ACorrect or improve the translation of the following English sentences.1. 原文:I tried vainly to put the pieces together.
译文:我试图徒劳地把这些碎片拼在一起。
改译:
我试图把这些碎片拼在一起,可是没成功。
[解析] 原译文对副词的翻译不准确。vainly意为“徒劳地,没有结果地”。在英语中副词放在动词后面修饰动词,但汉语中往往把结果放在最后说,因此“没有成功”应放在句末。
2. 原文:Soon the romantic "wild west" had ceased to be.
译文:不久,这片具有浪漫气氛的“西部荒原”停止了。
改译:
不久,这片具有浪漫气氛的“西部荒原”便不复存在了。
[解析] 原译文过于死译,没有根据上下文理解词语的意思。cease意为“停止,结束”;to be在句中相当于to exist; ceased to be可以形象地译为“不复存在”。
3. 原文:Following one of Paderewski's performances, a fan said to him, "I'd give my life to play like that." The brilliant pianist replied, "I did."
译文:听完帕德雷夫斯基的演奏,一位乐迷对他说:“要是能弹得像您这样,我宁愿献出我的生命。”这位卓越的钢琴家回答道:“是的。”
改译:
听完帕德雷夫斯基的演奏,一位乐迷对他说:“要是能弹得像您这样,我愿意付出毕生的心血。”这位卓越的钢琴家回答道:“我已经付出过了。”
[解析] 原译文对动词词组的意思和英语中替代的译法掌握得不准确。give one's life to意为“一生致力于,付出毕生心血”;英语怕重复,用“I did”代替“I'd give my life”,汉语不怕重复,在翻译时应还原。
4. 原文:Now countless homes are still illuminated with oil-burning lamps.
译文:许多家庭现在仍然被油灯照明。
改译:
许多家庭现在仍然靠油灯照明。
[解析] 原译文属于逐字翻译。汉语多用主动式,英语多用被动式,在英译汉中,被动式多译为主动式。“许多家庭仍然被油灯照明”不符合汉语的说法,因此译为“靠油灯照明”。
5. 原文:The year 1687 saw the publication of Newton's great book
The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy. 译文:1687年看到了牛顿的巨著《自然哲学的数学原理》的问世。
改译:
1687年,牛顿的巨著《自然幸千学的数学原理》问世。
[解析] 原译文属于望文生义,对英语特有的表达不了解。see一词多义,在翻译时要根据语境,在此句中主要表达“见证事件”的意思,主语通常为无灵主语。故“The year 1687 saw the publication of...”可译为“1687年,……问世”。
BCorrect or improve the translation of the following Chinese sentences.1. 原文:这个文化运动,当时还没有可能普及到工农群众中去。
译文:At that time, this cultural movement was not yet possible to become widely diffused among the workers and peasants.
改译:
At that time, it was not yet possible for this cultural movement to become widely diffused among the workers and peasants.
[解析] 原译文没有正确使用英语中的固定句型。“……没有可能……”在英语中用it作形式主语的固定句型为it is not possible for...to do...。
2. 原文:二十年来,我国的航天事业从胜利走向新的胜利。
译文:In the past twenty years, our aeronautics cause has won victories one after another.
改译:
In the past twenty years, we have won victories in aeronautics one after another.
[解析] 原译文的主语使用错误。汉语的拟人化程度较高,拟人化在汉语中较常见。而在英语中,此类表达往往被视为修辞上的语病。根据英文的表达习惯,原句的拟人手法在翻译成英语后不能保留,解决的办法是恢复原句中隐含的主语(we),重新选择动词搭配(won victories)。
3. 原文:湖北岸有“五龙亭”,建于1602年,是封建皇帝垂钓的地方。
译文:On the north shore of the lake is the Five-Dragon Pavilion, built in 1602, the emperors enjoyed fishing there.
改译:
On the north shore of the lake is the Five-Dragon Pavilion, built in 1602, where the emperors enjoyed fishing.
[解析] 原译文对句子结构的处理不当,句子间缺少连接词。英语是形合的语言,两个单句之间必须使用连词才能组成一句话。若要译为定语从句,则原译文中的“there”必须删除;若译为“... built in 1602, and the emperors enjoyed fishing there.”也可以。
4. 原文:黑人妇女入狱的比率比白人妇女高8倍。
译文:The ratio of black women in prison is 9 times as much as that of the white women.
改译:
The ratio of black women in prison is 8 times as high/ much as that of the white women. /The ratio of black women in prison is 8 times higher than that of the white women.
[解析] 原译文对倍数的表达不正确。汉语中“是……的N倍”和“增加了N倍”表示的量是不一样的,而在英语中“N times higher than”和“N times as high as”表示的量却是一样的。由于题干中的信息为“比……高8倍”,则其对应的译文应该为“8 times as high/ much as”或者“8 times higher than”。
5. 原文:在文化上,要积极建设面向现代化、面向世界、面向未来的,民族的、科学的、大众的社会主义文化。
译文:Culturally, we will work hard to develop a socialist culture that is national, scientific and popular, a culture that is faced to modernization, to the world and to the future.
改译:
Culturally, we will work hard to develop a socialist culture that is national, scientific and popular, a culture oriented to modernization, to the world and to the future.
[解析] 原译文没有正确理解“面向”的意思。汉语多用并列谓语和并列分句,英语多用从句和分词短语,在汉译英时,要注意使用从句和分词短语。“面向……”译为be oriented to...,若译为be faced to... 会使外国读者不知所云。
ATranslate the following underlined sentences into Chinese.1. Nearly all the sports practiced nowadays are competitive.
You play to win, and the game has little meaning unless you do your utmost to win.
参加比赛就是为了取胜。如果不拼命去赢,比赛就没有什么意义了。
[解析] 原句是复合句,译文根据意思的划分将其分译为两句话。play to win中,不定式表示目的,即“为了取胜”。后半句是unless引导的条件状语从句,汉译时应该置于句首,先说条件,再说结果。unless译为“如果不,除非”。
2.
The deepest holes of all are made for oil, and they go clown to as much as 25,000 feet. But we do not need to send men down to get the oil out, as we must with other mineral deposit.
在所有洞穴中,为寻找石油所钻的洞是最深的,这些洞可深达25000英尺。
[解析] 原句是并列复合句。第一个分句是被动语态,汉译时变为主动。of all是对the deepest holes的限制说明,汉译时修饰词要置于句首。made for oil增译为“为了寻找石油而钻的”。根据上下文可知,go down to...可译为“可深达……”。
3.
There is probably no organization in the United States that does not practice marketing to some extent. Not only business firm that provide products and services, but also other organizations in our society have come to increasingly rely onmarketing to achieve their objectives.
可能所有的美国机构都在某种程度上应用营销学。
[解析] 原句是主从复合司。本句主要采用反译法,有一些双重否定的句子在翻译的过程译为肯定句。to some extent译为“在某种程度上”。
4.
The recent U. N. committee vote called on the Security Council to send North Korea to the International Criminal Court for suspected human rights violations. The government of Kim Jong Un is accused of operating a system of political prisons.
最近联合国委员会投票要求安理会将朝鲜送到国际刑事法庭,因为它涉嫌侵犯人权。
[解析] 原句为“主谓宾”结构的简单句,主语是vote,谓语call on,宾语the Security Council. call on sb. to do sth. 意为“号召某人做某事,要求某人做某事”。原句中vote是名词,汉译时将其转化为谓语动词,将主语转换为U.N. committee; for suspected human rights violations在原句中作状语,表示原因。suspected意为“有嫌疑的”,在此译为“涉嫌”。
5. I find young people exciting.
They have an air of freedom, and they have not a dreary commitment to mean ambitions or love of comfort. They are not anxious social climbers, and they have no devotion to material things.
他们无拘无束,既不追逐卑鄙的名利,也不贪图生活的安逸。
[解析] 原句是并列复合句。have all of...意为“有……的氛围”,have an air of freedom在此意译为“无拘无束”第二个分句中commitment to...和love of...都是名词短语,汉译时转化为动词,符合英语多用名词,而汉语习惯用动词表达相同意思的特点一“追逐名利,贪图安逸”的译文是意译,也更汉语化。
BTranslate the following underlined sentences into English.1.
无论什么人,有多高的职务,只要他们违法乱纪,贪污受贿,都要受严厉惩处。今年反腐倡廉将把查处主要领导侵权渎职、贪污腐败作为第一任务。
Anyone who has violated the law and discipline, or embezzled money or took bribes, will be severely punished, no matter who he/she is, what senior positions he/she holds.
[解析] 原句是主从复合句。译文对原句结构做了较大调整。“违法乱纪,贪污受贿”在原句中作谓语动词,译文将其转换为定语从句修饰anyone;“无论什么人,有多高的职务”在原句中位于句首,但英译时将其放在句末,也是为了平衡句子结构。“违法乱纪”译为violate the law and discipline;“贪污受贿”译为embezzle money and take bribes。
2.
“中国并不缺大学,在高等教育毛入学率不断攀升的今天也不缺大学生,缺的是世界一流大学和一流人才。”他说,“高等学历人才培养的趋同,是我国高等教育发展的明显弊端。”
There is no lack of universities in China, or college students, with the enrollment rate constantly rising today. What it lacks is world-class universities and top-grade talents.
[解析] 原句有两个并列谓语,但只有一句话,译文根据译群的划分将其译为两句话。原句的主语为“中国”,“缺”是动词,译文将其转换为名词,“不缺”译为no lack of...,且用there be句型表达。“入学率”译为enrollment rate. “What it lacks”在译文中作主语,且引导词在从句中作宾语。“世界一流的”分别用world-class和top-grade表达,因为英语不喜欢重复。
3. 发达国家应该完成《京都议定书》确定的减排任务,继续承担中期大幅化减排指标,并为发展中国家应对气候变化提供支持。
发展中国家应根据本国国情,在发达国家资金和技术的支持下,努力适应气候变化,尽可能减缓温室气体排放。
The developing countries should also try to adapt the climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emission as much as possible according to their national conditions and with the financial and technological support from the developed countries.
[解析] 原句是由多个谓语并列的复合句,译文采取的方法为直译法。分析原句可知,“努力适应气候变化,尽可能减缓温室气体排放”是谓语,也是主句动作,应该在译文中先说,“根据本国国情,在发达国家资金和技术的支持下”是条件,放在后面,分别用两个介宾结构表达,即to their national conditions; with the...support from...。
4.
最令人怵目惊心的一件事,是看着钟表上的秒针一下一下地移动,每移动一下就是表示我们的寿命已经缩短了一部分。再看看墙上挂着的可以一张一张撕下的日历,每天撕下一张就表示我们的寿命又缩短了一天。
It is most startling to hear a watch or clock clicking away the seconds, each click indicating the shortening of one's life by a little bit.
[解析] 原句是主从复合句,主句是“主系表”结构,主语为“最令人怵目惊心的一件事”,表语为“看着钟表上的指针一下一下地移动……”。译文将原句的表语转换为主语,且由于主语较长,用it作形式主语来代替,将真正的主语to hear a watch...放在后面。“我们的寿命已经缩短了一部分”中,“缩短”是动词,英译时用名词shortening表示。
5.
我们知道慢性这就是为什疼痛可以扰乱一个人的生活,导致延误工作到抑郁之类的问题。这就是为会么越来越多的医院现在都依赖专门研究之统疗法的内科医生。
We know that chronic pain can disrupt a person's life, causing problems that range from missed work to depression.
[解析] 原句是主从复合句,从句有两个谓语,分别是“扰乱”和“导致”。英语较注重句子结构和各部分之间的逻辑关系,原句“导致从延误工作到抑郁之类的问题”是“扰乱工作”的结果。可以用表示结果的现在分词结构表达,即causing problems...。“……到……”译为range from...to...。
ATranslate the following passage into Chinese.1. Nor is the importance of trade like]y to diminish for either China or the United States. China will continue to depend upon lucrative export markets to earn the foreign exchange it needs to develop and grow. At the same time, China's imports will supply the much needed advanced technology to fuel its continued development.
For the United States, new commercial opportunities will grow most rapidly in the emerging markets. We estimate that three quarters of new export opportunities over the next twenty years —that's an incredible $1.9 trillion in potential exports — will come in the emerging markets of Asia and Latin America. This means jobs for American workers and a higher standard of living for the American people.
无论是中国还是美国,都不会忽视贸易的重要性。中国会继续依靠盈利的出口市场来赚取外汇,以发展和增强自己的经济实力。同时,中国通过引进急需的先进技术来加快其继续发展的速度。
对美国而言,在新兴市场上,新的商业机会将快速增加。我们估计,在未来的20年里,预期的出口量中的四分之三,即数量可观的1.9万亿美元出口额,将来自亚洲和拉丁美洲的新兴市场。这意味着为美国工人创造就业机会,美国人民的生活水平也将得到进一步的提高。
[解析] (1)第一段共三句。第一句是倒装句,在英语中,否定副词位于句首时,主谓要倒装。主语是the importance of trade,对象是“中国和美国”,汉译时将“中国和美国”作为主语,谓语相应地增译为“不会忽视”。这是因为英语通常用抽象名词作主语,而汉语则习惯用具体的实体词作主语。第二句是主从复合句,to earn the foreign exchange在句中作目的状语。to develop and grow增译为“发展和增强自己的经济实力”,更符合汉语的表达习惯。第三句中imports是名词,译文转化为动词“进口”。fuel意为“供给燃料”,在此引申为“加快,促进”。
(2)第二段共三句。第一句是“主谓”结构的简单句,汉译时将状语提前至句首。第二句是主从复合句,破折号引出的是插入语,补充说明前文的three quarters of new export opportunities, 可用“即”引出,同样作为插入语。第三句是“主谓宾”结构的简单句。jobs增译为“创造就业机会”;higher standard of living汉译时转化为动词,译为“生活水平将得到进一步的提高”。
BTranslate the following passage into English.1. 一般地说,第一次到中国旅游应当先到北京、上海、西安等地。
北京是中国的政治文化中心,在这里你可以游览万里长城、故宫、颐和园和北海公园。上海是中国最大的城市。离上海仅有一两个小时车程的苏州和杭州,是中国园林城市,被誉为“人间天堂”。
西安是古丝绸之路的起点,在中国历史上许多朝代都在此建都。秦兵马俑被誉为“世界第八大奇迹”。西安的其他名胜古迹还包括大雁塔、鼓楼和黄帝陵。
Generally speaking, tourists traveling in China for the first time should visit cities, like Beijing, Shanghai and Xi'an.
Beijing is the political and cultural center that offers some tourist attractions: the Great Wall, the Imperial Palace, the Summer Palace and the Beihai Park
Shanghai is the largest city in China. One or two hours' train ride away from it are Suzhou and Hangzhou, known for their gardens. The two cities are regarded by the Chinese as "paradise on earth" .
Xi'an, the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, was capital intermittently for many dynasties in Chinese history The life-size Terra-cotta Soldiers and Horses of the Qin Dynasty are praised as "the Eighth Wonder of the World". Among other interesting sites are the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, the Drum Tower and the Tomb of Huangdi.
[解析] (1)原文第一段是个无主句,但英译时要译出其暗含的主语“游客”,因为英语是形合语言,句子结构较严谨。
(2)原文第二段是主从复合句,采用直译法,但是增译了offers some tourist attractions,以便引出下面的景点。
(3)原文第三段共两句,译文为三句。译文对第二句的句子结构做了调整,原句主语是“苏州和杭州”,表语是“中国园林城市”,译文则将“苏州和杭州”作为表语,“园林城市”意译为known for their gardens。“人间天堂”译为paradise on earth。
(4)第四段第一句是并列复合句,译文将其转化为主从复合句,将“古丝绸之路的起点”用现在分词的形式表达,作为插入语。最后一句“……还包括……”用英语表达为among...are...。