英语长句的处理.ppt

1、English Long Sentences 英语长句的翻译,文字游戏的翻译,I love my love with an E, because shes enticing; I hate her with an E, because shes engaged. I took her to the sign of the exquisite, and treated her with an elopement, her names Emily, and she lives in the east? -(David Copperfield, XXII),董秋斯译文,我爱我的爱人为了一个E, 因为

2、她是Enticing（迷人的）； 我恨我的爱人为了一个E， 因为 她是Engaged（订了婚的）。 我用我的爱人象征Exquisite （美妙）， 我劝我的爱人从事Elopement（私奔）, 她的名字是Emily(艾米丽)，她的住处在East（东方）？,张谷若译文,我爱我的所爱，因为她长的实在招人爱。我恨我的所爱，因为她不回报我的爱。我带着她到挂着浮荡子招牌的一家，和她谈情说爱。我请她看一出潜逃私奔，为的是我和她能长久你亲我爱。她的名儿叫做艾米丽，她的家住在爱河里。,其他译本,我爱我的爱人，因为她很迷人；我恨我的爱人，因已许配他人；她在我心中是美人，我带她私奔，以避开外人；她名叫虞美人，是东

3、方丽人。 吾爱吾爱，因伊可爱；吾恨吾爱，因伊另有所爱。吾视吾爱，神圣之爱，吾携吾爱，私逃为爱；吾爱名爱米丽，吾东方之爱。 我爱我的那个“丽”，可爱迷人有魅力；我恨我的那个“丽”，要和他人结伉俪；她文雅大方又美丽；和我出逃去游历；她芳名就叫艾米丽，家住东方人俏丽。(马红军),一、英语长句的分析,在英语文章中，特别是科技和文学作品中，经常出现结构复杂的长句子，在一个主句中包含多个从句。 一般来说, 造成长句的原因有三方面: (1) 修饰语过多;(2) 并列成分多; (3) 语言结构层次多。在分析长句时可以采用下面的方法:(1) 找出全句的主语、谓语和宾语, 从整体上把握句子的结构。(2) 找出句中

4、所有的谓语结构、非谓语动词、介词短语和从句的引导词。(3) 分析从句和短语的功能, 例如, 是否为主语从句, 宾语从句, 表语从句等,若是状语, 它是表示时间、原因、结果、还是表示条件等等)。(4) 分析词、短语和从句之间的相互关系, 例如, 定语从句所修饰的先行词是哪一个等。(5) 注意插入语等其他成分。(6) 注意分析句子中是否有固定词组或固定搭配。, How it happened that a little rocky peninsula in a remote corner of the Mediterranean was able to provide our world in l

5、ess than two centuries with the complete framework for all our present day experiments in politics, literature, drama, sculpture, chemistry, physics and Heaven knows what else, is a question which has puzzled a great many people for a great many centuries and to which every philosopher, at one time

6、or another during his career, has tried to give an answer.（选自美国作家Hendrik Willem van Loon的名著Tolerance第二章第一段） 每个部分的意思分别翻译出来： 它是如何发生的 地中海遥远角落的一个小岩石半岛能够为我们的世界提供 在不到两个世纪之内 我们当代政治、文学、戏剧、雕刻、化学、物理学的完整框架 上帝知道还有些什么 是一个问题 (这个问题)许多世纪以来困惑了许多人 (对这个问题)每个哲学家 在他学术生涯的某个时候 尝试找出答案。,最后，将各个部分的意思合并重组： 地中海遥远角落的一个小岩石半岛，如何能够

7、在不到两个世纪之内，为我们的世界提供我们当代政治、文学、戏剧、雕刻、化学、物理学(上帝知道还有些什么)的完整框架，这个问题许多世纪以来困惑了许多人，对这个问题，每个哲学家在他学术生涯的某个时候，都会尝试找出答案。 对于每一个英语长句, 并不只用一种翻译方法, 而是多种翻译方法的综合运用。翻译长句时, 首先，不要因为句子太长而产生畏惧心理，因为，无论是多么复杂的句子，它都是由一些基本的成分组成的。其次要弄清英语原文的句法结构, 找出整个句子的中心内容及其各层意思, 然后分析几层意思之间的相互逻辑关系, 再按照汉语的特点和表达方式, 正确地译出原文的意思, 不必拘泥于原文的形式。,For a fa

8、mily of four, for example, it is more convenient as well as cheaper to sit comfortably at home, with almost unlimited entertainment available, than to go out in search of amusement elsewhere. 分析: (1) 骨干结构为比较结构it is more to do sth than to do sth else. 而且是在两个不定式之间进行比较。 (2) 该句中共有三个谓语结构, it是形式主语, 真正的主语为

9、: to sit comfortably at home, 并与to go out in search of amusement elsewhere作比较。 (3) 句首的for a family of four作状语, 表示条件。另外, 还有两个介词短语作插入语: for example, with almost unlimited entertainment available,其中第二个介词短语作伴随状语, 修饰to sit comfortably at home. 试译：譬如, 对于一个四口之家来说, 舒舒服服地在家中看电视, 就能看到几乎数不清的娱乐节目, 这比到外面别的地方去消遣又

10、便宜又方便。,Now you try:,Two Stages and Five Steps,Stage I Comprehension Stage II Presentation,Stage I Comprehension,Step 1: presenting the long sentence in a skeleton formStep 2: inferring the main idea from the context and the whole textStep 3: distinguishing between the principal and subordinate eleme

11、nts and find out the interrelations between principal and subordinate clauses,Stage II Presentation,Step 4: entering on a tentative translation of each sentence divisionStep 5: rearrangement and finishing touches,Methods of Translating Long English Sentences,1. 顺序法 2. Reversing 倒置法/逆序法 3. Embedding

12、内嵌法 4. Dividing 切分法 5. Splitting 拆分法 6. Inserting 插入法 7. Recasting 重组法/综合法,1. 顺序法,当英语长句的内容的叙述层次与汉语基本一致时, 可以按照英语原文的顺序翻译成汉语 。 例1. Even when we turn off the beside lamp and are fast asleep, electricity is working for us, driving our refrigerators, heating our water, or keeping our rooms air-conditioned

13、. 分析: 该句子由一个主句, 三个作伴随状语的现在分词以及位于句首的时间状语从句组成, 共有五层意思: A. 既使在我们关掉了床头灯深深地进入梦乡时; B.电仍在为我们工作; C. 帮我们开动电冰箱; D. 加热水; E. 或是室内空调机继续运转。上述五层意思的逻辑关系以及表达的顺序与汉语完全一致, 因此, 该句可译为: 即使在我们关掉了床头灯深深地进入梦乡时, 电仍在为我们工作: 帮我们开动电冰箱, 把水加热, 或使室内空调机继续运转。,Now you try: 例2. Prior to the twentieth century, women in novels were stereot

14、ypes of lacking any features that made them unique individuals and were also subject to numerous restrictions imposed by the male-dominated culture. 在20世纪以前, 小说中的妇女像都是一个模式。她们没有任何特点, 因而无法成为具有个性的人; 他们还要屈从于由男性主宰的文化传统强加给他们的种种束缚。,2. Reversing 逆序法,英语有些长句的表达次序与汉语表达习惯不同, 甚至完全相反, 这时必须从原文后面开始翻译。 例1. Aluminum

15、remained unknown until the nineteenth century, because nowhere in nature is it found free, owing to its always being combined with other elements, most commonly with oxygen, for which it has a strong affinity. 分析: 这个句子由一个主句, 两个原因状语和一个定语从句, “铝直到19世纪才被人发现”是主句, 也是全句的中心内容, 全句共有四个谓语结构, 共有五层意思: A. 铝直到19世纪

16、才被人发现; B. 由于在自然界找不到游离状态的铝; C. 由于它总是跟其他元素结合在一起; D. 最普遍的是跟氧结合; E. 铝跟氧有很强的亲和力。按照汉语的表达习惯通常因在前, 果在后, 这样, 我们可以逆着原文的顺序把该句翻译成: 铝总是跟其他元素结合在一起, 最普遍的是跟氧结合; 因为铝跟氧有很强的亲和力, 由于这个原因, 在自然界找不到游离状态的铝。所以, 铝直到19世纪才被人发现。,It is probably easier for teachers than for students to appreciate the reasons why learning English s

17、eems to become increasingly difficult once the basic structures and patterns of the language have been understood. 一旦了解英语的基本结构和句型, 再往下学似乎就越来越难了, 这其中的原因, 也许教师比学生更容易理解。 Such is human nature in the West that a great many people are often willing to sacrifice higher pay for the privilege of becoming whi

18、te-collar workers. 许多人常常宁愿牺牲比较高的工资以换取白领工人的社会地位，这在西方倒是人之常情。,Now you try:,Now you try:,In reality, the lines of division between sciences are becoming blurred, and science is again approaching the “unity” that it had two centuries ago-although the accumulated knowledge is enormously greater now, and n

19、o one person can hope to comprehend more than a fraction of it. 虽然现在积累起来的知识要多得多，而且任何个人也只可能了解其中的一小部分，但事实上，各学科之间界限却变得模糊不清，科学再次近似于两百年前那样的“单一整体”。,3. Embedding 内嵌法,Embedding means placing the modifiers before the word being modified. Congress had made laws requiring most pressure groups to give informati

20、on about how much they spend and how they spent it, the amount and sources of funds, membership, and names and salaries of their representatives.国会已制定法律，要求大部分压力集团呈报他们花费了多少钱，怎样花的，款项的总额以及来源、成员人数、代表的姓名和薪金等情况。 There is no class war, but a war in which the whole British Empire and Commonwealth of Nations

21、 is engaged, without distinction of race, creed, or party. 这不是一场阶级之间的战争，而是一场不分种族、不分信仰，不分党派，整个大英帝国及英联邦全体成员国无不参加的战争。,Now you try:,A molecule may be considered as the smallest particle of matter that can exist without changing its nature. 可以认为，分子是在不改变物质性质的情况下能够存在的物质的最小微粒。 In 1970, he was placed under h

22、ouse arrest when he refused to use massive force in suppressing worker riots on the seacoast. 1970年他因拒绝使用武力大规模镇压沿海城市的工人骚乱而被软禁。,4. Dividing 切分法,By means of dividing, we may break up a long English sentence into different parts according to its sense groups, and then translate each part one by one int

23、o Chinese. 有时英语长句中主语或主句与修饰词的关系并不十分密切, 翻译时可以按照汉语多用短句的习惯,把长句的从句或短语化成句子, 分开来叙述,为了使语意连贯, 有时需要适当增加词语。 Human beings have distinguished themselves from other animals, and in doing so ensured their survival, by the ability to observe and understand their environment and then either to adapt to that environm

24、ent or to control and adapt it to their own needs. 人类把自己和其他动物区别开来。与此同时，人类还具有观察和了解周围环境的能力。他们要么适应环境，要么控制环境，或根据自身的需要改造环境。人类就这样一代代地生存下来。,5. Splitting 拆分法,By splitting we mean taking certain elements out of a sentence and treating them separately. The number of the young people in the United States who c

25、ant read is incredible about one in four. 没有阅读能力的美国青年人的数目令人难以相信约为1/4。 大约有1/4的美国青年人没有阅读能力, 这简直令人难以置信。 An outsiders success could even curiously help two parties to get the agreement they want. 说来也怪，一个局外人取得的成功竟然能够促使双方达成一项他们希望得到的协议。,6.Inserting 插入法,By inserting here we mean putting some additional punc

26、tuation marks such as dash, parenthesis, colon, etc., in a long and complex sentence so as to make the Chinese version both clear and smooth. The second aspect is the application by all members of society from the government official to the ordinary citizen, of the special methods of thought and act

27、ion that scientists use in their work. 第二个方面是全体社会成员（从政府官员到普通公民）都使用科学家们在他们工作中所采用的那种特殊的思考方法和行为方法。 If you go to visit Nobels old residence, the house in which the great chemist remained a bachelor throughout his life, you will catch sight of a shelf laden with experimental records. 如果你参观诺贝尔的故居在那座房子里，这位

28、伟大的化学家过了一辈子的独身生活你将看到一个堆满实验记录的书架。,7. Recasting 重组法/综合法,在一些情况下, 一些英语长句单纯采用上述任何一种方法都不方便, 这就需要我们的仔细分析, 或按照时间的先后,或按照逻辑顺序, 顺逆结合, 主次分明地对全句进行综合处理,以便把英语原文翻译成通顺忠实的汉语句子。 例1. People were afraid to leave their houses, for although the police had been ordered to stand by in case of emergency, they were just as confused and helpless as anybody else.分析: 该句共有三层含义: A: 人们不敢出门; B: 尽管警察已接到命令, 要作好准备以应付紧急情况; C: 警察也和其他人一样不知所措和无能为力。在这三层含义中, B表示让步, C表示原因, 而A则表示结果, 按照汉语习惯顺序, 我们作如下的安排:尽管警察已接到命令, 要作好准备以应付紧急情况, 但