静态和动态的翻译

第十章　静态和动态的翻译

世间万物有静态(static)与动态(dynamic)之分，描述这两种状态的语言也有区别。描写情景、状态的词是静态词，陈述动作、行为的词是动态词。汉英语言在表达这两种状态方面存在较大差异。最主要的不同点是:汉语无论是叙述动态还是静态，倾向于多用动词，辅以“着、了、过、地”等助词来加以区分，除此之外没有明显的时态标记;英语倾向于多用名词、形容词和介词短语来表示静态，用动词表示动作，且有明显的时态标记。因此，在静态与动态的汉英翻译时，就有可能出现障碍。判断汉语句子是动态还是静态，除了助词以外，还要靠语感和对句子上下文的理解。请对比下列几组句子:

例1:冬天树叶都掉光了。

Tree leaves are all gone in winter.(静态)

冬天一到，树叶就掉。

When winter comes，tree leaves begin to fall.(动态)

例2:机器坏了三天了。

The machine is broken for three days.(静态)

机器什么时候坏的?

When did the machine break down?(动态)

例3:市长任职五年了。

The mayor has been in office for five years.(静态)

新市长下月上任。

The new mayor will take office next month.(动态)

例4:这项工程由我负责。

I'm in charge of the project.(静态)

我从去年开始负责这项工程。

I took charge of the project last year.(动态)

例5:我爱这个城市。

I love this city.(静态)

我一到这儿就爱上了这个城市。

I fell in love with the city as soon as I came here.(动态)

例6:他一走进房间就开灯。

He turned on the lights when he entered the room.(动态)

他回来的时候灯就是开着的。

Lights were on when he came back.(静态)

例7:我见到他时，他泪流满面。

He was all tears when I saw him.(静态)

一见我来看他，他掉眼泪了。

He burst into tears when I came to see him.(动态)

例8:房子正在粉刷。

The house is being painted.(动态)

房子粉刷得很好。

The house is very well painted.(静态)

例9:他上星期生病了。

He got sick last week.(动态)

他已经病了一个星期了。

He has been sick for a week.(静态)

例10:我儿子当兵两年了。

My son has been in the army for two years.(静态)

我儿子两年前当兵了。

My son joined the army two years ago.(动态)

例11:图书馆礼拜天开门吗?

Does the library open on Sundays?(动态)

图书馆24小时开门。

The library is open 24 hours a day.(静态)

例12:他活到了90岁。

He lived to 90 years.(动态)

他现在还活着吗?

Is he still alive?(静态)

例13:他们来了。

They have come.(动态)

他们来了几小时了。

They've been here for a few hours.(静态)