实用翻译技巧之英文版.doc

I. Analysis of sentencesi. Main Structure of English SentencesUnlike Chinese, English has sentence variation, i.e. combining short sentences and long sentences. We have simple sentences, compound sentences and complex sentences in English. A complicated long sentence contains not only main clause, but also subordinate clause, which may be followed by other subordinate clauses such as attributive clause, adverbial clause, or by other subordinate elements such as infinitive phrase, ing-participle and ed-participle.However complex English long sentences, the core elements of the basic sentence patterns are SV, SVP, SVO, etc. Long sentences are developed by means of subordinate clause or modified phrase, which can reflects the grammatical relation in English.Example 1:Meanwhile, P, a patented e-commerce service that lets you name your price for airline tickets, hotel rooms, cars and home mortgages and then goes out to find sellers willing to match it, went public last week, and Wall Street treated the company like a rare gemstone.As we see, the main structure of the sentence is P went to public last week, and Wall Street treated the company life a rare gemstone. A patented e-commerce service is the appositive phrase of the subject P. And that-clause is an attributive clause, which modify a patented e-commerce service. Then a reference translation would be like that:同时，P上周上市了。 这是一个有专利地电子商务服务网站， 可以让你提出机票，旅馆客房，汽车与房屋分期付款地价格，然后帮你寻求接受该价格地买主。华尔街视这家公司为稀世之宝。Example 2:Struggling independent booksellers, who had charged, along with the Federal Trade Commission, that the consolidation would create an unstoppable monopoly, have reason to be relieved.The main clause is Struggling independent booksellers have reason to be relieved. The middle part of the sentence is an attributive clause, modifying the subject struggling independent booksellers. Along with the Federal Trade commission is a parenthesis. That-clause is the object of the verb charge. We may have a translation like that:努力生存地个体书商们曾与联邦贸易委员会一道，指控该项兼并将会产生势不可挡地垄断，现在这些书商有理由松口气了。Exercises:John, who was becoming more and more ill at ease and embarrassed, told Mary, who was busily engaged in giving her opinion of what was wrong with the people sitting at the next table, that if she went on talking like that he was going to leave the restaurant.From the above examples, we can find some points or skills of long sentence translation.a. main structure of a long sentence;b. modifying elements, i.e. relative pronouns (that, which, who), relative adverbs (where, when, why, how), prepositional phrases, ing-participle, ed-participle, infinitive phrases, etc.c. after proper understanding about the logic of long sentences, translating in an Chinese way.ii. Factors Causing Complexity of English Sentences1).Relative Structure (关系结构)Relative pronouns (that, which, who), relative adverbs (where, when, why, how), ing-participle, ed-participle, etc. may lead to complexity of sentences.Example 3:If Americans curtail their buying, that will kill the main engine of recent of U. S. economic growth, which will in turn stunt other economies, particularly Asian and Latin American countries that aim to build their recoveries around pumping up exports to the U. S.First, we can look at the sentence structure. If-clause is an adverbial clause of condition. The main clause is that will kill the main engine. That here refers the whole sentence of if-clause. Which the U. S. modified the main clause instead of economic growth, the object of the main sentence. That-clause is an attributive clause, modifying Asian and Latin American countries. Now, the sentence can be divided into three parts.a. Americans curtailing their buying will kill the main engine of recent U. S. economic growth.b. Killing the main engine of recent U. S. economic growth will stunt other economics, particularly Asian and Latin American countries.c. Some Asian and Latin American countries aim to build their recoveries around pumping up exports to the U. S.A reference version: 如果美国削减其购买，那将扼杀美国进来经济增长的主要动力，而这又会阻碍其他国家经济的发展，尤其是那些旨在通过增加对美国出口来恢复经济的亚洲和拉美国家经济的发展。Example 4:Two months ago, when Aegon, a Dutch Life insurer known for taking care of its shareholders, bought Transamerica, a San Francisco-based insurer, Aegon said it was expecting a return of only 9% from the deal, well below the 11% “hurdle rate” it once proclaimed as its benchmark.The main clause is Aegon said it was expecting a return of only 9% from the deal. When-clause is an adverbial clause of time, whose main structure is Aegon bought Transamerica. Aegon and Transamerica are followed respectively by their appositives-a Dutch life insurer and a San Francisco-based insurer. Known for taking care of its shareholders is an ed-participle, the postposition of Life insurer. Well belowits benchmark is a prepositional phrase, complementing 9%. It once proclaimed as its benchmark is an attributive clause in which the relative pronoun “that” or “which” is omitted.A reference translation may be: Aegon是一家以关心股东利益著称的荷兰人寿保险公司。两个月前收购总部位于旧金山的Vtransamerica保险公司时，Aegon宣称这笔交易的预期利润率只有9，远低于它曾宣布作为公司基准点的11的“最低预期资本利润率”。2). Inversion（倒装）Example 5:This makes it all the more surprising that some companies pay little attention to the impact on the discount rate of changes in their cost of capital.这使得一些公司的做法更令人惊讶，这些公司很少注意它们资本成本变化对折现率的影响。The impact of A on B (A对B的影响). The normal order should be “the impact of changes in their cost of capital on the discount rate”.More inversions are seen in subjunctive in which the conjunction if is often omitted.Example 6:The Federal Reserve might have had a livelier if less comfortable debate on asset prices had it invited along more central bankers or economists of the opposing viewpoint.The adverbial clause “had it invited” is the inversed form of “if it had invited ”.如果美联储邀请了更多持相反观点的中央银行家或经济学家，关于资产价格的讨论可能会更热烈些，不过可能就没那么轻松了。Example 7:For that matter, the Dow would have long since crosses 10 000 had its guardians added Microsoft to the list of industrials two years age rather than adding Hewlett-Packard. Then again, had the Dow not tossed out wobbly Woolworth and replaced it with Wal-Mart, the Dow wouldnt be near 10 000.其实就这件事而言，如果道琼斯委员会两年前是将微软而不是惠普加入产业名单，道琼斯指数早就突破了万点大关。话又说回来，如果道琼斯没有将表现不稳定的Wool-worth踢出并以沃尔玛取而代之，道琼斯指数现在也不会接近万点大关。3). Double Structure（双重结构）Some English sentence with double structure is usually characterized by bothand, so/suchthat, regardas, the morethe moreetc. Example 8:The challenge to the IMF/World Bank, BIS (Bank for International Settlements) and G7 finance ministers is to structure a system such that the more fully a country participates in the global financial system, the more benefit it derives.“The more, the more” is the inversion of “a country participates more fully in the global financial system, it derives more .”国际货币基金组织（世界银行），国际清算银行和七国集团的财政部长面临的挑战是建立一个体系，使得一个国家在这个全球性金融体系中参与越充分，受益就越大。Example 9:We should not praise as an important development something that is due to an unsustainably low savings rate drive, in turn, by an asset price bubble that was unplanned.The main clause is “we should not praise something as an important development.” The objective something is modified by an attributive clause which contains an ed-participle and another that-clause. In this way, we can obtain end-weight-effect, which is much emphasized in English.如果发展是由不可持续的低储蓄率带来的，而且这种低储蓄率又是由非预先计划的资产价格泡沫引起的，那么我们就不能称赞这种发展为重要的发展。4). Elliptical Sentence（省略句）Example 10:Most of the Chinese companies that Microsoft has enlisted in the Venus project have the technology and resources to introduce such a product on their own. That they havent should in itself cast suspicion on Gates reasoning.That they havent is the elliptical sentence of “that they havent introduced such a product on their own.”微软所招募参加维纳斯计划的大多数中国公司都具有独立推出这一产品的技术和资源。而这些公司并没有这样做，这一事实本身就应该引起人们对盖茨推理论证的怀疑。 II. Translation Strategies and Skills As we have mentioned, it is a precondition for us to have a good understanding of source language text when we do translation. However, it is far from being a good translator. We should master some widely used translation skills, which may help us much in the future translation practice. Next we will come to some useful translation strategies and skills-conversion(转译法)，amplification/repeat ion(增词法/重复法)，omission（省略法），as well as translation skills involved in negative sentences and passive voice sentences. 1. Conversion1) Conversion into verba. NounverbExample 1In an echo of last years war for telephone customers, the big utilities have, since August, unveiled tit-for-tat price cuts. （verbal noun有动词意味的名词）与去年争夺电话客户之战呼应，大公司从8月份推出了针锋相对的杀价政策。Exercise 1Financial engineering trails far behind the mechanical sort in Japan, but that is not for want of a good education.在日本，财务管理水平远远滞后于工程技术水平，不过这不是因为缺乏好的教育。They gave the winning team one more cheer at the close of the football game.足球比赛结束时，他们再一次向获胜球队欢呼。Example 2The catalyst for change was a European Union directive that called for the gradual opening of markets, starting in February this year.（nominal verb名词化的动词）导致变化的是欧盟的指令，该指令要求，从今年2月起逐步开放市场。Exercise 2Even better news for Saturn was the GM boards approval of a new Saturn sport-utility vehicle.对Saturn公司来说，更大的好消息是，通用汽车公司董事会批准了生产新型的Saturn跑车。The new situation requires the formulation of a new strategy.新形势要求制定新战略。Even the most casual consideration of the daily developments in our world provides clear evidence that global organization and global order are an increasingly indispensable necessity.只要稍微留意一下世界每天地的大事，就可以清楚地看出：世界组织和世界秩序变得越来越不可或缺了。Example 3And new entrants say it means they need a strong local partner to gain fair access to the electrical grid.（verb+noun 与动词连用的名词）要进入（能源市场）的公司说，这意味着它们需要一个强有力的当地合作伙伴，才能在电力网络中占有一席之地。Exercise 3With no regulation to keep them in check, they could easily establish a tight oligopoly, then quietly start to fleece consumers once again.没有一个管理机构限制他们，他们就很容易建立对市场严密的寡头卖主垄断，神不知鬼不觉地又开始宰顾客。Example 4But there is no guarantee that competition will thrive. （there + be + verbal noun）there be+带动词意味的名词不过很难保证竞争会兴盛起来。Exercise 4There is no need for a big lawsuit.不需要打一场大官司。Example 5As for taking on a hired freelance consultant like Rosenberg, Miller is a firm believer in getting an expert to do things properly.（加后缀-er/-or的名词）Miller坚决认为应该请专家，这样才能把事情做好。所以，他雇了一位像Rosenburg这样的自由职业顾问。The economic environment is characterized by buyers, sellers and competitors.经济环境的特点就是买，卖与竞争。A precondition for the success of the single market is that there must be losers as well as winners.成功地实现单一大市场地前提就是有的公司必有所得，有的公司必有所失。He is a better singer than I.他比我唱得好b. AdjectiveverbExample 6Until recently, the German power marker was a net-work of regional monopolies, and competition was all but absent.一直到最近，德国的能源市场还是一个地区垄断的体系，几乎没有/缺乏竞争。Well-functioning markets need watchful government, they reckon.他们认为运作正常的市场需要政府密切关注。The demand for money is reckonable as the quantity needed to effect business transaction. 货币需求可视为完成交易所需要的货币量。He is utterly ignorant of the US. How can we expect him to enlarge the market for our products there?他对美国情况一无所知。怎么能指望他去扩大我们的产品在那里的销路呢？The home office was totally unaware of the sales push and had to plans to ship the product.总公司根本不知道这项促销活动，因而没有装运该产品的计划。Verb+ suffixadjectiveEg. Reckon-reckonable, dominate-dominant, create-creative, support-supportiveBe/feel/become/get/turn grateful, thankful, ignorant, hopeful, aware, familiar You are aware that the British Electrical & Allied Manufacturers Association is the organization that represents the many firms in the sector of British industry that manufactures equipment for the generation, transmission, distribution and utilization of electrical power正像你们所了解的，英国电气联合制造商协会这个组织代表了英国制造发电，输电，配电及电力使用设备方面很多公司c. AdverbverbUnderstandably, by one estimate, 40 000 jobs may disappear in the shake-out to come.可以理解，据估计，在未来的经济萧条中会有4万人失业。The manager will be back in about an hour. How long will Mr. Smith be away this time?They wouldnt let us through.d. PrepositionverbExample 7Most of its recent decisions have gone against incumbents.他们最近的大部分决定都不利于当前从垄断中获益的人。Now the electricity industry has been thrown into convulsion, and there is even hope that its cousins, gas and water, are in for similar treatment.现在，电力行业已被置于漩涡中，可能与此并列的煤气和水等行业也会遭到类似的命运。The damage to the packing of goods under contract NO. OXST 76134N is so serious that it is beyond description.OXST 76134N号合同项下的货物，其包装残损的严重程度已经无法形容。The ECO, with more than 300 million people and an area of 7 million square kilometers, is second only to the EC. But in terms of resources, it is far behind the EC.经济合作组织各成员国拥有3亿人口和700万平方公里土地，仅次于欧洲共同体，但就资源而言却远不及后者。Interest rates are probably near their lows for the next year or so.利率在明年前后可能降至最低点。Up the street they went, past stores, across a broad-square, and then entered a huge building.他们沿着大街走，经过许多商店，穿过一个大广场，然后进入了一座大厦。Party officials worked long hours on meagre food, in cold caves, by dim lamps.党的干部吃简陋的食物，住寒冷的窑洞，靠微弱的灯光，长时间地工作。2) Conversion into nouna. VerbnounExample 8The bland styling of the LS makes a statement of attractive practicality, aimed at the buyers of Japanese sedans. (名词转成的动词)LS的朴质无华的设计充分展示了其美观，实用的特点。公司设计这种车针对的目标就是购买日本轿车的客户。He lunched me well at MacDonald yesterday.昨天他在麦当劳请我吃了一顿满意的午餐。The economic environment is characterized by buyers, sellers and competitors.经济环境的特点就是买卖与竞争。This strategy targets a specific segment of buying public by carrying products only in a specific price range.这一策略是以消费群体中特定阶层为目标，只经营特定价格范围内的商品。Example 9With Britishs Vodafone Airtouch mulling a bid for Mannermann, Germanys hostility to hostility may be tested more harshly than ever.（passive voice）由于英国的Vodafone Airtouch公司考虑兼并德国的Mannermann公司，德国对不友好兼并的敌视态度受到了前所未有的严峻考验。The question of United States arms sales to Taiwan was not settled in the course of negotiation between the two countries (US & China) on establishing diplomatic relations.美国向台湾当局出售武器的问题在两国谈判建交的过程中没有得到解决。Restructuring at big firms is shaking loose workers who thought they had jobs for life. Those that cling on are told they must specialize, in finance, marking and so on.大公司进行的重组开掉了一些以为自己能一辈子有工作的员工。公司要求留下来的人都要有自己的专业，比如在财政方面或营销方面。Trade union leaders claimed that some of their members had been victimized by being dismissed. 工会领袖认为有些会员已成了被解雇的牺牲品。b. Adjective noun Example 10In Germany, little has been done to ensure that the free-for-all matures into genuine competition.在德国，并没有采取什么措施使市场完全自由的状态成熟起来，变成真正意义上的竞争。Gorky had great sympathy for the poor and the down-trodden.3) Conversion into adjectivea. nounadjectiveExample 11If deregulation is a success, it will promote freer markets throughout the economy.如果撤销政府的管理和控制做得很成功，就会在整个经济上促进市场进一步自由化。From the enclosed price list you will see that we have a good variety of ladies gloves.从附上的价单上贵公司可以看动我们有各式各样的女装手套。Marketing research is an absolute necessity in business.市场调研对经商来说是绝对必要的。They admitted the feasibility of our propal.他们承认我们的建议是可取的。The moderate price coupled with the superiority of our goods will surely induce you to pass our orders.由于价格公道，品质优良，相信贵公司必会乐于向我们订货。b. adverbadjectiveExample 12 Mr. Blair is as famously organized as Mr. Clinton is chaotic.布莱尔先生的井井有条和克林顿先生的杂乱无章都是出了名的。2. Amplification/repetition1) lexical amplification Example 13To those who hate federalism, the very thought will seem intolerable.（增加动词）对于那些反对联邦制的人来说，一想到这个想法便觉得简直难以忍受。Example 14Financial restructuring will be on the regions agenda for several years to come.未来几年内，金融重组将提到本地区的议事日程上来。（增加动词）Similarly, they avoid jokes, since humor does not translate well from one culture to another.类似地，他们避免使用笑话，因为幽默从一种文化翻译到另一种文化地效果并不好。But this would be the right way to arrive at a closer union, after a positive experience, and with popular support.但是这可能是使联盟变得更加紧密地正确途径因为有了成功地经验和广泛地支持。Example 15Jumping right into business discussions before a get-acquainted interlude can be a bad mistake.在熟悉对象之前匆匆忙忙地进行商业谈判可能是个严重的错误。（增加副词）Example 16On the big issues, Clinton has moved to the right on defense and foreign policy, to the left on Social Security and Medicine.在重大问题上，克林顿在国防和外交政策方面采取右倾态度，在社会安全和医疗保健方面采取左倾态度。 （增加名词）2) syntactical amplification Example 17The Bank of Japan is far more influenced by the exchange rate than the Federal Reserve is.日本银行受汇率的影响要比美联储受汇率的影响大得多。（增加原文比较句中的省略部分）Example 18Spurious or not, that arithmetic should reflect not only interest rates but also the riskiness of each individual project.不管计算虚假与否，它不仅应该反映利率水平，而且还应该体现每个项目的风险大小。（增加原文含蓄条件句中的省略部分）Without an increase in supply, the new anti-competitive price will not stick.如果没有供应量地增长，这个新地反竞争价格就不会坚持下去。Stylists and image consultants get paid anywhere from $ 150 an hour to $ 1 200 a day to perfect that high-powered look, onstage and off.Example 19Stylists and image consultants get paid anywhere from $ 150 an hour to $ 1 200 a day to perfect that high-powered look, onstage and off.各地的设计师和形象顾问创造着舞台上下的颇具“威力”的形象，并因此获得每小时150美元至每天1 200美元的佣金。（增加原文中的关联词）3）Repetition Example 20Bill Clinton is still president and will be for 23 months.比尔克林顿目前是总统，并且在今后的23个月中，他也仍然是总统。Recession in Europe and Japan will produce little or no growth in those critical export markets.欧洲和日本的经济衰退将会使那些主要出口市场的出口额增长甚微或毫无增长。Germany is the biggest of the medium-sized economics, bigger than, but basically in the same class as, France.德国经济在中等国家中居首位，实力强于法国，但仍与法国同属一个层次。Example 21About 22 percent of the European Unions exports go to, and 20 percent of its imports come from, developing countries.欧盟22的出口针对发展中国家，而同时其20的进口也来自发展中国