科技英语翻译复习范围

1. 科技英语的语言特点具体表现一、大量使用名词化结构当代英语语法（A Grammar of Contemporary）在论述科技英语时提出，大量使用名词化结构（Nominalization）是科技英语的特点之一。因为科技文体要求行文简洁、表达客观、内容确切、信息量大、强调存在的事实。而非某一行为。Archimeds first discovered the principle of displacement of water by solid bodies.阿基米德最先发展固体排水的原理。句中of displacement of water by solid bodies 系名词化结构，一方面简化了同位语从句，另一方强调displacement 这一事实。The rotation of the earth on its own axis causes the change from day to night.地球绕轴自转，引起昼夜的变化。名词化结构the rotation of the earth on its own axis 使复合句简化成简单句，而且使表达的概念更加确切严密。If you use firebricks round the walls of the boiler, the heat loss. Can be considerably reduced.炉壁采用耐火砖可大大降低热耗。科技英语所表述的是客观规律，因之要尽量避免使用第一、二人称；此外，要使主要的信息置于句首。Television is the transmission and reception of images of moving objects by radio waves.电视通过无线电波发射和接受活动物体的图象。名词化结构the transmission and reception of images of moving objects by radio waves 强调客观事实，而谓语动词则着重其发射和接受的能力。二、广泛使用被动语句根据英国利兹大学John Swales 的统计，科技英语中的谓语至少三分之一是被动态。这是因为科技文章侧重叙事推理，强调客观准确。第一、二人称使用过多，会造成主观臆断的印象。因此尽量使用第三人称叙述，采用被动语态，例如：Attention must be paid to the working temperature of the machine.应当注意机器的工作温度。而很少说：You must pay attention to the working temperature of the machine .你们必须注意机器的工作温度。此外，如前所述，科技文章将主要信息前置，放在主语部份。这也是广泛使用被动态的主要原因。试观察并比较下列两段短文的主语。We can store electrical energy in two metal plates separated by an insulating medium. We call such a device a capacitor, or a condenser, and its ability to store electrical energy capacitance .It is measured in farads.电能可储存在由一绝缘介质隔开的两块金属极板内。这样的装置称之为电容器，其储存电能的能力称为电容。电容的测量单位是法拉。这一段短文中各句的主语分别为：Electrical energySuch a deviceIts ability to store electrical energyIt (Capacitance )它们都包含了较多的信息，并且处于句首的位置，非常醒目。四个主语完全不同，避免了单调重复，前后连贯，自然流畅。足见被动结构可收简洁客观之效。三、非限定动词。如前所述，科技文章要求行文简练，结构紧凑，为此，往往使用分词短语代替定语从句或状语从句；使用分词独立结构代替状语从句或并列分句；使用不定式短语代替各种从句；介词十动名词短语代替定语从句或状语从句。这样可缩短句子，又比较醒目。试比较下列各组句子。A direct current is a current flowing always in the same direction.直流电是一种总是沿同一方向流动的电流。Radiating from the earth, heat causes air currents to rise.热量由地球辐射出来时，使得气流上升。A body can more uniformly and in a straight line,there being no cause to change that motion.如果没有改变物体运动的原因，那么物体将作匀速直线运动。Vibrating objects produce sound waves ,each vibration producing one sound wave.振动着的物体产生声波，每一次振动产生一个声波。In communications, the problem of electronics is how to convey information from one place to another.在通讯系统中，电子学要解决的问题是如何把信息从一个地方传递到另一个地方。Materials to be used for structural purposes are chosen so as to behave elastically in the environmental conditions.结构材料的选择应使其在外界条件中保持其弹性。There are different ways of changing energy from one form into another.将能量从一种形式转变成另一种形式有各种不同的方法。In making the radio waves correspond to each sound in turn ,messages are carried from a broadcasting station to a receiving set.使无线电波依次对每一个声音作出相应变化时，信息就由广播电台传递到接收机。四、后置定语大量使用后置定语也是科技文章的特点之一。常见的结构不以下五种：1、介词短语The forces due to friction are called frictional forces.由于摩擦而产生的力称之为摩擦力。A call for paper is now being issued .征集论文的通知现正陆续发出。2、形容词及形容词短语。In this factory the only fuel available is coal.该厂唯一可用的燃料是煤。In radiation ,thermal energy is transformed into radiant energy ,similar in nature to light.热能在辐射时，转换成性质与光相似的辐射能。3、副词The air outside pressed the side in .外面的空气将桶壁压得凹进去了。The force upward equals the force downward so that the balloon stays at the level.向上的力与向下的力相等，所以气球就保持在这一高度。4、单个分词，但仍保持校强的动词意义。The results obtained must be cheeked .获得的结果必须加以校核The heat produced is equal to the electrical energy wasted.产生的热量等于浪费了的电能。5、定语从句During construction, problems often arise which require design changes.在施工过程中，常会出现需要改变设计的问题。The molecules exert forces upon each other, which depend upon the distance between them.分子相互间都存在着力的作用，该力的大小取决于它们之间的距离。Very wonderful changes in matter take place before our eyes every day to which we pay little attention.我们几乎没有注意的很奇异的物质变化每天都在眼前发生。To make an atomic bomb we have to use uranium 235,in which all the atoms are available for fission.制造原子弹，我们必须用铀235，因为轴的所有原子都会裂变。五、常用句型科技文章中经常使用若干特定的句型，从而形成科技文体区别于其他文体的标志。例如Itthat结构句型；被动态结构句型；结构句型，分词短语结构句型，省略句结构句型等。举例如下：It is evident that a well lubricated bearing turns more easily than a dry one .显然，润滑好的轴承，比不润滑的轴承容易转动。It seems that these two branches of science are mutually dependent and interacting .看来这两个科学分支是相互依存，相互作用的。It has been proved that induced voltage causes a current to flow in opposition to the force producing it.已经证明，感应电压使电流的方向与产生电流的磁场力方向相反。It was not until the 19th century that heat was considered as a form of energy.直到十九世纪人们才认识到热是能量的一种形式。Computers may be classified as analog and digital.计算机可分为模拟计算机和数字计算机两种。The switching time of the new-type transistor is shortened three times .新型晶体管的开关时间缩短了三分之二。（或缩短为三分之一。）This steel alloy is believed to be the best available here .人们认为这种合金钢是这里能提供的最好的合金钢。Electromagnetic waves travel at the same speed as light .电磁波传送的速度和光速相同。Microcomputers are very small in size ,as is shown in Fig.5.如图5所示，微型计算机体积很小。In water sound travels nearly five times as fast as in air .声音在水中的传播速度几乎是在空气中传播速度的五倍。Compared with hydrogen, oxygen is nearly 16 times as heavy .氧与氢比较，重量大约是它的十六倍。The resistance being very high ,the current in the circuit was low.由于电阻很大，电路中通过的电流就小。六、长句为了表述一个复杂概念，使之逻辑严密，结构紧凑，科技文章中往往出现许多长句。有的长句多达七八个词，以下即是一例。The efforts that have been made to explain optical phenomena by means of the hypothesis of a medium having the same physical character as an elastic solid body led, in the first instance, to the understanding of a concrete example of a medium which can transmit transverse vibrations ,and at a later stage to the definite conclusion that there is no luminiferous medium having the physical character assumed in the hypothesis.为了解释光学现象，人们曾试图假定有一种具有与弹性固体相同的物理性质的介质。这种子尝试的结果，最初曾使人们了解到一种能传输横向振动的具有上述假定所以认为的那种物理性质的发光介质。七、复合词与缩略词大量使用复合词与缩略词是科技文章的特点之一，复合词从过去的双词组合发展到多词组合；缩略词趋向于任意构词，例如某一篇论文的作者可以就仅在该文中使用的术语组成缩略词，这给翻译工作带来一定的困难。例如：full-enclosed 全封闭的（双词合成形容词）feed-back反馈（双词合成名词）work-harden 加工硬化（双词合成词）criss-cross交叉着（双词合成副词）on-and-off-the-road路面越野两用的（多词合成形容词）anti-armoured-fighting-vehicle-missile反装甲车导弹（多词合成名词）radiophotography无线电传真（无连字符复合词）colorimeter色度计（无连字符复合词）maths (mathematics)数学（裁减式缩略词）lab (laboratory)实验室ft (foot/feet)英尺cpd (compound)化合物FM(frequency modulation)调频（用首字母组成的缩略词）P.S.I. (pounds per square inch)磅/英寸SCR(silicon controlled rectifier )可控硅整流器TELESAT(telecommunications satellite )通信卫星（混成法构成的缩略词）2、科技英语的造词方法1. Formation of new words a) coining of new words nylon : vinyl+cotton+ragon b) blending smog: smoke+fog comsat:communication+satellite motel:motor+hotel c) clipping refridgerator-fridg laboritory- lab advertisment-ad d) Acronym IBM:International Business Machine MBA:Master of Business Administration OPEC: Organization of Petrol Export Countries WTO NATO:North Atlantic Treaty Organization e) Back formation（逆向构词） laser-lase automation-automate f) Affix-adding super+market, jet,man micro+wave ,soft mini+skirt trans+national2. Compounding of old words: put whole words togethera) fully affixed videoconference database brainchildb) half-affixed(with a hyphen between the component parts) high-tech,rear-view mirror far-red receiver non-stop trainc) non-affixed(written as two seperate words) water cannon, bubble car space shuttled) a special way of compounding :verb+adverb (1) the meaning of the compound is the same to that expressed by the verbal phrase. eg: pullout cutback (2) .is the result of the action eg: set-up layout pile-up (3) .is the doer eg: back-up (4) .is the place eg: pull-up turnoff (5) the meaning can be guessed from the verbal phrase eg: countdown blastoff splashdown3. Old words with new meanings a) some common words get additional meaning when used in a certain field of S&T pulse:electro-magnetic waveb) some words used in a certain field are adopted in another field eg: operationc) some words get additional meaning as a result of their being used as a metaphor dove and hawk 4.Expanding the origianl meaning5. Changing the origianl meaning6. 外来词借入现代社会的高度信息化,国际交往的日益频繁,使得外来词语不断进入英语语言,大大丰富了英语的词汇。如robot (捷) 机器人、silo (西班牙) 导弹发射井、sputnik (俄) 人造卫星、kamikaze (日) 遥控飞行器、glitch (德) 故障、jukebox (非洲语言) 投币式自动唱机等等。3、平行结构在科技英语翻译中的应用 1. 科技英语中平行结构的分类 Classification of parallelism1) expressing similar or equivalent ideas, quantities, actions or ways. in a way through the simultaneous use of voice, videos, image and data.2) expressing a series of things arranged in increasing degree.3) expressing a series of actions taking place one after another in chronological order.4) expressing alternative actions. eg: The purpose of life is a life of purpose.2. 平行结构在科技英语翻译中的应用或者功能 Advantages of parallelism1) make the statements concise.2) show clearly the relationship between the component parts.3) give the reader a sense of completeness.4) impress the reader deeply.5)make a new idea easier to be understood.6) offer a sharp contrast between different things.4、科技英语词汇的翻译：翻译方法概论1 音译( Transliteration)专有名词(如人名、地名等) 通常需要采用音译法。此外,有些词在汉语中没有确切的对等译词,按照意译又比较费劲时,就只好借助于音译。这些词如新材料、药名、缩略词等等。例如: clone 克隆、hacker 黑客、nylon 尼龙、aspirin 阿斯匹林、radar 雷达等这些词都是全部按音译进行翻译的。也有一些词是部分音译的。如:AIDS 艾滋病、topology 拓扑学、Hellfire“海尔法”导弹等等。2 象形译(Pictographic Translation)所谓象形译实际上就是根据物体的形状进行翻译。如: H - beam 工字架、V - belt 三角形皮带、Cross - bit 十字钻头、Twist drill 麻花钻、U - steel槽钢、U - shaped magnet 马蹄形磁铁等等。“象译”强调汉语“形象”比喻的习惯,将V - belt 中的v 译成“三角”。因为汉语中没有使用V 表示物体形状的习惯。形译则不然,它照抄原文。例如:L - elect ron 译成L 层电子、- ray 译成射线、FORTRAN译成FORTRAN 语言等等。3 推演(Deduction)推演的词义是根据原文本或原文词典中的意思进行概括,推演出汉语的译义。译文包含的不仅是原词的字面意义,还必须概括出词语所指事物的基本特征。如space shuttle 一词,如果按照移植的方法将其译成“太空穿梭机”显然不妥,很容易引起误解。其实,这里的space 指的是aerospace (航天) ,shuttle 指往返于太空与地球之间的形状像飞机的交通工具, 因此, 将space shuttle 推演译成“航天飞机”。这种用推演法译出的词语比用移植法更直观、易懂,因此,也更容易使人接受。推演法使用得当便能译出高质量的译文,这就要求译者不但要有较好的专业基础知识,还必须具备两种语言的良好修养。4 引申( Extension)所谓引申就是在不脱离原文的基础上,运用延续与扩展的方法译出原文。通常的做法是: (1) 将具体所指引向抽象泛指,如brain 具体词义是“大脑”,抽象意义指“智力”,brain - t rust 则可以引申为“智囊团”。(2) 将抽象泛指引向具体所指,如qualification 抽象泛指“鉴定”,具体可以指“通过鉴定所具备的条件”,因此,data qualification 可以引申为“数据限制条件”。5 解释( Explanation)若有某个词在用上述方法都难译好的情况下,可采用解释法,即用汉语说出英语原文的意思而不必给出汉语的对等词。如blood type 可译为“血型”、blood bank 可译成“血库”,但blood heat 却不能译成“血热”,而用其他方法也很难译出其准确含义,此时可借用解释法,将其译成“人体血液正常温度”。这一方法大多用于个别初次出现而意义比较抽象、含义比较深刻的名词或术语。6.形 译为 了 形 象化，科技术语中常采用外文字母或英语单词来描述某种与技术有关的形象。翻译时可以将该外文字母照抄、改译为字型或概念内涵相近的汉字，这种用字母或汉字来表达形状的翻译方法称为形译法。形译法可细分为以下三种:第 一 种 ，保留原字母不译。如:O- rin g O形环，S-turning S形弯道，XrayX 射 线 ， A -be dp la te A 形 底 座。第 二 种 ，用汉语形象相似的词来译。如:ste el I- b eam工字钢梁，T-boltT 字螺栓，O-ring环形圈,L-square直角尺。第 三 种 ，用能表达其形象的词来译。如:U- bo lt 马蹄螺栓，V-belt三角带，T-bend三通接头，twist drill麻花钻。7.移植译移植译就是按词典里所给的词义将词的各个词素的意义依次译出。翻译派生词和复合词时多采用这种方法，如:microwave微波，informstionsuperhighway信息高速公路，magnetohydrodynamics磁流体力学。这些专业词语长而且复杂，往往是由一些基本的科技英语词素组合成的，因而，大多采用移植译法。5、名词性从句的翻译2. 科技英语翻译中名词性从句的翻译方法1.主语从句 构成主语从句的方式有下列两种：（1）关联词或从属连词位于句首的从句+主句谓语+其他成分。它们一般是译在句首，作为主从复合句的主语。这样的词有关联词what，which，how，why，where，who，whatever，whoever，whenever，wherever及从属连词that，whether，if.如：What we now will describe is how the magnetic nature of iron oxide can uniquely be exploited as a separation process utilizing amagnetic filtration system. 现在我们所要介绍的是如何奇特地利用氧化铁的磁性而提出一种使用磁力过滤系统的分离法。 分析：其中关联词可译为所。That substances expand when heated and contract when cooled is a common physical phenomenon. 物质热胀冷缩是一个普通的物理现象。Whether an organism is a plant or an animal sometimes taxes the brain of a biologist. 一种生物究竟是植物还是动物，有时使生物学家颇伤脑筋。 （2）It+谓语+that（whether）引导的从句。 如果先译主句，可以顺译为无人称句。有时也可先译从句，再译主句。如果先译从句，便可以在主句前加译这。如：It can be seen that precleaning alone would not reduce the total sulfur content of the four coals to levels anywhere near the standards. 可以看出，这四种煤的总含硫量仅靠预先洗选将不能降低到完全接近标准规定的水平。It is a matter of common experience that bodies are lighter in water than they are in air. 分析：有时为了使译文成分完整，可以补充上泛指的主语（如人们、大家）。 物体在水中比在空气中轻，这是一种大家共有的经验。类似的结构还有：It is（universally）known that大家都知道It is believed that人们都相信2.表语从句表语从句是位于主句的联系动词后面、充当主句主语的表语的从句，它也是由that，what，why，how，when，where，whether等连词和关联词引导的。一般来讲，可以先译主句，后译从句。如：The result of invention of 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。The advantage of rolling bearing is that they cause less friction.滚动轴承的优点是它产生的摩擦力较小。3.宾语从句 （3）直接引语作宾语从句。 翻译时引号保留，把逗号一律改为冒号。如：The student asked the teacher，How many one cubic foot of air weighs under normal conditions？ 这个学生问老师：一立方英尺空气有多重？Our practice proves that what is perceived cannot at once be comprehended and that only what is comprehended can be more deeply perceived. 我们的实践证明：感觉到了东西，我们不能立刻理解它，只有理解了的东西才能更深刻地感觉它。The law of Conservation and Transformation of Energy states that energy is indestructible and the total amount of energy in the universe is constant. 分析：以that引导的宾语从句为普遍真理及一般规律时，或是某一规律及定义所阐述的内容时，有时也可以在句首加冒号译出。 能量守恒和转换定律说明：能量是不灭的，宇宙间能量的总量和是不变的。定语从句的翻译2. 科技英语翻译中定语从句的翻译方法1、只要是比较短的，或者虽然较长，但汉译后放在被修饰语之前仍然很通顺，一般的就放在被修饰语之前，这种译法叫做逆序合译法。例如：（1）The speed of wave is the distance it advances per unit time. （波速是波在单位时间内前进的距离）。2、定语从句较长，或者虽然不长，但汉译时放在被修饰语之前实在不通顺的就后置，作为词组或分句。这种译法叫做顺序分译法。例如：（1）Each kind of atom seems to have a definite number of“hands”that it can use to hold on to others.每一种原子似乎都有一定数目的“手”，用来抓牢其它原子。（顺序分译法）每一种原子似乎都有一定数目用于抓牢其它原子的手。（逆序合译法）这句限制性定语从句虽然不长，但用顺序分译法译出的译文要比用逆序合译法更为通顺。（2）Let AB in the figure above represent an inclined plane the surface of which is smooth and unbending.设上图中AB代表一个倾斜平面，其表面光滑不弯。（顺序分译法）设上图中AB代表一个其表面为光滑不弯的倾斜平面。（逆序合译法）上面两种译法，看来也是用顺序分译法比用逆序合译法更为通顺 简明。3、定语从句较长，与主句关联又不紧密，汉译时就作为独立句放在主句之后。这种译法仍然是顺序分译法。例如：（1）Such a slow compression carries the gas through a series of states. each of which is very nearly an equilibrium state and it is called a quasi-static or a“ nearly static” process.这样的缓慢压缩能使这种气体经历一系列的状态，但各状态都很接近于平衡状态，所以叫做准静态过程，或“近似稳定”过程。4、There + be句型中的限制性定语从句汉译时往往可以把主句中的主语和定语从句溶合一起，译成一个独立的句子。这种译法叫做溶合法，也叫拆译法。例如：（1）There are bacteria that help plants grow，others that get rid of dead animals and plants by making them decay，and some that live in soil and make it better for growing crops.有些细菌能帮助植物生长，另一些细菌则通过腐蚀来消除死去的动物和植物，还有一些细菌则生活在土壤里，使土壤变得对种植庄稼更有好处。状语从句的翻译2. 科技英语翻译中状语从句的翻译方法1）时间状语从句及其译法：Turn off the switch when anything goes wrong with the machine.如果机器发生故障, 就把开关关掉。A body at rest will not move until a force is exerted on it.若无外力的作用，静止的物体不会移动。2）目的状语从句及其译法：We keep the battery in a dry place so that electricity may not leak away. 我们把电池放在干燥处，以免漏电。Much work has been done in order that data can be transmitted by television and read off an ordinary TV screen.已进行了大量的工作，使情报资料可以通过电视来播送并且在普通电视屏幕上显示出来。3）地点状语从句及其译法：Wherever conductors are needed, insulators will be in dispensable.凡是需要导体的地方，绝缘体就必不可少。4）原因状语从句及其译法：Since transistors are extremely small in size and require only small amount of energy, they can make previously large equipment much smaller. 由于晶体管的体积非常小，而且只需要少量的电能，它们能使庞大的设备缩小许多。在某些情况下也可翻译成汉语中的因果偏正复句的主句。例如：Because energy can be changed from one form into another, electricity can be changed into heat energy, mechanical energy, light energy, etc. 能量能从一种形式转换为另一种形式，所以电可以转变为热能、机械能、光能等等。5）条件状语从句及其译法：If something has the ability to adjust itself to the environment, we say it has intelligence. 如果某物具有适应环境的能力；我们就说它具有智力。Were there no transformers to adjust the voltage, long-distance transmission of electricity would be impossible.若无变压器来调节电压，远距离输送电力是不可能的。6）让步状语从句及其译法：Although its form can be changed, energy can neither be created nor destroyed.尽管能量的形式可以转变；但它既不能创造，也不能消灭。Even though robots can do many things than man does, they cannot replace man. 虽然机器人能做人所做的许多事情，但不能代替人。Complicated as a modern machine is, it is essentially a combination of simple machines.现代化的机器虽然复杂，但实质上不过是许多简单机器的组合。He gets the same result whichever way he did the experiment.无论用什么方法做实验, 他所得到的结果都是相同的。7）结果状语从句及其译法：Electronic computers work so fast that they can solve a very difficult problem in a few seconds.电子计算机工作速度如此迅速, 一个很难的题目几秒钟之内就能解决。Electricity is such an important energy that modern industry couldnt develop without it. 电是非常重要的一种能量，没有它，现代化工业就不能发展。6、名词化在科技英语翻译中的应用 名词化的过程Process of Nominalization 1) transfer of subject a) s genetive eg: drivers are demanding for more pay.- drivers demand for. b) of genetive eg: A cool flame appears.- the appearance of a cool. c) noun modifier eg: The steam flows. - the flow of the steam - the steam flow 2) transfer of object of genetive eg: The system supplies water - The supply of water of the system 3) Transfer of adverbials eg: Oxygen is united with another elements.- the union of oxygen with. Before the dam is built, the source of the water has to be diverted.- The building of the dam should be after the diversion of the source of the water.7、翻译实例与练习例1 Those functions that describe how a computer software reacts to mechanical design,called application functions,are more often important to the engineer in engineering applications such as analysis, calculation, and simulation in connection with mechanical design because he wishes to know how they will work in use to which he wants to apply them.关于句子的结构分析:分析:通读全句,我们初步了解到这句话是讲关于工程师了解计算机软件功能的重要性方面的.全句共有六个谓语动词: descriSe, reacts to, are,wishes to know, will wo