架是What science strives for is……as regards their mutual relation and their correspondence to sensory data.这是一个主从复合句。名词性从句What science strives for作主语。介词短语as regards their mutual relation and their correspondence to sensory date作状语。介词短语as regards也作regarding,意为“关于”。Sensory data意为“感性材料”。
参考译文:科学为之奋斗的目标,就是要使概念之间的相互关系以及与感性材料的一致性尽最大可能地准确与清楚。
*If we desire sincerely and passionately the safety,the welfare and the free development of the talents of all men, we shall not be in want of the means to approach such a state.
结构分析:句子的框架是if we desire……,the welfare and the free development……,we shall not be in want of……。if引导条件状语从句。desire的宾语被状语sincerely and passionately隔开。In want of相当于“in need of”,在此句中译为“缺乏”。approach在此作动词意为“靠近”。
参考译文:如果我们真心实意而又满腔热情地希望整个人类能享有安全与幸福并且自由地发展其才干,我们就不会缺少去达到这一境界的方法。
*While we consider this to be the best form of democracy, it is not without difficulties and possible limitations, some of which may become apparent in this case.
结构分析:句子框架是While…,it is not without difficulties and possible limitations.“while引导让步状语从句。相当于though,修饰主句。指示代词this指代前面提到的公众投票来决策问题的做法。主句中又套嵌数量词some of加关系代词which引导的定语从句修饰difficulties and possible limitations.Not without为双重否定的介词短语,做表语,可以译成肯定句。
参考译文:虽然我们认为这是民主的最完美的形式,但它还有各种困难和潜在的缺陷;在这种情况下有些问题变得明显了。
*But such a system would not only be the beginning of real freedom of contract between employers and employees; its principal advantage would be the improvement of freedom in interpersonal relationships in every sphere of daily life.
结构分析:句子的框架是But such a system would not only be……its principal advantage would be the improvement of。叫分号连接两个并列分句。sphere意为“领域”。
参考译文:但是,这样一种制度将不只是雇主和雇员之间真正自由签署合同的开始;它的主要优点是在日常生活的每一个领域中使人际关系吏为自由。
(2)译文解释法。这种“扩充词义”的操作策略是:使用添加一定的解释性、说明性的行文。由于中西文化和社会习俗的差异,英语的有些词汇不能直译出来,有必要对汉语的词汇表达进行解释性、说明性的翻译。
1.In the age of information,we are open books.
*在信息时代,我们都是公开的书本。
在信息时代,我们每个人的一切情况都没有什么秘密可言了。
2.This country’s economy remains in intensive care.
*该国经济仍处于重病特别护理中。
该国经济依然处于岌岌可危的境地。
3.Those young people are heading for an early grave through smoking and lack of exercise.
*那些年轻人通过抽烟和缺少运动,正在向一个早期坟墓奔去。
那些年轻人由于抽烟加上缺少运动,实际上是在减短自己的寿命。
4.In that country several million of people have lived near or below the breadline for almost two decades.
在那个国家差不多二十年了,生活在贫困线以下,或温饱问题还没有完全解决的仍有几百万人。
*It is not so bad being ignorant if you are totally ignorant;the hard thing is knowing in some detail the reality of ignorance,the worst spots and here and there the not-so-bad spots,but no true light at the end of the tunnel nor even any tunnels that can yet be trusted.
结构分析:句子的框架是it is not so bad being ignorant if;the hard thing is knowing.……the reality…but no true light……nor even any tunnels……分号连接两个并列分句。前面的分句句首it为形式主语,真正的主语为being ignorant;if引导条件状语从句。后一分句的is knowing…和no true light…nor even any tunnels由but连接做系表谓语;句尾that引导的定语从句修饰tunnels.
此句的短语light at the end of the tunnel意为“困难(不快)的事情有结束的迹象”。
参考译文:如果有人彻底无知的话,无知也就不那么糟了。困难的是人们详细了解无知的实际情况——最差的方面以及这里或那里并不太差的方面,但并不了解困难的事情根本没有结束的迹象,甚至还没有可以信赖的任何解决问题的途径。
He worked his way through the ranks,eventually becoming managing director responsible for the chain’s operations in southern England.他从基层干起,逐级向上升,最终当上了负责该连锁大企业在南英格兰事务的常务主任。
注释:①responsible for形容词短语作后置定语。②多义词operations不是“手术”“运作”,而是“企业”的意思。
新的技术革命和频繁中西文化交流使我们的英语熟词有了新意或偏义。例如,skin一词的意思是“人与人的实际接触或交往”。
People who correspond with each other electronically often feel the need for skin and try to meet in what they call real life.
彼此之间用电子方式通信的人们经常觉得有面对面接触的需要,他们也尽可能在他们称之为现实的生活中交往。
The desire for skin can be seen in downtowns and shopping malls - people want human contact even when they could buy things via television or the telephone.
这种与人直接谋面接触的愿望在闹市区和商场是可以领略到的。即使人们可以通过电视或电话购物,他们还是想有人与人之间的直接交往。
再举一例:动词短语plug in意为:“将插头插入电源插座”或“给……接通电源”。现在它有了特殊的含义:“接通(进入)电脑网络”。新的形容词plugged-in表示“联通了电脑网络的”一类意思。
Parents who want their kids to be plugged in to the Net but would prefer they not be exposed to pornography, need no longer fear.
那些想让自己的孩子使用电脑网络却又怕他们大量接触到各种色情图文的家长们现在不必再担心。
Will tomorrow’s students be a generation of plugged-in servants or a race of silicon salves?将来的学生是否会成为一代电脑网络的仆佣或是一群硅片的奴隶呢?
More plugged-in bureaucrats have E-mail address and print them on their business cards?有更多的官员已经使用电脑网络,在他们的公务名片上都印有各自的电子信箱地址。
Textbook是旧词新意:“合乎规范的,理想化的”,“符合规定的”,“堪称典范的,典型的(typical)”。
It’s a textbook marriage of supply and demand.供求双方各得其所,合作十分理想。
Indeed,British Airways provides a textbook case of how new management methods and attitudes can transform a service company.如何运用新的管理方式和观念来改造一个服务性企业,英国航空公司在这方面的确提供了一个范例。
(3)译文合理加工法。“扩充词义”的操作也包括对英语原句某些表达做“转译加工”处理。这是指,英语的某些表达在汉译时不能原封不动地照译,而要在“取其要义”的基础上,大胆将其换上汉语的句式和搭配惯例,使之读起来更符合汉语行文的规范或搭配。如:
Writers are often regarded as the conscience of society,but in Hongkong many writers are only concerned with grabbing money and publicity;they have no principles or shames and are a disgrace to the profession, fumed the editor of one Chinese language magazine.
*“作家通常被看作是社会的良知。但在香港许多作家只关心捞钱和挣名,他们没有原则,甚至没有廉耻,是这个行业的耻辱。……”
“人们通常认为作家是社会的良知。但是在香港许多作家只关注如何去追名逐利。他们毫无原则,甚至根本不知廉耻,令文坛名誉扫地。”一家中文杂志的编辑怒不可遏地这么说道。
*The scientific method itself would not have led anywhere,it would not even have been born without a passionate striving for clear understanding.
结构分析:句子的框架是The scientific method itself would not have…it would not even have been born without…。这是一个含双重否定的并列句。even表示递进。在第二个并列分句中not.。。without为双重否定。翻译时译成一个肯定的意思更贴切。
参考译文:科学方法本身不能导致任何结果。而且,只有充满激情地去努力寻找确切的理解,科学方法才会产生。
*Scientists must play their part in dispelling the shaky image of both themselves and of science in general,and in explaining the new approaches and how they may be applied to benefit all of society.
结构分析:句子的框架是Scientists must play their part in……in dispelling…。和and explaining……并列做状语,转译为“一面……,一面……”。句尾how引导的宾语从句和the new approaches并列做explaining的宾语,其中代词they指前面提到的the new approaches.dispel意为“驱散,消除”。
参考译文:科学家必须在这些方面发挥作用:一面驱散他们自己和整个科学在公众心目中摇摇欲坠的形象,一面解释一些新方法和如何应用这些方法来造福于全社会。
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