英語翻譯訓(xùn)練方法之――談?wù)動(dòng)⒄Z定語從句的漢譯

1、英語和漢語分屬兩種不同的語系,其差別很大,翻譯起來有諸多困難,英語定語從句的漢譯便是困難之一。由于定語從句在英語中應(yīng)用十分廣泛,因此,我們必須想辦法、找方法、尋規(guī)律,從而很好地解決它。一、限制性定語從句限制性定語從句對(duì)所修飾的先行項(xiàng)起限制作用,在意義上與先行項(xiàng)密切不可分。如被省去,主句的意思就含糊不清,甚至變得毫無意義。關(guān)系詞和先行項(xiàng)之間一般不用逗號(hào)分隔。(一定語詞組I have but one lamp by which my feed are guided.我只有一盞指路明燈。It was so with the vast railroad yards with the crowded a

2、rray of vessels she saw in the river.火車站廣大的場(chǎng)地,河里鱗次梯比的船只,她也同樣不能理解。Before following her in her round of seeking,let us look at the sphare in which her future was to lie.我們暫且把她找尋工作的事擱下來不談,先看一看她的前途所寄托的這個(gè)世界。and the thread which bound her so lightly to girlhood and home were irretrievably broken 而那些把她和少女時(shí)

3、代以及故鄉(xiāng)輕輕系住的柔絲,不得不就此斷絕了。翻譯這類從句,常常是將關(guān)系詞省去,在句未加的字,放在被修飾項(xiàng)之前。當(dāng)然,也可視其情況不用的字,如和。這種譯法用得普遍,尤其適用于譯簡(jiǎn)短的定語從句。(二并列從句1省略英語的先行項(xiàng)The lungs are subjecd to several diseases which are treatable by surgery.肺易受幾種疾病的侵襲,但均可經(jīng)手術(shù)治療。A little way on she saw a great door which,for some reason,attracted her attention.又走了一些路,她看見一個(gè)大門

4、,不知怎的,引起了她的注意。As a result, a hum of gossip was set going which moved about the house in that secret manner common to gossip.結(jié)果就造成一陣閑話,暗中在公寓里流傳,閑話一般都是如此的。A will had been made which divide the small tax eaten property equally among the remaining four,so that it was really of no interest to any of them

5、.遺囑已立好,把這片快要給稅吃光的薄產(chǎn)平分給四個(gè)孩子,但誰都對(duì)此不感興趣。上述定語從句例句比(一里的定語從句例句長(zhǎng)些,因此,就不宜譯成定語詞組成形式。否則,譯句就會(huì)顯得太長(zhǎng)且不符合漢語的表達(dá)習(xí)慣。如就不宜譯成把這片快要給稅吃光的薄產(chǎn)平分給四個(gè)孩子的中遺囑早已立好,誰都對(duì)此不感興趣。這類從句不是長(zhǎng)、難復(fù)雜定語從句,一般就按原文的順序位置譯。上面譯句的第二分句,有的承前省略了主語,如,有的借用第一分句的不定語作邏輯主語,如2重復(fù)英語的先行項(xiàng)At dimmer I found myself placed between Mrs. Bradly ,and a shy drab girl who see

6、med even younger than the other.席間,我發(fā)現(xiàn)自己坐在布拉得雷太太和一靦腆乏味的女孩子中間;她看上去比其余人都年輕。A writerin fact every one of us in lifeneeds that loving-mother force from which all creation flows 一個(gè)作家實(shí)際上生活中的每個(gè)人都需要慈母的力量,它是創(chuàng)造一切的源泉。Man possesses an expressive faculty that goes far beyond gestures, that allows and even compel

7、s him to express his thoughts, feedings,dreams, and inituitions.人類具有遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)超過于手勢(shì)的表達(dá)官能,這種官能不僅使人能夠,而且使他要把思想、感情、幻夢(mèng)、直覺表達(dá)出來。這些先行項(xiàng)的重復(fù),有時(shí)用的是代詞如,有時(shí)用的是限定詞如。漢譯時(shí),需重復(fù)先行項(xiàng)的地方,就要重復(fù)。否則會(huì)影響意思的連貫和清楚。我們一般采用分述法將帶定語從句的英語復(fù)合句譯成并列分詞。分述法就將主句和從句分開翻譯的方法。此方法除了將定語從句譯為并列分句外,還譯為狀語從句。(三狀語從句讓我們來看看下例該怎么譯:He insisted on building another ho

8、use which he had no use for. 上例能譯成他堅(jiān)持再建一座他不用的房子或他堅(jiān)持再建一座房,這房他不用嗎?顯然不能,因?yàn)檫@樣的譯文令讀者莫名其妙。這兩種譯文是套用定語詞組和并列分句形式而譯的,然而錯(cuò)了。正確的譯文是:他雖自己不用,但仍堅(jiān)持再建一座房。此句之所以這樣譯,是因?yàn)樗袪钫Z從句的意思。英語定語從句尤其是非限制性定語從句有時(shí)兼有狀語從句的職能,可以表示時(shí)間、條件、原因、讓步、目的、結(jié)果等等關(guān)系。茲再舉幾例說明限制性定語從句所表示的狀語意思:I think it will grow even on non-irrlgated land where there is

9、a forest belt.我想即使在沒有灌溉的土地上,只要有一條樹林帶,苜蓿還是會(huì)生長(zhǎng)的。(表?xiàng)l件In a personed sense ,I think of my eldest daughter , whose birthday is today .就個(gè)人來講,我想到我的大女兒,因?yàn)榻裉焓撬纳铡?表原因(四獨(dú)立句He paid that peculiar deferente to women which every member of the sex appreciates.他對(duì)女性殷勤令每個(gè)女人所賞識(shí)。What were the hopes and dreams that had

10、made of them the incredibly stubborn warriors?是什么希望,什么目標(biāo),什么理想使他們成為頑強(qiáng)到令人難以置信的戰(zhàn)士呢?翻譯英語There be 句型和帶定語從句的復(fù)合句時(shí),常用溶合法。溶合法就是把原主句的主語同定語從句溶合在一起而譯成獨(dú)立句的方法。溶合法要求改變句子的構(gòu)造形式。具體作法是,將原主句的的詞或詞組用作獨(dú)立句的主語,再將定語從句用作謂語,這樣便譯成獨(dú)立句,如將He paid that peculiar deference to women 壓縮譯為他對(duì)女性的殷勤而定語從句which every member of the sex apprec

11、iates譯為謂語令每個(gè)女人所常識(shí)。(五復(fù)合賓語I also found on the ground near the tracks of the lamed groups of ants which were rulling grains of corn.我還看見駱駝的腳印邊有許多的螞蟻在拖玉米粒。He did not find any one in the house who particularly cared to see .他認(rèn)為家里沒有人特別想知道的。當(dāng)主句的謂語動(dòng)詞是表示感觀或心理活動(dòng)等意義時(shí),修飾賓語的定語從句多譯為復(fù)合賓語。二、非限制性定語從句非限制性定語從句同其先行項(xiàng)之間的

12、聯(lián)系是松散的。它不是先行項(xiàng)的必不可少的組成部分,而僅是對(duì)先行項(xiàng)作些描寫或補(bǔ)充說明。非限制性定語從句前常有逗號(hào)將它與主語分開。非限制性定語從句也主要是采用前面已說過的分譯法和溶合法來譯。它常駐被譯為并列分句、獨(dú)立的和狀語從句,偶爾還可譯為定語詞組等。(一譯成并列分句1. 譯成并列分句,省略先行項(xiàng)Wait a minute,said the boss,and he opened the load and took out a ham,which he started to bone and string up.等一會(huì)兒!老板說道,說罷便打開火腿包,拿出一只,開始剔骨頭,并用繩子縛起來。(省主語Ca

13、rrie reached home in high good spirits,which she could scarely conceal.嘉莉興高采烈地回到家,想掩飾也掩飾不住。(省主語 2. 譯成并列分句,重復(fù)英語的先行項(xiàng)f rom his vest dangled a real gold watch chain ,from which was suspended the secret insignia of the Order of Elks背心上蕩著一根精致的金表鏈,鏈上系著共進(jìn)會(huì)的徽章。He came within the meaning of a still newer term

14、 ,which had sprung into general use among Americans in 1880他其實(shí)適合于一個(gè)更新的名詞,那個(gè)名詞1880年在美國(guó)人中突然流行起來 (二譯成獨(dú)立句It has long been my wish to encounter one of the oldest civilizations in earth .I have come amidst you from Egypt ,On the banks of the Nile ,which also has a most ancient civilization. 我一直向往著要同世界最古老的

15、文明會(huì)晤。尼羅河畔的埃及也有著最古老的文明,我正是從那里來到你們中間。Youve given Feldstyn ,who dislikes me any how ,the chance he was waitingfor .費(fèi)爾德丁反正討厭我,你給他的機(jī)會(huì)正是他求之不得的。(三譯成狀語從句These actions, which have aroused universal and unreserved disapproval, must nevertheless give us a pause.這些行動(dòng),雖已激起普遍而毫不掩飾的反對(duì),卻也使我們舉棋不定。(表讓步In a dispute be

16、tween two states with which one is friendly,try not to get involved.在兩國(guó)發(fā)生爭(zhēng)端時(shí),如與該兩國(guó)皆友好,則應(yīng)避免卷入。(表?xiàng)l件。Copper, which is used so widely for carrying electricity , offers very little resistance.銅的電阻很小,因此被廣泛用于輸電。(表結(jié)果 (四譯成定語詞組As I came in, Gus Meyer, who owned the taxicad that used to stand at the corner of our street ,waved to me from a table.我進(jìn)去時(shí),那個(gè)開出租汽