汉英翻译4--说明部分英译.doc

汉语说明英译法英语的谓语动词有时态、语气、语态的变化形式，汉语里的动词没有这些，所以，这是中国学生学习英语的一个难点。一.时态（tense）1、中国学生认为该用现在完成时1）英美人用现在一般时如要表达“已经当爸爸了？”“结婚了吗？”所以，时态有其规定性，也有其任意性，约定俗成性。汉语：从你妈那听说的你从北京回来了。误：Ive just learned from your mother that you have been back from Beijing.正：Ive just learned from your mother that you are back from Beijing.汉语：那个客人问道，“你结过婚没有？”不是：The visitor asked, “Have you married?”而是：The visitor asked , “Are you married?” 说明：英语习惯上不用完成时，而用一般时，问现在的状况。2）英美人用过去一般时原文：其实就是要抗美援朝战争别打了，重工业建设别干了。译文：in effect, they wanted us to give up the war to resist U.S. aggression and aid Korea, and now they want us to give up the building of heavy industry.说明：两处时态不同，因抗美援朝战争当时已胜利结束，只能用过去时。原文：而“大人物”往往不注意，并往往加以阻拦译文： while the “bigwigs” have ignored and obstructed it as is their wont;说明：“不注意”、“加以阻拦”前面加了“往往”，就不仅指这一次，而是一贯如此，这样时态就难处理了。不加as is their wont， 矛盾解决不了。原文：这个口号并不是突然提出来的，它已经经过了好几年的酝酿。译文：It was not put forward all of a sudden, but had been in the making for several years.说明：这里had been 比was要清楚多，先后分明。原文：傅先生公开承认自己反动透顶，但是傅先生在和平解放北京时为人民立了功。译文：Mr. Fu openly admits that he was utterly reactionary, yet he did a service to the people in the peaceful liberation of Peking.说明：这里时态很重要，如was改为is, 变成他承认至今还是反动透顶，或者我们也认为他依然反动透顶了。2、现在进行时中国学生不会用的现在进行时她胖了。Shes growing fat. 孩子们累了。The children are growing tired. 天黑了，我想我们应该回家了。Its growing dark - I think we ought to go home. 我老了，但是只要我身体健康就快活。Im getting old, but so long as I keep my health Ill be happy.（汉语不说“我正在变老”的话）杯里的牛奶流出来了。The milk is running over the edge of the cup.（汉语不说“正在流出来”）计划开始在我心中形成。/ 计划里已经在我心里形成了。The plan is beginning to take shape in my mind. 二. 语气（mood）语气是动词的一种形式共有三种语气：1、陈述语气陈述语气是用来陈述事实的，如：who answered this letter?2、虚拟语气虚拟语气是用来表示愿望、可能性、怀疑。as if原文 but I feel as if it was merely dragging .修改 but I feel as if it were merely dragging.说明 “were”. Use the subjunctive because the statement is unreal. In fact, the train is objectively moving very fast. The slowness is in your mind - and quite likely in the minds of many of your fellow passengers! Nevertheless, it is a subjective judgment and not an objective truth, so use the subjunctive.原文 as if she was playing a game of hide-and-seek with me.修改 as if she were playing a game of hide-and-seek with me.说明 Were! This small remainder of the old Anglo-Saxon subjunctive is still required in careful writing after phrases expressing doubt or unreality such as “ as if”. if原文 If I meet a stranger in my hometown, surely Id be glad to give him a helping hand.修改 If I met a stranger in my hometown , surely Id be glad to give him a helping hand. 说明 In this unreal condition clause, meet has to be in the past tense met原文 If only good friends forgave each other whenever unhappy things happen!修改 If only good friends would forgive each other whenever unhappy things happen!说明 此句表达一种愿望，而不是事实。故应用would forgive。must/ would原文 I imagined she must be overjoyed at this beautiful card.修改 I imagined she would (surely) be overjoyed at this beautiful card. 说明 诚然，must一词常用于“猜测”，它一般仅用于对某些“迹象”所作的猜测；上句的语气含“虚拟”因素较重，故用would 为妥。原文 Provably they also try to stay away from us girls.修改 Probably they would (or might) also try to stay away from us girls .说明 它实际是一种假设，一种虚拟，是an unreal condition, 因此，应加入would 或might， 以体现这种虚拟。 wish原文 I wish everyone is living happily and everyone has his own carefree life.修改 I wish everyone lived happily and had his own carefree life.说明 You are expressing a wish, an unreality, so you must use the past tense after “I wish”. 这就是我们所说的虚拟语气。advisable原文 it is advisable that we should attract more and more foreign funds.修改 it is advisable that we attract more and more foreign funds.说明 After “it is advisable that” we use the simple form of the verb after the subject, and so not even conjugate it with s for the 3rd person singular; it is a subjunctive form. 倒装原文 Should there be no rules, people would never be independent.修改 Were there no rules, people would never be independent.说明 修改后的表达系美国英语的虚拟条件。Ill be twenty-one come Christmas.到过圣诞节的时候，我就满二十一岁了。这句话里come Christmas 的句法结构很特殊，这是一个虚拟语气的倒装句型(hypothetical inversion)。它相当于if or when Christmas comes. 古老的语法要求连词if 引起的条件从句里的动词用虚拟语气。因此出现come Christmas 这样的形式。原文：而且我们可能在这个问题上犯错误。译文：besides, we may make mistakes on this question.说明：中文是“可能”，may比might好些，说明犯错误的可能性更大。这里为的是强调采取“判处死刑，缓期执行”政策的必要性。原文：只到一个地方去找，就单调了。译文：To go to one place only would be monotonous. 说明：不用is 用would be， 强调我们不会只到一个地方去找。原文：如果认为资产阶级已经没有了两面性，那末资本家的改造和学习任务也就没有了。译文：If, as is alleged, the bourgeoisie no longer has a dual character, then the capitalists will no longer have the task of studying and of remoulding themselves.说明：用has和will并列更显资产阶级这种说法的荒谬。3、祈使语气祈使语气是用来发出命令的，如：F. Come here and you must take your book with you. T. Come here and take your book with you. 说明：祈使语气已含有命令义。在商业信件中，表示有礼貌的请求时用祈使语气。虽然是问句的形式，但句后不用问号。如：Would you please send us a check immediately.请即给我们送来一张支标。Wont you drop the enclosed card in the mail today.请你今天把所附的卡片寄出。1）英语祈使句的汉译法（1）直译Take these chairs in out of the rain.把那些椅子从雨里搬到屋里去。Go on ahead and Ill soon catch up with you/ catch you up. 你往前走，我很快就会赶上的。Study the lesson, and then do the exercises at the end. 先学习课文，然后做后边的练习。Never make a promise that you are not ready to carry out. 别许诺你不打算做到的事。Hurry up if you want to catch the bus.你要是赶公共汽车就得快点。Use your sense!Chew your food slowly. 嚼得慢一点。改：吃东西要慢慢嚼。“Dont let us start too late tomorrow,” said Mabel.梅布尔说，“我们明天动身可别太晚了。”Dont mess me around. Tell me where she went! 别蒙我。告诉我她到哪儿去了。But let us go out and climb a hill some clear summer night.泛读教材第二册1页Jehovah said, “Let there be light,” and the first rays of dawn appeared amidst sathe darkness. “This” Jehovah said, “I shall call the Day.” 泛读教材第二册334页Stop messing around and do your homework!别瞎闹了，作功课去！（2）加词英语祈使句译成汉语时，可根据不同情况，分别加上请、要、应该、须、试、千万、一定、务必等词。如：Note that increasing the length of the wire increases its resistance. 应注意，增加了导线的长度就会增加导线的电阻。Compare the melting point and freezing point of a substance. 试比较一种物质的熔点和冰点。Name five different kinds of matter. 请举出五种不同种类的物质。Do be careful in making experiments. 做实验时一定要小心。Practice Marxism, not revisionism; unite, and dont split; be open and above board, and dont intrigue and conspire. 要马克思主义，不要扬修正主义，要团结，不要分裂，要光明正大，不要搞阴谋诡计。（3）译为从句Suppose, assume, imagine等加that 从句的祈使句，表示一种假如情况，形式上是一个独立的完整的祈使句，实际上是一个后边句子的一个条件状语，翻译时，可合译为一句。如：英语：Suppose that you wanted to speed up the car. You would have to apply an additional force. 汉译：假如你想使汽车加速，就必须再加一个力。英语：Suppose some night after dark we look at the sky. Then we look at it again two hours later. The stars have moved over to the west a little! 泛读教材第二册5页。英语：Suppose we tried to write out the distance to the stars in miles. The numbers would stretch right across a whole page. 泛读教材第二册8页。英语：Suppose there was another darker star that was circling around Algol. Suppose this darker star gotin front of Algol every few days. Then the light from the brighgtter Algol could not reach the earth. 泛读教材第二册13页英语：Assume that it took you 4 seconds to raise a 100 pound weight too feet. A more powerful person might do the same thing in two seconds. 汉译：假如你把一个100镑重的物体抬高两英尺用了4秒，那么一个力气较大的人做这件事可能只要2秒。2）汉语祈使句的英译法讨厌！rat 常见句式：You rat! 讨厌！烦人！正好！“正好”是个常用词，英语为Thats just right.如All the furniture was badly worn and battered, but that was just right because they hadnt to bother about it.所有的家具都坏得很历害，这样正好，因为他们不必碰坏这些家具。买票！汉语：“买票！还有人买票吗？”那情绪不好的售票员喊道。不是：“Tickets? Any more tickets?” shouted the ill-humored bus conductor. 应是：“Fares! Any more fares?” shouted the ill-humored bus conductor.说明：中国的售票员说“买票？” 英美的售票员说Fares.单说“买票”是buy a ticket，但说“买选票”则是buy a vote，手里拿到了票说的“啊，好票!”不是Ah，good tickets! 而是good seats三. 语态（voice）1、主动与被动的含义现在分词含主动义，过去分词含被动义，试比较：astonishing/ astonished, amazing/ amazed, boring/ bored, disgusting/ disgusted, exciting/ excited, horrifying/ horrified, interesting/ interested, rewarding/ rewarded, shocking/ shocked, surprising/ surprised, thrilling/ thrilled. I am exciting.其义为I am a very interesting person, and people like my company. I am excited (about going abroad)I am boring.其义为I am dull, not at all interesting to others. Im bored (with this lesson)I am disgusting.其义为I do things which are very unpleasant to other people. I am disgusted (with the filthy state of this room)F: Comparing with China, America has a small population. T: Compared with China, America has a small population.说明：America是被比的对象，是受动者，不是主动者。A person is hurt or injured; a vehicle or other object is damaged. I had an accident; my back was hurt (or injured) and my bike was damaged.F：He was fainted. T：He fainted.F：He was fainted away.T：He fainted away. F: I was suffered a serious injury.T：I suffered a serious injury. 原文 though they are so toiled.修改 though they work so hard.原文 the itme was lengthened much.修改 the time seemed to lengthen too much.说明 Do not use the passive when you can use the active voice.原文 although it may never be turned into reality.修改 although it may never become a reality.说明 .不必使用被动语态。原文 Excited and rejoiced, we approached a department store.修改 Excited and rejoicing, we approached a department store.说明 “Excited” is used properly because it refers to the inner feelings. However, the second verb needs to be “rejoicing” because it is an action that comes out of the people.be starving/starved非常饿，饿得要死be heading/ headed 原句：超大规模集成电路 现在已研制出来了。 英译：The Super Large Scale Integrated Circuit has been now developed.说明：英语用被动语态。英语造句不是话题说明，而是SVO，the Super Large Scale Integrated Circuit总是受动者。原句：器件变质损坏现象 发生了。 英译：The deterioration of and the damage to parts of apparatus have occurred.There have occurred the deterioration of and the damage to parts of apparatus.说明：英语直译或用there be句型。原句：核力 才显示出来。英译：Nuclear power has just displayed itself.说明：英语直译，或加词。2、常用被动句型This might be accomplished by doing sth.这可通过的方法来实现A may be characterized as B. A可以称为B。Great strides can be claimed to have been made in 可以宣称在方面取得了很大的进展This is not considered significant这不被认为是重要的；这是没有重大意义的 All things being considered 如果考虑到所有方面，则A be described 描述了A；介绍了AAttention has been focused on sth./doing sth. 注意力已集中于 Attention is drawn (given) to注意的是；对给予了注意（重视） Care should be taken that 应当注意（小心）的是 This is found to be the case情况（事实）正是这样 This was found to be the case 当时发现情况正是这样A be given in table X (已将)A示于表X中 A be shown in figure/table X A示于图/表X中 Unless otherwise indicated/ mentioned/ noted/ specified /stated 除另有说明者外This is known as这叫做Every effort was made to do sth. 曾竭尽全力去；尽了一切努力去 Mention should also be made of 也应当提及；也应谈一下Provision is (has been) made for doing sth. 安装了的设备；作好了的准备；采取了的措施Reference is made to 提到了；涉及了A be performed 进行了AA be plotted against (versus) B in figure X 图X中绘出了A与B的关系曲线 The test results are recorded in table X 试验结果载于表中A be said to be B A据说是B They are said to be据说它们是The above. can be summarized as follows 上述可概括如下The following actions were taken 采取了下列行动（措施）Advantage is taken of 利用了 The position is taken up that主张The present study was undertaken to doing sth.进行本研究的目的在于3、汉语被动句的英译法1）汉语带有标记的被动句所谓带有被动标记的汉语句子，是指句中带有“被、受、遭、给、挨、叫、让、加以、予以、为所、被所”等。如：海外华侨不再被人轻视了。Over-seas Chinese are no longer looked down upon.这个问题必须在适当的时候以适当的方式予以处理。This problem must be dealt with by appropriate means at an appropriate time.办公大楼为松树所环绕。The office building is surrounded by pine trees.2）不带被动标记的汉语句子有许多是受动的，应译为英语被动语态。如有些问题还需要澄清。Certain questions have yet to be clarified.这个问题正在研究。The problem is now being studied.当然，也有别的译法：The problem is under examination.汉语的主动句，英译时有的要用被动句。如：作者在文中讨论了地下水的成因。The origin of groundwater in this area is discussed (by the author in the paper.)括号中的可以省略，不必译成The author discusses the origin of groundwater in this area in the paper. 原文：我是上海生上海长的。 . I was born and grew up in Shanghai. T. I was born and bred/ raised/ brought up in Shanghai. 说明：and 前边是被动语态，后边也应是被动语态。原文：煤在华北分布很广。T. Coal is widely distributed in North China.F. Coal distributes widely in North China. 说明：Distribute是.及物动词。3）为了强调受动者中美已经建立了外交关系