单数与复数

一、单数与复数

无论是在笔头还是口语交际中，除非必须讲明数字，汉语名词是用不着标明单复数的。我们凭借上下文或经验就可以做出判断，但在英译中却必须在形式上表明。例如:

例1:我特爱看电影。

I love movies.

例2:苹果多少钱一公斤?

How much is a kilo of apples?

例3:我现在正忙着找工作呢。

I'm busy looking for a job.

在汉英翻译中，容易出问题的名词有抽象名词、由动词转换的名词、集合名词和物质名词。下面我们分别分析一下它们的难点所在。

1.抽象名词的翻译(abstract nouns)

一般来讲，英语中的抽象名词没有复数形式，例如:

例1:以史为鉴。

Learn from history.

例2:历史给了我们许多教训。

History teaches us a lot of lessons.

例3:中国人爱和平。

The Chinese love peace.

例4:这个人观察力敏锐。

He is a man of keen insight.

例5:贫穷不是社会主义。

Socialism doesn't mean shortages.

例6:电话出毛病了?干吗不叫维修的来?

Something has gone wrong with the telephone?Why don't you call maintenance?

例7:会议讨论的问题同大家都有关系，例如，工资、退休、医疗。

What was discussed in the meeting concerned all of us:pay，retirement，and medical care.

例8:这家商店生意兴隆。

This store is doing good business.

例9:人才外流严重，得想办法遏制。

We must find ways to stop this serious brain-drain.

例10:强有力的领导，健全的法制是发展经济不可或缺的。

Economic growth depends on a strong leadership and effective legal system.

但在翻译比较复杂的抽象名词时，我们有可能很难决定是用单数还是复数。汉语中有些抽象名词虽然意思相近，但在英语中必须加上复数形式予以区别。比较下列几组句子中的名词:

例11:我认为她没有干这个工作的经验。

I don't think she has the experience for the job.

(experience=enough knowledge and skill suitable for the job)

听听她当警察的经历非常有意思。

It is very interesting hearing about her experiences as a policewoman.(experiences=things that happened to her)

例12:最近揭露出来的腐败现象动摇了很多人对警察的信赖。

Recent revelations about corruption have shaken many people's belief in the police.

所有主张非暴力的宗教信仰和政治信仰都应受到尊敬。

All non-violent religious and political beliefs should be respected equally.

例13:编写这些书的目的是促进儿章读写技能的发展。

These books are designed to help children with the development of their skills of reading and writing.

如果事情有了什么新的发展，打电话告诉我。

Call me and let me know if there have been any new developments.

(A development is a recent important event which is the latest in a series of related events.)

例14:保持课堂纪律是每个教师的首要任务。

Maintaining classroom discipline is the first task of every teacher.

我不太喜欢理论性太强的学科。

I don't enjoy over-theoretical disciplines.

例15:承认犯了错是坚强的表示，不是软弱的象征。

Admitting you've made a mistake is a sign of strength，not weakness.

他的强项是有决心和乐观的性格。

His greatest strengths are determination and revelation.

例16:“沟通”指交换看法;“交通”指陆海空运输。

“Communication”means interchange of ideas ;“communications”refers to transportation by land，sea and air.

例17:他诗作的优美之处，吸引了很多年轻读者。

The beauty of his poems has attracted many young readers.

她们在年轻的时候可都是美人。

They were real beauties when they were young.(具体名词)

2.由动词转换的名词的翻译(verb-turned-nouns)

在英语中有一类由动词转换来的名词，虽然是名词，但仍带有一些动词的性质，而且总是以单数形式出现，例如:

inform→information　　　　　　　　guide→guidance

equip→equipment　　　　　　　　 　understand→understanding

know→knowledge　　　　　　　　　　transport→transportation

例1:做生意成功与否主要靠信息。

Success in business depends on information.

例2:工厂的设备全部是进口的。

All the equipment in the factory is imported from abroad.

例3:这个目击者坚持说不知道撞车的事。

The witness denies any knowledge of the car crash.

例4:我写硕士论文时，我的导师给了我很多有益的指导。

My professor gave me a lot of helpful guidance while I was writing up my MA thesis.

例5:对于政治，她是一窍不通。

She doesn't have any understanding of politics.

例6:在这个城市，有很多公司鼓励职工出门不开车，而用其他交通工具。

In this city many companies encourage their employees to use alternative means of transportation，rather than the car.

3.集合名词的翻译(collective nouns)

英语中有些名词本身就是复数，如:crew，people，family，staff，police，audience等。

例1:九名机组人员全部遇难。

The crew of nine were killed in the air crash.

例2:今天上午有两个人找你。

Two people looked for you this morning.

例3:我全家人都喜欢看书。

All my family enjoy reading.

例4:我是这个学校的职工。

I'm on the staff of this school.

例5:这个地区警力不足。

The police are under-staffed in this district.

例6:戏演到一半就有30多个观众退场了。

More than thirty in the audience left when the performance was only half way through.

例7:英语系有将近70名教职工。

The English Department has a faculty and staff of about 70 members.

4.物质名词的翻译(mass nouns)

物质名词是英语特有的一类名词，如:chalk，paper，chocolate等，这类名词不可数，没有复数形式。汉语中这类名词没有特殊归类。

例1:在我们学校，教师上课已经不用粉笔了。

In our school teachers do not use chalk any more in their teaching.

例2:我们国家曾经严重缺纸。

There used to be an acute shortage of paper in our country.

例3:这种蛋糕的主要成分是巧克力。

The ingredient of this kind of cake is largely chocolate.

例4:光比声音快。Light travels faster than sound.

例5:银属于贵金属。Silver is a precious metal.

例6:鱼离开水是活不了的。

Water is a necessity to fish.

例7:如今连咱们那个小山村都通电了。

Electricity is available even in our small mountainous village.

例8:买黄油的时候，要看看生产日期，买香油就不必了。

You should look at the production date before you buy butter，but that won't be necessary if it's sesame oil.

例9:这部电影是用国产胶片拍的。

This movie was made on Chinese-made film.