07英漢翻譯八大操作策略之從句換位

字號(hào):

“從句前后換位”特指一個(gè)英語(yǔ)句子在翻譯時(shí)將從句(clauses)和其他語(yǔ)法成分的位置互換,目的是使譯文可讀性更強(qiáng),更通順、地道、簡(jiǎn)潔。
    (1)從句換位的操作可用于翻譯表語(yǔ)從句。
    例如:One sign of how badly the seas have been overfished is that population of sharks have declined 94% since 1970.
    *有一個(gè)跡象說(shuō)明,對(duì)海洋漁場(chǎng)的狂撈濫捕已到了什么程度,這就是自從1970年以來(lái),鯊魚(yú)的總存活量遞減了94%.
    自從1970年以來(lái),鯊魚(yú)的總存活量遞減了94%,從中可以看出,對(duì)海洋漁場(chǎng)的狂撈濫捕已到了什么程度。
    ①下一句的可讀性?xún)?yōu)于上一句譯文。
    ②被動(dòng)句譯成“對(duì)……(動(dòng)詞)”。表語(yǔ)從句換位,先譯出來(lái)。
    (2)前后換位的操作還可用于翻譯同位語(yǔ)從句。一般將從句的主要成分或者整個(gè)從句前移,特別是在從句明顯長(zhǎng)于主句的情況下更需如此。
    例如:Concern is mounting that the estimated 1.5 million people left homeless will fall victim to epidemics of cholera and other illnesses.
    *人們的擔(dān)心日甚一日,因?yàn)楣烙?jì)有150萬(wàn)人無(wú)家可歸,霍亂及其他流行病的爆發(fā)會(huì)危及到他們。
    估計(jì)有150萬(wàn)人無(wú)家可歸,霍亂及其他流行病的爆發(fā)會(huì)危及到他們。人們對(duì)此的擔(dān)心日甚一日。[此句對(duì)原文忠實(shí)程度及行文的可接受性?xún)?yōu)于上句。]
    For far too long Asia has suffered from a delusion of specialists devoted to the idea that development is only a billion dollars or a billion birth-control devices away.
    只要能得到十億美元的援助,或者只要讓十億人實(shí)行計(jì)劃生育,亞洲的經(jīng)濟(jì)就可以發(fā)展,這是眾多的專(zhuān)家潛心研究出的一個(gè)思路。這個(gè)思路對(duì)亞洲一直起誤導(dǎo)作用,時(shí)間已經(jīng)太長(zhǎng)了。
    這里,譯文對(duì)原句中主句和同位語(yǔ)從句在位置上進(jìn)行了置換,否則漢譯不會(huì)通順。
    (3)從句換位的操作還可用于翻譯一些定語(yǔ)從句或作定語(yǔ)的分詞短語(yǔ)。只要將這樣的定語(yǔ)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(guó)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(shí)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(guó)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(jì),這個(gè)省份打算乘此機(jī)會(huì)也有一番作為。
    動(dòng)詞詞組cash in on意為“利用時(shí)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(gè)簡(jiǎn)單句,主語(yǔ)reason后跟why引導(dǎo)的定語(yǔ)從句。The representation of nature譯為“再現(xiàn)自然”,of表動(dòng)賓關(guān)系;something commonplace在此譯為成語(yǔ)“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(duì)美術(shù)史學(xué)家來(lái)說(shuō),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(yǔ)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(guó)代表大會(huì)上,似乎名不見(jiàn)經(jīng)傳的奎爾被布什挑中,成了其競(jìng)選伙伴。從那以后,奎爾便一直是被人們?nèi)⌒团u(píng)的對(duì)象。
    注意:連詞(since, when等)需要個(gè)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(guó),而美國(guó)的公司卻將被拒之門(mén)外。許多美國(guó)公司對(duì)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(yǔ)從句。介詞短語(yǔ)without the verbal guidance of his environment作狀語(yǔ)。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(dòng)詞的狀語(yǔ),complete independence from language是動(dòng)詞的賓語(yǔ)。
    參考譯文:如果有人不用語(yǔ)言作為周?chē)澜绲南驅(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(yǔ)言之外的概念歸因于思維活動(dòng)。