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第三章 汉英翻译中的技巧运用I. 词的选择 (Selection of Words)

1 ． 1 根据上下文选词 A “． 问题”这个词，一般都认为它的英语对等词

是 question 和 problem

1 ．问题是到哪儿去找答案。The problem is where to find the answer.

2 ．科学家必须知道怎样运用数学以求得对问题的准确答案。

It is necessary that a scientist know how to use mathematics to get an accurate answer to his question ．

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3 ．你做什么没关系，重要的问题是你怎么做。What you do does not matter. The important thing is

how you do it.

4 ．我不断参阅论述那些问题的著作。 I have constantly referred to works dealing with

those subjects.

5 ．你会听到到处都在讨论这个问题。 You’ll find the topic being discussed everywhere.

6 ．那台车床出问题了。 Something has gone wrong with that lathe.

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7 ．一路上没出问题。 The trip went off without mishap.

8 ．生活中可写的东西是很多的，问题在于发掘和提炼。

There are many things in life that one can write about, but the point is how to explore and select them.

B “． 小 心 ” 这 个 词 可 根 据 不 同 的 上 下 文 译 为caution ， careful ， on one’s guard against ， on the alert against… 等等。如：

1 ．他做事极其小心。 He did his work with great caution.

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2 ．小心不要打破鸡蛋。 Be careful not to break the eggs.

3. 巡逻队必须小心，免遭敌人伏击。 The patrols must be on their guard against （ on the

alert against ） the enemy’s ambush.

C ．常用汉语动词“搞”在英语中根本就没有一个准确的对应词。

1 ．他－心要把对手搞臭。 He is bent on discrediting his opponent.

2 ．把你鞋子上的泥巴搞掉。 Remove mud from your shoes ．

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3 ．把某人搞掉。 Put someone out of the way ．4 ．此人专会暗中搞鬼。That man is good at scheming.

5 ．搞好与邻居的关系。Foster good relations with with your neighbour.

6 ．搞好救灾工作。Do a good job of disaster relief ．7 ．这件事只能搞好，不能搞坏。You must make the thing a sure Success. It brooks no

failure ．

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8 ．这块地搞好了，每亩可收一千斤。If handled well, this plot can yield 1000 jin per mu.

9 ．搞活企业。 Rejuvenate an enterprise.

10 ．实行对外开放，对内搞活的政策。Implement the policy of opening to the outside world

and invigorating the domestic economy.

11 ．大量的作业搞得我头昏脑涨。 A great number of exercises make my head swim ．12 ．他是搞法律的。 He is in the law.

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13 ．你最好耐心一些，否则会把事情搞僵了。 You’d better be patient, or you might bring things

to a deadlock.

14 ．把这堆垃圾搞掉。 Get rid of this rubbish dump ．15 ．你到底搞什么鬼。 What tricks are you playing after all ？16 ．这兄弟俩看起来很像，别把他们搞错了。The two brothers are very much alike. Don’t make one

for the other.

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17 ．我们搞一点核武器完全为了自卫。 It is purely for self-defense that we have produced

some nuclear weapons.

18 ．搞好经济建设。 Do well in economic construction.

1 ． 2 根据词的搭配习惯选词A ．动词和宾语的搭配 1 ．在汉语的动宾结构中，动词“进行”是一个用

途很广的词，但译成英语，则有不同的说法。如：

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进行社会主义革命to carry out socialist revolution

进行一场激烈的争论to carry on a spirited debate

进行实地调查to make an on-the-spot investigation

进行科学实验to engage in a scientific experiment

进行核实验to conduct a nuclear test

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进行表决to put a question to vote

进行亲切的谈话to have a cordial conversation

进行侵略to commit aggression

进行抵抗to put up resistance

进行协商to hold consultation with

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进行攻击 to launch an attack

对党员进行党的优良传统教育to educate Party members in the Party’s fine tradition

2. 汉语动词“取消”也是一个用途很广的词，但译成英语，也有不同的说法

取消一次会议to cancel （ call off ） a meeting

取消会员资格to deprive sb. of his membership

取消决定to rescind a decision

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取消禁令to lift a ban

取消诺言to kill the promise

B ．定语和中心词的搭配 1 ．下列搭配中，汉语的定语都是“大” 大城市 a big city 大雨 a heavy rain 大志 a high （ lofty ） aim 大宗 a large amount 大人物 an important person

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大道理 general （ major ） principles

2 ．同样，汉语中“烈”字与不同中心词搭配 烈风 strong gale

烈日 burning sun

烈火 raging fire （ flames ） 烈性子 fiery disposition

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练习翻译下列各句，注意词的选择和搭配：1 ．我将就这个问题发表我的见解。2 ．我心里总是想这个问题，他要这个干什么。3 ．那要看情况如何。4 ．这种情况必须改变。5 ．他们的情况怎么样？6 ．马克思主义是一切革命者都应该学习的科学。7 ．学习别人的长处，克服自己的弱点。8 ．他把全部书籍都献给了图书馆。9 ．教师应当献身于教育事业。

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10 ．该委员会由十五人组成。11 ．空气是由多种气体混合组成的。19 ．把自行车借给我骑一下好吗？13 ．他靠信用借钱。14 ．严格训练，严格要求。

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II ．增词法 （ Amplification ） Amplification ， also called addition ， means

supplying necessary words in our translation on the basis of accurate comprehension of the original ．

1. Amplifying by Adding necessary Pronouns

· 大作收到十分高兴。 I was very glad to have received your writing.

· 没有调查研究就没有发言权。He who makes no investigation and study has no right

to speak.

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·交出翻译之前，必须读几遍，看看有没有要修改的地方。

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.

2. Amplifying by Adding Necessary Articles

· 我们对问题要做全面的分析，才能解决得妥当。 We must make a comprehensive analysis of a

problem before it can be properly solved ．·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。

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The ear is the organ which is used for hearing. The nose is used for smelling. The tongue is used for tasting.

3. Amplifying by Adding Necessary Connectives

·老师在等我，我得走了。 The teacher is expecting me, so I must be off now.

·虚心使人进步，骄傲使人落后。 Modesty helps one to go forward ， whereas conceit

makes one lag behind ．

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·留得青山在，不怕没柴烧。 So long as green hills remain ， there will never be

a shortage of firewood.

4. Amplifying by Adding Necessary Prepositions

·咱们校门口见吧。 Let’s meet at the school gate

· 你是白天工作还是夜间工作？ Do you work in the day time or at night ？·该地区已没什么城乡差别。 There is little difference between town and country in

this region.

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5 Amplifying by adding necessary background words

·三个臭皮匠，赛过诸葛亮。 Three cobblers with their wits combined equal Zhuge

Liang the master mind ．·班门弄斧。 Showing off one’s proficiency with the ax before Lu

Ban the master carpenter ．· 这真是俗话说的，“旁观者清”。 It is just as the proverb goes “， The onlooker sees

most of the game ”．

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Exercise Put the following sentences into English ， paying

attention to amplification.

1 ．清把这张表填一下，填完给我。 2 ．要提倡顾全大局。 3 ．吃饭防噎，走路防跌。 4 ．送君千里，终有一别。 5 ．一个篱笆三个桩，一个好汉三个帮。 6 ．大气寒冷，河水都结冰了。 7 ．前途是光明的，道路是曲折的。 8 ．理论联系实际，这是我们应当牢记的一条原则。

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9 ．天气这样闷，十之八九要下雨。 10 ．他在战斗中表现突出，受到连长的表扬。 11 ．年满 18岁的公民，都有选举权和被选举权。 12 ．他们患得患失，拒绝接受分配给他们的任务。

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III ．省 略 法（ Omission ） Omission as a translation technique is also used in

Chinese-English translation ， and in most cases it is used to avoid unnecessary repetition ．Omission in Chinese-English translation is generally employed in three circumstances: 1) redundant words ( 赘言 ) in original Chinese ， such as unnecessary repetition and wordy expressions ( 冗词 )； 2) the original meaning that has already been implied in the context of the English version ； 3) the original meaning obviously shown in the English version without further elaboration. And the following are some typical examples ．

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1. Omission of Redundant Words

·质子带正电，电子带负电，而中子既不带正电，也不带负电。

A proton [] has a positive charge and an electron a negative charge ， but a neutron has neither.

· 我已经提前完成了交给我的工作，他也提前完成了交给他的工作。

I have fulfilled my assigned work ahead of schedule ， so has he.

·

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我们说，长征是历史记录上的第一次，长征是宣言书．长征是宣传队，长征是播种机。

We answer that 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.

2. Omission of Words of Conceptual Category

Sometimes, omission is used in Chinese-English translation when the original Chinese indicates not a specific case but a conceptual category（概念范畴）， especially such nouns as“任务、工作、情况、问题、事业、局面” and so on.

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· 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。 Our party has put an end to the social unrest and

upheaval of that time.

·她的朋友们听到她家中的困难情况后，都主动伸出援助之手。

All these are contradictions among the people.

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3. Omission of Meticulous Description

Occasionally, omission is used for the sake of simplification, especially when the original Chinese is too meticulous in description:

·二百公里航道上，遍布着无数险滩。险滩上，江流汹涌，回旋激荡，水击礁石，浪花飞溅，声如雷鸣。

Numerous shoals scattered over the 200 kms course give rise to many eddies. Pounding on the midstream rocks, the river roars thunderously.

·

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花园里面是人间的乐园，有的是吃不了的大米白面，穿不完的绫罗绸缎，花不完的金银财宝。

The garden was a paradise on earth, with more food and clothes than could be consumed and more money than could be spent.

Exercise

Put the following sentences into English, using the technique of omission.

1 ．我们必须培养分析问题解决问题的能力。2 ，他一开口总是三句话不离本行。3 ．每条河流都有上游、中游、下游。

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4 ．多年来那个国家一直有严重的失业现象。5 ．中国人民历来是勇于探索，勇于创造，勇于革

命的。6 ．人们利用科学去了解自然，改造自然。7 ．他把事情一五一十地都给父母讲了。8 ．新老干部要互相学习，互相帮助，取长补短。9 ．我昨天没有进城，一来是因为天气不好，二来

是我不舒服。10 ．生也好，死也好，我们要忠于党，忠于人民，忠于祖国。

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11 ．这些新型汽车速度快，效率高，行动灵活。12 ．我厂生产的地毯图案新颖、色调雅致、美丽

大方、富丽堂皇。