翻译课讲义(下).doc

Unit 8 The Passive VoiceSection One The Passive Voice in E-C Translation1 Introduction1) The passive voice is more commonly used in English than in Chinese, especially in the writing of science and technology.2) When the agent is not necessarily told or known, the passive voice is used. Sometimes it is used for the sake of connection of the context.In E-C translation, passive voice active voice (But the version must be made idiomatic and smooth)2 Translation methods1) Converting the passive voice into the activea) keeping the original subject unchanged His pride must be pinched.他这股傲气应该打下去。 Whenever two objects are rubbed together, electrons are transferred from one object to the other.当两个物体相摩擦时，电子便从一个物体转移到另一个物体。 When rust is formed, a chemical change has taken place.当锈形成的时候，就发生了化学变化。b) changing original object into subject The numerical data concerned are provided in the next chapter.下一章提供了有关的数据资料。 The result of the invention of the steam engine was that human power was replaced by mechanical power.蒸汽机发明的结果是，机械力代替了人力。c) changing the passive into “是的” structure Footprints on the sands are not made by sitting down.沙滩上的足迹是走出来的。 Poets are born, but orators are made.诗人是天生的，而演说家则是后天造就的。 The decision to attack was not taken lightly.进攻的决定不是轻易做出的。d) adding a proper subject to make the Chinese version smooth I have not been told that he will come.没人告诉我他要来。 The issue has not yet been thoroughly explored.人们对这一问题迄今尚未进行彻底的探索。 She was seen to enter the building about the time the crime was committed.有人看见她大致在案发时进入了那座建筑物。Some sentence patterns:It is believed that 有人/人们认为 (相信)It is well-known that 大家知道/众所周知It is suggested that 有人建议It is claimed that 有人主张；人们要求It is asserted that 有人主张（断定）It is alleged that 人们断言It is generally considered that 大家（一般人）认为It is generally accepted that 人们普遍认为/大家公认It will be said that有人会说It was told that有人曾经说1) changing the passive voice into a subjectless sentence Omission of the subject is one of the typical features of Chinese syntax. If water is heated, the molecules move more quickly.如果把水加热，水分子就运动得更快。 Power would be gotten if there were money to get it with.有了钱，就会以钱谋权。“it is + v-ed + that ”: “据”It is said that 据说It is believed that 据信It is estimated that 据估计It is reported that 据报道It must be kept in mind that 必须记住It must be realized that 必须了解（认识、明白）It has been found that 已经发现2) keeping the passive structure unchangedSometimes, we my keep the passive voice unchanged, especially when it comes to something unpleasant. “被”, “给”, “遭”, “受”, “挨”, “为所”, “由”, “让”, “得以”, “加以”, ”予以”, etc. The enemy was soon surrounded by our troops.敌人很快就被我军包围了。 Up to now, sulphur dioxide has been regarded as one of the most serious of these pollutants.到目前为止，二氧化硫一直被看作是这些污染物中最严重的一种。 Natural light or “white” light is actually made up of many colors.自然光或者“白光”实际上是由许多种颜色组成的。 These signals are produced by colliding stars or nuclear reactions in outer space.这些讯号是由外空中的星球碰撞或者核反应所造成的。 In his late thirties he was almost knocked down in his despondency of the unsuccessful career.近四十岁时，由于事业上的挫折，他几乎为失意所毁。 He was praised by his teacher.他得到了老师的表扬。 Problems should be resolved in good time.问题应及时加以解决。 The laws of motion will be discussed in the next articles.运动定律将在下文中予以讨论。3) replacing the passive voice with other means(adjust or remold the whole structure) You are wanted on the phone.有人给你打电话。 Meat processing has not been given the same focus as cattle rearing.肉加工没有得到与牲畜饲养同样的关注。 He can be heard weekdays on over 600 radio stations.有600多家电台平日播出他的节目。Section Two The Passive Voice in C-E Translation1 passive structure (labeled / unlabeled)1) Chinese sentences with passive labels corresponding passive structures in English 他平白无故地被骂了。 He was scolded for nothing. 他常被派做这项工作。 He is often sent to do this work. 我们被他的坚强毅力所感动。We are moved by his perseverance. 我们的衣服给汗水湿透了。Our clothes were soaked with sweat. 他们去年遭了灾。They were hit / stricken by a natural calamity last year.2) without passive labels C: pay less attention on the form, on the relationship between subject and verbSometimes, subject can be the patient of the action (active in form, but passive in meaning) 这事做得好。 It was well done. 人不可貌相，海水不可斗量。As a person cannot be judged by his appearance, so can the sea not be measured with a bushel. 历史是人民创造的。 History is made by the people.In English, sometimes active structures may also have passive meaning e.g. The books sell well. (=are sold) The food tastes sweet. This kind of cloth washes very well.2 active structure - subject is the agent of the action (also active in meaning)Converting it into passive for the sake of coherence 他在台上出现，观众热烈鼓掌欢迎。He appeared on the stage and was warmly applauded by the audience. 现代工业耗用大量燃料。Large quantities of fuel are used by modern industry. 我在乡下长大，而且一直住在那里。I was raised in the country and have always lived there.3 Some idiomatic Chinese sentences据悉 it is learned that 据信 it is believed that 据推测 it is supposed / predicted that 据谣传，据估计，据报道人们有时会问 it is sometimes asked that 人们希望 it is expected that 可以肯定 it may be confirmed that可以有把握地说 it may be safely said thatUnit 9 Nominal ClausesSection One Translation of English nominal clausesStep One introduce English nominal clauses (function, type)Function: similar to the function of nouns in a sentence4 types: subject clause, object clause, predicative clause, appositive clauseStep two Translation of English nominal clauses1 subject clauses1) subject clauses introduced by pronouns (such as what, why, where, whatever, whoever, etc.): keep the original orderExamples: Whatever is worth doing should be done well.任何值得做的事情都应该做好。 Whether he comes or not makes no difference.他来不来都没有关系。 That energy can be neither created nor destroyed is a very important law in physical science.能量既不能创造也不能消灭，这是物理学一条很重要的定律。（add“这”） Why metals can conduct electricity is an interesting problem.金属为什么能导电是一个有趣的问题。 When it was first invented is not known.它最初是什么时候发明的，现在还不知道。(tense) Where the water has gone can easily be answered.水到哪里去了，这很容易回答。In English, only nouns, pronouns, nominal clauses, infinitive phrases, -ing phrasessubjectIn Chinese, subject: more flexible; can be any word or language unit (verb phrases, subject-predicate)2) “It” functions as a formal subjectAttention: sentence order; whether translating “it” or notExamples:a) It is a matter of common experience that bodies are lighter in water than they are in air.众所周知，物体在水中比在空气中轻。(original order)b) It is no longer a question whether man can fly to the moon.人能否飞上月球，现在已不再是什么问题了。(reversed order)c) It is certain that we shall produce this kind of engine.毫无疑问，我们将生产这种发动机。(original order; affirmativedouble negation)d) It is strange that she should have failed to see her own shortcomings.真奇怪，她竟然没有看出自己的缺点。奇怪的是P107 it is translated into “ 这”2 object clauseQ: What kind of sentence element may be followed by an object clause?Function: object of transitive verbs, prepositions, adjectives.1) object clauses introduced by that, what, how, when, which, why, whether, if, etc I told him that because of the last condition, Id have to turn it down.我告诉他，由于最后那个条件，我只得谢绝。 Can you hear what I say?你能听见我说的吗？/我的话 We all know that cigarette smoking is hazardous to health and that alcohol abuse can kill. 我们都知道吸烟对健康有害，我们也知道酗酒会危害人的生命。 He has informed me when they are to discuss my proposals.他已经通知我他们将在什么时候谈论我的建议。Sometimes, “说” is added before the object clause Smith replied that he was sorry.史密斯回答说，他感到遗憾/抱歉。 He would remind people again that it was decided not only by himself but by lots of others.他再三提醒大家说，决定这件事的不只是他一个人，还有其他许多人。2) “It” as formal objectKeep the original order in most cases, but sometimes a change of order is necessary.Examples: I made it clear to them that they must hand in their papers before 10 oclock in the morning.我向他们讲清楚了, 明天上午十点前必须交论文。(no change of order) Nutritional experiments have made it evident that vitamins are indispensable for ones health and growth.营养实验证明，维生素对人们的健康和生长是不可缺少的。 We consider it absolutely necessary that we should open our door to the outside world.打开国门，实行开放，我们认为这是绝对必要的。(translate “it” as “这”; change order)我们认为，打开国门，实行开放是绝对必要的。 I owe it to you that Im still alive.我能活着，这全靠/多亏你。3 Predicative Clauses Generally they are translated without changing order.Examples: That is why Jack got scolded.这就是杰克受到训斥的原因。 The question remains whether we can win the majority of the people.问题依然是我们能否赢得大多数人民群众的支持。 What he emphasized again and again was that no matter how difficult it might be, they should never retreat even for an inch.他再三强调的就是，不管多困难，他们都不应该后退半步。 One difficulty is that almost all of what is called behavioral science continues to trace behavior to states of mind, feelings, traits of character, human nature, and so on. 难题之一在于所谓的行为科学几乎全都依然从心态、情感、性格特征、人性等方面去寻找行为的根源。4 Appositive Clauses Function: used to describe words or phrases that refer to the same person or thing and have the same relationship to other sentence elements.Used after nouns such as: belief, fact, hope, idea, doubt, news, rumor, evidence, suggestion, problem, order, answer, decision, truth, thought, statement, possibility, etc.1) keep the original order (put it after the main clause)Examples: There is possibility that he is a spy.有可能他是一个间谍。 As an obedient son, he had accepted his fathers decision that he was to be a doctor, though the prospect didnt interest him at all.作为一个孝顺儿子，他接受了父亲的决定，要当个医生，虽然他对这样的前途毫无兴趣可言。2) Translating the way of attributive clause (put it before the nouns as pre-modification) or into an independent clauseExamples: The rumor that he was arrested was unfounded.关于他被捕的传闻是没有根据的。 The suggestion that we should develop the natural resources in this region has been discussed.关于我们应该开发本地区自然资源的建议已经被讨论过了。 We all know the fact that bodies possess weight.我们都知道物体具有重量这一事实。 But I knew I couldnt trust him. There was the possibility that he was a political swindler.但我知道不能轻信他。他是政治骗子这种可能性还是存在的。 So far there is no proof that UFOs or spaceships from other planets do exist.究竟有没有不明飞行物或者来自其他行星的宇宙飞船，迄今为止尚无法证实。(change the original order; translate into an independent clause)迄今为止尚无证据表明，确实存在不明飞行物或者来自其他行星的宇宙飞船。3) Using punctuation marks (such as colon, dash) and specific words like “这样”, “这种”, “这一”, “即”Examples： We have reached the conclusion that practice is the criterion for testing truth.我们已经得出这样的结论：实践是检验真理的标准。 Not long ago, the scientists made an exciting discovery that this waste material could be turned into plastics.不久前，科学家们获得一个令人振奋的发现可以把这种废物变成塑料。 But this does not in any way alter the fact that they are now, from a practical point of view, irrational. 但这却丝毫改变不了这样一个事实，即从实用的观点来看，他们今天仍是不合理的。 Influenced by these ethics, the new generation lives under the delusion that money does not stink. 受这种道德观念的影响，青年一代生活在这样一种错觉中，以为金钱总是香喷喷的。(negativeaffirmative)4) Changing it into a subjectless sentence P109Practice:1) What was once regarded as impossible has now become a reality. 过去认为不可能的事现在已经成为现实。(subject clausenoun phrase)2) What someone chooses to observe and the way one observes it must, after all, in part be a reflection of experience and of ideas as to what is significant 一个人选择观察的事物和他观察的方式，终究在某种程度上反映这个人的经历和他对于重大事件的看法。3) It isnt much whether he works; the question is whether he works at all.他做多少并不重要，问题是他到底有没有做。(subject clause: order change)4) I wonder whether he will come on such a bad day.我不知道这样糟糕的天气里他还会不会来。5) When we will begin to work has not been decided yet.什么时候开始工作还没决定呢。6) Thats where we differ.这就是我们的分歧所在。7) That you should have done such a stupid thing was incredible.你竟然做这么傻的事情，（这）真叫人难以置信。Section Two The Translation of Chinese Complex SentencesStep One: Comparison of Chinese and English complex sentences1) about these two languagesE: Indo-European familysynthetic 综合型 + analytic 分析型synthetic: the relation between the words in the sentence are revealed through inflexions, such as case, tense markerse.g. book-books; write-writing-writes-wroteanalytic: word order; auxiliarye.g. I shall write a letter tomorrow.C: Sino-Tibetan familyMainly analytic 分析型 (relations between words are revealed by “word order” & “empty word)e.g. 他昨天坐车到郊外 & 他昨天到郊外坐车；不怕辣辣不怕怕不辣very few inflexions e.g. 着 (progressive)唱着，跳着 了，过 (perfect tense)吃（过）了，看了 化 (adj.v.)现代化，工业化About the mode of thinkingHow do people of these two nations learn things?C: combine parts of a concept/object together as a whole, emphasizes wholeness and intuition, good at imaginal thinking; E: learn by analyzing each part, emphasizes individuality, good at logical thinking, 2) syntaxEnglish sentence: many complex long sentences, like a tree or a bunch of grapes, stresses hypotaxis, form-pivot形式主轴 (e.g. subject-predicate-prominent); rigid grammar rulesChinese sentence: short and loose, like a bamboo/ flowing water, the sentences are placed oneafter another; stresses parataxis, thought-pivot意念主轴 meaning rather than structure grammar: more flexible, no fixed sentence patternHypotaxis: marked by the use of connecting words between clauses or sentences, explicitly showing the logical or other relationships between them(Im tired because I have kept working for a long time.)E: emphasizes overt cohesion显性衔接,Parataxis: the juxtaposition of clauses or phrases without the use of coordinating or subordinating conjunctions(Im tired; I have kept working for a long time.) semicolonC: emphasizes covert cohesion隐性衔接,Attention:1) Paratactic Features of the English LanguageIn proverbs/idiomatic expressions (parallel structure)Man proposes, God disposes. No pains, no gains. Out of sight, out of mind. Nothing venture, nothing gain.Omission of conjunctionsHad you taken more exercises, you would be more healthy.2) hypotactic devices of the Chinese languagee.g. use of conjunctionsStep Two: introduce Chinese complex sentence1 Definition: Chinese complex sentence is made up of two or more simple sentences which are related to each other in meaning.2 Characteristics: each sentence connected in meaning, but one cannot be sentence member of the other3 Classification (two categories): 1）combined sentence (联合复句) compounded sentences of coordination, succession, progression, selection并列，顺承，递进，选择2) sentence containing a modifier (偏正复句)transitional, hypothetical, conditional, causal complex sentence & complex sentences of purpose转折，假设，条件，原因，目的4 Comparing with English complex sentencesEnglish complex sentence:Adverbial clauseNominal clauseRelative clauseStep Three: Translation Strategies1 sentence combinationChinese sentences: short, brief and looseEnglish sentences: long with clauses embedded one in anotherExamples: 在我看来，原因有二，而两者之间又有明显的深浅之分。（progression clauseattributive clause） It seems to me that there are two causes, of which one goes much deeper than the other. 这是一个秋天的下午。细雨淅沥，秋风瑟瑟。他们撑着雨伞，攀沿一个弯曲的山间小道去拜访一位隐居在深山的朋友。 They walked with umbrellas up a winding mountain path on a drizzling and windy autumn afternoon for a visit to a friend living in seclusion. 两小时的面试起初定在6月2日，但后来推迟了举行。这次面试组织得很好，让人满意。(A) The two-hour interview, originally scheduled for June 2, but later postponed, was satisfactorily organized. (袁晓宁译)(B) The two-hour interview was originally scheduled for June 2，but later was postponed. It was well and satisfactorily organized. 这是一次精心组织起来的会议。市政厅里济济一堂，热情洋溢，主持会议的是斯特朗先生。 This was an intelligently organized and fervent meeting in a packed Town Hall, with Mr. Strong in the chair. 我满怀希望来参加会议，以为我们的改革一定会得到支持，但讨论来讨论去，结果未免大失所望。The expectation with which I came to the conference that our reform would win full support turned out to be in vain/disappointing after the repeated fruitless discussions 目标的轻重缓急，孰先孰后，应仔细研究，认真考虑，反复推敲才是。 Target priorities should be very carefully studied.2 Sentence Sequence Different sequence: different stressExamples: 浙江省是中国古代文明发祥地之一，有悠久的历史。1) (As) one of the cradles of ancient civilization in China, Zhejiang has a long history.2) With a long history, Zhejiang is one of the birthplaces of ancient civilization in China.Analysis:Different stress; choice of the translation depends on the context.Unit 10 Attributive ClausesSection One Translation of English Attributive ClausesStep One: 1) Have a review of Unit 9 (translation of English nominal clauses and Chinese complex sentences) 2) briefly introduce the content of this unitthe translation of English attributive clausesStep Two: Compare English attributive structures with Chinese onesE: typesadj., n., -ing, -ed, infinitives, attributive clauses(ask what is attributive clauses?)featuresan English sentence can be followed by an unlimited number of attributive clausesC: put before the nouns it modifies; a limited number Step Three: Restrictive Attributive Clauses1 What is restrictive attributive clause? Form: no comma to separate it from the main clauseMeaning: closely related to its antecedents; if its deleted, then the meaning is not complete2 Translation strategies 1) Combination If the clause is not very longput it before the antecedent as pre-modification, use “的” structure Examples: He who doesnt want to be a general isnt a good soldier.不想当将军的士兵不是好士兵。 Harmonious interpersonal relationship is the primary reason why I enjoy working here.融洽的人际关系是我喜欢在这工作的主要原因。同事关系融洽是我喜欢在这工作的主要原因。 He is not the one who will give up e