定语从句的翻译方法与技巧

1、Lecture 11语序调整之定语从句的译法英汉定语从句对比 1. This is the cat. 这就是那只猫。 2. This is the cat that killed the rat. 这就是那只捕杀了老鼠的猫。 3. This is the cat that killed the rat that ate the cake. * 这就是那只捕杀了偷吃了蛋糕的老鼠的猫。 4. This is the cat that killed the rat that ate the cake that was put in the house. * 这就是那只捕杀了偷吃了放在房间里的蛋糕的老

2、鼠的猫。 5. This is the cat that killed the rat that ate the cake that was put in the house that Jack built. * 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。 英语中的定语从句有两种：限制性定语从句和非限制性定语从句。 限制性定语从句限制性定语从句是先行词不可缺少的部分，去掉它主句意思往往不明确；例如 This is the house which we bought last month. 这是我们上个月买的那幢房子。（限制性） 非限制性定语从句非限制性定语从句是先行词的附加说

3、明，去掉了也不会影响主句的意思，它与主句之间通常用逗号分开 。例如 The house, which we bought last month, is very nice.这幢房子很漂亮，是我们上个月买的。（非限制性） 当先行词是专有名词或由物主代词和指示代词所修饰时，其后的定语从句通常是非限制性的非限制性的，例如： Charles Smith, who was my former teacher, retired last year. 查理史密斯去年退休了，他曾经是我的老师。 My house, which I bought last year, has got a lovely garde

4、n. 我去年买的的那幢房子带着个漂亮的花园。 This novel, which I have read three times, is very touching. 这本小说很动人，我已经读了三遍。 非限制性定语从句还能将整个主句作为先行词, 对其进行修饰, 这时从句谓语动词要用第三人称单数，例如： He seems not to have grasped what I meant, which greatly upsets me. 他似乎没抓住我的意思，这使我心烦。 Liquid water changes to vapor, which is called evaporation. 液态

5、水变为蒸汽，这就叫做蒸发 定语从句的译法（一） 前置法（二） 后置法（三） 融合法（四） 译成状语（一）（一） 前置法前置法u把英语原文的定语从句翻译成带“的”的定语词组, 放置于被修饰的词之前, 将英语原文的复合句翻译成汉语的简单句, 这种方法一般用于限制一般用于限制性定语从句比较短性定语从句比较短的情况。u 一些较短的具有描述性的非限制性定语从句也可采用前置法, 但没有限制性定语从句使用得普遍。 (1) The people who worked for him lived in mortal fear of him. (2) There will come a day when peop

6、le all over the world will live a happy life under the sun of socialism. 全世界人民在社会主义阳光下过幸福生活全世界人民在社会主义阳光下过幸福生活的一天是会到来的。 在他手下工作在他手下工作的人对他怕得要死。 前置法前置法(3) The sun , which had hidden all day , now came out in all its splendor. (4) But Miggles laugh, which was very infectious, broke the silence. 那个整天躲在云层里

7、的太阳那个整天躲在云层里的太阳，现在又光芒四射地露面了。 但密格尔的富有感染力的富有感染力的笑声打破了静默。前置法前置法（二）（二） 后置法后置法u当定语从句较长定语从句较长时, 如果翻译成前置的定语, 就会不符合汉语的表达习惯, 在这种情况下, 往往把该定语从句翻译成并列的分句, 放置于原来它所修饰词的后面。翻译时可以用三种方法来处理。译成并列分句，重复先行词 译成并列分句，省略先行词译成独立句（非限制性定从） 1)They are striving for the ideal which is close to the heart of every Chinese and for whic

8、h , in the past, many Chinese have laid down their lives.2) I told the story to John , who told it to his brother. 他们正在为实现一个理想而努力，这个理想是每个中这个理想是每个中国人所珍爱的，在过去，许多中国人曾为了这个理想国人所珍爱的，在过去，许多中国人曾为了这个理想而牺牲了自己的生命而牺牲了自己的生命。 我把这件事告诉了约翰，约翰又告诉了他的弟弟约翰又告诉了他的弟弟。 译成并列分句，重复先行词3) World War was, however, more complex tha

9、n World War, which was a collision among the imperialist powers over the spoils of markets, resources and territories.第一次世界大战是帝国主义列强之间争夺市场、资源和领土第一次世界大战是帝国主义列强之间争夺市场、资源和领土的冲突的冲突，而第二次世界大战却比第一次复杂。译成并列分句，重复先行词1)It is he who received the letter that announced the death of your uncle.2)He saw in front tha

10、t haggard white-haired old man, whose eyes flashed red with fury. 他看见前面那个憔悴的白发老人，眼睛里愤怒地闪着红光眼睛里愤怒地闪着红光。 是他接到那封信，说你的叔叔去世了说你的叔叔去世了。译成并列分句，省略先行词1)He had talked to Vice-President Nixon, who assured him that everything that could be done would be done.2) One was a violent thunderstorm, the worst I had eve

11、r seen, which obscured my objective.他和副总统尼克松谈过话。副总统向他担保，凡是能副总统向他担保，凡是能够做到的都将竭尽全力去做够做到的都将竭尽全力去做。有一次是暴风骤雨，猛烈的程度实为我生平仅所见。这阵暴风雨遮住了我的目标这阵暴风雨遮住了我的目标。译成独立句（非限制性定从） （三）（三） 融合法融合法u融合法是指翻译时把主句和定语从句融合在一起译成一个简单句。由于限制性定语从句与主句关系较紧密，所以融合法多用于翻译限制性定语从多用于翻译限制性定语从句，尤其是句，尤其是“there be ”there be ”结构带有定语从句的句结构带有定语从句的句型型。

12、1)There are many people who want to see the film.2)There were men in that crowd who had stood there every day for a month. 3)We used a plane of which almost every part carried some indication of national identity.许多人要看这部电影。许多人要看这部电影。在那群人中，有些人每天站在那里，站了一个月有些人每天站在那里，站了一个月。我们驾驶的飞机几乎每一个部件都有国籍的某些标志几乎每一个部件

13、都有国籍的某些标志。（三）（三） 融合法融合法 （四）（四） 译成状语译成状语u英语中有些定语从句, 兼有状语从句的职能, 在逻辑上与主句有状语关系, 说明原因、结果、目的、让步、假设等关系, 翻译时应善于从原文的字里行间发现这些逻辑上的关系, 然后译成汉语中相应的偏正复合句。 1、译成表、译成表“因因”的分句的分句 We know that a cat, whose eyes can take in many more rays of light than our eyes, can see clearly in the night。我们知道由于猫的眼睛比我们人的眼睛吸收更多的光线由于猫的眼

14、睛比我们人的眼睛吸收更多的光线，所以猫在黑夜也能看很清楚。2、译成表、译成表“果果”的分句的分句 There was something original, independent, and heroic about the plan that pleased all of them. 这个方案富于创造性，独出心裁，很有魄力，所以他们所以他们都很喜欢都很喜欢。3、译成表“让步”的分句 He insisted on building another house, which he had no use for. 他坚持再造一幢房子，尽管他并无此需要尽管他并无此需要。4、译成表“目的”的分句 Th

15、e imperialist states maintain enormous armies and gigantic navies which are used for oppressing and exploiting the people in distant lands.帝国主义国家维持了庞大的陆海军，用以压迫和剥削遥远的用以压迫和剥削遥远的他国人民他国人民。5、译成表“条件”、“假设”的分句 Men become desperate for work, any work which will help them to keep alive their families. He woul

16、d be a short sighted commander who merely manned his fortress and did not look beyond. 人们极其迫切地要求工作，不管什么工作，只要它有助只要它有助养活一家人就行养活一家人就行。谁如果只守城堡而不往远处看，那他就是一个目光短浅的指挥员。 Exercise AnswerAbout Homework Weak is he who permits his thoughts to control his actions. Strong is he who forces his actions to control hi

17、s thoughts. 潮起潮落，冬去春来，夏末秋至，日出日落，月圆月缺，雁来雁往，花飞花谢 How do the author follow the plan of battle before s/he is captured by sadness, self-pity and failure. General Introduction Restrictive and non-restrictive attributive clauses difference: the degree of restrictiveness Attribute in Chinese: in front of t

18、he modified word no difference in terms of restrictive degree In English, oft. complicated attributive clauses In Chinese, seldom long and complicated attributesGeneral Principle Step 1: Splitting Step 2: Determining the position: Try all the cases, retain the better version a. sentence before the m

19、ain clause b. sentence after the main clause c. modifiers before the antecedent Translating Techniques1. Inverted before the antecedent (pre-modification) a. He who has never tasted what is bitter does not know what is sweet. 没有吃过苦的人不知道什么是甜。 b. Space and oceans are the new world which scientists are

20、 trying to explore. 太空和海洋是科学家们努力探索的新领域。 c. He liked sister, who was warm and pleasant, but he did not like his brother, who was aloof and arrogant. 他喜欢热情活泼的妹妹，而不喜欢冷漠高傲的哥哥。 Translating TechniquesFunctions as descriptive or supplementary informationa. I told the story to John, who told it to his broth

21、er.他把这件事告诉了约翰，约翰又告诉了他的弟弟。b. We wish to express our satisfaction at this to the Special Committee, whose activities deserve to be encouraged.在此我们对特别委员会表示满意，特别委员会的工作应该受到鼓励。c. Bernard Shaw was a well-known English playwright, who wrote many plays. 萧伯纳写过很多剧本， 是英国的一位著名的剧作家。 Translating TechniquesFunction

22、s as adverbials1) Into adverbial of timea. A driver who is driving the bus mustnt talk with others or be absent-minded. 司机在开车时，不许和人谈话，也不能走神。 2) Into Adverbial of causea. He showed no further wish for conversation with Mrs. Smith, who was now more than usually insolent and disagreeable. 他似乎不愿再和史密斯太太讲

23、话，因为她现在异常无礼，令人厌烦。Translating Techniques3) Into adverbial of conditiona. Men become desperate for work, any work, which will help them to keep alive their families. 人们极其迫切地要求工作，不管什么工作，只要它能维持一家人的生活就行。 4) Into adverbial of concessiona. He insisted on buying another house, which he had no use for. 尽管他并没有这样的需要，他坚持要再买一幢房子。 5) Into adverbial of purposea. He wishes to