走进英汉翻译世界之七

1、间接与直接间接与直接（Indirect vs. Direct） 英语表达倾向于间接，婉约间接，婉约 汉语表达倾向于直接，明快直接，明快间接的表现形式 委婉委婉 含蓄含蓄 迂回迂回一、委婉语（一、委婉语（Euphemism） 说话委婉含蓄幽默被认为是文明与说话委婉含蓄幽默被认为是文明与礼貌的象征礼貌的象征Officialese官方委婉语官方委婉语 bureaucratese 官僚英语 pentagonese五角大楼英语 State-Departmentese国务院英语 gobbledygook官腔英语 urbanbabble各地方市政府英语 美国国务院美国国务院（英语英语：United Stat

2、es Department of State，有时亦称，有时亦称State Department），是美），是美国联邦政府负责外交事务的机构，相当于国联邦政府负责外交事务的机构，相当于外交部外交部，其行政首长为其行政首长为国务卿国务卿；美国国务院是美国最庞大；美国国务院是美国最庞大的政府机构之一，位于美国首都的政府机构之一，位于美国首都华盛顿特区华盛顿特区。现。现任的国务卿是任的国务卿是希拉里希拉里克林顿克林顿（Hillary Clinton）。）。 1789年，美国国会曾立法建立年，美国国会曾立法建立“外交事务部外交事务部”，这是这是美国宪法美国宪法生效后联邦政府的第一个部，不过，生效后联邦

3、政府的第一个部，不过，它的名称很快就改为国务院。国务院除了处理外它的名称很快就改为国务院。国务院除了处理外交事务，也掌管一些国内职责，比如，交事务，也掌管一些国内职责，比如，美国的国美国的国玺玺至今仍由国务院保管。至今仍由国务院保管。1 human resources underdevelopment 人力资源为充分开发人力资源为充分开发 Underutilization 未充分利用人才未充分利用人才 negative saver the underprivileged 或或disadvantaged 生活在贫困线以下的穷人生活在贫困线以下的穷人 substandard housing inn

4、er city 或或central city house of correction 或或correctional facility less than truthful intelligence gathering liquidation 美国国务院的委婉语尽量借自五角大美国国务院的委婉语尽量借自五角大楼，此外，其委婉曲折的外交辞令也楼，此外，其委婉曲折的外交辞令也丝毫不逊色。外交官员常常尽量减少丝毫不逊色。外交官员常常尽量减少国际关系紧张局势的严重性，让公众国际关系紧张局势的严重性，让公众对其真正的动机和国内外问题产生模对其真正的动机和国内外问题产生模糊印象。糊印象。 useful and

5、 businesslike meeting serious and candid candid adj. 正直的, 无偏见的, 公正的 率直的, 坦白的discussion deflation rolling readjustment depression There is a need for more fully informed judgment.职业委婉语（职业委婉语（occupational euphemism）在当代英美社会里，为了装饰门在当代英美社会里，为了装饰门面，提高某些行业的社会地位，面，提高某些行业的社会地位，常常创造一些悦耳动听，冠冕堂常常创造一些悦耳动听，冠冕堂皇的委

6、婉语来称呼某些职称或职皇的委婉语来称呼某些职称或职业。业。请翻译 sanitary engineer= plumber meat technologist=butcher prison officer=gaoler Rodent啮齿类的啮齿类的 operator=rat catcher research consultant=file clerkFuneraldirector=undertaker 殡殡仪员仪员 plant superintendent, supervisor=foreman aisle manager=floorwalker proprietor of loan office

7、=pawnbroker当铺老板 （pawn：爪子，爪牙，无足轻重的人或物；，人质，当，抵押 public relations counselor=press-agent新闻广告员 Im not a liar, Im just a prevaricator.搪塞者二二 含蓄含蓄 （Implicitness）克制陈述克制陈述间接肯定间接肯定委婉否定委婉否定婉转暗示婉转暗示 汉语更直截了当 一）克制陈述（一）克制陈述（understatement ） 以含蓄的语气故意把大事化小以含蓄的语气故意把大事化小（make big things seem trifle） 用轻描淡写的言辞来加深对方的印象用轻描

8、淡写的言辞来加深对方的印象 这种保守与谨慎的表达法在英语中上这种保守与谨慎的表达法在英语中上阶层口语里流行阶层口语里流行英国人含而不露的性格（reserved） An Englishman will say “I have a little house in the country”；When he invites you to stay with him you will discover that the little house is a place with three hundred bedrooms. If you are a world tennis-champion, say

9、“Yes, I dont play too badly”.曲言（曲言（meiosis）有节制的（有节制的（controlled）漫不经心的（漫不经心的（casual）幽默幽默冷嘲冷嘲 2 It was nothing; a pinprick. 3 He had five sandwiches and a quart of milk for his snack.美制：一夸脱等于0.946升，即0.000946立方米。 英制：一夸脱等于1.136升，即0.001136立方米 . 4 He had a mansion in the country and another little place i

10、n town二）间接肯定（二）间接肯定（litotes） 用反对语的否定来表示肯定用反对语的否定来表示肯定 双重否定往往能产生比直接肯定更加双重否定往往能产生比直接肯定更加强烈的印象强烈的印象 no more occurrence 代替 a frequent occurrence no small 代替great 5 To my no small astonishment, I found the house on fire. 6 It serves no little purpose to continue public discussion of this issue. The press

11、, Tory and Labor alike , is not remotely concerned with these great questions.英国保守党和工党两派报纸 8 There is no untroubled place in this troubled world. 9 Martin (who was very generous with his money) ordered another glass of punch, which they drank between them, and which had no effect of making them less

12、 conversational than before. 10 Not infrequently an unpopular prisoner, stoned by the mob while helpless, was fortunate if he emerged with no greater permanent injury than the loss of an eye. Even death from wounds so inflicted was not altogether unlikely or unprecedented.否定之否定的方式（否定之否定的方式（the not u

13、n-habit） 用来表达间接肯定，有时候确实比直接肯用来表达间接肯定，有时候确实比直接肯定更为准确，微妙。定更为准确，微妙。 如用如用not unkindly, not unnaturally 或或not unjustifiably 比用比用kindly, naturally 或或justifiably较为婉转，且显得有分寸。较为婉转，且显得有分寸。 但滥用这类反语会妨碍直接的思想交流但滥用这类反语会妨碍直接的思想交流 。英语还常用其他一些否定的形式来拐弯英语还常用其他一些否定的形式来拐弯抹角的表达强烈的肯定意义，汉语则往抹角的表达强烈的肯定意义，汉语则往往没有相应的表达法。往没有相应的表达

14、法。 11 He didnt half like that girl. 12 I couldnt feel better. 13 If not be too careful in a new neighborhood. 16 The importance of this conference cannot be overestimated. I couldnt agree with you any more. He cant see you quickly enough. It is a wise man that never makes mistakes. 英语一些含有英语一些含有“多余否定

15、多余否定”（pleonastic negation）的句子，）的句子，也用否定的形式表达肯定的意义也用否定的形式表达肯定的意义19 What dirty means would he not resort to!20 There was no knowing at what moment he might not put in an appearance, and whenever he did show, it was to storm about something. 21 If the walls of that room could speak, what an amount of b

16、lundering and capricious cruelty would they not bear witness to! 22 I ran away,I dont know how far I didnt run.汉语也有类似的多余否定汉语也有类似的多余否定 如如“好不好不+形容词形容词”结构结构 “好不热闹好不热闹” “好不伤心好不伤心” “好不快乐好不快乐” 用否定的形式来表达强调的肯定意义用否定的形式来表达强调的肯定意义委婉否定（委婉否定（indirect negation）把直接的否定变得含蓄、婉转，使口气把直接的否定变得含蓄、婉转，使口气显得温和而不武断，谦逊而留有余地，显得

17、温和而不武断，谦逊而留有余地，英语表示委婉否定的方法很多用转移否定（用转移否定（transferred negation ）的方）的方法是否定语气显得间接而不唐突法是否定语气显得间接而不唐突 “I dont think he will come”代替“I think he will not come.” 说话者用否定主观看法来代替否定所要表达的客观事实，因而显得缓和不生硬。 英语采用这类转移否定的动词一般表示主观臆断（assumption）和相信(belief), 如think, imagine, suppose, fancy, expect, reckon等。 23 We dont beli

18、eve that Chinese is inferior to any other language in the world. 24 I do not think the Council can or should remain indifferent to these most serious violations of human rights. 25 I do not feel that we should leave them isolated in their rage. 26 I dont suppose you need to worry. 27 I cannot consid

19、er the matter as in any way urgent. 28 Oddly enough, he didnt seem to remember his own birthday. 29 I do not think anyone writes so well that he cannot learn much from Fowlers Dictionary of Modern English Usage. 30 It is not our opinion that your proposed contract is practical. 31 It is not our view

20、 that the speech made by your minister of foreign affairs at the Conference will be conducive to a lasting peace in that area.英语寓否定意义于肯定形式的现象比汉英语寓否定意义于肯定形式的现象比汉语常见，其形式种类也比汉语多语常见，其形式种类也比汉语多 32 Bikini was the lasting thing shed like to wear. 33 Im wiser than to believe what you call money talks. 34 He would do anything he was asked to do but return to his old life. 35 The peoples in this war crushed Hitlerism and saved the world from slavery. 36 What