二、词类转译法
词类转译法是指在英译汉的过程中,根据英汉两种语言不同的表达习惯,对词性进行转换。如将原文中的名词、介词、形容词转译成动词,或将动词转译成名词,以求译文通顺自然,符合汉语的表达习惯。试比较下面两个例句的不同译法。
例1 Rockets have found application for the exploration of the universe.
A.火箭已经发现为宇宙探索的应用。
B.火箭已经用来探索宇宙。(名词转译为动词)
例2 All government in the United States is“of,by and for the people.”
A.美国各级政府都是“人民的、由人民管理的、为了人民的”政府。
B.美国各级政府都是“民有、民治、民享”的政府。(介词转译为动词)
例1的两个译法中,译文B优于译文A。尽管译文A按照原文逐字译出,忠实地对应了原文的词类,但不符合汉语的表达习惯,且有“死译”、“硬译”之嫌;而在译文B中,将例句中的名词application和exploration分别转译为动词后,译文既简洁,又符合汉语的表达习惯。
汉语中动词十分活跃,一个句子中可以出现多个动词,而英语由于语法的限制,一个句子中只能有一个动词或几个并列的动词来充当谓语,其他动词只能以“非谓语动词”的形式出现,更多的情况是使用具有动词意义的名词来代替动词。因此,在翻译时,我们有必要使用“词类转译法”,对原文中的词类进行词类转译,以求译文通顺达意。
例2中,of,by and for the people是大家比较熟悉的,它的译文也十分经典:“民有、民治、民享”。这也是英译汉中使用“词类转译法”的经典范例。译文中将原文的介词短语of,by and for the people翻译成了动词短语“民有、民治、民享”,简洁达意,同时也体现了英汉翻译过程中“词类转译法”的魅力。
本部分主要讨论:1.名词、形容词、副词和介词转译为动词;2.名词转译为形容词;3.动词转译成名词的情况。除上述情况外,还有其他需要转译的情况,这里不作介绍。
1.名词、形容词和介词转译为动词1)名词转译为动词
例1 Your refusal to amend the L/C is equivalent to the cancellation of the order.
A.你方对修改信用证的拒绝,无异于订单的取消。
B.你方拒绝修改信用证,这无异于取消订单。
例2 The successful completion of the book is the result of the cooperation and confidence of many people.(2001年6月A级)
A.本书的成功完成是许多人相互合作、坚信不疑的结果。
B.成功地完成本书的写作是许多人相互合作、坚信不疑的结果。
例3 The application of computers makes a tremendous rise in labor productivity.
A.计算机的应用会使劳动生产率有极大的提高。
B.使用计算机可以极大地提高劳动生产率。
以上3个例句中用蓝色标出的名词在译文B中都转译为动词,使得译文简洁通顺。在译文A中,将用蓝色标出的名词硬译成名词,使得译文晦涩,不符合汉语的表达习惯。同时我们也注意到名词refusal,completion和application是动词refuse,complete和apply的名词形式,本身都具有动词的意味。
例4 The proud possessor of a brand-new driver’s license,Amy was excited about practicing her driving on the trip.
艾米自豪地拿到了崭新的驾照,对于一路上可以练习驾驶技术很是激动。
例4中的名词possessor是由动词possess+or构成的名词,此类名词在译成汉语时,如果在原文中不强调职业或动作执行者的意思,可以考虑将其译成动词。再如:
例5 She is a lover of Chinese literature.
她热爱中国文学。
例6 I am afraid I can’t teach you swimming.I think my little brother is a better teacher than I.
我未必能教你游泳。但我想我的小弟弟会比我教得好。
2)形容词转译为动词
例1 Please let us know if our terms are acceptable.
贵方是否接受我方条款,请告知。
例2 The student is grateful to his teacher for his valuable suggestions.
学生感谢老师提出的宝贵意见。
例3 When metals are cut,the shining surface is visible,but it turns grey almost immediately.
切割金属时,可以看到光亮的表面,但它随即就变成了灰色。
例4 I am sure that I saw it somewhere,but I can’t remember exactly where.
我确信在什么地方见过它,但是记不起确切的地方了。
英语中表示知觉、感受、欲望等心理状态的形容词,在系动词后作表语用时,往往可转译成动词。这些形容词有:confident,certain,careful,cautious,sure,afraid,doubtful,aware,concerned,glad,delighted,sorry,ashamed,thankful,anxious等。
例5 We are confident that we can overcome the difficulties.
我们坚信能够克服这些困难。
例6 He is afraid of going out alone.
他害怕独自出去。
例7 Man is becoming fully aware of the importance of protecting the environment.
人类越来越充分地意识到保护环境的重要性。
3)副词转译成动词
例1 The meeting is over.
会议结束了。
例2 It’s late.I must be off now.
时间不早了。我得走了。
例3 When he fell asleep,the T V was still on.
他睡着时,电视机仍然开着。
例4 We often eat out at weekends.
周末我们经常出去吃饭。
例5 Don’t let any strangers in.
不要让任何陌生人进来。
4)介词转译成动词
例1 She is against smoking and drinking.
她反对抽烟和喝酒。
例2 You can’t imagine how angry he was at the news.
你想象不出他听到这个消息时是多么生气。
例3 The Great Wall winds its way from west to east,across desserts,over
mountains,through valleys,till at last it reaches the sea.
长城从西向东蜿蜒而行,穿过沙漠,越过高山,跨过峡谷,最后到达大海。
2.名词转译为形容词
例1 As I am a perfect stranger in the city,I hope they will give me the necessary help.
A.在这个城市里我完全是个陌生人,所以我希望他们能给予我必要的帮助。
B.我对这个城市完全陌生,所以我希望他们能给予我必要的帮助。
例2 Independent thinking is an absolute necessity in study.
A.独立思考在学习中是个绝对的必要性。
B.独立思考对学习是绝对必需的。
例3 We found difficulty in solving this complicated problem.
A.在解决这个复杂的问题中,我们发现了困难。
B.我们觉得解决这个复杂的问题很困难。
3.动词转译成名词
例1 This product is characterized by its fine workmanship and durability.此产品的特点是工艺精湛,经久耐用。
例2 The earth on which we live is shaped like a ball.我们居住的地球,形状像一个大圆球。
例3 They signed two agreements that served to warm up the atmosphere of their relations.他们签订了两个协议,目的是使彼此的关系热乎起来。
翻译实践
I.选择最佳译文。
1.The increase in international business has created a need for managers with skills in cross-culture communication.(2002年12月A级)
A.国际贸易增加了跨文化交流的机会,也提高了经理的技能。
B.国际贸易提高了对经理掌握跨文化交流技能的要求。
C.国际贸易的增加需要具有跨文化交流技能的经理。
D.国际贸易增加了对经理文化交际能力的需求。
2.His ignorance of the company’s financial situation resulted in his failure to take effective measures.(2004年6月A级)
A.他对公司财务状况毫不理会,自以为措施有效,以致失当。
B.他对公司的财务状况一无所知,结果未能采取有效的措施。
C.他采取的措施无效,使得公司的经营状况更加恶化。
D.他不了解公司的金融状况,结果采取的措施失败了。
3.It is better to have a good under standing of all the clauses before signing a contract.
A.在签订合同前,对所有条款具有良好的理解是较好的。
B.在签订合同前,对所有条款充分的理解是必要的。
C.签订合同前,应该充分理解所有的条款。
D.签订合同前,对所有条款具有良好的理解是较好的。
4.We have a mind to sign a sole agency agreement with you on this item for a period of two years.
A.我方欲与贵方签订为期两年的独家代理该产品的协议。
B.我们有一个想法要签订一个为期两年的独家代理该产品的协议。
C.我方欲与贵方签订两年的在该产品上的独家代理协议。
D.我们有一个想法与你们签订一个为期两年的独家代理该产品的协议。
5.Talking with his son,the old man was the forgiver of the young man’s past wrong doings.
A.在和儿子谈话时,老人宽恕了年轻人过去所干的坏事。
B.谈到儿子,老人宽恕了年轻人过去所干的坏事。
C.在和儿子谈话时,老人是年轻人过去所干坏事的宽恕者。
D.谈到儿子,老人是年轻人过去所干坏事的宽恕者。
II.完成下列译文,注意斜体部分的译法及词类转译法的运用。
1.Are you f or or against the plan?
你________________________________?
2.He is the murderer of his boss.
他________________________________。
3.A well-dressed man,who looked and talked like an American,got into the car.
一个衣着讲究的人上了车,_______________________________。
4.He is no smoker,but his father is a chain-smoker.
他_______________________________,但他的父亲却一支接一支不停地抽。
5.Doctors have said that they are not sure they can save his life.医生们说他们_______________________________。
6.The sight and sound of our jet planes filled me with special longing.
_______________________________,听见隆隆的飞机声,心里特别神往。
7.We look forward to your acceptance of the enclosed quotation(报价).希望你方能_______________________________。
8.The cancellation of the contract will lead to an end of our business relation.
_______________________________将导致我们业务关系的终结。
9.Profits for 2006 were$2 billion,up 9% f rom the previous year.
2006年的利润是20亿美元,_______________________________。
10.Honesty with others is both a sign of respect for them and a sign of self respect—and it’s so much simpler!
________________________________,同时也是尊重自己的表现——而且这样做要简单得多!
III.将下列段落译成汉语,注意词类转译法的运用。
Even if you do it all right,from application through interview,you may still be rejected.While you don’t have any power over the final decision,you can decide how you are going to respond to it.Keep three things in mind:Get feedback so you can make changes;don’t take the rejection personally;and keep trying.
Light Reading
下面是一则英汉对照小幽默。轻松之余,别忘了体会其中翻译技巧的运用。
A Prospective Horse Buyer
Then there was the preacher who decided to sell his horse.A prospective buyer was impressed with the animal,but the preacher said,“I must warn you—he only responds to‘church talk’.Go is‘Praise the God,’and stop is‘Hallelujah.’”
“I’ve worked with horses all my life,”said the buyer,“and I’ve never heard of anything like this.”Mounting the horse,he said skeptically,“Praise the God.”The horse began to trot.He repeated“Praise the God.”And the horse broke into a gallop.Suddenly the buyer saw a cliff dead ahead.Frantic,he yelled“Hallelujah,”and they came to a stop a foot from the edge.
Wiping the sweat from his brow,the buyer said,“Praise the God!”
欲买马之人
传道士决定卖掉他的马。一位欲买马之人看中了这匹马,但传道士说:“我必须提醒你,这匹马只懂得‘教堂语言’。走是‘赞美上帝’,停是‘哈利路亚’。”
“我一生都同马打交道,”买马人说,“这样的事儿我还是头一回听说。”他跨上马,将信将疑地说:“赞美上帝。”马儿开始小跑。他重复说“赞美上帝”,马儿开始飞奔起来。突然买马人看到前面是一个悬崖。他吓坏了,慌忙叫道:“哈利路亚。”在离悬崖只有一英尺的地方,他们停了下来。
买马人擦了擦额头上的汗珠,说道:“赞美上帝!”
(注:Hallelujah是感谢上帝之语。)
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