如何把定語從句從英文翻譯成中文
考研英語翻譯是一項復雜而艱巨的腦力活動,涉及文化、知識、思維、表達和經(jīng)驗等多個層面。要做好英譯漢,不是一件很容易的事。大部分考生都覺得考研英語翻譯很難。根據(jù)2012全國碩士研究生統(tǒng)一考試英語考試大綱(一)的規(guī)定,考研英語翻譯仍屬于閱讀理解的一部分,其命題形式是英譯漢,“主要考查學生準確理解概念或結構較復雜的英語文字材料的能力。要求考生閱讀一篇約400詞的文章,并將其中5個劃線部分(約150詞)譯成漢語,要求譯文準確、完整、通順”。翻譯部分的總分值為10分(每題2分),占全部試卷的10%。因此,考研翻譯部分的總體要求應該是“譯文準確、完整、通順”,這與翻譯的一般標準“忠實而通順”是基本一致的。
如何把定語從句從英文翻譯成中文
大綱的總體要求應該是“譯文準確、完整、通順”。 要求看似簡單,但是要翻譯出準確、完整、通順的譯文卻絕不是容易的事。
1.前置定語
98年 71) But even more important, it was the farthest that scientists had been able to look into the past, for what they were seeing were the patterns and structures that existed 15 billion years ago。
結構分析:這是一個復合句. But even more important是整個句子的狀語,it was the farthest是主句,that scientists had been able to look into the past是修飾the farthest的定語從句,for引導原因狀語從句(參見1995年71題),在這個狀語從句中,what they were seeing是主語從句,were the patterns and structures是狀語從句中的系表結構,that existed…是修飾名詞patterns and structures的定語從句。
譯文: 但更為重要的是,這是科學家們所能觀察到的最遙遠的過去的景象,因為他們看到的是150億年前宇宙云的形狀和結構。
02年 64)They are the possessions of the autonomous (self-governing) man of traditional theory, and they are essential to practices in which a person is held responsible for his conduct and given credit for his achievements。
結構分析:這是一個復合句。主句是由兩個并列的分句構成的:They are…, and they are;in which引導定語從句,修飾practices,其中is held responsible for … and given credit for …并列做定語從句的謂語,given前面省略了助動詞is。
譯 文: 自由和尊嚴(它們)是傳統(tǒng)理論定義的自主人所擁有的,是要求一個人對自己的行為負責并因其業(yè)績而給予肯定的必不可少的前提。
它們(自由和尊嚴)對于那種要求個人對自己的行為負責并因為其業(yè)績而受到贊揚的做法來說,是必不可少的。
2.獨立成句
當譯成前置定語會使句子變得臃腫,妨礙理解的時候,最好讓其獨立成句。
94(72)"In short", a leader of the new school contends, "the scientific revolution, as we call it, was largely the improvement and invention and use of a series of instruments that expanded the reach of science in innumerable directions."
新學派的一位領袖人物堅持說:“簡而言之,我們所稱謂的科學革命,主要是指一系列器具的改進、發(fā)明和使用,這些改進、發(fā)明和使用使科學發(fā)展的范圍無所不及。”
contend堅決主張,聲稱[Y][+(that)]
The police contended that the difficulties they faced were too severe。
警察強調說他們面臨的困難太嚴重了。
He left his job largely because he was homesick。.他辭職不干主要是因為他想家。
We have countless reasons against his plan。我們有舉不勝舉的理由反對他的計劃。
96 72) This trend began during the Second World War, when several governments came to the conclusion that the specific demands that a government wants to make of its scientific establishment cannot generally be foreseen in detail。
基本結構:簡單句+時間狀語從句(主語+謂語+賓語+同位語從句(主語the specific demands +定語從句that a government wants to make of its scientific establishment+謂語cannot generally be foreseen in detail)
基本結構試譯:這種趨勢始于第二次世界大戰(zhàn)期間,當時一些國家的政府得出結論:……
譯 文:這種趨勢始于第二次世界大戰(zhàn)期間,當時一些國家的政府得出結論:政府要向科研機構提出的具體要求通常是無法詳盡預見的。
注意:不要將when引導的定語從句與時間狀語從句相混淆,當然也就不能when引導的定語從句翻譯成“當… 時候”。When引導定語從句前面一般是表示時間的詞作為先行詞,如果是過去時,when譯成“其時、屆時”“當時”“在那個時候”,如果是將來時態(tài),則譯成“到時”“屆時”,有時候還可以譯成“然后”“隨后”。
The Queen will visit the small town in April, when she will open the new hospital。
女王將于四月訪問小鎮(zhèn),到時,她將主持這家新醫(yī)院的開業(yè)儀式。
I expect to stay here no more than two days, when I shall return。
我預計在那兒呆兩天,隨后就回來。
99 71) While there are almost as many definitions of history as there are historians, modern practice most closely conforms to one that sees history as the attempt to recreate and explain the significant events of the past。
結構分析:這是一個復合句。While there are almost as many definitions of history as there are historians整個這一部分是讓步狀語從句,其中第一個as是程度副詞,第二個as是連詞,引導比較狀語從句there are historians;modern practice most closely conforms to one是主謂賓結構的主句;that sees history as the attempt是修飾one的定語從句,to recreate and explain the significant events of the past是不定式短語做名詞attempt的后置定語。
譯文:幾乎每個歷史學家對史學都有自己的界定,但現(xiàn)代史學家的實踐最趨向于認為歷史學是試圖重現(xiàn)過去的重大史實并對其做出解釋。
[我們的翻譯]:幾乎每個歷史學家對史學都有自己的界定,而現(xiàn)代實踐最符合這樣一個定義,該定義把歷史看作是重現(xiàn)和解釋過去的重要事件的嘗試。
There are almost as many job opportunities as there are college graduates。
幾乎每個大學畢業(yè)生都有就業(yè)機會。
01 73) Pearson has pieced together the work of hundreds of researchers around the world to produce a unique millennium technology calendar that gives the latest dates when we can expect hundreds of key breakthroughs and discoveries to take place。
結構分析:這是一個復合句。Pearson has pieced together the work是主謂結構的主句,of hundreds of researchers是介賓短語做定語修飾名詞work,around the world則是介賓短語修飾名詞researchers,to produce a unique millennium technology calendar是不定式短語做結果狀語,that引導定語從句修飾名詞calendar,when引導定語從句修飾dates。這里的when相當于by which,因此不能翻譯成“當… 時候”,而應該翻譯成“通過這些日期”或者“到這些日期”(參見96年真題72)
譯文:皮爾森匯集世界各地數(shù)百位研究人員的成果,編制了一個獨特的新技術千年歷,它列出了人們有望看到數(shù)百項重大突破和發(fā)現(xiàn)的最遲日期。
3.獨立成句,且譯出內含邏輯關系。
97 71) Actually, it isn't, because it assumes that there is an agreed account of human rights, which is something the world does not have。
結構分析:這是一個多重復合句。Actually,是副詞做狀語,修飾整個句子,it isn't,是主句,在because引導的原因狀語從句中,that引導賓語從句,which引導非限制性定語從句修飾名詞an agreed account,而the world does not have是省略了從句引導詞that的定語從句,修飾something。
譯文:事實并非如此,因為這種問法是以人們對人的權利有共同認識為基礎的,而這種共同認識并不存在。
定語從句分為限定性定語從句和非限定性定語從句。由于二者在翻譯時無大差異,所以討論時不加嚴格區(qū)分。定語從句的譯法一般有三種:
(1)譯成含“的”字結構的定語,放在先行詞之前。
由于定語從句的作用相當于定語,所以這種譯法是最普遍的。
(2)采用“分譯法”——單獨成句
當定語從句與被修飾詞之間關系不很緊密,且譯為前置定語過于臃腫時,應該考慮將定語從句單獨成句,具體做法是將關系詞處理為先行詞的重復。P1-72 P8-71
(3)獨立成句,且譯出內含邏輯關系。
He, who has been in this school for five years, is quite familiar with the campus。
因為在學校已經(jīng)待了五年,所以他對校園很熟悉。
Electronic computers, which have many advantages, cannot do creative work and replace human。
盡管電腦有很多優(yōu)勢,但還是不能做創(chuàng)造性的工作,不能代替人。