英汉翻译课程讲义 下载本文

Notes: To enhance your ability to translate with reasonable speed, from this unit on, you'll be given a short passage from which one or two paragraphs are to be translated either from English to Chinese or from Chinese to English.

There is no doubt that a vast store of knowledge is available to improve man?s welfare. Nevertheless, as was pointed out in the World Plan of Action for the Application of Science and Technology to Development, such knowledge is of little use if there is no political will or if there is a lack of the means and capacity to use it. This implies, basically, that there is a need for policy design and implementation by Governments and international agencies, as well as by national communities in the production, science and education sectors. Nations should be in a position to assess their

requirements and to carry out with appropriate international co-operation, programmers and projects to draw on scientific and technological knowledge, to encourage research, to establish such institutional infrastructure as may be necessary and to stimulate social changes conducive to the attainment of development objectives. Otherwise, little outcome can be expected from scientific and technological efforts, and the present pattern of concentration in and dominance by developed countries will be bound to continue.参考译文

毫无疑问,增进人类福利的知识是非常丰富的,可是正如《科学和技术应用于发展的世界行动计划》所指出的那样,如果没有政治意愿,或者没有加以利用的办法和能力,那么这些知识是用处不大的。这基本上就是说,各国政府和各个国际机构,以及国家的生产,科学,教育等部门,都需要制定政策和执行政策。各国应当能够评估(估量)它们自己的需要,并在适当的国际合作下,利用科技知识来执行各项方案和项目,鼓励研究,建立必要的基础设施,促进有利于达成发展目标的社会改革。否则,人们无法指望科技方面的努力能有多大的成果,而且目前科技集中于发达国家以及由发达国家进行控制的格局,也必然会继续下去。

第五课 抽象与具体

【知 识 点】 具体与抽象:翻译技巧;具体与抽象译法

【学习建议】 结合实例认真揣摩与体会汉英语言具体与抽象的特点

英语的名词化往往导致表达的抽象化。抽象表达法(method of abstract diction)在英语里使用得相当普遍,尤其常用于社会科学论著、官方文章、报刊评论、法律文书、商业信件等文体。这种表达法主要见于以下两种情况:

1.大量使用抽象的名词。这类名词涵义概括,指称笼统,覆盖面广,往往有一种“虚”、“泛”、“暗”、“曲”、“隐”的“魅力”,因而便于用来表达复杂的思想和微妙的情绪。如: 1)The signs of times point to the necessity of the modification of the system of

administration.(―Times‖)(=It is becoming clear that the administrative system must be modified)

管理体制需要改革,这已越来越清楚了。

2)No year passes now without evidence of the truth of the statement that the work of

government is becoming increasingly difficult.(―Spectator‖)(=Every year shows again how true it is that……)

行政管理工作已变得越来越困难了,每年都证明确实如此。

值得一提的是英语有丰富的词义虚化手段,这就大大方便了抽象表达法的使用。英语中用虚化词缀构词的现象很普遍,前缀和后缀都可以使词义虚化,其中以后缀数量最多、分布最广。如: 后缀:

-ness表示性质、状态、程度: oneness, disinterestedness, thoughtfulness,

up-to-dateness, carelessness

-ity表示性质、状态、程度:calamity, purity, alkalinity, modernity, liberality, formality, humanity, gravity

-ism表示主义、学说、信仰、行为、行动、状态、特征、特性、病态:Marxism, atomism,

criticism, vandalism, barbarism, colloquialism, alcoholism, fatalism

-ship表示情况、状态、性质、身份、职业、技巧、技能:hardship, friendship, apprenticeship,

marksmanship

-hood表示身份、资格、性质、状态:childhood, priesthood, falsehood, likelihood,

manhood, bachelorhood

2.用介词表达比较虚泛的意义。介词本来就是虚词,在英语里十分活跃。介词可以构成各式各样的短语或成语,其意义有时虚泛得难以捉摸,如:

1)be in at:

If any mischief was going forward, Peter was sure to be in at it.

只要有什么恶作剧,其中免不了总有彼得。

2)be in for:

I understand he‘s in for a job in the company.

我知道他在申请公司的一个职位。

3)be in for it:

When your mother sees your torn trousers, you‘ll be in for it.

要是你妈妈看到你的裤子撕破了,你准得吃苦头。

4)in on:

If there‘s any profit to be got out of the deal, I‘m going to be in on it.

如果这次买卖可以赚到钱,我打算凑一份。

与英语相比,汉语用词倾向于具体,常常以实的形式表达虚的概念,以具体的形象表达抽象的内容。这主要是因为汉语缺乏象英语那样的词缀虚化手段。名词从形式上很难辨别出“具体”或“抽象”。

现代汉语的一些抽象词尾(如“性”、“化”、“度”、“品”、“主义”等)大多来自外语。例如:“性”译自英语的-ty, -ness, 等(necessity必要性、correctness正确性),“化”译自英语的-ization, -tion等(modernization现代化)。

现代汉语虽然可以从外文中引进这类抽象意义的记号,但其应用的范围仍然相当有限,并非都应译为“性”、“化”、“主义”等。如Americanism就不能译为“美国主义”,而应译为具体的词,如美国用语、美国发音、美国腔、美国习俗、美国方式、对美国的信仰或效忠等。再如,hinduism

印度教,dependence依赖,importance, 重要,liberation, 解放,generalization 总括等。 具体译法

在英译汉时,我们往往采用如下的手段来表达英语的抽象词义。

一、用动词取代抽象名词。英语大量的行为抽象名词(action-nouns)表示行为或动作意义,由这类名词构成的短语往往相当于主谓结构或动宾结构。汉语若用相应的名词表达,往往显得不自然、不通顺。在英汉转换中,汉语可充分利用其动词优势,以动代静,以实代虚。举例 具体译法

在英译汉时,我们往往采用如下的手段来表达英语的抽象词义。

一、用动词取代抽象名词。英语大量的行为抽象名词(action-nouns)表示行为或动作意义,由这类名词构成的短语往往相当于主谓结构或动宾结构。汉语若用相应的名词表达,往往显得不自然、不通顺。在英汉转换中,汉语可充分利用其动词优势,以动代静,以实代虚。举例 二、用范畴词使抽象概念具体化。范畴词(category words)用来表示行为、现象、属性等概念所属的范畴,是汉语常用的特指手段。举例

三、用具体的词语阐释抽象的词义。英语抽象词的涵义比较笼统、概括、虚泛,在汉语里往往找不到对应的词来表达,这时常常要借助具体的词语来解释其抽象的词义,正如Peter Newmark所说的:“As a last resort, explanation is the translation.”举例

四、用形象性词语使抽象意义具体化(figuration)。汉语虽较缺乏抽象词语,但形象性词语(如比喻、成语、歇后语等)却相当丰富。汉语常常借助这类生动具体的词语来表达英语抽象笼统的意义。举例

disintegration 土崩瓦解 ardent loyalty 赤胆忠心 far-sightedness 远见卓识 perfect harmony 水乳交融 impudence 厚颜无耻,不要脸 careful consideration 深思熟虑 total exhaustion 筋疲力尽 feed on fancies 画饼充饥 with great eagerness 如饥似渴 offend public decency 伤风败俗 make a little contribution 添砖加瓦 on the verge of destruction 危在旦夕 a wait with great anxiety 望穿秋水 lack of perseverance 三天打鱼,两天晒网

英译汉时,这种“化虚为实”的方法往往可以通行文、添文采,增加译文的可读性;汉译英时,“化实为虚”的方法则常常可以化症结、消梗滞,提高转换的可译性,如:

1)他这一阵心头如同十五个吊桶打水,七上八下,老是宁静不下来。(周而复:《上海的

早晨》)

His mind was in a turmoil these days and he was quite unable to think straight. 2)唉,那是客臣的井蛙之见喽,所谓“情人眼里面出西施”啦。(郭沫若:《屈原》) Alas, that was owing to my ignorance, that is what is called partiality. 抽象译法

为了译文的忠实与通顺,我们往往有必要把原文中带有具体意义或具体形象的单词,词组等。进行抽象化处理,这种翻译方法就是抽象译法。例如: 1.这是他们夫妻之间的事情,你去插一脚干吗?

That?s a business of their own.. Why should you get involved in it? 2..I was practically on my knees but he still refused.

我几乎是苦苦哀求,但他仍然拒绝。

3.I must bare my heart to someone, or I shall go mad!

我必须跟谁说说这件事,否则我都要疯了。

4.By this means she cast in a bone between the wife and the husband. 她就这样离间这对夫妇。

5.Please don‘t wake a sleeping dog. 不要无事生非。

二、用范畴词使抽象概念具体化。范畴词(category words)用来表示行为、现象、属性等概念所属的范畴,是汉语常用的特指手段。举例 如:

1)We have winked at these irregularities too long. 我们对这些越轨行为宽容得太久了。

2)He was described as impressed by Deng's flexibility.(―Time‖) 据说他对邓的灵活态度印象很深。

3)What they wanted most was an end of uncertainties.(―Betrayed Spring‖) 那时他们渴望的就是结束这摇摆不定的局面。 4)He discussed greatness and excellence. 他探讨了伟大和杰出的涵义。

5)Both we and the Chinese approached that first opening toward each other with

caution, uncertainty, even trepidation.(R. Nixon: The Real War)

我们和中国人双方都是怀着谨慎、不安甚至是惶恐的心情进行这初次的接触的。

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三、用具体的词语阐释抽象的词义。英语抽象词的涵义比较笼统、概括、虚泛,在汉语里往往找不到对应的词来表达,这时常常要借助具体的词语来解释其抽象的词义,正如Peter Newmark所说的:“As a last resort, explanation is the translation.”举例 例如:

1)No country should claim infallibility.(―The Sino-U.S. Joint Communique‖)