基本翻译技巧(2)

英汉翻译技巧的理论依据

1.改变词类 （conversion）

Ignorance of law is a dangerous thing for running a business.

无视法律对做生意是一件危险的事。

The residents in the small town all welcome the execution of the killer.

小镇的居民对处死杀人犯莫不拍手称快。

2. 选词用字（diction）

Before they could protest, the drivers were taken away by the soldiers.

司机还没来得急申辩，就被士兵们带走了。

He did not drop out of school despite his poverty-stricken family.

他没有因家境贫寒而辍学。

3.语序调整（inversion）

He said no word to his wife as she passed with a plate.

他妻子递盘子时，他一言未发。

The use of the inspection stamp is limited to the person to whom it is issued.

检章仅限对持章人使用。

4.省略（omission）

What is the shortest possible way to the Railway Station?

去火车站哪条路最近？

Stainless steel possesses good hardness and high strength.

不锈钢强度高，韧性好。

5.增词（amplification）

Steel and iron products are often coated lest they should rust.

钢铁产品的表面经常镀有一层涂料以防生锈。

The prosperity today symbolizes our efforts in the past 10 years.

今天的繁荣是经过过去十年的努力得来的。

6.重复（repetition）

Practically every river has an upper, a middle and a lower part.

按惯列每条河有上游部分，中游部分和下游部分。

Half the prize money he spent, and the rest was laid aside for rainy days.

他把奖金的一半花了，剩下的一半留着以备不时之需。

7．反译（negation）

Suddenly he heard s sound behind him, and realized that he was not alone in the garage.

突然他听到背后有动静，意识到车库里还有别人。

She won’t buy anything less than the best that her budgets allow.

她买东西总超支。

8．分译（division）

It was a real challenge that those who had learnt from us now excelled us.

那些师从于我们的现在都超过了我们，这是个莫大的鞭策。

It was an old woman, tall and shapely still, though withered by time, on whom his eyes fell when he stopped and turned.

他停下来，转过身，看到一个女的个子高高的，虽年事已高，但风韵犹存。

断句

I come to China / at an important time.

我到中国访问，恰逢一个重要的时刻。

（笔：我是在一个重要的时刻来到中国的。）

They build the bridge in two months.

他们建这座桥，花了俩个月。

（笔：他们花了两个月建成了这座桥。）

Practice

1． It is nevertheless many years since / our two worlds first touched.

但是很久以前我们两个世界就开始接触了。

2． The speed of integration in international trade / of less developed countries / has been slow. 融入国际贸易的速度，就不发达国家而言，一直是缓慢的。

3． Governments have a crucial role to play / in promoting social human development and / in providing the poor with the necessary / working skills. 要发挥十分重要的作用，以促进社会的人力开发，并使穷人获得必要的劳动技能。

4． I don’t believe / that the European economy must follow the US into a depression.我并不认为欧洲经济一定回步入美国后尘，进入一个萧条期。

汉英口译中的变通

1. 以主语定谓语

从原文的主语或谓语部分摘取某个词语作新的主语，并以此为根据重新确定谓语动词，组织句子，如：

民族地区的经济社会获得不断的发展。

A. The economy and society of the ethnic minority areas have been developed continuously.

B. Continued economic and social development has been achieved/attained in the minority concentrated areas.

C. The minority concentrated regions have witnessed continued economic and social development.

2. 以谓语定主语

有时汉语句子没有主语的，或者汉语的主语无法译为英语的主语，就需要在句子的其它部分找到一个词作主语，然后添加一个谓语动词，如：

各民族之间建立了平等、团结、互助的新型关系。

A. We have established a new type of relationship characterized by equality, solidarity and mutual assistance between different ethnic groups.

B. A new type of relationship of equality, solidarity and mutual assistance between different ethnic groups has been established.

中国历史上产生了许多杰出的哲学家、思想家、政治家、军事家、科学家和文学艺术家，留下了浩如烟海的文化典籍。

A. china produced in its history many outstanding philosophers, thinkers, statesmen, strategists, scientists, writers and artists and left us numerous volumes of literature.

B. Many outstanding philosophers, thinkers, statesmen, strategists, scientists, writers and artists were produced in Chinese history and numerous volumes of literature were left behind.

3. 统一主语

汉语的主语可以不断变换，而英语喜欢一通到底。

近二十年的实践已充分证明，我们进行改革开放的方向是正确的，信念是坚定的，步骤是稳妥的，方式是渐进的，取得的成就就是巨大的。

The practice in recent twenty years has eloquent proved that the directed of our reform and opening up is right, our conviction is firm, our steps are steady, our approach is gradual and our achievements are huge.

The practice in recent twenty years has eloquently proved that we are right in direction, firm in conviction, steady in our steps and gradual in our approach when carrying out the reform and opening up and have achieved tremendous successes.

4. 套用句型

中国人民一向钦佩美国人民的求实精神和创造精神。

The Chinese people have always admired the American people for their pragmatic attitude and creative spirit.

中国教育界、科学界、文化界一直同哈佛大学保持着学术交流。

The Chinese educational, scientific and cultural communities have all along maintained academic exchanges with this university.

5. 添加连接词，显化句子关系

将有内在联系的句子、短语等用连词、从句、不定式、分词、介词等将内部的关系显

化，如：

我们应该相互尊重，相互学习，取长补短，共同进步。

We should respect and learn from each other and draw upon other’s strong points to offset one’s own deficiencies for achieving common progress.

我们应该牢牢把握中美关系的大局，妥善解决分歧，不断朝着增进了解、扩大共识、发展合作、共创未来的目标前进。

We should take a firm hold of the overall interests of China-U.S. relations and settle our differences properly so as to reach the goal of promoting mutual understanding, broadening common ground, developing cooperation and building a future together.

这里，我想就以下一些方面谈些看法，希望有助于诸位对中国的了解。

Here, I would like to make the following observations which I hope will help you to know China better.

有一部分美国人会批评他，说他背叛了他原来竞选的诺言，这会对他下一次的竞选造成不利。

Some Americans would criticize him, saying that he has betrayed his election promise, and this would do harm to his next election.

6. 省略重复

汉语中用词重复经常起到强调的作用，但是如果在英语中也重复同样的词，就显得罗嗦。

为了推动中美关系的发展，中国需要进一步了解美国，美国也需要进一步了解中国。

To promote the development of China-U.S. relations, China needs to know the United States better and vice versa/the other way round

中国人民珍惜同各国人民的友谊与合作，也珍惜自己经过长期奋斗而得来的自主权利。

The Chinese people cherish its friendship and cooperation with other peoples, as well as their right to independence they have won through protracted struggles.

有力促进：

积极支持：

7. 近义词合并

汉语中有时出现并列的近义词，难以找到类似的英语近义词，这时可将近义词合并译出：

既符合中国人民的根本利益，又有利于世界的和平、稳定、繁荣与进步。

They serve not only the fundamental interests of the Chinese people, but also world peace, stability, prosperity and progress.

总之，今天中国所选择的社会制度和发展道路，实行的内外，确定的下个世纪的奋斗目标，既有现实的根据，又有历史的渊源。

In short, the choice of the social system and development path that China has made, the domestic and foreign policies that it has pursued and the goals it has identified for the next century are all based on both the reality and the history.

如：“老、弱、病、残”，就用“the infirm”一词便可通吃四项，基本不影响上下文意思的连贯。

“比、学、赶、帮、超”，基本上是场竞赛活动，只要把它们体现的“竞赛活动”这一基本精神提炼出来就行了。因此，口译时不妨用“an emulation drive”来表示。

“五讲四美三热爱”，其基本精神是提倡社会主义道德新风尚，口译时不妨译作“promoting moral standards”。

“多、快、好、省地...”：“cost-effectively”、“in a cost-effective manner”或“do more with less”，视上下文需要，择其一足矣。

同样，有许多中文习语也很简洁，如果照字面翻，口译时间就不够用。因此也需尽量以一个形容词或词组表示。如“无法无天”，口译时就可用\"unruly\"或\"lawless\"一词带过。大部分习语口译时都可依此类推。

即使在行文中，如果借用习语者的本意并非卖弄形象比喻，而只是为了准确表达思想，那么，以高度精炼、准确贴切的一词对译，也能给人留下行文流畅、天衣无缝的印象。如“requisitive”对“步步为营”，“inquisitive”对“打破沙锅问到底”，“interlocked”或“intertwined”对“你中有我，我中有你”等等。

8. 反译法

把原文的意思用相反的方法表达出来。

相互了解，是发展国与国之间关系的前提。惟有相互了解，才能增进信任，加强合作。

Mutual understanding is the basis for state-to-state relations. Without it, it would be impossible for countries to build trust and promote cooperation with each other.

中国的历史文化始终处于发展进步之中。

China’s culture in history has never stopped developing.

中国作为人类文明发祥地之一，在几千年的历史进程中，文化传统始终没有中断。

As one of the cradles of human civilization, China has all along maintained its cultural tradition without letup in the history of several thousand years.

9. 句子和短语的互换

我国先秦思想家就提出了“亲仁善邻，国之宝也”的思想，反映了自古以来中国人民就希望天下太平、同各国人民友好相处。

Chinese thinker of the pre-Qin days (over 2, 000 years ago) advanced the doctrine loving people and treating neighbors kindly are most valuable to a country. This is a reflection of the aspiration of the Chinese people for a peaceful world where people of all countries live in harmony./ This reflects that the Chinese people aspire for a peaceful world where people of all countries live in harmony.

10. 分而译之

十三亿人口的中国保持稳定和加快发展，对促进亚太地区和世界的稳定与发展，具有极其重要的意义。

China is a country with 1.3 billion people. Its stability and rapid development are of vital importance to the stability and development in Asia-Pacific and the world at large.

11. 分化组合

中国在自己发展的长河中，形成了优良的历史文化传统。这些传统，随着时代变迁和社会进步获得扬弃和发展，对今天中国人的价值观念、生活方式和中国的发展道路，具有深刻的影响。

In the prolonged course of development, China has formed its fine historical

and cultural traditions, which have been either developed or discarded with the changes of the times and social progress. These traditions have exerted a profound impact on the values and way of life of the Chinese people, and on China’s road of development today.

12. 省略动词

我们坚持在和平共处五项原则基础上，建立和发展友好合作关系。

We will establish and develop friendly relations and cooperation on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.

13. 补充背景材料

明代郑和“七下西洋”，把中华文化传向远方的国度。

In the Ming Dynasty(1368--14), Chinese navigator Cheng He led a fleet to what the people called the West Sea seven times in the 15th century, spreading the Chinese culture to distant land.

14. 在数个动词中任选一个作谓语动词

他们利用持久战术把敌人引到内陆加以歼灭。

They try to use a prolonged war to draw the enemy into the hinterland and wipe them out.

They try to draw the enemy into the hinterland and wipe them out with a prolonged war.

They try to wipe out the enemy with a prolonged war after drawing them into the hinterland.

15. 文言、成语译为白话

中国的医药学在世界上独树一帜。

The Chinese medicine is a unique school of its own.

中国人早就懂得兼取众长、以为己善的道理。

Since old times, the Chinese people came to know full well the importance of drawing widely upon others’ strong points to improve oneself.

中国古代文明的发展，是中华民族艰苦奋斗、自强不息的结果。

The fruits of China’s ancient civilization were brought about by the tireless efforts and hard work of the Chinese nation.

早在公元前二千五百年，中国人就开始了仰观天文、俯察地理的活动，逐渐形成了“天人合一”的宇宙观。

As early as in 2, 500 BC, Chinese began astronomical observation and

geographical survey, and gradually formed a world outlook of an integration of the universe and humanity.