二、
分句、合句法
很多情况下,翻译句子的时候,需要调整原来的句子结构,分句法和合句法是调整原文句子的两种重要的方法。所谓分句法就是把原文的一个简单句译为两个或两个以上的句子。所谓合句法就是把原文两个或两个以上的简单句或一个复合句译成一个单句。
I.分句法
汉译英时,需要分译的句子多数是长句,或者是结构复杂的复句。这种句子如果译成一个长句,就会使译文冗长、累赘、意思表达不清楚,也不符合英文习惯。如果采用分译,则会使译文简洁、易懂、层次分明。如以下五个例子:
例1. 少年是一去不复返的,等到精力衰竭时,要做学问也来不及了。(按内容层次分译)
译文: Youth will soon be gone, never to return. And it will be too late for you to go into scholarship when in your declining years.
例2. 她隔窗望去,突然发现有只小船停泊在河边,船里有位船夫睡得正香。(从主语变换处分译)
译文: Looking through the window, she suddenly spotted a boat moored to the bank. In it there was a boatman fast asleep.
例3. 声速随温度的升降会有轻微的增减,但不受气压的影响。(从关联词处分译)
译文: The speed of sound increases slightly with a rise in temperature and falls with decrease in temperature. It is not affected by the pressure of the air.
例4. 我们的政策是实行“一个国家,两种制度”,具体说,就是在中华人民共和国内,有着十多亿人口的大陆实行社会主义制度,香港、台湾地区实行资本主义制度。(原文出现总说或分述时要分译)
译文: We are pursuing a policy of “one country with two systems.” More specifically, this means that within the People’s Republic of China, the mainland with its more than one billion people will maintain the socialist system, while Hong Kong and Taiwan continue under the capitalist system.
例5. 我们主张对我国神圣领土台湾实行和平统一,有关的政策,也是众所周知和不会改变的,并且正在深入人心。(为了强调语气而采用分译)
译文: We want peaceful reunification with Taiwan which is part of our sacred territory. Our policy in this regard is also known to all and will not change. The desire for peaceful reunification of the motherland is taking hold in the hearts of the entire Chinese nation.
II.合句法
英汉两种语言的句子结构不完全相同,尽管英语句子日趋简洁,但是从句套从句,短语含短语的句型也是频频出现。一般而言,一个英语句子的信息包含量要大于一个汉语句子,因此,我们在做汉译英的时候,常常把汉语的两个句子,甚至更多句子,合译成英语的一句。使用合句法还可以使译文紧凑、简练。如以下三个例子:
例6:一代人与一代人之间的冲突,也就是年轻人与老年人的冲突,似乎是最可笑的。因为这就是现在的自己与将来的自己,或者说过去的自己与现在的自己的冲突。(在关联词处合译)
译文:A conflict between the generations between youth and age seems the most stupid, for it is one between oneself as one is and oneself as one will be, or between oneself as one was and oneself as one is.
例7:对我来说,我的水族箱就像我自己的一个小王国。我就是里面的国王。(从主语变换处合译)
译文:To me my aquarium is like my own little kingdom where I am king.
例8:第二天,我又接到一个电报。这个电报有34个字,比前一个电报说得更详细。(按内容连贯合译)
译文:The following day I received another telegram consisting of 34 ciphers, giving more details.