英语翻译与写作-AttributiveClauses.doc

Attributive ClausesI. 英汉定语结构的对比 英语的定语从句呈右开放状，从理论上讲，一个句子可以向右无限扩展。This is the cat that killed the rat that ate the cake that was put in the house that Jack built. 汉语没有定语从句之说，作为修饰成分的定语习惯上放在被修饰词之前（左边），用“、的”结构表现，呈左封闭状。这就是那只捕杀了偷吃了放在杰克修建的房间里的蛋糕的老鼠的猫。 如果“、的、的”太多，就会不知所云，影响对整个句子的理解。这就是那只捕杀了老鼠的猫。老鼠偷吃了放在屋里的蛋糕。屋子是杰克盖的。II. 限制性定语从句1. 合并法(combination)：在定语从句较短的情况下（一般在10个词之内），将定语从句合并于主句，用“、的”结构译出。1) The people who worked for him lived in mortal fear of him.2) Pollution is a pressing problem which we must deal with.3) July and August are the months when the weather is hot.4) In the room where the electronic computer is kept, there must be no dust at all.2. 分译法(division)：即化整为零，分别翻译。这种方法比较适合长而复杂的定语从句。分译时，可以重复先行词。1) Each day we make choices that affect our lives and sometimes the lives of others.2) They are striving for the ideal which is close to the heart of every Chinese and for which, in the past, many Chinese have laid down their lives.3) Between these two particles, the proton and the electron, there is a powerful attraction that is always present between negative and positive electric charges.4) Newton invented a paper lantern illuminated by a candle which he carried with him to light his way to school on dark winter mornings.在主题明确的情况下，也可以不重复先行词。5) Late 19th century saw all universities in the United States adopt the credit system, which benefited students a great deal.6) He managed to raise a crop of 200 miracle tomatoes that weighed up to two pounds each.7) A fuel is a material which will burn at a reasonable temperature and produce heat.8) They worked out a new method by which production has now been rapidly increased.3. 混合法(mixture)：即打破原文的定语结构，根据对原文的理解，用自己的话译出原文的意思。1) There were men in that crowd who had stood there every day for a month.2) There is a man downstairs who wants to see you.3) Fortunately, there are some chemical fuels that are clean and smokeless.4) There are some metals which possess the power to conduct electricity and the ability to be magnetized.有时候，有些英语复句中主句结构简单，重心在定语从句上。在这种情况下，可将主句压缩成一个单句的主语，将定语从句译作谓语。5) We are a nation that must beg to stay alive.6) Americans have a great range of customs and habits that at first may seem puzzling to a visitor.7) We used a plane of which almost every part carried some identification of national identity.8) Good clocks have pendulums that are automatically compensated for temperature changes.III. 非限制性定语从句在翻译非限制性定语从句时，分译法的使用更频繁一些，有时可视情况译成汉语的并列句、复合句或独立句。1. 分译法：1) I told the story to John, who told it to his brother.2) Fine grains of dust can reflect blue light, which coarse grains of dust can not.3) The process of combining with oxygen is oxidation, of which burning is one type.4) This is a college of science and technology, the students of which are trained to be engineers or scientists.5) After dinner, the four key negotiators resumed their talks, which continued well into the night.6) He saw in front that haggard white-haired old man, whose eyes flashed red with fury.7) One time there was a violent thunderstorm, the worst I had ever seen, which obscured my objective.8) Nevertheless the problem was solved successfully, which showed that the computations were accurate.2. 合译法：1) The sun, which had hidden all day, now came out in all its splendor.2) He liked his sister, who was warm and pleasant, but he did not like his brother, who was aloof and arrogant.IV. 兼有状语功能的定语从句:在很多情况下，英语中的定语从句兼有状语的功能，可视情况将其译成与汉语相应的表示原因、结果、目的、时间、条件、让步的状语从句。 Einstein, who worked out the famous Theory of Relativity, won the Novel Prize in 1921. 爱因斯坦由于提出了著名的“相对论”， 于1921年获得了诺贝尔奖。（原因） How can anyone hope to be a qualified teacher, who doesnt know what the students are thinking and demanding? 一个教师如果不知道他的学生在想什么， 需要什么，怎能指望成为一个合格的教师呢？(条件） I knocked at the door of the red house, which opened right away. 我敲了敲那座红房子的门，那就立即开了。（结果）1) You must grasp the concept of “work” which is very important in physics.2) We know that a cat, whose eyes can take in more rays than our eyes, can see clearly in the night.3) Copper, which is used so widely in carrying electricity, offers very little resistance.4) There was something original, independent, and heroic about the plan that pleased all of them.5) He insisted on building another house, which he had no use for.6) In fact, many Americans who could afford to hire a cook or driver do not employ them.7) The scientist, who was dog-tired, went on with the experiment.8) Electronic computers, which have many advantages, cannot carry out creative work and replace man.9) Men become desperate for work, any work, which will help them to keep alive their families.10) They have built up a new college here, where students will be trained to be engineers and scientists.11) Private schools in the U.S. have a wide range of programs that are offered to meet the needs of certain students.12) Ill try to get an illustrated dictionary dealing with technical terms, which will enable me to translate scientific literature more exactly.13) We have to oil the moving parts of the machine, the friction of which may thus be greatly reducedV. 特种定语从句 特种定语从句主要是指由which 或as引导的非限定性定语从句，which或 as指代整个主句。 由 which引导的 定语从句常译成“从而”、“因而”。由as引导的定语从句常译成“这”、“如”、“像”等词。u Light travels in straight lines, which explains why shadows are formed when it goes past an object. 光以直线传播， 这说明光经过物体时形成阴影的原因。u Metals have many good properties, as has been stated before.金属有很多良好的性能， 这在前面已经讲了。u As is known to us, diesel engines are cheaper to run than gasoline engines.正如我们所知， 使用柴油机比使用汽油机便宜。1) He is a professor, as is clear from his manner.2) They turned a deaf ear to our demands, which enraged