Translation1.
人口老龄化问题
人口老龄化是指一个国家或地区老年人口增长的现象。生育率下降和人均
寿命(life expectancy)延长是导致人口老龄化的两大因素。根据联合国传统标准,一个国家有超过10%的人口超过60岁就被称为老龄化社会。由于计划生育政策的影响,中国大陆已于1999年快速进入了老龄化社会。2011年底,中国60岁以上的老龄人口占当时人口总数13.7%以上。中国的人口老龄化带来了一系列社会问题,如劳动力资源相对短缺、国家福利和医疗服务支出增加。因此,中国人口老龄化问题亟待解决。
Aging population refers to a phenomenon that the number of elderly people in a country or a region rises. Declining birthrates and rising average life expectancy are the two major factors contributing to aging population. According to the traditional standards of the United Nations, an aging society is one in which the population of people over 60 years old exceeds 10 percent of the total population. Influenced by the one-child policy, mainland China rapidly entered an aging society in 1999. At the end of 2011, the number of people over 60 years old accounted for more than 13.7 percent of the total population of that time. Aging population in China has brought about a series of social problems such as the relative shortage of labor force and the increase in expenses of national welfare and medical services. Therefore, it is urgent to solve the aging population problem in China.
[解析] 1.“生育率下降和人均寿命延长是导致人口老龄化的两大因素”中的“下降”“延长”并不必翻译成动词,可译为declining birthrates and rising average life expectancy,用动名词短语表达汉语中的动词概念,更符合英文表达习惯。
2.“由于计划生育政策的影响”可以译作owing to the influence of the one-child policy或influenced by the one-child policy。后者由动词的过去分词短语作状语,相当于原因状语从句,更加简洁。
3.“劳动力资源相对短缺、国家福利和医疗服务支出增加”这一句翻译成the relative shortage of labor force and the increase in expenses of national welfare and medical services,用名词短语表达出汉语的动词概念,符合英文一个句子里用动词较少的结构特点。
4.“中国人口老龄化问题亟待解决”这句话翻译成it is urgent to solve the aging population problem in China,用it作形式主语,不定式to solve...作真正主语,避免头重脚轻。
2.
雾霾天气
中国北方的大部分地区,包括北京在内,常被
雾霾(heavy smog)——一种空气
颗粒污染(particulate matter air pollution)——所笼罩。长期接触空气中的细小颗粒,尤其是在浓度极高的情况下,会增加患呼吸
系统疾病(respiratory disease)和肺癌的风险。仅2010年,中国空气污染就可能导致约120万人过早死亡,即便对一个拥有13亿人口的国家而言,这一数字也相当高了。在被雾霾包裹的日子里,很多学校甚至禁止孩子到室外玩耍。政府在控制空气污染方面表现出了紧迫感,积极采取行动,并鼓励公众参与讨论解决办法。
Most areas in northern China, including Beijing, are often enveloped by heavy smog, a sort of particulate matter air pollution. Long-term exposure to tiny particles in the air especially at extremely high concentration—can increase risks of respiratory diseases as well as lung cancer. Air pollution might have caused about 1.2 million premature deaths in China in 2010 alone—a considerable figure even for a country of 1.3 billion people. On the days when heavy smog envelops cities, many schools even forbid kids from playing outside. The government has shown a sense of urgency in their efforts to control air pollution by acting actively and encouraging a public discussion on the solutions to the problem.
[解析] 1.第一句的主干是“中国北方的大部分地区常被雾霾所笼罩”,“被”提示应使用被动语态,“常”提示时态为一般现在时。“一种空气颗粒污染”,实际是对“雾霾”的解释,故翻译时可转换成插入语成分,解释heavy smog。
2.“长期接触空气中的细小颗粒……肺癌的风险”一句中,可将动宾结构“长期接触空气中有害的细小颗粒”转换成名词性结构,译为long-term exposure to tiny particles in the air...,这样更符合英文表达习惯。
3.“仅2010年,……这一数字也相当高了”,原句要突出雾霾造成较高的死亡人数。因此可将“这一数字也相当高了”译为a considerable figure,作“120万”的同位语,放在主句之后,并用破折号引出,突出原文强调的部分。
4.“在被雾霾包裹的日子里”,这个时间状语成分较长,可先译出中心词on the days,定语部分“被雾霾包裹的”可处理成由关系副词when引导的定语从句,修饰days。
5.末句含有多个动词:“表现”“采取”“鼓励”,可将主干处理为“政府表现出紧迫感”。从意义上看,“积极采取行动,并鼓励公众参与讨论解决办法”,是描述政府紧迫的表现,因此,“采取”“鼓励”可以不与主干的“表现”并列,将其转换成句子的状语成分,对政府的紧迫表现加以补充说明。
3.
傣族
傣族(the Dai Nationality)是中国少数民族之一,主要居住在云南省的西双版纳。傣族历史悠久,在不同时期有不同的名称。傣族自称是“傣”,意为酷爱自由与和平的人。新中国成立后,正式将该民族定名为傣族。傣族人口约有120万,绝大多数的傣族人都信仰
佛教(Buddhism)。他们有自己的语言文字。傣族最著名的节日是
泼水节(Water Splashing Festival),也是傣族人的新年,一般持续3至7天,人们相互泼水表示祝福。傣族人很擅长跳舞,其中最著名的是
孔雀舞(Peacock Dance)。
The Dai Nationality is one of the ethnic minorities in China, mostly living in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province. With a long history, the Dai Nationality had various names in different periods. The Dai people called themselves "Dai", which means people loving freedom and peace. After the founding of New China, the name of "Dai" was officially recognized. The Dai people number about 1.2 million with the majority of them believing in Buddhism. They have their own language. The most famous festival is the Water Splashing Festival, also the New Year for the Dai people. It usually lasts for 3 to 7 days during which people would splash each other to express good wishes. The Dai people are good at dancing, and the most famous dance is Peacock Dance.
[解析] 1.第一句中的“主要居住在云南省的西双版纳”可处理为表伴随动作的状语,用分词短语mostly living in...来表达。“云南省的西双版纳”在英译时,按照英语表达习惯,应把小地点置前,大地点放后。
2.第二句中的“历史悠久”处理为状语,用介词短语with a long history来表达更简洁,也更突出后半句“在不同时期有不同的名称”的意义,将其处理成主句。
3.第三句中的“意为酷爱自由与和平的人”处理为定语从句,表达为which means...。“酷爱自由与和平的”较长,故将其处理为后置定语,用现在分词短语loving freedom and peace来表达。
4.第四句中的“正式将该民族定名为傣族”因无需强调主语,故把它处理为被动语态,译作the name of "Dai" was officially recognized。
5.第五句中的“傣族人口约有120万”可以直接译为The population of the Dai people is about 1.2 million,但不如The Dai people number about 1.2 million有新意,后者接用number作谓语动词,译法更简洁。“绝大多数的傣族人都信仰佛教”可处理成介词短语with the majority of them believing in Buddhism,作句子的状语。
6.翻译倒数第二句“一般持续3至7天,人们相互泼水表示祝福”时,可将后半句处理为非限制性定语从句,用during which引导,译作during which people would splash each other...。
4.
小学生负担重
在中国,小学生
负担过重(heavy workload)一直是全国关注的问题。中国的应试教育以及家长过高的期望导致了小学生作业多、考试多、
课外辅导(extra-curricular tutorship)多。过重的学业负担已经严重
抑制(inhibit)了学生的创新力,损害了他们的身心健康。为了解决这些问题,中国教育部门已通过了法规,以减少小学生的学业负担。减轻学生的学业负担有助于培养学生的创造性,鼓励他们全面发展,适应未来的社会需要。但要有效执行减少学业负担的方针,需要教育部门、学校、家长和全社会的共同努力。
The heavy workload of primary school students has always been a national concern in China. China's examination-oriented education and parents' excessive expectations on their children lead to the fact that the pupils are given a lot of homework, exams and extra-curricular tutorship. Heavy schoolwork burdens have greatly inhibited students' creativity and impaired their physical and psychological well-being. To tackle these problems, Chinese education authorities have passed regulations to ease schoolwork burdens on pupils. Reducing school workload on pupils can help cultivate their originality and encourage their all-round development for the future needs of the society. However, joint endeavors from education authorities, schools, parents and the society are needed in order to implement the workload reduction guideline effectively.
[解析] 1.第一句话中的“全国关注的问题”可译成a national concern,因为concern作名词时可以表达“关注的问题”,不必再出现problem或者issue这类词,可使译文更加简洁。同时,这句话要注意使用完成时has always been,表示“一直是”。
2.第二句话中的“小学生作业多、考试多、课外辅导多”可处理成that引导的同位语从句,且在that从句前面增译the fact,指代从句所说的事实。“作业”“考试”“课外辅导”是小学生被要求做的,that从句可使用被动来翻译,用the pupils作主语。
3.倒数第二句中的“适应未来的社会需要”可理解为“培养学生的创造性”和“鼓励他们全面发展”的目的,翻译时可译成介词短语for the future needs of the society,更加符合英文表达习惯。
4.最后一句话中汉语原文中没有出现明确主语,可将“共同努力”作为整句的主语,使用被动语态,译成joint endeavors...are needed in order to...。
5.
北京烤鸭
北京烤鸭(Beijing Roast Duck)是北京名菜,也被誉为中国的一道“国菜”,在全世界享有盛誉。北京烤鸭用特殊的果木为燃料烤制而成,味道可口,营养十分丰富。中国人吃鸭的历史由来已久,北京烤鸭的历史最早可以追溯到元代。在明清时期,北京烤鸭只是
宫廷食品(imperial dish),只有皇帝或统治阶层才能食用。后来北京烤鸭才逐渐出现在老百姓的日常饮食中,在北京有很多专做烤鸭的餐馆。如今,北京烤鸭已是中国家喻户晓的美食,备受国内外游客的喜爱。
Beijing Roast Duck, honored as a "national dish" of China, is a famous dish from Beijing, which enjoys a high reputation around the world. Roasted by using special fruitwood as fuel, Beijing Roast Duck is delicious and very nutritious. There has been a long history for the Chinese to eat ducks, and the history of Beijing Roast Duck can be traced back to as early as Yuan Dynasty. Beijing Roast Duck, served as an imperial dish, could only be eaten by emperors and ruling classes during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Over time it gradually becomes a daily meal for ordinary people and in Beijing there are many restaurants specializing in roast ducks. At present, Beijing Roast Duck, a delicious food almost known to every household in China, is favored by tourists from home and abroad.
[解析] 1.第一句话较长,出现三个谓语动词“是”、“被誉为”和“享有盛誉”。翻译时,将“也被誉为中国的一道‘国菜’”作插入语,“在全世界享有盛誉”则译为非限制性定语从句,“北京烤鸭是北京名菜”译为主句Beijing Roast Duck is a famous dish from Beijing,使句子更简洁。
2.第二句话汉语有三个分句,共三个主语,分别是“北京烤鸭”、“味道”和“营养”。在翻译时,可以用“北京烤鸭”作主语,用过去分词短语翻译“用特殊的果木为燃料烤制而成”,置于句首;“味道可口,营养十分丰富”则均译为形容词,在译文中作表语,使句子更简洁。
3.“出现在老百姓的日常饮食中”即“成为老百姓的日常饮食”,译作become a daily meal for ordinary people,这样比直译更地道,符合英文表达习惯。
4.虽然“家喻户晓”在英文中有固定译法a household name,但因为汉语中有“美食”二字,故译文没有直接套用,而是用过去分词短语known to every household作后置定语修饰“美食”,使译文更自然流畅。
6.
围棋
围棋(Go)是一种策略性
棋盘(board)游戏,起源于古代中国,是世界上最古老的棋盘游戏之一。尽管其规则相对简单,但却富于策略与变化,因此,它是一项既朴素又复杂的游戏。围棋有助于训练思维,培养人的分析问题和解决问题的能力,是一项具有挑战性的、有益的智力活动。围棋融合艺术、谋略、智慧于一体,一直深受中国社会各界人士的喜爱,在全球也颇受欢迎。很多与围棋有关的术语,被广泛应用在日常生活中。
Go, a strategic board game originating in ancient China, is one of the oldest board games around the globe. The game is rich in strategies and varieties despite its relatively simple rules; therefore, it is a plain but complex game. As a challenging and beneficial intellectual activity, Go is helpful in training one's mind and cultivating one's ability to analyze and solve problems. Go, a combination of art, strategy and wisdom, has been favored by Chinese people from all walks of life and also enjoys worldwide popularity. A large number of terms related to Go are widely applied in daily life.
[解析] 1.第一句话中的两个分句“是一种策略性棋盘游戏,起源于古代中国”可合译成插入语:a strategic board game originating in ancient China,使译文更简洁流畅。
2.第二句话中“富于策略与变化”翻译成is rich in strategies and varieties,“变化”译成varieties比译成changes更地道,更符合书面语表达。
3.第三句中的“是一项具有挑战性的、有益的智力活动”译成as a challenging and beneficial intellectual activity,用介词短语作状语,比译成分句更简洁紧凑。
4.在“围棋融合艺术、谋略、智慧于一体……也颇受欢迎”这一句中,“融合……于一体”的参考译文没有将其翻译成分句,而是用名词短语作插入语的形式来表达,对围棋进行说明,译为a combination of art, strategy and wisdom,句子更简洁。
7.
大兴安岭
大兴安岭(Great Khingan Mountains)位于黑龙江省东北部,南北长约1220公里。那里气候极度寒冷,在
满语(Manchu)中,“兴安”的意思就是“极寒的地方”。大兴安岭是中国东北部的著名山脉,也是中国最重要的林业基地之一。大兴安岭森林茂密,林地占730万公顷(hectare),森林覆盖率达74.1%。该地区野生动、植物十分丰富,有珍稀动物400余种,野生植物1000余种。大兴安岭盛产野生
蓝莓(blueberry),是主要野生蓝莓产区。该区是一座美丽的大花园,也是一座取之不尽的宝库。
Great Khingan Mountains, located in the northeast part of Heilongjiang Province, stretch for 1,220 kilometers from south to north. The climate there is extremely cold. In Manchu, "Khingan" bears the meaning of "an extremely cold place". The Great Khingan Mountains, a well-known mountain range in the northeast part of China, ranks among the most important forestry bases. The mountains are covered by thick forest which occupies an area of 7.3 million hectares, making the forest coverage rate of 74.1%. Wild animals and plants are abundant there, with more than 400 types of rare animals and over 1,000 types of wild plants. Great Khingan Mountains abound with wild blueberries and are major growing districts of wild blueberries. The region is a beautiful big garden and also an inexhaustible treasure house.
[解析] 1.第二句“那里气候极度寒冷,在满语中……”包含两个意思,可以拆译为两句。前一句说那里寒冷,后一句说“兴安”在满语中的意思。
2.第三句“大兴安岭是中国东北部……”可将“大兴安岭也是中国最重要的林业基地之一”作为句子的主干,译为The Great Khingan Mountains ranks among...;“是中国东北部的著名山脉”则翻译成同位语,置于主语之后。
3.第四句“大兴安岭森林茂密,林地占730万公顷,森林覆盖率达74.1%”由三个分句组成,可将“大兴安岭森林茂密”处理为主句,译为The mountains are covered by thick forest。“林地占730万公顷”译为定语从句,修饰主句中的thick forest;“森林覆盖率达74.1%”可采用现在分词作结果状语。
4.倒数第三句“该地区野生动、植物……”中的“有珍稀动物400余种,野生植物1000余种”是对前面分句“该地区野生动、植物十分丰富”的补充说明,因此可将前一分句处理为主句,后一分句用with引导介词短语来表达,使句子更加简洁。
8.
东方明珠广播电视塔
东方明珠广播电视塔(the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower),坐落在上海浦东新区,是上海的地标。塔高468米,是目前世界第六高塔、亚洲第四高塔。东方明珠塔的主要特色是11个大小不一的球体。整个建筑物的支撑完全靠三根深入地下的巨大立柱。这一设计带有浓烈的东方文化特色,又体现出现代科学技术的进步。东方明珠塔集观光、
餐饮(catering)、购物、娱乐、会议、会展、广播电视信号发射等服务功能于一体,如今成为上海的旅游热点之一。
Located in Pudong New Area, the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower is a landmark of Shanghai. With a height of 468 meters, it currently ranks the fourth in Asia and the sixth in the world in height. The tower mainly features 11 spheres, big and small. The entire structure is supported by three giant pillars deeply rooted into the earth. Its design possesses a strong flavor of the oriental culture and reflects the advancement of modern science and technology. The tower combines sight-seeing, catering, shopping, entertainment, conference, exhibition, radio and television signal emission and other functions into its services, making it one of the popular tourist spots in Shanghai nowadays.
[解析] 1.第一句的主干可以理解为“东方明珠广播电视塔是上海的地标”;“坐落在……”可处理为地点状语,置于句首,或放在主谓之间,用逗号隔开。
2.第二句省略了主语,其主干结构是“(东方明珠广播电视塔)是目前世界第六高塔、亚洲第四高塔”,讲的是电视塔塔高的排名,因而谓语动词用rank;“塔高468米”可使用with短语作状语,译为with a height of 468 meters。
3.“东方明珠塔的主要特色是11个大小不一的球体”一句的表达方式比较灵活,可以用谓语动词feature表达“以……特色”,即it features 11 spheres...;也可译为its main characteristic lies in...。
4.最后一句话的主干结构是“东方明珠塔集……于一体”,译为The tower combines...into its services;“如今成为上海的旅游热点之一”可使用现在分词making it...作伴随状语。
9.
中国民乐
中国民族音乐,一般简称“民乐”或“国乐”,是中国特有的音乐品种。中国传统音乐以
五声音阶(pentatonic scale)为基础,追求自然、和谐、
含蓄(subtlety)的美感,在几千年的发展过程中,留下了极为丰富的民族音乐文化遗产。民乐的乐器种类很多,可以分为吹、拉、弹、打四大类。上世纪20年代,中国的音乐家仿照西方
交响乐队(symphony orchestra)的编制,建立起中国民族管弦乐团来演奏一些大型的民乐曲目。中国一些著名的民乐团也经常接受邀请,到世界各地演出。
Chinese folk music, generally shortened as "folk music" or "national music", is a music style unique to China. Chinese traditional music is based on the pentatonic scale, pursuing the beauty in naturalness, harmony and subtlety. Thousands of years of development have left behind a very rich cultural heritage of folk music. There are a great number of folk music instruments which can be divided into four major groups, the blowing, drawing, playing and striking. In 1920s, following the establishment of Western symphony orchestras, Chinese musicians established Chinese national orchestras to play some of the major folk music pieces. Some well-known Chinese folk music orchestras are often invited to perform around the world.
[解析] 1.“是中国特有的音乐品种”中的“中国特有的”可译为unique to China,作为后置定语。“音乐品种”实际上指的是一种音乐风格,故可译为music style。
2.“中国传统音乐以五声音阶为基础……,留下了极为丰富的民族音乐文化遗产”这句话很长,可拆译为两句,前一句说中国传统音乐的特点,后一句说留下了丰富的民族音乐文化遗产。“自然、和谐、含蓄”在汉语原文中是形容词,翻译的时候可转换为名词,用“in+名词”的形式来作“美感”beauty的后置定语。
3.“上世纪20年代以来,中国的音乐家仿照西方交响乐队的编制,建立起中国民族管弦乐团来演奏一些大型的民乐曲目”,这句话主干为“音乐家建立起中国民族管弦乐团”。“仿照西方交响乐队的编制”可用现在分词短语作状语来表达。“来演奏一些大型的民乐曲目”是建立民族管弦乐团的目的,故用to...来衔接。
4.“中国一些著名的民乐团也经常接受邀请,到世界各地演出”,“民乐团”与“邀请”之间是被动关系,故采用被动语态来表达。
10.
“银发产业”
“
银发产业”(silver industry)是一个新名词,是指以老年人为目标客户的产业。其范围十分广泛,包括健康服务、
家政服务(home service)、旅游娱乐和教育等各个领域。随着中国进入老龄化社会,银发产业蓬勃发展。老年人出游人数逐年增长。越来越多的老年人选择在退休后进入
老年大学(university for senior citizens)学习。相关统计数据表明,全国60岁以上的老人超过了总人口的11%。目前,“银发产业”市场需求达到8000亿元左右,产业还有很大的发展空间。
Silver industry is a new term referring to the industry targeted at senior citizens. It covers a wide range of fields, including health service, home service, tourism and entertainment, education and so on. With China stepping into the aging society, the silver industry gets prosperous. More and more elderly people go travelling every year and choose to study in the universities for senior citizens after they retire. Related statistics show that the number of senior citizens aged more than 60 accounts for 11-odd percent of the population in China. At present, the market demand of the silver industry stands at about 800 billion RMB, giving great room for the industry to develop.
[解析] 1.第一句中的“是指以老年人为目标客户的产业”可处理成与“是一个新名词”并列的结构,译为and refers to...。但不如将其处理为状语,表伴随动作,用分词短语referring to the industry...来表达更具有逻辑性。定语“以老年人为目标客户的”较长,可将其处理为后置定语,用过去分词短语targeted at senior citizens来表达。
2.第三句中的“随着中国进入老龄化社会”作状语,可译为as China stepped into...,中国已经进入老龄化社会,故时态选择过去时更恰当。亦可用介词短语with China stepping into...译出,更简洁。
3.第四句“老年人出游人数逐年增长”较短,且与下一句“越来越多的老年人……学习”都是讲述老年人的趋势,故考虑将这两句合译,将语序稍作调整,用more and more people作主语,使其与下一句一致,整合为more and more elderly people go travelling...and choose to...。“逐年”转化为时间状语every year。
4.第六句“相关统计数据表明,全国60岁以上的老人超过了总人口的11%”后半句处理为that引导的宾语从句,作为show的宾语。定语“60岁以上的”可处理为后置定语,用分词短语aged more than 60来表达。译文用了11-odd percent来表示“超过11%”,避免重复使用more than,表达新颖。