Lesson 5增減詞法

1、Lesson Five（第五課）（第五課）增增/減詞法減詞法Amplification and OmissionI. Amplification in English-Chinese TranslationA good translation, generally speaking, is a bit longer than the original (we dont mean that a good translation must be longer than the original) primarily because translators must faithfully turn

2、the obvious form of the original language into target language, and at the same time, must convey what implied in the original context, especially that closely connected with the background of the original culture and history in target language. Therefore, a translator must, sometimes, add something

3、 (that is implied but not obviously expressed in words) to the original in his translation to make explanations. In this way, translation is lengthened, form changed, but the meaning of the original remains unchanged, and is only adapted to capability of readers.1. supplying what is omitted in the o

4、riginalOmission is frequently used in English out of rhetorical device or to meet the need of English syntax. But, nine cases out of ten, whats omitted, must be supplied in translation which will otherwise disagree with the syntax of the receptor language or misrepresent the original meaning. Here a

5、re some illustrations:n1) Histories make man wise; poetry witty; the mathematics subtle; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Absunt studia in mores.n 讀史使人明智，讀詩使人使人靈秀，數(shù)學使人使人周密，科學使人使人深刻，倫理學使人使人莊重，邏輯修辭學使人使人善辯，凡有所學，皆成性格。n2) We, in Britain have every reason to wish f

6、or better relations with the states of eastern Europe. And we do sincerely want them.n 我們英國人有充分理由同東歐國家改善關(guān)系，我們衷心希望改改善同他們的關(guān)系善同他們的關(guān)系。n3）I went to an exhibition this morning. With whom？ 我今天上午去參觀了一個展覽。 和誰去的去的？2. supplying overlapping words or numerals to express the plural form of nounsnUnlike English la

7、nguage that has the change of plural form of nouns as well as that of verb tenses, Chinese language has no change of plural form of nouns which is usually expressed by supplying overlapping words or numerals, such as “朵朵鮮花” “百花齊放” “徐徐涼風” “陣陣寒風”， etc. Sometimes Chinese words “們” “諸位” “大伙”are used in

8、translation to express plural form of nouns. Even uncountable nouns can also be expressed in Chinese overlapping words or numerals as Chinese language owes a lot of idioms and proverbs partly composed of numerals, such as “一鱗半爪” “兩袖清風” “三心二意” “四面楚歌” “五馬分尸” “六神無主” “七零八落” “八仙過海，各顯神通” “九牛一毛” “十年寒窗” “百步

9、穿楊” . Now turn the following words, phrases or sentences into Chinese by supplying overlapping words or numerals.n songsnripplesncheersna chilly windna murmuring brookndeadly stilln galloping horsesna golden opportunitynthroughout agesnEven Homer sometimes nods.nIn spring, a gentle wind rippled the

10、tranquil lake.3. supplying category words to make the original translation clearernMost of the category words are conceptional nouns with rather abstract meaning. But they are common use in Chinese. Translators must be familiar with the category of the words they are going to deal with. Such as “ten

11、sion”, its generally put into Chinese “緊張” and if need be, we can add “局勢” to “緊張”; jealousy is generally put into Chinese “嫉妒” and we can add “心理” to it if necessary according to the context. Look at the flowing examples: 1) According to scientists, it takes 500 years to create an inch of topsoil.n

12、根據(jù)科學家的看法的看法，自然界要用500年的時的時間間才能形成一英寸厚的表層土壤。 2) He looked at me in amazement.n他用驚奇的神情神情看著我。n3） After all preparations were made, the planes flew across the U.S. to San Francisco. n一切準備工作工作就緒之后，飛機便飛越美國，直達舊金山。Now put the following words into Chinese by supplying category words:nallergynnecessitynreadabil

13、itynrelativitynindifferencenlightheartednessnhostilityngayetynarrogance4. Amplification by logical thinkingnAccording to the adding of words for purpose of logical thinking of the translator, the translation can be clearer. n 1) Air pressure decreases with altitude.n 氣壓隨海拔高度的增加增加而下降。n2) He allowed t

14、he father to be overruled by the judge, and declared his own son guilty.n 他讓法官的職責的職責戰(zhàn)勝父子的私情，的私情，判決他兒子有罪。n3）New fathers should have at least two weeks paternity leave to help their wives recover from postnatal（出生后的）depression.n新生兒的父親新生兒的父親應(yīng)當有至少兩個星期的產(chǎn)假，以幫助妻子從產(chǎn)后憂郁中恢復(fù)過來。5. supplying words for purpose of

15、 rhetoric or coherencenRhetoric is the common writing method in both English and Chinese. In order to achieve the same, or at least near effect of the original rhetoric, the translator must add some words.e.g.n1) Half the town came running. n“Half the town” is a case of metonymy(轉(zhuǎn)喻). It is equivalen

16、t to “half of the people in the town.n鎮(zhèn)子里的人鎮(zhèn)子里的人有一半都跑來了。n2) The crowds melted away.nThe word “melted” is here used metaphorically, meaning “dispersed slowly”.n人群漸漸散開漸漸散開了。Sometimes in order to make the translation text coherent, words should be added. Take a look at the following example:nA scientis

17、t constantly tried to defeat his hypotheses, his theories, and his conclusion.n科學家經(jīng)常設(shè)法否定自己的假設(shè)、推翻推翻自己的理論，并放棄放棄自己的結(jié)論。6. amplification by repetitionLook at the following sentences:1) Avoid using this computer in extreme cold, heat, dust or humidity.2) I had experienced oxygen and/or engine trouble.3) T

18、hey could sense her (Titanic) mass, her eerie quiet and the ruined splendor of a lost age.In the above three sentences, several wordsof the same parts of speech are juxtaposedtogether for some purposes. In translating these,the translator should add a word, usually severalwords, to express clearly.n

19、 1) 不要在過過冷、過過熱、灰塵過過重、濕度過過大的情況下使用此電腦。n2) 我曾經(jīng)遇到的情況，不是氧氣設(shè)備出故障出故障，就是引擎出故障出故障，有時兩者都出故障出故障。n3) 他們體會到它（泰坦尼克號）船體的巨大，感受到它周圍感受到它周圍可怕的寂靜，領(lǐng)領(lǐng)略到略到因歲月的流逝而造成的凄涼景觀。7. supplying words to explain cultural backgroundDifferent cultural background may lead to the fact that some obvious common sense will make the target r

20、eaders feel absurd. Meanwhile, some names of certain people, places and other words which are loaded with culture need to be further illustrated. In this case, the translator will have to add explanations to make the translation clearer and more sensible to the target readers.n1) The death of the Pr

21、incess of Wales unleashed outpouring of newly-coined honorifics, for instance “a present-day Cinderella whose clock struck midnight all too soon.”n威爾士王妃戴安娜戴安娜之死，導(dǎo)致有關(guān)她的新敬語如潮水一般涌現(xiàn)出來，比如有人說她是“當今灰姑娘，只是午夜的鐘聲過早地敲響”。n2) Le Monde, the BBC, and the New York Times, the entire Arab press, all quote Heikal regul

22、arly at length. n法國法國世界報、英國廣播公司、紐約時報和整個阿拉伯新聞界，都經(jīng)常大段引用?？柕脑?。8. supplying particles to express moodnThere are many auxiliary particles in Chinese which are used to express a certain mood. They can be classified into three categories: declarative particles (like “的”“了”“呢”“啦”“罷了”“而已”“哪”), interrogative

23、particles (like “嗎”“吧”“啦”“么”) and imperative particles (like “吧”“呀”“啊”“啦”). In translating especially the spoken language, one needs to add such particles to make it idiomatic.e.g. n1) “Dont order me about like that, John. You know my name as well as I know yours.n “別對我這么吆五喝六的，約翰。咱們誰還不認識誰呀呀！”n2) “On

24、ly some six or eight thousand men,” returned Montcalm, with much apparent indifference.n “只不過六千到八千人罷了，”蒙特卡姆顯然滿不在乎地說II. Amplification in Chinese-English TranslationnEnglish language and Chinese language are different in syntax. Chinese language is paratactic, while English language is hypotactic. Eng

25、lish sentences, based on the S-V structure, are often connected by participles, conjunctions, prepositions, and relativals(關(guān)系詞), while Chinese sentences will have more than one verbs and often, will have several sub-sentences without any linking words. In this way, we can say that syntax of Chinese

26、language is like a tree, while that of English is like a radiating circle with a core. Therefore, in the process of translating, the translator should keep in mind the lingual difference and add correspondently pronouns, articles, connectives, prepositions and so on to make the translation better.1.

27、 adding necessary pronounse.g.n1) 大作收到，十分高興。n I was very glad to have received your writing.n2) 交出翻譯之前，必須讀幾遍，看看有沒有要修改的地方。n Before handing in your translation, you have to read it over and over again and see if there is anything in it to be corrected or improved.n3) 她懶洋洋地站起來，估量丈夫不會再回來了。n Lazily she r

28、ose. Her husband probably would not come home, she supposed.n4) 即使在危機時刻也要保持冷靜。n We should keep calm even when we are in danger.n5) 好好保重。n Take good care of yourself.2. adding necessary articlese.g.n1) 耳朵是用來聽聲音的器官，鼻子用來嗅氣味，舌頭用來嘗滋味。n The ear is used for hearing. The nose for smelling, and the tongue fo

29、r tasting. n2) 現(xiàn)在一定是天亮了，因為鳥兒在歌唱。n It must be morning now, because the birds are singing.3. supplying necessary connective wordse.g.n1) 小孩子受了驚嚇就會哭。n Little children will cry when they are frightened.n2) 虛心使人進步，驕傲使人落后。n Modesty helps one to go forward, whereas conceit makes one lag behind.n3) 留得青山在，不怕

30、沒柴燒。nSo long as green hills remain/firewood remains, there will never be a shortage of firewood.n4) 其實地上本沒有路，走的人多了，也便成了路。nFor actually the earth had no roads to begin with, but when many men pass one way, a road is made.nWithout “to begin with”, the parts of translation would fail to be logically co

31、nnected with each other; without adding “but when”, the translation would not be in agreement with the syntax of English language.4. adding necessary prepositionsnUse of Prepositions is a typical characteristic of English language. In translating from Chinese to English, it is necessary to add prepo

32、sitions before time, place, and some set phrases.e.g.n1) 我們早上八點上班。n We go to work at 8 oclock in the morning.n2) 咱們校門口見吧。n Lets meet at the school gate.n3) 該地區(qū)已經(jīng)沒什么城鄉(xiāng)差別。n There is little difference between town and country in this region.n4) 他已經(jīng)把這事忘得一干二凈了。nHe has forgotten all about it.n5）接到信時我高興得跳了

33、起來。nI jumped with joy when I received the letter.5. adding necessary background wordsIn translating Chinese idioms and other culture-loaded words or phrases, the translator should add some information to bridge the language and cultural gap.n 1) 世上先有伯樂，然后有千里馬，千里馬常有而伯樂不常有。n Only when the world has Pa

34、ilo, who knows about horses, can there be fine steeds. There are always fine steeds that can cover a thousand li a day, but we cannot frequently find a Pailo. n2) 三個臭皮匠，頂個諸葛亮。n Three cobblers with their wits combined equal Zhuge Liang, the mastermind.n3) 別班門弄斧。n Dont show off your proficiency with t

35、he axe before Lu Ban, the master carpenter.n4) 這真是俗話說的，“旁觀者清”。n It is just as the proverb goes, “The onlooker/stander-bys sees most of the game.”6. adding particles to express moodsnFor the purpose of expressing different moods, the translators should add some small particles or auxiliary words in t

36、ranslating. e.g.n1) 我想到李白杜甫在那遙遠的時代，以一葉扁舟搏浪急進，該是多么雄偉的搏斗，會激發(fā)詩人多少瑰麗的詩思??！nThis makes me think of the poets Li Bai and Du Fu in those ancient days when they sailed upstream against the current and how such a magnificent struggle would stir the poets great imagination!n2) 不過你打算去請多少人來呢？n Now how many men d

37、o you figure to have sent here?III. Omission in English-Chinese TranslationOmission, just as amplification, is one of the useful techniques used in translation. By omission, we dont mean “cutting the feet to fit the shoes”, instead, we try to make our translation more expressive and explicit. Liu Xi

38、e, a famous ancient Chinese literary critic, pointed out “善刪者字去而意留, 善敷者辭殊而意顯”. That is to say, omission is supposed to be done just to the point, to convey the essence of the original more effectively. For example: “Judges are supposed to treat every person equal before the law.” Suppose we put the

39、sentence into “法律面前，人人平等”， “judges” and “are supposed to” are omitted in the translation, and then the original meaning is thus misrepresented. 1. Omitting the PronounnPronouns are more frequently used in English then in Chinese. Therefore, when translated into Chinese, many English pronouns may be

40、omitted so as to conform the rendering to the accustomed usage of Chinese expression.ne.g.n1) He put his hands into his pockets and shrugged his shoulders.n他將雙手放進衣袋，然后聳了聳肩。n2) For two weeks, he had been studying the house, looking at its rooms, its electric wring, its path and its garden.n兩周以來，他一直注意

41、觀察房子的情況，查看各個房間，留心電線的走向、通道和花園的布局。nSometimes even the subject can be omitted. For example:n“I have never begun a novel with more misgiving. If I call it a novel it is only because I dont know what else to call it. I have little story to tell and I end neither with a death nor a marriage.”n我以前動手寫小說從未象現(xiàn)

42、在感到惶惑過。我叫它作小說，只是因為除了小說之外，想不出能稱它作什么。故事幾乎沒有可述的，結(jié)局既不是死，也不是結(jié)婚。2. omitting the articleThe article is the hallmark of English nouns. When translated into Chinese, it is usually omitted except when the infinite article is intended to indicate the numeral “one”, or “a certain”.e.g.n1) The moon was slowly ri

43、sing above the sea. n月亮慢慢從海上升起。n2) The direction of a force can be represented by an arrow.n力的方向可以用箭頭表示。3. omitting the prepositionChinese is characterized by its succinctness and the preposition appears less frequently in Chinese than in English, and therefore omission of prepositions is a common p

44、ractice in English-Chinese translation.n1) Smoking is prohibited in public places.n公共場所不準吸煙。n2) The difference between the two machines consists in power.n這兩臺機器的差別在于功率不同。.4. omitting the conjunctionChinese is considered an analytic language and many conjunctions that are indispensable in English may

45、 seem redundant in Chinese. Therefore, omission of the conjunction is a common practice in E-C translation.e.g.n1) He looked gloomy and troubled.n他看上去有些憂愁不安。n2) If I had known it, I would not have joined in.n早知如此，我就不參加了。n3) Like charges repel each other while opposite charges attract.n同性電荷相斥，異性電荷相吸。

46、5. omitting the verbAs Chinese is a language of parataxis(意合連接), its grammar is not so strict as that of English, and predicative verbs(謂語動詞)in Chinese sometimes may be omitted.n1)When the pressure gets low, the boiling point becomes low.n氣壓低，沸點就低。n2) Solids expand and contract as liquids and gases

47、do.n如同液體和氣體一樣，固體也能膨脹和收縮。6. omitting the impersonal “it”nThis often occurs when “it” is meaningless or empty.n1) Outside it was pitch-dark and it was raining cats and dogs.n外面一團漆黑，大雨傾盆。n2) It was not until the middle of the 19th century that the blast furnace came into use.n直到19世紀中葉，高爐才開始使用。IV. Omiss

48、ion in Chinese-English TranslationOmission as a translation technique is also used in C-E translation, and in most cases it is used to avoid unnecessary repetition. Omission in C-E translation is generally employed in three circumstances: 1) redundant words; 2) the original Chinese meaning that has

49、already been implied in the context of the English version; 3) the original meaning obviously shown in the English version without further elaboration. 1. omitting redundant wordsn1) 我已經(jīng)提前完成了交給我的工作，他也提前完成了交給他的工作。nI have fulfilled my assigned work ahead of schedule, so has he.n2) 匪軍所至，殺戮人民，奸淫婦女，焚毀村莊，

50、掠奪財物，無所不用其極。nWherever they (the bandit troops) went, they massacred and raped, burned and looted, and stopped at nothing. 2. omitting words of conceptual categorynSometimes, omission is used in C-E translation when the original Chinese indicates not a specific case but a conceptual category, especia

51、lly such nouns as “任務(wù)、工作、情況、問題、事業(yè)、局面” and so on. e.g.n1) 他在我不知道的情況下私自拿走了那東西。nHe took it away without my knowledge.n2) 要加快建立城市貧困居民的最低生活保障制度。nWe should accelerate the establishment of a minimum standard of living for impoverished urban residents. 3. Omitting Meticulous(過于詳過于詳細的細的) DescriptionOccasionally, omission is used for the sake of simplification, especially when the original Chinese is too meticulous in description. n1) 200公里航道上遍布著無數(shù)險灘。險灘上江流洶涌，回旋激蕩，水擊礁石，浪花飛濺，聲如雷鳴。nNumerous shoals scattered o