在翻译全过程中,译者不仅要处理好难点问题,还应注意处理好英汉两种语言转换时的一些突出疑点问题。它们既包括描述角度的问题,又涉及到组词成句的特征。具体说来,这些疑点问题有动与静、概略化与具体化、有灵动词与无灵动词以及形合法与意合法。
一、动与静
英汉两种语言在表述某一动作概念时均有一个共同的特点:即既可选择静态的表述方式,也可选择动态的表述方式。前者在英语中多以"(be)+名词/形容词/副词/介词短语"句式为主,在汉语中多以"是+名词/形容词"句式为主;后者则是指"动作动词/动态动词+其他句子成分"这类句式,在英汉两种语言中均十分常见。英语由于其词法和句法体系有别于汉语(如英语中名词、介词占优势),所以在选择表述动作意义的方式时常常是静态表述方式多于动态表述方式。这种"以静表动"的方式使英语行文显得更为精练和多样化。而汉语却因有多用动词的固有习惯(汉语中常常出现大量兼动式和连动式的说法),所以重动能描写,在选择表述动作意义的方式时常常是动态表述方式多于静态表述方式。这一差别在翻译时必须妥善处理,而常用的方式有两种:一是化静为动,二是化动为静。
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(一)化静为动
化静为动是指把原文的静态句式转换为动态句式,强化原文的动态色彩,使译文符合汉语的行文习惯,明白流畅。英语中的静态表述方式有无动词句,例如:
(1) Now for the discussion.现在进行讨论
(2) This way, please!请走这边!
(3) So far so good.到目前为止进展不错。
"be+动词的同源名词"句式:
(1) She is a good teacher.
她教书教得好。
(2) He is a lover of pop music.
他喜欢流行音乐。
(3) He is the murderer of his boss.
他谋杀了老板。
(4) He has been the ruler of the region for as long as twenty years.
他统治那个地区长达20年之久。
(5) Mary is a good learner .
玛莉善于学习。
(6) He was a good listener and they would like to talk with him.
他能倾听别人的意见,因此他们喜欢同他谈心。
(7) Peter is a bad sailor.
彼得晕船。
(8) Cardiovascular disease is American number one killer.
在美国,死于心血管疾病的人高居榜首。
(9) I used to be a bit of a fancier myself.过去我也常常有点胡思乱想。
"be+非动词同源名词"句式:
(1) My party was a quite affair.
我的欢送会开得很平静。
(2) There was no loud sound. Nothing asserted its size in a brutal tumult of wind and thunder.
四周听不见什么闹声。没有任何东西以风啸雷鸣般的喧嚣显示其威力。
(3) Excessive headline phrase condemnation is, of course, a possibility.
当然,指责过分使用标题式短语是可能的。
(4) It was only my capacity for hard work that saved me from early dismissal.
要不是我能干重活,早就给辞退了。
(5) They were all eyes as the presents were opened.
礼品打开时,他们全神贯注地看着。
"be+动词的同源形容词"句式:
(1) This program was not popular with all of the troops.
并不是所有军队的人都喜欢这个计划。
(2) He is content with such kind of life.
他满足于这样的生活。
(3) John is quite familiar with the machine.
约翰十分熟悉这台机器的性能。
(4) An acquaintance with the modern Chinese history is helpful to the study of Chinese revolution.
了解一下中国近代史,对研究中国革命是有帮助的。
"be+非动词同源形容词"句式:
(1) He was an able and a successful one.
他为人能干,事业成功。
(2) His ill health has been a very anxious business.
他身体不好令人十分担忧。
(3) I am quite ignorant of what they intend to do.
我的确不知道他们打算干什么。
(4) You shouldn't be sensitive about one's clothing.
你不要太注重衣着了。
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"be+副词"句式:
(1) We must be off now.我们得走了。
(2) The performance is on.演出已经开始了。
(3) Their experiment has been over.他们的实验已经结束了。
(4) I saw you out with a boy yesterday.昨天我看见你和一个男孩上街了。
"be+介词短语"句式:
(1) Because of bad government, the company was in the red.
由于管理不善,公司出现亏损。
(2) The factory is under construction.
工厂正在建造中。
(二)化动为静
化动为静就是把原文中的动态句式转换为静态句式。英语虽然喜欢选用静态句式,但选用动态句式来叙述静态的意义也是常有的事。这些动态句式极富修辞效果,常见于景物描写。英语有些动态句式译成静态句式往往比译成动态句式要好。例如:
(1) To the south of the city lies a river.城南有一条河。
(2) In front of me stood the essential tools of the intelligence officer's trade-a desk, two telephones,one scrambled for outside calls, and to one side a large green metal safe with an oversized combination lock on the front.眼前是干情报官这一行的基本用具──张写字台,两部电话,一部装有外线保密器,一侧立着一个大型的绿色金属保险柜,柜正面装有特大号的号码锁。
(3) Here, in the endless paper chase which began so clearly but ended in my mystery, lay the threads of my career.这种无休无止的文档追索游戏,始而目标明确,终于迷雾一团,贯穿其中的便是我的职业生涯。
(4) High in the Carolina mountains sits a orphanage.
在卡罗来纳山地高处有一座孤儿院。
此外,有些英语动态句的意义不易用汉语动态句来表达,或表达不准确、不流畅时,该动态句也需要转换为静态句。例如:
(1) Silence followed this remark.话音落下,一阵沉默。
(2) Our age is witnessing a profound political change.我们的时代是深刻的政治变化的见证。
(3) Its gleaming sands and backdrop of pine woods and distant hills give it a pleasant and restful atmosphere.这儿沙滩闪烁,松林掩映,远山连绵,自有一种心旷神怡的气氛。
(4) She knows what's what.她很有鉴别力。
(5) They thought differently.他们想法不同。
(6) It is chiefly characterized by its simplicity of structure.它的主要特点是结构简单。
(7) The room is well furnished.房间的陈设颇佳。
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