英译汉English Character

1、 The English CharacterThe English Character朱美霖朱美霖 李永兰李永兰 魏宗琴魏宗琴 About the source text Prose To help us to gain some insight into English characterTranslating Strategies Free Translation Literal TranslationTranslating Skills Addition Negation Repetition ConversionuThe English, as a race, have the rep

2、utation of being very diffirent from all other nationalities, incuding their clothest neighbours, the French,Belgians and Dutch.译文：译文：英国人英国人因与其他国家的人截然不同而闻名，因与其他国家的人截然不同而闻名，甚甚 至至包括与其包括与其一衣带水一衣带水的邻邦法国、比利时、荷兰。的邻邦法国、比利时、荷兰。 race:A race is one of the major groups which human beings can be divided into ac

3、cording to their physical features, such as the colour of their skin.人种、人种、种族种族“一衣带水一衣带水”表示距离近时必须具备三个条件：表示距离近时必须具备三个条件：一、说的必须是两个地方或国家一、说的必须是两个地方或国家二、二者之间必须隔着一条水二、二者之间必须隔着一条水三、二者之间的距离比较近三、二者之间的距离比较近 首都师范大学教授：赵丕杰首都师范大学教授：赵丕杰u It is claimed that living on an island separated from the rest of Europe has

4、 much to do with it. 译文：据说这译文：据说这 与英国是一个与欧洲大陆分离的岛国与英国是一个与欧洲大陆分离的岛国有很大关系。有很大关系。 Free Translation uWhatever the reasons, it may be fairly stated that the Englishman has developed many attitudes and habits which distinguish him from other nationalit-ies.译文：不论其原因是什么，译文：不论其原因是什么，在很大程度上说在很大程度上说英国人英国人形成了许多

5、形成了许多独特的独特的态度和习惯，态度和习惯，而这些态度和习而这些态度和习惯惯使其有别于其它国家。使其有别于其它国家。Fairely:ADV toquitealargedegree.Forexample,ifyousaythatsomethingisfairlyold,youmeanthatitisoldbutnotveryold.在很大程度上在很大程度上AdditionRepetitionu Broadly speaking, the Englishman is a quiet, shy, reserved person who is fully relaxed only among peo

6、ple he knows well. 译文：一般来说，英国人译文：一般来说，英国人安静、内敛、保守安静、内敛、保守，只有和熟，只有和熟识的人在一起时才会完全放松。识的人在一起时才会完全放松。u In the presence of strangers or foreigners he often seems inhibited,even embarrassed. 译文：译文：而而当陌生人或外国人在场时，他们往往显得约束当陌生人或外国人在场时，他们往往显得约束甚至尴尬。甚至尴尬。 u You have only to witness a commuter train any morning or

7、 evening to see the truth of this.Serious-looking busine-ssmen and women sit reading their newspapers or doz- ing in a corner；no one speaks.译文：你只需译文：你只需观察观察每天早晨或晚上通勤列车上的情形就知每天早晨或晚上通勤列车上的情形就知道这是事实。道这是事实。车上的车上的男女男女都一脸严肃，都一脸严肃，要么要么坐着看报纸坐着看报纸，要么要么坐在角落里打盹，没有一个人说话。坐在角落里打盹，没有一个人说话。OmissionuIn fact,to do so

8、 would seem most unusual.An English wit,pretending to be giving advice to overseas visitors, once suggested,“On entering a railway compartment，shake hands with all the passengers.”译文：实际上，这种情形似乎是最不寻常的。一个译文：实际上，这种情形似乎是最不寻常的。一个说话很说话很风趣的风趣的英国人，曾假装给外国访客提建议，说道：英国人，曾假装给外国访客提建议，说道：“当当你进入列车车厢时，要与里面所有的乘客握手你进入

9、列车车厢时，要与里面所有的乘客握手”。Conversion Wit:Wit is the ability to use words or ideas in an amusing, clever and imaginative way. (说话的）风趣，说话的）风趣，机智，巧妙机智，巧妙uNeedless to say,he was not being serious.There is an unwritten but clearly understood code of behavior which, if broken,makes the person immediately the obj

10、ect of suspition.译文译文:不用说不用说,他只是在开玩笑他只是在开玩笑。在英国有一套未成文却不。在英国有一套未成文却不言自明的行为准则，若言自明的行为准则，若有人违反有人违反，便会立即，便会立即遭到怀疑遭到怀疑。Negation被动式译成主动式被动式译成主动式主动式译成被动式主动式译成被动式uIt is a well-known fact that the English have an obsession with their weather and that, given half a chance, they will talk about it at length.译文

11、：众所周知，英国人译文：众所周知，英国人近乎痴迷地近乎痴迷地喜欢谈论喜欢谈论天气，只天气，只要逮住一点机会，便会谈到淋漓尽致。要逮住一点机会，便会谈到淋漓尽致。ConversionAddition被动式译成主动式被动式译成主动式uSome people argue that it is because English weather defies forecast and hence is a source of interest and speculation to everyone. This may be so. 译文：有人争辩说，这是因为译文：有人争辩说，这是因为英国实际天气情况英国实

12、际天气情况与天气与天气预报不符，预报不符，所以谈论和推测天气便成了每个人的兴趣所以谈论和推测天气便成了每个人的兴趣。 或许是这样。或许是这样。AdditionuCertainly Englishmen cannot have much faith in the meteorological expertsthe weathermen who, after promising fine, sunny weather for the following day, are often proved wrong when an anti-cyclone over the Atlantic brings

13、 rainy weather to all districts!译文：英国人不太相信气象专家（天气预报员），译文：英国人不太相信气象专家（天气预报员），这些专这些专家家预测未来一天天气晴朗，阳光明媚。但当大西洋上的预测未来一天天气晴朗，阳光明媚。但当大西洋上的反气旋给所有地区带来降雨时，他们的预测被证明是错反气旋给所有地区带来降雨时，他们的预测被证明是错误的。误的。RepetitionuThe man in the street seems to be as accurate or as inaccurate as the weathermen in his predictions.译文：大街

14、上的人和天气预报员一样，对天气的预测译文：大街上的人和天气预报员一样，对天气的预测时而时而精确精确时而时而失准。失准。uThis helps to explain the seemingly odd sight of an Englishman leaving home on a bright, sunny, summer morning with a raincoat slung over his arm and an umbrella in his hand. 译文：这有助于解释英国人译文：这有助于解释英国人看似奇怪的行为看似奇怪的行为：在晴朗明在晴朗明媚的夏日清晨出门，手臂上却搭着雨衣，手里拿着雨媚的夏日清晨出门，手臂上却搭着雨衣，手里拿着雨伞。伞。uSo variable is the weather that by lunchtime it could be pouring.译文：英国的天气是如此变化多端，以至于译文：英国的天气是如此变化多端，以至于即使早晨天即使早晨天气晴朗气晴朗，到了午饭十分，也有可能下起倾盆大雨。，到了午饭十分，也有可能下起倾盆大雨。AdditionQUESTIONSSerious-looking busine-ssmen and women sit