科技英语翻译之五-----词的增减
由于英汉两种语言在语法、词意、修辞、逻辑和文化等方面存在着某些差异,翻译时无法将原文中的每一个词转换成译入语中的另一个词,因而就有必要做些增减,使译文更加通顺流畅,符合译入语的行文习惯。增词法,即在译文中增加一些原文字面上没有的词语;减词法则是将原文需要而译文显得多余的词省去。无论增词还是减词,增减的是词,不是意。
  增词法与减词法在英汉互译中运用相当广泛,一般而言,增词和减词具有互逆性,英译汉时需增词的场合汉译英时往往需要减词;反之,英译汉时需减词的场合汉译英时需增词。
1、译文加词
  为了充分传达原文含义,必须增补词语,以求达意。如:
  北京是中国的政治、文化中心。这里你可以游览万里长城、八达岭……
Beijing is China’s political and cultural center that offers many scenic attractions: the Great Wall, Badaling……
  本例是一段落的首句,英文段落的起始句一般概括全段内容点明主题,亦称“主题句”。该段的原文讲的是北京的名胜,而非政治和文化。译文若不加下划线部分限定,主题句和段落内容就不相符。这类加译是为了使译文内容文理通达。
2、译文减词
汉译英时,如果译文的上下文能够衬托出原文的某些意义,就不必在字面译出来,否则会显得重复、累赘,这样的译文在形式上就表现为减词。如:
  希伯牺牲了。他是一个著名记者,却是以一个战士的身份在战场上牺牲的;他是一个欧洲人,却是在中国的抗日战场上牺牲的。
Shippe was a journalist who shed his blood as a soldier, a European who died on a battle field in China.
  在多数情况下,增词和减词常常是由于汉英语法上的差异。本章节将主要从语法角度出发探索汉英翻译中的增减词问题。
英汉在语法上存在某些明显的差异,如英语有冠词,汉语则没有;英语多用代词,汉语虽然也用,但远不如英语那样频繁,英语介词丰富,汉语介词很少,英语中很多需要介词的地方汉语要用动词代替,要不用;英语多用关联词语,汉语则少用关联词语,主要靠逻辑关系来铺排句子,强调意念的连贯性;汉语多用助词表示各种语气,英语则没有语气助词。因此,英译汉时,可根据具体语境省略原文的冠词和某些代词、介词、关联词等,有时则可增加一些语气助词;汉译英时则相反,多要省略原文的语气助词,而根据英语的行文需要适当增加一些冠词、代词、介词和关联词。
增加词
(一)添加必要的代词
1.大作收到,十分高兴。
I was very glad to have received your writing.
2.没有调查就没有发言权。
He who makes no investigation and study has no right to speak.
3.活到老,学到老。
One is never too old to learn.(以上为增加人称代词)
(二)添加必要的冠词
1.我们要对问题作全面的分析,才能解决的妥当。
We must make a comprehensive analysis of a problem before it can be properly solved.
2.耳朵是用来听声音的器官,鼻子用来嗅气味,舌头用来尝滋味。
The ear is the organ which is used for hearing. The nose is used for smelling. The tongue is used for tasting.
3.最简便的方法,是在美国开设分支办事处或者成立一个美国子公司,安排两三个中国雇员。
The simplest step is to set up a branch office or a U.S. subsidiary staffed by a small number of Chinese nationals.   (增加冠词)
(三)增添必要的连接词
1.虚心使人进步,骄傲使人落后。
Modesty helps one to go forward, whereas / while conceit makes one lag behind.
2.留得青山在,不怕没柴烧。
So long as green hills remain, there will never be a shortage of firewood.
3.在美国做生意,尤其是一开始,中方不可避免地会有些损失。
Inevitably China will suffer some losses and reversals when doing business in the U.S., especially in the initial stages.
(四)介词表达用法
1.你是在白天工作还是夜间?
Do you work in the day-time or at night?
weigh翻译2.中国存在着严重的城乡贫富差别。
There are remarkable economic differences between town and country in China.
3.该地区已没什么城乡差别。
There is little difference between town and country in this region.(增加介词)
(五)增添背景说明词
1.三个臭皮匠,赛过诸葛亮。
Three cobblers with their wits combined equal Zhuge Liang the mastermind.
2.世上先有伯乐,然后有千里马,千里马常有而伯乐不常有。
Only when the world has a Pailo, 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.
(六)增加语气词
Is more growth really better?
经济发展得越快越好吗?
(七)增加副词
  我读的书不多,就是一条,相信讲的实事求是。过去我们打仗靠这个;现在搞建设、搞改革也靠这个。
I have not read too many books, but there is one thing I believe in: Chairman Mao’s principle of seeking truth from facts. That is the principle we relied on when we were fighting wars, and we continue to rely on it while we are carrying on our socialist construction and making reforms.
减少词
(一)赘词减肥
长征是历史记录上的第一次,长征是宣言书,长征是宣传队,长征。
The Long March is the first of its kind in the annals of history that it is a manifesto, a propaganda force, a seeding-machine.
(二)省略概念范畴类
我们党结束了那个时期的社会动荡和纷扰不安的局面。
Our party has put an end to the social unrest and upheaval of that time.
这些都是人民内部矛盾问题。
All these are contradictions amidst the people.
(三)省略过详细节描述
二百公里航道上,遍布无数险滩。险滩上,江流汹涌,回旋激荡,水击礁石,浪花回旋,声如雷鸣。
Numerous shoals scattered over the 200 km course give rise to many eddies. Pounding on the midstream rocks, the river roars thunderously.
综合练习:
增补法:
(1)电流通过导体时,电阻的两端就有电位差。
--- Whenever a current flows through a resistance, a potential difference exists at the two ends of the resistance.
(2)从摄氏4度开始,水逐渐变冷,密度会变小,而体积会变大。
--- From 4℃ on down, water will decrease in density and increase in volume as it gets colder.
(3)有些机床很小,用手就可以搬动;另外一些则很大,重达100吨或100吨以上。
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-- Some of the machine tools are so small that they can be moved by hand.Others are so big that they weigh 100 tons or more.
(4)电力可以很容易地输送到需要的地方。
--- Electric power can be easily transmitted to where it is needed
(5)北京是中国的政治、文化中心。这里你可以游览万里长城、八达岭…
---Beijing is Chinas political and cultural center that offers many scenic attractions: the Great Wall, Badaling
(6)床头箱内装有传动机构、齿轮机构和主轴。主轴用以装纳工件,并使之以一定的速度旋转。工件的旋转在很大程度上取决于工件直径的大小。
---The headstock incorporates the driving and gear mechanism, and a spindle which holds the workpiece and causes it to rotate at a speed which depends largely on the diameter of the workpiece.

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