笔译自学英译汉

英语的名词从句包括主语从句、宾语从句、表语从句和同谓语从句。在翻译时，语序一般不变，但有时也需采取一些其他处理方法。

5.1 主语从句的译法

1. 以从属连词或连接代词位于句首的主语从句翻译时语序一般不变。

例1. That a man could live for so many years alone in the mountains is really something unthinkable.

一个人能够独自在山里生活这么多年真是不可思议。

例2. That substances expand when heated and contract when cooled is a common physical phenomenon.

物质热胀冷缩是一个普遍的物理现象。

例3. What the students find most difficult in a foreign language is its idiomatic usage.

学生觉得外语最难的地方是它的习惯用法。

例4. What struck me most in this book was the author's true-to-life description of the people's life in that country.

这本书给我印象最深的是作者对那个国家的人民生活所作的真实的描写。 例5. Whatever was said here must be kept secret. 在这儿说的每句话都应当保密。

2. 以形式主语it引出的真正主句从句的翻译

1) 如主语从句较短，可提前与主句合译为“是”字结构。如：

例1. It is dangerous that you have a smattering of superficial knowledge on a subject.

对任何问题一知半解都是危险的。

例2. It is good news that our team has won the championship. 我们队得了冠军是好消息。

2) 如主语从句较长，不宜与主句合译为汉语的“是”字结构，一般可译为并列分句，或的句子，即先译从句，而在主句之前加“这”字译出。如：

例3. It is common sense that a liquid has no definite shape, but it has a definite volume.

液体没有一定的形状，但有一定的体积，这是普通常识。 例4. It was really a mystery to the neighbors that Mary, the ugly woman, could succeed in ordering about her husband, the strong-armed blacksmith, well known far and wide, and having him where she wanted him.

玛丽这个丑女人把丈夫——远近闻名，胳膊粗力气大的铁匠——支使得滴溜转，让他往东他不敢往西，这对他们的邻居说来，简直是个谜。 例5. It therefore becomes more and more important that, if students are not to waste their opportunities, there will have to be much more detailed information about courses and more advices.

因此，如果要学生好好利用他们上大学的机会，就应该为他们提供大量关于课程方面更为详尽的信息和更多的指点。这个问题显得越来越重要了。

从例句4、5可看到英汉两种语言思维和表达方式的不同。英语重直线思维，汉语重曲线思维；英语直截了当，习惯把要点放在句首先说出，然后再把其他信息一一补进，而汉语习惯于从侧面说明，先阐述外围的环境，最后点出信息中心。从形式上看，英语是前重心，

头短尾长；汉语则是后重心，头大尾小。(参阅第一篇第7章)

3) 以it作形式主语而主句的谓语是被动语态的句子，一般宜转译为主动语态，可译为据„„”或补上泛指主语“有人”、“大家”、“人们”等，主语从句保留原文的语序。如： 例7. It is reported that the meeting will be held in June. 据报导，这个会将在六月间举行。

例8. It is said that there are now three times as many factories in that district as in 1990.

据说，那个地区的工厂比1990年增加了两倍。

例9. It could be argued that the radio performs this service just as well; but on television everything is much more living, much more real.

可能有人会提出，无线电广播也同样能够做到这一点；但是在电视屏幕上，每个节目都显得更加生动，更加真实。

5.2 宾语从句的译法

1. 以从属连词或连接代词引起的宾语从句汉译时，语序一般不变。

例1. Some people, however, maintain that this is precisely where the danger lies. 可是，有些人则坚持认为，这恰恰是危险所在。

例2. This shows that something unexpected may have turned up. 这表明可能出现了意外情况。

例3. Realizing that it was just a difference in custom, the foreigner smiled and said nothing.

那个外国人明白了这只是风俗的不同后，笑了笑，没说什么。 例4. Marie always thought how she could do more for mankind. 玛丽总是想着怎样为人类做更多的工作。

例5. He has fully lived up to what he promised. 他完全实现了他的诺言。

例6. Knowing that every object draws every other object, we cannot know why it does so.

虽然我们知道物体彼此吸引，但却不知其中的道理。

2. 宾语从句前置时

英语中的宾语从句有时置于句首，其修辞作用在于强调宾语。为了使译文达到相同的修辞效果，翻译时也宜将宾语从句前置。如：

例1. Whether they like it or not, I don't care. 他们喜欢不喜欢，我可不管。

例2. What they were asked to do in 10 days, they finished in two. 让他们十天做的事，他们两天就做完了。

例3. What he has once heard he never forgets. 他听过的话，再也不会忘记。

上述译文同样将宾语从句前置，收到了强调宾语的效果。但有时也可依汉语的表达习惯将宾语从句后置。

例4. What the country thinks and worries about we should think and worry about. 我们应想国家之所想，急国家之所急。

3. 用it作形式宾语的句子

用it作形式宾语的句子，汉译时that引起的宾语从句一般可按原文语序，it不必译出。如：

例1. We think it certain that American English does have a considerable influence upon British English.

我们认为美语必然对英语产生相当大的影响。

例2. I make it clear that I was determined to carry out the plan. 我已表明决心去执行这个计划。

例3. I leave it to your own judgment whether you should do it. 我让你自己判断你该不该做这事。

有些情况下也可将that引起的宾语从句提前。

例4. I regarded it as an honor that I am chosen to attend the meeting. 我被遴选参加会议，感到光荣。

例5. We think it true that the election in Britain is mainly a contest between the two big parties, Labor and Conservative.

英国的选举主要是工党与保守党两大政党之间的竞争，我们认为确实如此。

5.3 表语从句的译法

表语从句汉译时语序一般保持不变。如： 例1. That's what we should do. 这正是我们的本分。

例2. Time factor is what we have to take into consideration. 时间因素是我们必须考虑的。

例3. The question which worries everyone today is: how long will these fuels last? 今天人人都担心的问题是：这些燃料能维持多久?

例4. The result of invention of steam engine was that human power was replaced by mechanical power.

发明蒸汽机的结果是机械力代替了人力。

例5. This is because people engaged in changing reality are usually subject to numerous limitations.

这是因为致力变革现实的人们，常常受到许多。

但有时在译文中也可依汉语的表达习惯，把表语从句提前。如： 例6. That is why the \"know-all\" is ridiculous. “知识里手”之所以可笑，原因就在这个地方。

5.4 同位语从句的译法

英语中的同位语从句与其所修饰的名词处于同等的地位，只起进一步解释的作用，汉译时可以用下述方法处理。

1. 同位语从句不提前

例1. We expressed the hope that they would come over to visit China again. 我们表示希望他们再到中国来访问。

例2. There can be no doubt that he is qualified for the job. 毫无疑问他能胜任这工作。

例3. Can you produce any evidence that he was not at home that night? 你能不能提出证明，断定他那天夜里不在家?

例4. The idea that for every word in any one language there is another word accurately equivalent to it in every other language, is not in accordance with the

facts, in his search for the equivalent of a word the translator meets many difficulties. (Dr. Johnson)

认为一种语言中每一个单词都能在另一种语言中找到确切对等的词，是不符合事实的。译者如追求对号入座式的翻译，势必到处碰壁。

例5. Now we have little idea what a hard life they were then leading. 我们现在很难想象那时他们过的是多么艰苦的生活。

2. 同位语从句提前

例1. Do away with the mistaken metaphysical notions that \"gold must be pure\" and that \"man must be perfect\". 要打破“金要足赤”，“人要完人”的形而上学的错误思想。 例2. Obviously there was little probability that they would succeed, but they don't mind.

很显然，他们成功的可能性很小，但是他们不在乎。

例3. The question whether the aircraft should have two engines or three was finally decided in September, 1959.

飞机应装两台或三台发动机的问题是1959年9月才最后确定的。

例4. This is a universally accepted principle of international law that the territorial sovereignty doesn't admit of infringement. 国家领土主权不容侵犯，这是举世公认的国际法准则。

例5. I am usually fairly skeptical about any research that concludes that people are either happier or unhappier or more or less certain of themselves than they were 50 years ago.

有研究得出结论说，人们比50年前更幸福了，抑或不如过去幸福；比50年前更自信了，抑或不如以前自信。对于任何这样的研究，我通常都持相当怀疑的态度。

3. 把同位语从句译成的句子，并在其前加“即”，或在从句所修饰的名词之后加冒号。

例1. We are familiar with the idea that all matter consist of atoms. 我们都熟悉这样一个概念，即一切物质都是由原子组成的。

例2. Through many years' practice of teaching foreign language, I have derived a new experience that translation is the best possible approach to studying English. 通过多年的外语教学实践，我获得了一条新经验：翻译是学习英语的最好办法。 例3. Then arose the question where we were to get the machines needed. 随之产生了这样一个问题：我们到哪里去找所需要的机器。 例4. These and other observations led King to the view that mosquitoes are involved in malaria.

这些及其他的观察使金得出结论：蚊子与疟疾病有关。

状语从句的译法

英语状语从句包括表示时间、地点、条件、让步、原因等各种从句，汉译时要注意英汉两件语言使用状语方面的共同性及其各自的特殊性。

6.1 时间状语从句的译法

1. 译成相应的时间状语

例1. As I was looking for my bag, the inn-keeper came in. 我正在找皮包时，店主走了进来。

例2. When the wall fell down, all the people ran away in a panic. 墙倒下来的时候，所有的人都惊恐地跑开了。

例3. Even when we turn off the bedside lamp and are fast asleep, electricity is working for us, driving our refrigerators, heating our water, or keeping our rooms air-conditioned.

即使在我们关了床头灯深深地进入梦乡时，电也在为我们工作，它为我们开动冰箱，烧水或使我们房间的空调机保持动转。

例4. When the lights come on again, hardly a person in the city can have turned on a switch without reflecting how great a servant he had at his finger-tips. 当电灯再亮时，城里人在转电灯开关之前，几乎没有一个人不仔细想一想，他随时都能有一个多么能干的仆人来为他服务啊。

2. 译成并列分句

例1. The monkey was feeling a bit scared when suddenly the crocodile dived under the water.

猴子正感到有点害怕，鳄鱼突然向水下潜去。

例2. They set him free when his ransom had not yet been paid. 他的赎金尚未交来，他们就把他放了。

例3. The Queen will visit the town in May, when she will open the new hospital. 女王将于五月份访问该城，届时她将主持新医院的开幕式。

例4. Mr. Smith was arrested when he himself was not aware what crime he had committed.

史密斯先生自己还不知道犯了什么罪，就被逮捕了。

3. 英语中存在着内容和形式不一致情况。有些时间状语从句有时可以按其逻辑关系译成表示原因、条件、让步等的分句。

例1. When you have finished your homework, you can go and play ball-games. 做完了家庭作业，你就可以出去打球了。(条件)

例2. I realized that it would be difficult for anyone to believe that what I had written was true when it was largely unknown to Western specialists on Japan and when much of it would be new to well-informed Japanese.

我意识到，在西方研究日本的专家们对我述及的大部分材料一无所知，甚至消息灵通的日本人对其中大部分材料也感到新奇的情况下，很难让人相信我所写的东西是真实的。(条件)

例3. He usually walks when he might ride. 虽然有车可坐，但他通常总是步行。(让步)

例4. The defense lawyer decided to petition for a new trial when they found an important new witness.

由于发现了一名新的重要证人，辩护律师决定申请重新开庭审讯。(原因)

6.2 条件状语从句的译法

1. 译成表示“条件”或“假设”的分句

例1. As long as we don't lose heart, we'll find a way to overcome the difficulty. 只要我们不灰心，就能找到克服困难的办法。(条件)

例2. Everybody here has a chance to study unless he doesn't want to. 这里任何人都有学习的机会，除非他不愿学。(条件)

例3. Once you understand the rule, you will have no further difficulty.

你一旦懂了这条规则，就不会再有困难了。(条件) 例4. If the train is leaving Shanghai at the moment, it will pass Suzhou at 8 o'clock this evening.

如果火车此刻从上海出发，今晚八点将经过苏州。(条件)

例5. The man who tries to do as little as he can is always full of excuses: if he has neglected to do something, it was because he had a headache, or the weather was too hot—or too cold—or because he was prevented by bad luck.

想尽量少干活的人总是有种种借口，如果他忘了做某件事，他就说是因为头痛，或是因为天气太热，太冷，或是因为他不走运才没做成。(假设)

例6. If you want something done in a hurry, don't go to the man who has clearly not much to do.

要是你有急事要办，不要去找那种显然没有多少事可做的人。(假设)

2. 译成补充说明情况的分句

例1. We'll come over to see you on Wednesday if we have time. 我们将在星期三来看你，如果有空的话。

例2. This is the best choice if you understand what I mean. 这是最佳选择，如果你明白我的意思的话。

例3. \"He's dead on the job, Jesse. Last night if you want to know.\" “他是在干活后死的，杰西。就在昨天晚上，如果你想知道的话。”

3. 按逻辑关系转译为表示“时间”、“让步”、“结果”、“原因”等的从句 例1. If we have carried on thorough investigation, we can draw a correct conclusion. 只有当我们做了彻底的调查之后，才能得出正确的结论。(时间)

例2. If he is too old to work much, the retired worker is very enthusiastic about neighborhood affairs.

虽然这位退休老工人年迈不能多操劳，但他对街道工作非常热心。(让步) 例3. If he was so able as to solve such a difficult maths problem known to the world, it is because he was extremely diligent and absolutely absorbed in mathematics. 他之所以解决了这样一个世界上有名的数学难题，是因为他非常勤奋，对数学极感兴趣。(结果)

例4. If you can come, I'll be only too glad. 你要能来，我就太高兴了。(原因)

6.3 让步状语从句的译法

1. 译成表示“让步”的分句 例1. Though he was defeated in the election, he became famous for his fiery speeches against slavery.

虽然他竞选失败了，却以其反对奴隶制度的激烈演说而出了名。

例2. There is a definite number of grains of sand and a definite number of drops of water, even though you don't know what that number is. 沙粒和水滴都是有一定数量的，尽管你不知道那是个什么数。

例3. Nothing could have saved him even if he had been tended without delay. 纵然当时他得到了及时的救护，他的生命也无法挽救。 例4. Being very short of money and wanting to do something useful, I applied although I feared that without a degree or any teaching experience I had little chance of getting the job.

我因为手头拮据，同时也想干点有用的事，便提出了申请，尽管我也担心自己一无学位，二无教学经验，得到这份工作的机会甚微。

2. 译成表示“无条件”的条件分句

例1. However hard the task (may be), we must fulfill it in time. 不管任务多么艰巨，我们必须及时完成。

例2. Whatever the consequence may be, I shall speak the truth. 不论后果如何，我都要说实话。

例3. But it is the way I am, and try as I might, I have not been able to change it.

但这就是我的作风，不管怎样努力，也改变不了。

6.4 地点状语从句的译法

1. 译成相应的地点状语

例1. Where water resources are plentiful, hydroelectric power stations are being built in large numbers.

哪里有充足的水源，哪里就在兴建大批的水电站。

例2. Why don't you put your number where it can be seen? 你为何不把号码挂在醒目的地方呢?

例3. Wherever he may be, he will be happy. 他无论在什么地方都快乐。

2. 按逻辑关系转译为表示“条件”的状语

例1. Where there is nothing in the path of the beam of light, nothing is seen. 如果光束通道上没有任何东西，就什么也看不见。

例2. The materials are excellent for use where the value of work pieces is not so high.

如果零件值不高，最好使用这种材料。

6.5 原因状语从句的译法

1. 译成表示“原因”的分句

例1. Tragedies can be written in literature since there is tragedy in life. 生活中既然有悲剧，文学作品就可以写悲剧。

例2. The prince in rags was thrown out of the palace because the guard couldn't recognize him.

穿着破衣裳的王子被赶出了王宫，因为那个卫兵认不出他来了。

例3. I saw a man, wounded in the thigh, a gaping wound that bled and bled, walk for three days through rain and mud and cold back to the C.C.S. because no one could be spared to carry him.

我曾经看到一个伤了大腿、伤口直淌着鲜血的人，因为人们腾不出手来抬他，便冒雨在泥泞和寒风中步行三天三夜到达野战医院。

例4. Chaucer is buried in the \"Poet's Corner\interestingly enough, not because he is the father of English poetry, but because he happened to be Clerk of the Works when he died in 1400. 不出所料，乔叟安葬在“诗人之角”，但是有趣的是，他被葬在这里，并非因为他是英

国诗歌之父，而是因为他在1400年去世时，恰好是这项工程的主管。

2. 译成因果偏正复句中的主句

例1. Since we live near the sea, we can often go swimming. 我们住在靠海的地方，所以可以常去游泳。

例2. Mr. Smith didn't go to college because he had no money. 史密斯先生没钱，所以没有上大学。

例3. Since the curvature of the earth limits a microwave's line-of-sight path to about 30 miles, good reception requires a series of relay towers spaced every 30 miles.

地球曲率的使微波发射的视线路径约为30英里，因此为了接收良好，需要建立间隔为30英里左右的一系列中继塔。

3. 译成因果关系内含的并列分句

例1. As he had lots of time, he decided to go to the embankment first. 时间还早，他决定先到河岸大道去一下。

例2. We had to put the meeting off since so many people were absent. 很多人没有来，会议只好延期。

例3. As he had not much money, he couldn't afford to buy a TV set. 他没有多少钱，买不起电视机。

定语从句的译法

英语定语从句在句法结构上虽属次要成份，在语言作用上却占有重要的地位，应用极广。英语定语从句的结构有简有繁，对先行词的有强有弱，翻译时需分别灵活处理。汉语里没有类似英语中定语从句的结构，一般说来，定语放在它所修饰的词之前，往往只起修饰或的作用，而英语定语从句的功能却并不止于此。另外，定语从句可以写得很长，可以由几个从句并列同时修饰一个名词，可以借助关系代词由一个从句套出另一个从句，而汉语名词前一般少用结构复杂、描写性的长定语。因此，翻译英语定语从句时不能一律把它提前译作定语。定语从句的译法很多，常用的有以下几种：

4.1 译成前置定语

一般说来，限定性的定语从句可提前译成定语。还有一些定语从句，虽然并不明显地带有限定性质，但本身较短，和被修饰语关系紧密，也可译为前置定语。如：

例1. To be sure, a great rebuilding project would give jobs to many of those people who need them.

诚然，一个宏伟的重建计划也许能为许多需要工作的人提供就业机会。 例2. There is no royal road to science, and only those who do not dread the fatiguing climb of the steep paths have a chance of gaining its luminous summits.

在科学上没有平坦的大道，只有不畏劳苦、沿着陡峭的山路攀登的人，才有希望达到光辉的顶点。

例3. When I went to China, I went to teach; but every day that I stayed I thought less of what I had to teach them and more of what I had to learn from them. Among Europeans who had lived a long time in China, I found this attitude not uncommon; but among those whose stay is short, or who go only to make money, it is sadly rare. 我到中国是去教书的。可是，同我每天教给他们的东西相比，我把向他们学的东西看得更重。我发现，大凡久居中国的欧洲人都持这种态度。然而，可悲的是，那些在中国暂住或只想到中国赚钱的人持这种态度者却极少。

例4. In recent years, however, people have begun to become aware that cities are also areas where there is a concentration of problems. 可是，近几年来人们开始意识到城市也是问题成堆的地方。

例5. The moon is a world that is completely still and where utter silence prevails. 月亮是一个声断音绝的世界，是一个万籁俱寂的世界。 例6. However, I think that any thoughtful scholar who takes the trouble to go through the source notes at the end of this volume will find that the essential facts of the story which I have told come from written diaries, memoranda and memories. 然而，我想任何一位认真阅读书后面材料来源注释的细心学者都会发现，我所讲述的史话的基本事实来源于书面日记、备忘录和回忆录。

如以上例句所示，这种译法最适用于来翻译较短的限定性定语从句。较长的限定性定语从句也可采用这种译法，以使修饰关系清晰，句子结构紧凑。如：

例7. They were sons of the men who had left their homes and gone to the mountains with their broad swords by their sides.

他们都是那些抛家舍业、身佩大刀进入深山的好汉们的后代。 例8. This practice book is intended for foreign engineers or students of engineering

who have already mastered the elements of English, and who now want to use their knowledge of the language to read books on their subjects.

这本练习课本是给那些已经掌握了英语基础知识而现在要利用学到的语言知识来阅读专业书籍的外国工程师或学习工程学的学生用的。

例9. To write a genuine familiar or truly English style is to write as any one who would speak in common conversation, who had a thorough command and choice of words, or who could discourse with ease, force and perspicuity.

用真正的普通文体即纯正的英语文体写作就像那些熟谙词汇而又善于选择词汇，能高谈阅论且言词流畅，说话有力而明确的人的日常交谈一般。

【评析】本句中的who had a thorough command and choice of words, or who could discourse with ease, force and perspicuity本应紧接先行词any one，但由于太长而移后，而who would speak in common conversation则修饰上述两个定语从句及其先行词。

有些起附加说明作用的非限定性定语从句，对先行词也有程度不同的修饰、意义，有时也可译成前置定语。如：

例10. He liked his sister, who was warm and pleasant, but he did not like his brother, who was aloof and arrogant.

他喜欢热情活泼的妹妹，而不喜欢冷漠高傲的哥哥。

4.2 译成后置的并列分句

一些结构较复杂，或者意思上有较强的性的限定性定语从句，通常可译为后置的并列分句。采取这种译法往往要重复关系代词所代替的词，有时可在此词之前加指示词“这”、“这些”等，以使译文明确。如： 例1. But world attention also is focusing on another step, which will make the smoker increasingly self-conscious and uncomfortable about his habit.

同时，人们也正把注意力集中在另一项措施上，这项措施将使吸烟者越来越意识到自己的不良习惯并为之感到不安。

例2. In 1883 an American physician, A.F.A King, listed twenty observations, which pointed to mosquitoes as a factor in malaria.

1883年，美国医生A.F.A.金列举了20个观察报告，这些报告表明蚊子是引起疟疾的

一个因素。

例3. This volume is prepared as examples for writing compositions which as it were has been taken as a difficult task...

本书旨在为写作提供范例，可以说写作是一个难题。

例4. Every nation also wants the opportunity and privilege of buying from foreign countries products and services that are scarce or unavailable at home that would be useful and beneficial to its people.

每个国家也需要有机会和优惠权从外国购买国内稀缺或买不到的产品和劳务，这些产品和劳务一定是对本国人民有用又有利的。

【评析】本句中第一个定语从句译为前置定语，修饰其先行词。第二个定语从句则是修饰前一个定语从句及其先行词的，如仍译为前置定语，译文必然会累赘不堪，无法读通，故为后置并列句。

例5. I was endeavoring to put off one sort of life for another sort of life, which was not better than the life I had known.

我一直在竭力摆脱一种生活，改换另一种生活，但是我所改换的生活并不见得比我原先的生活好。

例6. Matter is composed of molecules that are composed of atoms. 物质是由分子组成的，而分子又是由原子组成的。

【评析】在例句5中，从句在语意上与主句相矛盾；在例句6中，从句在语意上以与主句相承。在译文中除重复关联代词所代替的词外，加上了连词“但是”、“而”，使译文语气连贯。

有些定语从句汉译时可不必重复关系代词所代替的词，而将其译成人称代词“他”、“他们”等，使句子简明扼要。如：

例7. Honeycutt was 40, an affable man who had to leave his family in Raleigh, North Carolina, when he'd gone north to work.

亨尼卡40岁，和蔼可亲，他去北方工作时不得不把家室留在北卡罗来纳州罗利市。 例8. Above the English lettering the words are repeated in the Chinese calligraphy of Premier Zhou, who wrote the brief text. 在这些英文字的上方，是周总理亲笔书写的同样内容的汉字，他拟定了这简短的铭文。

此外，非限定性定语从句与先行词的关系不十分密切，只是对先行词加以说明、描述或解释，或对整个语句所陈述的事实或现象加以总结概括、补充说明，其前都有逗号分开。在汉译时，一般译为后置的并列分句。如：

例1. In English, attributive clauses are used extensively, some of which are very long and complicated in structure.

在英语中，定语从句的运用极为广泛，有的从句很长而且结构复杂。

例2. He gave in his resignation, which was the best thing he could do in the circumstance.

他提出了辞职，这在当时的情况下是最好的办法。

例3. He blamed me for everything, which I thought very unfair. 他把一切错误都归罪于我，我认为这很不公平。

例4. In other words, they conduct more readily in high temperatures, which is probably because their decreased viscosity affords less opposition to the transport of ions through them.

换句话说，在高温时它们更容易导电，这可能是因为其粘性减少，离子通过它们时阻力较小的缘故。

例5. She was very patient towards the children, which her husband seldom was. 她对孩子们很耐心，她丈夫却很少这样。

例6. A friend is someone who draws out your best qualities, with whom you sparkle and become more knowledgeable.

朋友就是能使你表现出你自己最佳品质的人，与朋友在一起你就会精神焕发，更有见识。

例7. Eveidently he had the first quality of an angler, which is not to measure the pleasure by the catch.

他显然具备了垂钓者的最重要品质，即以钓为乐，钓多钓少无所谓。

为了综合说明以上两种译法的运用，这里举两个含有复杂定语从句(即定语从句中套另一个定语从句，在结构上相当于一个复杂句)的例子。

例1. They seem to enjoy those rewards which they had purchased by a course of unmerited fatigue, and by victories which almost exceeded belief.

他们对那些酬劳看来是很得意的，那些酬劳是他们历尽千辛万苦，通过取得令人难以置信的胜利得来的。

例2. He was too important and too busy to occupy himself with the matter personally, but he had a confidential secretary who was very clever at dealing with electors who had not made up their minds how to vote and who certainly knew how to put before a young woman who was honest but poor the advantages that might ensure if she were lucky enough to secure the friendship of such a man as his employer.

他身居要职，事务繁忙，不能亲自处理这件事。但是，他有一名私人秘书，此人非常善于对付那些尚未拿定主意选谁的选民，当然懂得如何向一个纯真但贫穷的少女炫耀，告诉她如果有幸得到他的雇主这样一位人物的友谊，她将会得到的诸多好处。

【评析】句中有两个由who引起的定语从句、修饰secretary，由55个单词组成，只能译成后置并列分句，开头以“此人”二字重复关系代词who所代替的词。这两个从句中又分别含有更低层次的限定性定语从句，分别修饰electors、a young woman和advantages，因它们与其先行词关系紧密，故均译为前置定语。

4.3 融合译法

融合译法是指把主句与定语从句合起来译，使之融合成一个的句子。如： 例1. You are the only person who could do it. 只有你才能做这件事。

例2. This was the first time I had serious trouble with my boss. 这是我第一次和老板发生严重纠葛。

例3. Our team, who are in good form, will do well in the coming matches. 我队竞技状态良好，将在未来的比赛中取得好成绩。

英语中含有定语从句的“There be”结构汉译时常常使用溶合译法。例如：

例4. There was no one who did not praise them for their great accomplishments. 没有人不称赞他们所取得的巨大成就。(人人称赞他们所取得的巨大成就。) 例5. There is nothing that does not contain contradiction. 没有什么事物是不包含矛盾的。

例6. There was little that the doctor could do for the patient. 医生对这个病人为力。

例7. Young people who have reason to fear that they will be killed in battle may justifiably feel bitter in the thought that they have been cheated of the best things that life has to offer.

年青人担心在战斗中死去是有道理的，想到生活要赋予的最美好的东西，竟成为泡影，自然要难过的。

例8. UNESCO, which places action in favor of young people at the heart of its programmers, notably those concerned with education and training, is making its contribution to the achievement of this goal.

联合国科教文组织把有利于青年的活动，特别是那些与青年教育和培训有关的活动，作为其各项计划的核心内容，从而为实现这一目标作出贡献。

4.4 译成状语

英语中有些定语从句在内容上含有时间、原因、目的、结果、条件、让步等状语意思，翻译时往往可以加上相应的词语，以表达出其相应的状语意义。

1. 表示原因

例1. Many of our Welsh people are going to settle in North Carolina, where land is cheap.

我们威尔士人有许多去北卡罗来纳定居，因为那里土地便宜。

例2. Einstein is often portrayed in bourgeois writings as a \"genius\" whose theories are so complicated that no one but a few best scientists can understand. 爱因斯坦在资产阶级笔下被描绘为一个“天才”，(因为)他的理论非常深奥，只有少数最杰出的科学家才能懂得。

例3. We can read of things that happened 5000 years ago in the Near East, where people first learned to write.

(因为)在近东人们最早使用文字记事，所以，即使溯到五千年前那里发生的事情，我们也能知道。

例4. Wells, who had spent years studying science, used to consider the future of man in the light of scientific knowledge.

(由于)威尔斯花了多年时间研究科学，因而他经常根据科学知识考虑人类的未来。

2. 表示时间

例1. You, who are in the prime of your life, come forth with greater contributions for the benefit of the people!

趁你年富力强的时候，为人民作出更多的贡献吧!

例2. A sailor who was fixing a rope lost balance and tumbled overboard. 一个水手正在系绳子的时候，失去平衡，掉到水里去了。

例3. I had the honor of seeing Chairman Mao, who was visiting the Jingknog Mountain in 1965.

1965年重访井冈山时，我曾荣幸地见到他。

例4. Congress, which had met to continue its protests to the Crown, found itself raising an army and selecting George Washington as its commander in chief.

代表大会先前已集会决定继续向英皇提了，现在进而招集并推选乔治·华盛顿为总司令了。

3. 表示目的

例1. He is collecting authentic material that proves his argument. 他正在收集确凿的材料以证明他的论点。

例2. Steel parts are usually covered with grease, with which they may not rust. 钢零件通常用润滑油覆盖，以免生锈。

例3. Chinese trade delegations have been sent to African countries, who will negotiate trade agreements with the respective governments.

中国派了贸易代表团前往非洲各国，以便与各国商谈贸易协定。

4. 表示结果

例1. He ate a fungus, which made him ill. 他吃了一只蘑菇，结果病倒了。

例2. The rain washed away the track, which prevented the train from running. 大雨冲走了铁轨，火车因此无法行驶。

例3. In this way, he provided inspiration for a whole generation of scientists who became active in the communist movement.

这样，他鼓舞了一代科学家，使他们积极参加主义运动。 例4. Subjectivism and one-sidedness developed in his thinking and he made erroneous decisions on certain important questions, which led to serious and harmful consequences.

他的思想产生了主观主义和片面性，对于某些重大问题做出了错误决定，因而造成严重不良后果。

例5. Any student who tries to cheat while the examiner is watching is playing fire. 一个学生若在监考人的监督下作弊，那可是在冒险。

5. 表示条件

例1. Nothing is hard in this world for one who dares to scale the height. 事上无难事，只要肯登攀。

例2. Men became desperate for work, any work, which will help them to keep alive their families.

人们迫不及待地找工作，不管干什么，只要能养家糊口就行。

例3. The difficulties that would have to be encountered by anyone who attempted to explore the Moon would be incomparably greater than those that have to be faced in the endeavor to reach the summit of Mount Julio Lumgma.

任何人如果打算登上月球探险的话，他必然遭遇到种种困难。困难之大，是努力攀登珠穆朗玛峰时所面临的困难无法比拟的。

例4. A person is an idealist who thinks that rational knowledge need not to be derived from perceptual knowledge.

如果认为理性知识可以不从感性知识得来，他就是一个唯心主义者。

6. 表示让步

例1. My grandfather, who is now in his eighties, is still a keen cyclist. 我爷爷虽然八十多岁了，可还是顶喜欢骑自行车。

例2. Electronic computers, which have many advantages, can not carry out creative work and replace man.

电子计算机虽然有许多优点，却不能进行创造性的工作，代替不了人。

例3. Glass, which breaks at a blow, is nevertheless capable of withstanding great pressure.

玻璃虽然一击即碎，却能承受巨大的压力。

例4. Even the pine log which burned all day in the fireplace couldn't keep my little house warm and dry.

尽管壁炉里成天烧着松柴，也不能使我的小屋温暖干燥。

正反、反正表达法

英语和汉语中均有从正面或反面来表达一种概念的现象。翻译时，英语里有些从正面表达的词或句子，译文中可从反面来表达；英语里有些从反面表达的词或句子，译文中又可从正面来表达。

例如：

1) Excuse me. 对不起。

（原文从正面表达，译文从反面表达。）

2) \"Don't stop working,\" he said. （反面表达） 他说，“继续干活吧。”（正面表达）

3) He went into the insecure building. （反面表达） 他走进那所危楼。 （正面表达）

他走进那所不安全的大楼。 （反面表达）

这里，Excuse和Don't stop都是动词，insecure是形容词，译时分别用反面表达法“对不起”（动词）、正面表达法“继续”（动词）和正、反面表达法“危”和“不安全”（形容词），其词类恰巧都分别与原文相一致。但也应看到，翻译运用这种方法时往往还可能有词类转换的现象，如：

1) He knew he was mortally ill. （副词） 他知道他得的是不治之症。（形容词）

2) This would cover my absence from the base. （名词） 这就为我不在基地提供了合法外衣。（动词）

3) Without reasoning one is apt to be beyond control. （前置词） 没有理智容易变成不受约束。（动词）

这里所谓正面和反面表达主要是指在英语里是否用no, not或者带有de-, dis-, im-, in-, un-, -less等等词缀的词，在汉语里是否用“不”、“非”、“无”、“没（有）”、“末”、“否”等字。至于英语中的give和take, refuse和accept, 以及汉语中的“给”和“受”，“拒绝”和“接受”，则都应算是正面字眼。另外，有些英语词，如dismiss（下课，令退），虽然也用了这类反面表达的词头，但因去掉词头的动词并没有与原词相反的意义，所以也不能算作反面表达的词。英语中还有不少词，翻译时，有时似乎从正面表达和从反面表达都行得通，如correct既可译为“正确”（正面表达），又可译为“没有毛病”（反面表达），译者应根据上下文选用一种能更确切表达原文思想内容的说法。

一、英语从正面表达，译文从反面表达

（一）动词

下面三个英语例句都用动词从正面表达，而汉译时都从反面表达：

1) \"When?\"

\"If the weather holds a couple of days.\" “什么时候（起飞）？”

“要是天气三两天内保持不变，就可以。” 2) The first bombs missed the target. 第一批没有击中目标。 3) Such a chance was denied me. 我没有得到这样一个机会。 （二）副词

1) We may safely say so.

我们这样说万无一失（或：错不了）。 2) A: The boy is quite clever. B: Exactly. 甲：这孩子很聪明。乙：一点不错。

3) The subversion attempts proved predictably futile.

不出所料，活动证明毫无效果。

（三）形容词

1) He's not stupid, merely ignorant. 他并不愚笨，仅仅是无知而已。

2) It would be most disastrous if even a rumor of it were given out. 甚至只要有一点点风声漏出去，结果就不堪设想。 3) We are watching the fluid situation with concern. 我们关切地注视着动荡不定的局势。 4) The explanation is pretty thin. 这个解释是相当不充实的。 5) His refusal is not final. 他的拒绝不是不可改变的。

（四）前置词

1) This problem is above me.

这问题我不懂（或：我解决不了）。

2) It was beyond his power to sign such a contract.

他无权签订这种合同。 3) These planes were held back to protect the enemy's home islands instead of being used where they were badly needed.

这些飞机被留在后方保卫敌人本岛，未用于其它急需的地方。

（五）连接词

1) The guerrillas would fight to death before they surrendered. 游击队员宁愿战斗到死，而决不投降。

2) He'd rather be buried with it (a belt) under a mountain of rock than trust another bank! 他宁可和这条腰带一起被埋入石山下，也不愿再去信任一家银行了。 3) I will not go unless I hear from him. 如果他不通知我，我就不去。

（六）名词

1) This failure was the making of him. 这次不成功是他成功的基础。

2) By about six-thirty the sounds of aircraft, trucks and tanks had become quite familiar, but a series of small explosions nearby seemed cause for new anxiety.

大约到六点半，大家对飞机、卡车和坦克的声音已经很习以为常了。但是附近一些轻微的爆炸声似乎又造成了新的不安。

3) Within minutes the men came racing in with the two jeeps. They were all excited, so now I had to put on the calm act to prevent my worry from spreading.

几分钟后，那些人乘着两辆吉普回来了。他们都很激动，所以这时我得故作镇静以免我的不安心情影响他们。

（七）短语

1) The islanders found themselves far from ready to fight the war. 岛民发现自己远远没有做好作战准备。

2) Both sides thought that the peace proposal was one they could accept with dignity. 双方认为，那和平建议是一个他们可以接受而不失体面的建议。 3) We believe that the younger generation will prove worthy of our trust. 我们相信，年青一代将不会辜负我们的信任。

4) When Philip missed the last bus, he was at a loss to know what to do. 菲利普误了最后一班公共汽车，茫然不知该怎么办。

5) And there was much to excite a child's imagination: glimpses of the Pacific Ocean to the west, the San Bernardino Mountains to the north, a \"haunted house\" in the nearby foothills to be viewed with awe and approached with caution...

这里有许多可以激发孩子想象力的景象：西方朦胧的太平洋海面，北面的圣贝纳迪诺山脉，近处小山脚下那间今人望而生畏、不敢轻易走近的“凶宅”……

（八）句子

1) If it worked once, it can work twice. 一次得手，再次不愁。

2) He was 75, but he carried his years lightly. 他七十五岁了，可是并不显老。

3) My guess is as good as yours. 我的猜测并不比你的高明。 4) The decision has to come. 决定还没有做出。

二、英语从反面表达，译文从正面表达

（一）动词

英语中有些作反面表达的动词在译文中往往可以从正面表达，这并不困难，如demobilize“复员”；unfasten“解开”；displease“使人生气”，等等。

1) I rode around with him one day seeing how the ships unloaded. 一天我和他乘车转了一转，看看船如何卸货。

2) The man jumped over a neighbouring garden wall and disappeared among the crowds. 这个家伙从邻居的花园墙头上翻了出去，在人群中消失了。 3) The doubt was still unsolved after his repeated explanations. 虽经他一再解释，疑团仍然存在。

（二）副词

1) He carelessly glanced through the note and got away. 他马马虎虎地看了看那张便条就走了。

2) Many agreed that the Prime Minister had in effect resigned dishonorably. 许多人认为首相辞职实际上是很丢面子的。

3) Mr. Rumsfeld said the Soviet Union was unprecedentedly engaged in a missile-building programme.

拉姆斯菲尔德说，苏联正以空前的规模推行制造导弹的计划。

（三）形容词

1) He was an indecisive sort of person and always capricious. 他这个人优柔寡断，而且总是反复无常。 2) All the articles are untouchable in the museum. 博物馆内一切展品禁止触摸。

3) It was an unusual unit, set off by itself, flying an easily identifiable aircraft. 这是一支异乎寻常的，显得与众不同，乘的是很容易辨认的飞机。

4) Hitler's undisguised effort to persecute the Jews met with worldwide condemnation. 希特勒对犹太人的露骨行为受到全世界的谴责。

（四）名词

1) It was said that someone had sown discord among them. 据说有人在他们中间搞挑拨离间。

2) He manifested a strong dislike for his father's business. 他对他的父亲的行业表示强烈的厌恶情绪。

3) I watched with disbelief as a number was put on my right forearm — 82585. 当一个号码—82585刺在我右前臂时，我怀疑地看着。

（五）短语

1) Don't lose time in posting this letter. 赶快把这封信寄出去。

2) The examination left no doubt that the patient had died of cancer. 调查结果清清楚楚说明病人死于癌症。

3) Students, with no exception, are to hand in their papers this afternoon. 今天下午学生统统要交书面作业。

（六）句子

1) The significance of these incidents wasn't lost on us. 这些事件引起了我们的重视。

2) Such flights couldn't long escape notice. 这类飞行迟早会被人发觉的。

3) Ashurst saw at once that Phil was not all right. 艾舍斯特马上看到菲尔出了毛病。

词类转译法

在英译汉过程中，有些句子可以逐词对译，有些句子则由于英汉两种语言的表达方式不同，就不能用“一个萝卜一个坑”的方法来逐词对译。原文中有些词在译文中需要转换词类，才能使汉语译文通顺自然。词类转译的情况归纳起来有以下四种，现分两书介绍。

一、转译成动词

英语和汉语比较起来，汉语中动词用得比较多，这是一个特点。往往在英语句子中只用一个谓语动词，而在汉语中却可以几个动词或动词性结构连用。例如，在He admires the President's stated decision to fight for the job （他对总统声明为保住其职位而决心奋斗表示钦佩）中，英语的谓语动词只有admires一个词，其它用的是过去分词(stated)、动词派生名词 (decision)、不定式(to fight)和前置词(for)等。汉语没有词形变化，但可以几个动词连用。因此，英语中不少词类（尤其是名词、前置词、形容词、副词）在汉译时往往可以转译成动词。

（一）名词转译成动词

英语中大量由动词派生的名词和具有动作意义的名词以及其它名词往往可转译成汉语动词。

1. 由动词派生的名词转译成动词，在政论文体中出现比较多。

1) One after another, speakers called for the downfall of imperialism, abolition of exploitation of man by man, liberation of the oppressed of the world. 发言人一个接一个表示要帝国主义，要消灭人剥削人的制度，要世界上的被压迫人民。

2) Until 1972, all efforts by the two nations to curb the nuclear-arms race had foundered on one point: U.S. insistence on the right to make on-site inspections of the Soviet strategic arsenal and Russia's refusal.

到一九七二年为止，美苏之间关于核军备竞赛的一切努力都在这一点上失败了：美国坚持有权视察苏方战略武器现场，而苏联则拒绝这样做。

3) The 1967 UN document calls for the settlement of the Middle East conflict on the basis of Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories and Arab acknowledgement of Israeli's right to exist. 一九六七年联合国文件要求在以色列撤出所占的土地以及阿拉伯承认以色列的生存权利的基础上来解决中东冲突。

4) Rockets have found application for the exploration of the universe. 火箭已经用来探索宇宙。

2.含有动作意味的名词（在记叙、描写文体中出现较多）往往可以转译成动词。

1) The sight and sound of our jet planes filled me with special longing. 看到我们的喷气式飞机，听见隆隆的机声，令我特别神往。 2) As the week drew to a close, the enemy rout was complete. 一周快结束时，敌人彻底溃退了。

3) A glance through his office window offers a panoramic view of the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.

从他的办公室窗口可以一眼看到华盛顿纪念碑和林肯纪念馆的全景。

4) As I taxied over the muddy steel matting of the runway, I got a wave and a grin from my wingman Lt. Rex Barber.

当我驾驶着飞机在泥泞的钢垫跑道上滑行时，我的僚机驾驶员雷克思·巴伯中尉向我边笑边挥手。

3. 英语中有些加后缀-er的名词，如teacher教师，thinker思想家等等，有时在句中并不指其身份和职业，而是含有较强的动作意味。在汉语中没有恰当的对应名词时，往往可以译成动词。

1) I am afraid I can't teach you swimming. I think my little brother is a better teacher than I. 我未必会教你游泳。我想我的小弟弟比我教得好。

2) Talking with his son, the old man was the forgiver of the young man's past wrong doings. 在和儿子谈话时，老人宽恕了年青人过去所干的坏事。

3) Although he was always the \"background\" briefer on foreign policy issues, he could never by identified as anything other than \"a White House official\" or \"a high Administration source.\"

虽然外交问题的“背景情况”总是由他介绍，但他仍只能称为是“一位白宫”或“一位高级人士”。

上例中的teacher, forgiver, briefer如直译为“教师”、“宽恕者”和“汇报者”，既不符原文的含义，又不合乎汉语表达习惯，所以应该转译成动词。但She is a well-known singer一句中的“singer”确是指她的职业，所以只能译成名词：“她是一位著名的歌唱家”。而Some of my class-mates are good singers这一句中的singers则显然不是指他们的职业，所以还是应该译成动词：“我同班同学中有些人唱歌唱得很好”。

4. 作为习语主体的名词往往可转译成动词，如To have a rest和To have a good look at里的rest和look。

1) They took a final look at Iron Mike, still intact in the darkness. 他们最后看了铁麦克一眼—它依旧安然无恙地耸立在黑暗中。

2) The next news bulletin, shorter than usual, made no mention of the demonstration. 下一个新闻节目比通常短，没有提到。

3) A great cloud rose from the ground and followed the trail of the great sun. At first it was a giant column, which soon took the shape of a supramundane mushroom． For a fleeting instant it

took the (from) of the Statue of Liberty magnified many times. 一朵庞大的烟云随着一轮巨日从地面升起。它起初是个巨大的圆柱，很快形成了凌云驾空的大蘑菇，一瞬间又变成了一座扩大了许多倍的自由神象。

（二）前置词转译成动词

英语中前置词是用得相当多的，其中有些没有动作意味而仅表示时间、地点的前置词，汉译时往往可以省略（详见后面省略法一节）；但有许多含有动作意味的前置词，如across, past, toward等等，汉译时往往可以译成动词。

1) Party officials worked long hours on meagre food, in cold caves, by dim lamps. (A.L. Strong) 党的干部吃简陋的饮食，住寒冷的窑洞，靠微弱的灯光，长时间地工作。

2) \"Coming!\" Away she skimmed over the lawn, up the path, up the steps, across the veranda, and into the porch.

“来啦！”她转身蹦着跳着地跑了，超过草地，跑上小径，跨上台阶，穿过凉台，进了门廊。 3) I barreled straight ahead, across the harbour and out over the sea 我笔直向前高速飞行，越过港口，飞临海面。

4) Carlisle Street runs westward, across a great black bridge, down a hill and up again, by little shops and meat-markets, past single-storied homes, until suddenly it stops against a wide green lawn.

卡列斯尔大街往西伸展，越过一座黑色大桥，爬下山岗又爬了上去，经过许多小铺和肉市，又经过一些平房，然后突然冲着一大片绿色草地中止了。

（三）形容词转译成动词

英语中表示知觉、情欲、欲望等心理状态的形容词，在联系动词后作表语用时，往往可转译成汉语动词。常见的这类形容词有：

confident, certain, careful, cautious, angry, sure, ignorant, afraid, doubtful, aware, concerned, glad, delighted, sorry ashamed, thankful, anxious, grateful, able等。

1) Doctors have said that they are not sure they can save his life. 医生们说他们不敢肯定能否救得了他的命。

2) The fact that she was able to send a message was a hint. But I had to be cautious. 她能够给我带个信儿这件事就是个暗示。但是我必须小心谨慎。

3) Naturally the Nazi soldiers were more concerned with saving their own lives than with taking ours.

当然，纳粹士兵们对救他们自己的命，比起要我们的命，要关心得多了。

（四）副词转译成动词

1) As he ran out, he forgot to have his shoes on. 他跑出去时，忘记了穿鞋子。

2) Mr. Nixon had said repeatedly that the American war in Indochina would soon be over. 尼克松先生屡次声言，美国在印度支那的战争即将结束。 3) That day he was up before sunrise. 那天他在日出以前就起来了。

4) She opened the window to let fresh air in. 她把窗子打开，让新鲜空气进来。

二、转译成名词

（一）英语中很多由名词派生的动词，以及由名词转用的动词，在汉语中往往不易找到相应的动词，这时可将其转译成汉语名词。

1. 名词派生的动词

1) Formality has always characterized their relationship. 他们之间的关系，有一个特点，就是以礼相待。

2) As the war progressed, he would symbolize their frustrations, the embodiment of all evils. 随着战争的进行，他成了他们受挫的象征，成了一切坏事的化身。 3) To them, he personified the absolute power. 在他们看来，他就是绝对权威的化身。

2. 名词转用的动词

1) In the early dawn, the guard towers were silhouetted against the sky. 黎明时，天空映出了瞭望塔的轮廓。

2) Most U.S. spy satellites are designed to burn up in the earth's atmosphere after completing their missions.

美国绝大多数间谍卫星，按其设计，是在完成使命后，在大气层中焚毁。

3) Some of them were already planning to staff a Humphrey Administration in the event the Democratic candidate won an election.

他们中间有些人，已经在为民主党候选人一旦获胜后的汉弗莱计划人事安排。

（二）有些英语被动式句子中的动词，可以译成“受（遭）到……＋名词”、“予（加）以＋名词”这类结构。

1) Snow was treated very shabbily by the U.S. press and officialdom during this period, victimized for his views. 在这期间，受到了美国新闻界和政界极不公正的对待，由于他的观点，他受到了。 2) Throw a tennis ball on the floor. The ball bounces back. In the same way, when light falls on certain things it bounces back. When this happens, the light is said to be reflected.

将网球扔到地板上，球会弹回来。同样，光照到某些物体上时也会弹回来。这种情况叫做光受到反射。

3) Satellites, however, must be closely watched, for they are constantly being tugged at by the gravitational attraction of the sun, moon and earth.

由于经常受到太阳、月亮及地球引力的影响，卫星活动必须加以密切的观察。

4) Skirmishes between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots were silently witnessed, as was the heavy fighting between Lebanese troops and Moslem forces in 1958.

希腊族和土耳其族塞浦路斯人之间的小小交锋，和一九五八年黎巴嫩与穆斯林武装力量之间的鏖战一样，受到我们暗中的注意。

（三）形容词转译成名词

1. 英语中有些形容词加上定冠词表示某一类的人，汉译时常译成名词。

1) They did their best to help the sick and the wounded. 他们尽了最大的努力帮助病号和伤员。

2) Robin Hood and his merry men hated the rich and loved and protected the poor. 罗宾汉和他的伙伴们痛恨阔人，热爱并保护穷人。

3) SS guards the shoved each prisoner in the direction the doctor had indicated. Those who huddled pitifully together on the left were the old, the infirm, the ill, the very young. Judged unfit for work, they were being consigned to the gas chamber.

希特勒的党卫军按医生所指的方向把被监禁的人推过去。那些可怜地挤在左边的人都是些老、弱、病、幼者。他们被认为不适宜于干活，正被送到毒气室去处理。

2. 此外，根据情况还有些形容词可以译成名词。

1) Stevenson was eloquent and elegant—but soft.

史蒂文森有口才、有风度，但很软弱。 2) The Wilde family were religious. 王尔德全家都是虔诚的教徒。 3) They were considered insincere. 他们被人认为是伪君子。

三、转译成形容词

（一）形容词派生的名词往往可以转译成形容词。

1) The pallor of her face indicated clearly how she was feeling at the moment. 她苍白的脸色清楚地表明了她那时的情绪。

2) The security and warmth of the destroyer's sick bay were wonderful. 驱逐舰的病室很安全也很温暖，好极了。

3) He talked for some time with Bundy, and his questions reflected the enormity of his doubts. 他同邦迪谈了一会，他提出的问题反映出他有很大的怀疑。

（二）有些名词加不定冠词作表语时，往往可以转译成形容词。

1) The blockade was a success. 封锁很成功。

2) As he is a perfect stranger in the city, I hope you will give him the necessary help. 他对这城市完全陌生，所以我希望你能给他必要的帮助。 3) Independent thinking is an absolute necessity in study. 思考对学习是绝对必需的。

四、其它词类转译

（一）形容词与副词的互相转译

1. 英语名词译成汉语动词时，修饰该名词的形容词往往转译成汉语副词。

1) Occasionally a drizzle came down, and the intermittent flashes of lightning made us turn apprehensive glances toward Zero.

偶而下一点毛毛雨，断断续续的闪电使得我们不时忧虑地朝着零区方向望去。

2) We took brief, restless naps, struggled to understand the intermittent broadcasting of Radio Prague, ...

我们短短地、不安地睡了几次，竭力想听懂布拉格电台断断续续的广播……

3) It was a clear and unemotional exposition of the President's reasons for willing to begin a Chinese-American dialogue.

这篇发言清楚明白、心平气和地说明了总统希望开始中美对话的原因。

2. 英语动词译成汉语名词时，修饰该动词的副词往往转译成形容词。

1) The film \"Carve Her Name with Pride\" impressed him deeply. 《女英烈传》这部电影给了他深刻的印象。

2) He routinely radioed another agent on the ground. 他跟另一个地勤人员进行了例行的无线电联络。

3) The President had prepared meticulously for his journey. 总统为这次出访作了十分周密的准备。

3. 由于英汉两种语言表达方式不同，还有一些英语形容词可译为汉语副词。

1) This is sheer nonsense.

这完全是胡说。

2) Buckley was in a clear minority. 巴克利显然属于少数。

3) By dialing the right number, you may be able to select a play, golf lesson or lecture in physics, from a pretaped library in a remote city, for showing on your home screen. 只要拔对了号码，你就可以在家里电视机上选看到由远方城市一座图书馆发出的预先录制的一出戏、一堂打高尔夫球的讲课，或者一次物理学讲演。

（二）名词与副词的互相转译

1. 名词转译成副词

1) When he catches a glimpse of a potential antagonist, his instinct is to win him over with charm and humor.

只要一发现有可能反对他的人，他就本能地要用他的魅力和风趣将这个争取过来。

2) About this time, our Party began to meet with a series of disasters, the substance of which was a continuing attack by ruthless imperialism upon the Party. (W.Z. Foster) 大约就在这个时候，我们党开始遭到一连串的灾难，这些灾难实质上就是残酷的帝国主义对党进行了不断的打击。

3) The new mayor earned some appreciation by the courtesy of coming to visit the city poor. 新有礼貌地前来访问城市贫民，获得了他们的一些好感。

2. 副词转译成名词

1) They have not done so well ideologically, however, as organizationally. 但是，他们的思想工作没有他们的组织工作做得好。

2) Tact must be used in requesting permission; and unless it is given willingly and cordially, the patrol shall not be landed.

征求同意，应注意方式方法；同意如果不是出于自愿真诚，巡逻队就不得登陆。 3) He is physically weak but mentally sound. 他身体虽弱，但思想健康。

重复法

重复法实际上也是一种增词法，只不过所增加的词是上文刚刚出现过的词。翻译和写作一样，本应力求简练，尽量省略一些可有可无的词；但有时为了明确、强调或生动，却往往需要将一些关键性的词加以重复。

一、为了明确

（一）重复名词

1. 重复英语中作宾语的名词

1) Let us revise our safety and sanitary regulations. 我们来修订安全规则和卫生规则吧。

2) I had experienced oxygen and / or engine trouble.

我曾碰到过，不是氧气设备出故障，就是引擎出故障，或两者都出故障。 3) They began to study and analyze the situation of the enemy. 他们开始研究敌情，分析敌情。

4) Thus, I wrote \"Spain in Arms, 1937\" and saw China in revolution in 1925-27, and later in war with Japan.

这样，我就写了《战斗中的西班牙（一九三七年）》。我也看到了一九二五年至一九二七年正在的中国，后来又看到了正同日本作战的中国。

2. 重复英语中作表语的名词

1) He became an (oil baron)—all by himself.

他成为一个石油大王—一个白手起家的石油大王。 2) This has been our position—but not theirs. 这一直是我们的立场—而不是他们的立场。 3) John is your friend as much as he is mine. 约翰既是你的朋友，又是我的朋友。

3. 重复英语前置词短语前所省略的名词

英语中常重复使用前置词，而将第二个、第三个前置词前的名词省略，翻译时则往往要把此名词重复。

1) The doctor will get more practice out of me than out of seventeen hundred ordinary patients. 医生从我身上得到的实践，会比从一千七百个普通病人身上得到的实践还多。

2) The story of Jurgis is a story of groans and tears, of poor human beings destfoyed by the capitalist industrial machine.

尤吉斯的故事是一篇充满呻吟和泪水的故事，是资本主义工业机器摧残不幸的人们的故事。

3) We see, therefore, how the modern bourgeoisie is itself the product of a long course of development, of a series of revolutions in the modes of production and of exchange. 由此可见，现代资产阶级本身是一个长期发展过程的产物，是生产方式和交换方式的一系列变革的产物。

4. 重复英语中作先行词的名词

英语定语从句常用关系词引导，它一方面代表定语从句所修饰的那个先行词（名词或代词），一方面在从句中担任一个成分。汉语中没有关系词，往往需要重复这个作先行词的名词。

1) May I extend my heartiest congratulations to the great Chinese people and its Communist Party, through you, for the glowing success of your tremendous revolution, which is now inspiring the world.

让我通过您最衷心祝贺伟大的中国人民及其党，祝贺你们的巨大的辉煌胜利，这个胜利正在鼓舞着全世界。

2) They have staged demonstrations and sit-ins and distributed petitions which inevitably find their way to foreign correspondents posted in Moscow. 他们举行了示威和静坐，散发了书，而这些书必定会传到驻莫斯科的外国记者手中。

3) The little apprentice in particular lived in terror of the boss, who had borne down on him so often and so hard that there was little left.

小学徒对老板尤其怕得要死，老板经常整他而且整得很重，简直把他整瘪了。

英语中的同位语，在译文中有时也可以重复先行词。

1) The President announced, with obvious relish, that the planes took off from \"Shangri-la\" the fictional, remote retreat in the Himalayas.

这位总统洋洋得意地宣称，这批飞机是从“香格里拉”起飞的，而“香格里拉”是一个虚构的喜马拉雅山中的世外桃园。

2) All of these arrangements were a prelude to the ball, the hostess' ultimate prize. 所有这些安排都只是这次舞会的序曲，舞会才是女主人的最终目的。 3) Water can be decomposed by energy, a current of electricity.

水可由能量来分解，所谓能量也就是电流。

4) No one dared to walk out of Johnson's Administration, because they knew if they did, (two men) were going to follow their ass to the end of the earth, Mr. J. Edger Hoover and the head of the Internal Revenue Service.

没有人敢向约翰逊辞职。因为他们知道，要是谁胆敢这样做，就会有两个人在他们屁股后面跟到天涯海角，这两个人便是埃德加·胡佛先生和国内税务局。 （二）重复动词

1. 英语句子常用一个动词连接几个宾语或表语，在译文中往往要重复这个动词。

1. Is he a friend or an enemy? 他是个朋友呢，还是个仇人？

2) The blow hurt not only his hands but his shoulder too. 这一下不仅震痛了他的手，也震痛了他的肩膀。 3) For a good ten minutes, he cursed me and my brother. 足足有十分钟之久，他既骂我，又骂我的兄弟。

4) Chairman Mao is an activist, a prime mover, an originator and master of strategy achieved by alternating surprise, tension and easement. (Edgar Snow)

毛是一位活动家，是原动力，是创始者，是交替运用出其不意、紧张和松弛而取得成就的战略大师。

5) They covered the 19th century foreign intervention in China, Mao's Long March in the mid-1930s, the French and American revolutions. 他们谈到十九世纪外国对中国的干涉，谈到在三十年代中期的长征，还谈到法国和美国。

2. 英语句子中动词后有前置词时，在第二次第三次往往只用前置词而省略动词，在译文中则要重复动词以代替英语中重复的前置词。

1) We talked of ourselves, of our prospects, of the journey, of the weather, of each other — of everything but our host and hostess.

我们谈到自己，谈到前途，谈到旅程，谈到天气，谈到彼此的情况—谈到一切，只是不谈我们的男女主人。

2) And the body lay white and still beneath the pines, all bathed in sunshine and in blood. 这具尸体苍白而安静地躺在松树下，浴于阳光中，浴于血泊中。

3) He no longer dreamed of storms, nor of great occurrences, nor of great fish, nor fights, nor contests of strength.

他不再梦见风涛，不再梦见惊人的遭遇，也不再梦见大鱼、搏斗和角力。

4) He supplied his works not only with biographies, but with portraits of their supposed authors. 他不仅在他的作品上提供作者传记，而且还提供假想作者的画像。

，英语中连前置词也省略了，但译文中仍可以重复动词。

1) But his wife kept dinning in his ears about his idleness, his carelessness, and the ruin he was bringing on his family.

可是他老婆不断地在他耳朵边唠叨个没完，说他懒惰，说他粗心，并且说他的一家人都要毁在他的身上。

2) They wanted to determine if he complied with the terms of his employment and his obligations as an American.

他们想要确定，他是否履行了受雇条件，是否履行了作为美国公民所应尽的职责。

3) But they did not show it and they spoke politely about the current and the depths they had drifted their lines at and the steady good weather and of what they had seen. 但是他们并没有把感情流露出来，只是斯斯文文地讲起海流，讲起他们把钓丝送进海水的深度，讲起好久不变的好天气，还讲起他们所看到的一切。

（三）重复代词

1. 英语中用代词的地方，翻译时往往可按汉语习惯重复其所代替的名词。

1) Jesse opened his eyes. They were filled with tears. 杰西睁开眼睛，眼里充满了泪水。

2) In China, they \"made mistakes\suffered by them, acknowledged and studied them, thus planned victory.

在中国，他们“犯过错误”，吃过错误的亏，承认错误，研究错误，从而制定了胜利的方针。 3) He hated failure; he had conquered it all his life, risen above it, despised it in others. 他讨厌失败，他一生中曾战胜失败，超越失败，并且藐视人的失败。

4) Suddenly Sakamoto spotted the ship, she was like a sitting duck at dockside. He couldn't wait to get to her.

突然间坂本发现了那条船。那条船在码头边象个死靶子。坂本迫不及待地冲了上去。 5) The change of Taylor was that of a key man in the key slot — something that symbolized the gradual transformation of the other players.

泰勒的转变是一个把守重要关口的关键人物的转变，他的转变象征着其他参与者也在逐渐转变。

6) Stephen made a bow. Not a servile one — he will never do that.

斯梯芬鞠了一个躬。这不是一种卑躬屈膝的鞠躬—他决不会那样做。

2. 英语中用物主代词it's, his, their等等以代替句中作主语的名词（有时附有修饰语）时，翻译时往往可以不用代词而重复其作主语的名词（有时附有修饰语），以达到明确具体的目的。

1) Happy families also had their own troubles. 幸福的家庭也有幸福家庭的苦恼。

2) Big powers have their strategies while small countries also have their own lines. 强国有强国的策略，小国也有小国的路线。 3) Each country has its own customs. 各国有各国的风俗。

3. 英语中强势关系代词或强势关系副词。whoever, whenever, wherever等等，翻译时往往使用重复法处理。

1) Whoever violates the disciplines should be criticized. 谁犯了纪律，谁就应该受到批评。

2) Come to my office and have a talk with me whenever you are free. 你什么时候有空，就什么时候到我办公室来谈一谈。

3) Wherever severe oppression existed, there would be revolution. 哪里有残酷的压迫，哪里就有。

4) You may borrow whichever novel in my bookcase you like best. 我书架上的小说你最爱哪一本，你就可以借哪一本。

4. 英语用some...and others... (some ..., others ...)连用的句子，译成汉语时主语往往是谓语重复形式的“的”字结构，有时也可以用“有的……，有的……”句式。

1) Some have entered college and others have gone to the countryside. 上大学的，上大学了，下乡的，下乡了。（=有的上大学了，有的下乡了。）

2) On Sunday afternoon, some reviewed their lessons, and others helped the cooks in their work.

星期日下午，复习功课的复习功课，帮厨的帮厨。（=星期日下午，有的复习功课，有的帮厨。）

3) Some played soccer and others played basketball.

踢足球的，踢足球去了，打篮球的，打篮球去了。（=有的踢足球去了，有的打篮球去了。）

为了使译文明确具体，除了上面谈到的一些重复手段外，还有一种情况：英语原文没有重复，汉译时采用一种在内容上而不是在形式上的重复的手段：

1) He wanted to send them more aid, more weapons and a few more men. 他想给他们增加些援助，增添些武器，增派些人员。

原文中动词send没有重复，译文中用“增加”、“增添”、“增派”等三个不同形式重复同一个内容。

2) In the Soviet Union there had been no radio, TV, or press mention of either Abel's arrest or conviction.

苏联对于艾贝尔的被俘或判刑既没有电台广播，也没有上电视节目，在报刊上也没有发表。 原文中名词mention没有重复，译文却以“广播”、“上节目”、和“发表”三种不同形式重复同一个内容。

3) Our reception in China, he would tell people, \"was enormously gracious and polite\"; we were treated \"extraordinarily well,\" the talks were \"very businesslike, very precise, no rhetoric on either side.\"

他逢人便说，中国接待我们“非常周到，客气极了”；给我们的待遇“好得不得了”；会谈“非常务实，非常明确，双方都不说空话”。 原文中副词enormously没有重复，译文以副词“非常”、“极了”两种不同形式重复同一个内容。

4) To him, the birds sang, the squirrel chattered and the flowers bloomed. 鸟儿向他歌唱，松鼠对他叽咕，花儿也为他开放。

原文中前置词to没有重复，译文却以“向”、“对”、“为”三个不同介词重复同一个内容。 5) He was proficient both as a flyer and as a navigator. 他既精于飞行，又善于导航。

原文中形容词proficient没有重复，译文却以“精于”、“善于”两个不同形式重复同一个内容。

二、为了强调

为了强调，英语句子中往往重复关键性的词，以使读者留下深刻的印象，英译汉时往往可以采用同样的重复手段。

（一）英语原文中有词的重复，译成汉语有时可以保持同样的词的重复。

1) He wandered about in the chill rain, thinking and thinking, brooding and brooding. 他在凄雨中荡来荡去，想了又想，盘算了又盘算。

2) Gentlemen may cry peace, peace — but there is no peace. 先生们尽管可以高喊和平，和平！但是依然没有和平。

3) He demanded total loyalty, not loyalty in the traditional sense, not positive loyalty, but total loyalty, not just to office or party, or concept, but loyalty first and foremost to Lyndon Johnson. 他要求的是绝对忠诚，不是传统意义的忠诚，也不是一般的忠诚，而是绝对的忠诚，不只是对职务、政党或观念的忠诚，而是首先对约翰逊的忠诚。

4) Prominent among the most prominent upon the most prominent shelf were series of splendidly bound volumes entitled \"Skinner's Works.\"

在那个最显眼的书架上最显眼的书籍中显眼的几卷就是精装的名叫《史金纳全集》的一套书。

5) \"They had to stand there in that heat, watching me go in, come out, come out, go in and never saying anything.\"

“他们在那大热天里站着，一言不发，眼巴巴看我进去出来，出来进去。” 6) Blood must atone for blood. 血债要用血来还。

此外，英语对仗句的前后两部分中往往有词的重复，译成汉语时对仗句一般可以保持同样的词的重复。

1) Eye for eye, tooth for tooth. 以眼还眼，以牙还牙。 2) Out of sight, out of mind. 眼不见，心不念。

（二）英语原文中有词的重复，译成汉语有时可以用同义词重复之。

1) They would read and re-read the secret notes. 他们往往一遍又一遍地反复琢磨这些密件。

2) \"I know you hate me and I hate you, we had better part right now.\" “我知道你恨我，我也嫌你，咱们最好即刻就分子吧。”

3) Every change of season, every change of weather, every hour of the day produces some change in the magical hues and shape of these mountains; and they are regarded by all good wives, far and near, as perfect barometers.

季节的每一更迭，气候的每一转变，乃至一天中的每一小时，都给这些山峦的奇幻色彩和形态带来变化，远近的主妇都把这些看作是准确的晴雨表。

三、为了生动

英语原文中即使没有词的重复，翻译时为了使译文生动，有时也可以采用下列各种重复手段。

（－）运用两个四字词组

汉语中有大量四字词组，这是汉语的一大特点。四字词组比较精炼，念起来顺口，有节奏感，如运用恰当，可使文字生动活泼，增强修辞效果。为了使译文符合忠实、通顺的标准，译者有时可酌情运用两个同义或近义的四字词组，这也可以说是一种重复。

1) But there had been too much publicity about my case. 但我的事现在已经搞得满城风雨，人人皆知了。 2) The streets were overrun by Hitler's bullies.

那时希特勒的暴徒在街上横行霸道，无恶不作。 3) Target priorities were established there.

目标的轻重缓急，孰先孰后，是在那里决定的。

（二）运用词的重迭

词的重迭是汉语中常用的一种修辞手段。古代诗词中有很多这类例子，如：“青青河畔草，郁郁园中柳”、“年年岁岁花相似，岁岁年年人不同”、“寻寻觅觅，冷冷清清，凄凄惨惨戚戚”等等。在散文中也可经常见到词的重迭运用，如“清楚”‟往往说成“清清楚楚”，“明白“往往说成“明明白白”。英译汉时，我们可适当采用词的重迭，特别是四字重迭词组，使译文生动活泼，通顺达意。

1) I had been completely honest in my replies, withholding nothing. 我的回答完全是坦坦荡荡，直言无隐。

2) His children, too, were as ragged and wild as if they belonged to nobody. 他的那些孩子，也是穿得破破烂烂，粗野不堪，就象没有父母似的。

3) Only a very slight and very scattering ripples of half-hearted hand-clapping greeted him. 欢迎他的只有几下轻轻的、零零落落、冷冷淡淡的掌声。

4) with his tardiness, carelessness and appalling good humor, we were sore perplexed. 他老是磨磨蹭蹭，马马虎虎，脾气又好得惊人，我们都对他毫无办法。

（三）运用四字对偶词组

汉语中有不少四字对偶词组，在这个四字中前后两对字形成对偶，往往具有相同或类似的含义，所以也是一种重复。英译汉时我们可酌情采用此类对偶四字词组，使译文显得生动活泼。

great contributions 丰功伟绩 gratitude 感恩戴德 ingratitude 忘恩负义 prosperity 繁荣昌盛

eternal glory to 永垂不朽 vivid 生动活泼 hesitate 彷徨犹豫 arrogance 骄傲自大 grotesque 奇形怪状 careless 粗心大意 in chaos 乌烟瘴气 street gossip 街谈巷议 rumours 流言蜚语

1) I was admittedly shy. 我是以腼腆胆怯著称的。

2) It was a bright September afternoon, and the streets of New York were brilliant with moving men.

这是九月的一个晴朗的下午，纽约的大街上，人来人往，五光十色。 3) Whatever initial worries we had about the plane soon vanished.

不管开始时我们对这架飞机有什么不放心，这种顾虑不久就烟消云散了。 4) If this was a time of triumph for the many, it was a painful period for the few. 多数人兴高采烈之日，却是少数人伤心失意之时。

5) He sat there and watched them, so changelessly changing, so bright and dark, so grave and gay.

他坐在那儿注视着，觉得眼前的景象，既是始终如一，又是变化多端，既是光彩夺目，又是朦胧黑暗，既是庄严肃穆，又是轻松愉快。

省略法

省略是指原文中有些词在译文中不译出来，因为译文中虽无其词而已有其意，或者在译文中是不言而喻的。换言之，省略是删去一些可有可无的，或者有了反嫌累赘或违背译文语言习惯的词。但省略并不是把原文的某些思想内容删去。现从语法角度和修辞角度分别举例探讨省略法：

一、从语法角度来看

（一）省代词

1. 省略作主语的人称代词

(1) 根据汉语习惯，前句出现一个主语，后句如仍为同一主语，就不必重复出现。英语中通常每句都有主语，因此人称代词作主语往往多次出现，这种人称代词汉译时常常可以省略。

1) He was thin and haggard and he looked miserable.

他消瘦而憔悴，（……）看上去一副可怜相。

2) But it's the way I am, and try as I might, I haven't been able to change it. 但我就是这个脾气，（……）虽然几经努力，（……）却未能改变过来。

3) They had ground him beneath their heel, they had taken the best of him, they had murdered his father, they had broken and wrecked his wife, they had crushed his whold family. 他们把他踩在脚底下，压得粉碎，他们榨干了他的精髓，（……）害死了他的父亲，（……）摧残了他的妻子，（……）毁了他的全家。

4) Laura wished now that she was not holding that piece of bread-and-butter, but there was nowhere to put it and she couldn't possibly throw it away.

这时劳拉宁愿（……）手里没有这块涂上黄油的面包，拿着又没有地方放，（……）又不可能扔掉。

(2) 泛指的英语人称代词作主语时，即使是作第一个主语，译文中往往也可以省略。

1) We live and learn.

（……）活到老，学到老。 2) You can never tell. （……）很难说。

3) Everywhere you can find new types of men and objects in New China. 新中国（……）处处可以看到新人、新事物。

4) Even as the doctor was recommending rest, he knew that this in itself was not enough, that one could never get real rest without a peaceful mind.

医生尽管建议休息，他也知道休息本身是不够的，如果心情不平静，（……）是休息不好的。

5) All those years in the military, where there were certain standards and rules; where young men treated their superiors with respect; where you gave an order and it was obeyed; where a uniform meant you were all on the same side.

多年来的生涯，那里总是有一定的标准和规则；年轻人尊敬上级；（……）发出命令，人人遵守；同样的制服就意味着（……）站在同一边。

2. 省略作宾语的代词

英语中有些作宾语的代词，不管前面是否提到过，翻译时往往可以省略。

1) The more he tried to hide his warts, the more he revealed them. 他越是要掩盖他的烂疮疤，就越是会暴露（……）。

2) She laid her hand lightly on his arm as if to thank him for it. 她轻轻地把手放在他的胳膊上，好象表示感谢（……）。

3) In fact, Hitler's \"blitz\" carried him so far, to the very gate of Leningrad by September, a city he was never to seize.

事实上希特勒所进行的“闪电战”曾（……）深入苏境，九月份已直通列宁格勒—一座他始终未能攻陷的城市。

3. 省略物主代词

英语中的物主代词，汉译时往往可以省略，例如I wash my face in the morning, 汉语只需说“我早上洗脸”，而不必说“我早上洗我的脸”。

1) So the train came, he pinched his little sister lovingly, and put his great arms about his mother's neck and then was away.

于是火车来了，他爱抚他捏了一下（……）小妹妹，用（……）两条巨大的胳膊搂了一下（……）母亲的脖子，然后就走了。

2) She went, with her neat figure, and her sober womanly step, down the dark street.

她顺着黑暗的街道走去，显出（……）利落匀称的身材，迈着（……）端庄的女人的步子。

3) She felt the flowers were in her fingers, on her lips, growing in her breast. 她觉得（……）手里和（……）唇上都是花儿，（……）胸中也生长着花儿。 4) He shrugged his shoulders, shook his head, cast up his eyes, but said nothing. 他耸耸（……）肩，摇摇（……）头，（……）两眼看天，一句话不说。

（二）省略非人称的或强势句中的it

it也是一种代词，但这里主要是讲它的两种特殊用法，即非人称用和强调用。英语中这样用的it，汉译时往往可以省略不译。

1. 非人称用it

1) Outside it was pitch dark and it was raining cats and dogs. 外面一团漆黑，大雨倾盆。

2) He glanced at his watch; it was 7:15. 他一看表，是七点一刻了。

3) It was just growing dark, as she shut the garden gate. 她关上园门时，已是暮色苍茫了。

2. 强势用it

1) It was only then that I began to have doubts whether my story would ever be told. 只是在这个时候，我才开始怀疑，我的经历究竟能不能公诸于众呢！ 2) It was with some difficulty that he found the way to his own house. 他费了不少劲才找到了回家的路。

3) Peter has always enjoyed claiming that it was he and not George, who was the first to reach the summit of the mountain.

彼得一直津津乐道的是，第一个到达山顶的实际上并不是乔治，而是他自己。

（三）省略连接词

汉语词语之间连接词用得不多，其上下逻辑关系常常是暗含的，由词语的次序来表示。英语则不然，连接词用得比较多。因此，英译汉时在很多情况下可不必把连接词译出来。

1. 省略并列连接词

1) He looked gloomy and troubled. 他看上去有些忧愁不安。

2) Despite the privation, and the mounting toll of dead and wounded, however, morale remained intact, and people still smile in the street.

尽管供应不足，伤亡增加，然而士气并未受到影响。街上，人们照常脸有笑容。

3) He considered it (National Security Council) too large and bulky and thus too leaky, too many people who talked too much.

他认为委员会机构太庞大，人多嘴杂，容易泄密。

4) Your son or your father or your wife or your cousin or your best friend or your boss or your secretary might be an informer for Heydrich's organization...

你的儿子，你的父亲，你的妻子，你的表亲，你的好友，你的上司，你的秘书，都可能是海德里希的组织的告密者……

2. 省略从属连接词

(1) 省略表示原因的连接词

英语因果句中一般用连接词表示原因，而汉语则往往通过词序先后来表示因果关系，“因”在前，“果”在后。因此，英译汉时往往可以把原文中这种连接词省掉不译。

1) We knew spring was coming as because we had seen a robin. 我们看见了一只知更鸟，知道春天快要到了。

2) He declined to amplify on the President's statement, since he had not read the text. 他没有看到总统讲话的文本，不愿加以发挥。

3) Because the departure was not easy, we made it brief. 告别这件事难受得很，我们就作得简短一些。

（2）省略表示条件的连接词

表示条件的连接词if，一般译为“假如”、“如果”等，但在日常口语体或文言文结构中，往往可以省略不详。

1) If winter comes, can spring be far behind? 冬天来了，春天还会远吗？

2) If I had known it, I would not have joined in it. 早知如此，我就不参加了。

3) If a spot turned hot, we'd overfly it frequently.

哪个地方乱子激化了，我们就频频飞临该地上空。

4) \"You've got to be careful of these Eastern lawyers. If you are not careful, they'll take you and turn you inside out.\"

“对这些东部的律师可得提防。一不小心，他们就会抓着你，把你整得够呛！”

(3)省略表示时间的连接词

表示时间关系的when和as等，汉译时一般用“当……时”，或仅用“时”。但如汉语时间先后次序明显，为了简略起见，“当……时”或„时”往往可以省略。

1) John rose gloomily as the train stopped, for he was thinking of his ailing mother. 火车停了，约翰郁郁地站了起来，因为他想起了病中的母亲。

2) When at last he stood upon the bluff, he turned to his little sister and looked upon her sorrowfully.

最后他站到了悬崖上，转过身来，忧郁地看着他的妹妹。

3) He stood there, handsome, reserved — somehow those four stars seemed visible even when he was in civvies.

他站在那里，漂亮而矜持，他穿着便服，然而他那上将的四颗星似乎隐约可见。

4) At long last, on June 6, 1944, after the European war was basically decided and Hitler licked, the allies launched their long-delayed western front.

一九四四年六月六日，欧洲战局基本已见分晓，希特勒败局已定，盟军才终于迟迟开辟了西线战场。

（四）省略冠词

英语有冠词，汉语没有冠词；因此，英译汉时往往可将冠词省略。

1) A teacher should have patience in his work. 当教员的应当有耐心。（省略表示类别的不定冠词A） 2) The horse is a useful animal. 马是有益的动物。（省略表示类别的定冠词The） 3) The moon was slowly rising above the sea. 月亮慢慢从海上升起。（省略表示独一无二的事物的定冠词The） 4) The proletariat and the peasantry must unite! 无产阶级和农民阶级必须联合起来！（省略表示阶级的定冠词The） 5) The girl standing at the window is his sister.

站在窗口的（那个）姑娘是他妹妹。（这里girl后面有定语，定冠词The汉译时可省，可不省）

英译汉时，省略原文中的冠词是一般情况。但在某些场合，冠词却不能省略，例如： 1) He left without saying a word.

他一句话不说就走了。 （不定冠词a或an指“一”时，不能省） 2) Egbert said he was getting a dollar a mile.

埃格伯特说，他（开车）每开一英里就赚一块钱。 （不定冠词a或an指“每一”，不能省） 3) The children are of an age. 这些孩子们都是同岁的。

（不定冠词a或an指“一”，不能省）

4) The onlookers saw the little party climb ashore. 看的人只见那一小队人爬上岸去。

（定冠词the强调“这”、“那”时，也不宜省） （五）省略前置词

一般说来，表示时间和地点的英语前置词，译成汉语如出现在句首，大都可以省略，出现在句尾大都不省略。

1. 省略表示时间的前置词

1) The People's Republic of China was founded in 1949. 一九四九年中华人民共和国成立。

比较：中华人民共和国成立于一九四九年。

（前置词译成汉语在句首时可以省略，在句尾就没有省略） 2) In July, 1956, Egypt had seized the Suez Canal. 一九五六年七月，埃及占领了苏伊士运河。

（英语前置词in译成汉语因在句首，可以省略）

3) The mother sub was cruising near Wake Island on December 2 when we heard hostilities were to begin December 7.

十二月二日我们的母艇正在威克岛附近巡航，这时我们听说战争要在十二月七日打起来。 （December 2前面有前置词on，译成汉语因在句首，可以省略，December 7前面的前置词on虽省略了，译成汉语因在句尾，没有省）

2. 省略表示地点的前置词

1) Smoking is prohibited in public places. 公共场所不准吸烟。

2) Now complaints are heard in all parts of that country. 该国各地目前怨声载道。

3) Rumours had already spread along the streets and lanes. 大街小巷早就传遍了各种流言蜚语。

表示地点的英语前置词在译文句首往往可以省略，但放在动词后面却一般不省略，如：

1) He stood by the desk. 他站在桌旁。

2) She hid behind the door. 她躲在门背后。

3) I stayed in my brother's house. 我住在弟弟家里。

汉语文言文中表示地点的介词在动词后面时，一般也不省略，如，“鱼跃于渊”(Fish jump in the deep pond)。但在诗词中，则又常常省略，如，“鱼翔浅底”(Fish glide in the limpid deep)；又如，“两个黄鹂鸣翠柳”。中的“鸣翠柳”显然是“鸣于翠柳”(...were ing among the green willows)，但由于七言字数的，介词“于”也就省略了。

二、从修辞角度来看

（一）英语句子中有些短语重复出现，英译汉时可按情况作适当省略。

1) University applicants who had worked at a job would receive preference over those who had not.

报考大学的人，有工作经验的优先录取。

如果不作省略，译成“报考大学的人，有工作经验的，比没有工作经验的，优先录取”，就显得噜嗦。

2) Instead of one old woman knocking me about and starving me, everybody of all ages knocked me about and starved me.

那时打我并且使我挨饿的不只是一个老太婆，而是老老少少各式各样的人。

如果译成“那时不是一个老太婆打我并且使我挨饿，而是老老少少各式各样的人打我并且使我挨饿”，就不够精炼。

3) She curtseyed again, and would have blushed deeper, if she could have blushed deeper than she had blushed all the time.

她又行了一个屈膝礼，因为她的脸一直是涨得绯红的，所以现在也不可能涨得更红了。 此句如果译成“……如果她能比她一直涨得绯红的脸涨得更红，她就会涨得更红了”，叠床架屋，就显得非常噜嗦。

（二）根据汉语习惯，译文中可以省略一些可有可无的词。

1) They could be adapted to the waging of people's war of liberation but were rather useless in an anti-people's war.

它们（这些著述）可以用之于人民的战争，但对反人民的战争是无用的。

此句如果译成“……可以用之于进行人民的战争……”就嫌累赘，省去“进行”，无损原意，反觉自然。

2) In twelve Yenan years the Chinese Communists had fitted themselves to the land, the rhythm of its seasons, the mood of its peasants.

十二年的延安岁月，中国党人已经适应了当地的风土和季节，也适应了农民的气质。 这里如把the rhythm of its seasons译成季节的“循环”就不符汉语的搭配关系，省去“循环”无损原意。

3) There was still the faith that ordinary men are greater than the powers of nature or the mechanisms of man's hands and will master them all in the end. 仍然具有这种信念，普通的人要比自然的力量或人类造出来的机器更伟大，而且最终会控制它们。

这里，the mechanisms of man's hands不必译为“人类的手造出来的机器”。

4) As scheduled, American and Chinese diplomats met on January 20, at the Chinese Embassy. It was their first get-together in more than two years.

美中两国外交官按照预定计划于一月二十日在（波兰）中国大使馆会晤。这是两年多来第一次。

这里，上句已提到“会晤”，所以下句get-together就可以省略不译了。 5) There was no snow, the leaves were gone from the trees, the grass was dead. 天未下雪，但叶落草枯。

如果不省略而译成“……树叶从树上落下来，草也枯死了”，就远不如“……叶落草枯”简明洗炼。

增词

译文不能对原文的意思任意增加或减少，这是从事翻译必须遵守的一项基本要求，但这并不是说译文在文字上不能有任何增减。有时，为了确切、充分地表达原意，或为使译文生动、通顺，符合汉语习惯，往往需要在译文里做必要的文字上的增补或省略。

2.1 根据汉语的表达习惯，增加原文语义上有而形式上无的成分

例1. A bit of knowledge kept me from making a big mistake when an important question was to be decided.

因为多少有些知识，所以我在决定重要问题时还没有犯大错。 【评析】句中主语含有原因意味，故译为汉语的因果句。

例2. A careful comparison of them will show you the difference. 如果你仔细比较一下，就会发现不同之处。

【评析】句中主语含有条件意味，故译为汉语的条件句。

例3. If a student goes to university to acquire a broader perspective of life, to enlarge his ideas and to learn to think for himself, he will undoubtedly benefit. 如果一个学生进大学是为了获得一个更广阔的生活前景，为了扩大思想境界和学会思考，那么毫无疑问，进大学对他是有好处的。

例4. So teaching gives me pace, and variety, and challenge, and the opportunity to keep on learning.

所以说，教学使我的工作有了节奏，生活变得丰富多彩，教学向我提出了挑战，使我有了不断学习的机会。

例5. Nuclear radiation has a certain mystery about it, partly because it cannot be detected by human senses.

核辐射这种现象多少有点神秘，其部分原因是人类器官无法觉察到它的存在。 例6. Over dusty foot trails and muddy creeks, under hot suns and cold rains, through green valleys and windy wastelands, said grandma Yaisa, they had trekked southward from Mauritania.

雅伊沙奶奶说，他们从毛里塔尼亚出发，走过尘土飞扬的山路和泥泞的小溪，经受着烈日的曝晒和冷雨浇淋，穿过青翠的山谷和朔风怒号的荒原，艰苦跋涉，走向南方。

例7. To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring.

充满兴味地置身于季节的变化比无望地苦恋春天更让人心情惬意。 例8. Mama, please, please, please, please, don't you weep. 妈妈，请您，求您，求求您了，千万别哭。

【评析】原文一共用了四个please，尽管是同一词，但在意义上是递进的，即“我”对“妈”提出了恳求，一声紧似一声，恳切之情溢于言表。译文使用增词法译为“请您”、“求您”、“求求您了”、“千万”，把四个please的语义内涵全部译出而无增饰过分之感。

2.2 增加原文省略而译文不能省略的词

例1. Some motions appear to be very simple; others very complicated. 有些运动看起来很简单，有些运动看起来则很复杂。 例2. We won't retreat; we never have and never will. 我们不后退，我们从来没后退过，将来也决不后退。

例3. As we all know, all matter consists of molecules, and molecules of atoms. 众所周知，所有的物质都是由分子组成的，而分子则是由原子组成的。

例4. Courage in excess becomes foolhardiness, affection weakness, and thrift avarice.

勇敢过度，即成蛮勇；感情过度，即成溺爱；俭约过度，即成贪婪。

例5. In fact, we have quite as much to learn from them as they from us, but there

is far less chance of our learning it.

实际上，我们有许多东西要向他们学习，正如他们有许多东西要向我们学习一样，只不过我们跟他们学的机会少得多罢了。

例6. The reader of the translated text should respond substantially in the same manner as the reader of original text.

译文读者对译文所做出的反应与原文读者对原文所做出的反应应该基本一致。

此外，有些英文句子貌似省略句，实际上什么句子成份也没有省，但若直接译成汉语，译文就不清楚，必须按照汉语的习惯表达方法增词。

例7. Which do you like better: grammar or translation exercises? 你喜欢语法练习，还是翻译练习?

【评析】英文句中grammar与translation二词共用后面的exercises，这是英语的一种习惯表达方法。但译成汉语，“语法和翻译”则不能共用“练习”一词，必须在“语法”之后增补“练习”一词。

例8. He has written several articles and books on high-energy physics. 他写了几篇文章和几本书，都是关于高能物理的。

【评析】英文句中on high energy physics既能修饰books也修饰articles，故译文中加上“都是”二字。

2.2 增加表达时态的词

汉语中没有时态变化，因此要在译文中反映动作发生时间，就要增加时间助词或副词。如： 例1. I was just over sixty when I first saw Yanan in 1946. I had known two great social systems.

我在1946年第一次见到延安的时候，刚满六十岁。在此之前，我就经历了两大社会制度。

【评析】译文中增加了“在此之前”，表达出原句中的过去完成时。 例2. Censorship has been in force since early in World War Ⅱ. 审查制度从第二次世界大战初期一直实行到现在。

例3. The high-altitude plane was and still is a remarkable bird. 那种高空飞机过去是，现在仍然是一种很好的飞机。 例4. There lay one of the chief difficulties. 这就是当时的主要困难之一。

例5. We can learn what we did not know. 我们能学会我们原来不懂的东西。

例6. English prose is elaborate rather than simple. It was not always so. 现今英国散文华巧而非简朴，过去却并非总是如此。

2.4 增加表示名词复数的词

英译汉时名词复数如在译文中可以意会，或数的多少无关紧要，不译不致影响传达原文内容的，一般无需在译文中表明。例如：They gave their lives so that we might live a happy life. (他们牺牲了自己的生命为了使我们可以过幸福的生活。)如果名词复数不译会引起误解，或数的多少有强调的必要，或依汉语的习惯需要说明多数，则需要在译文中加词表明。如：

例1. Foreigners get degrees from Chinese colleges. 一批外国人获得一些中国大学的学位。

例2. They include silks and colored thread. 它们包括各种丝绸和彩线。

例3. In spite of difficulties, he succeeded in finishing his task. 尽管困难重重，他成功地完成了任务。

例4. The middle-aged teacher carried on teaching work in spite of the diseases. 尽管那位中年教师身患种种疾病，他仍坚持进行教学工作。 例5. Bodies of dead Japanese devils were lying all around. 他周围躺着全是日本鬼子的尸体。

例6. In America, motorcar factories were closing down in early 1961. 1961年初，美国的汽车工厂纷纷倒闭。

2.5 为了清楚地表达原文的内含信息而增词

一个词用于特定的上下文中，除了基本意义和派生意义外，往往还含有一定程度的内含信息(implicit information)，这是对原文的语境进行推理而得出的。若直译会使意义晦涩或文理不通，需增添适当的词语，以使译文流畅，含义明确。如：

例1. They wanted a generation of Americans conditioned to loyalty and duty. 他们都想把一代美国人培养得忠于祖国，克尽职责。 例2. They make the verse like real speech while preserving the tension and exaltation of poetry.

他们把诗句改得像人们的日常谈话，同时又保存了诗歌所有的节奏紧凑、使人浮想联翩的特点。

例3. Vestal looked up to see Belfreda crooking a finger from the half-darkness of the hall. \"You back? What is it?\" asked Vestal crossly.

维斯塔尔一抬头，看见白菲德在半明半暗的门厅里弯弯手指招她过去。“你回来啦?什么事?”维斯塔没好气地问。

例4. Studies serve for delight, for ornament, for ability. 读书足以怡情，足以博采，足以长才。

【评析】delight、ornament和ability都是单独的名词。译为“怡情”、“博采”、“长才”便是将名词变为汉语的动宾结构。

例5. For the last few months, disturbing rumours had been coming to her ears. 在过去的几个月里，她耳朵里不时传来谣言，这使得她越来越心烦意乱。 【评析】分词disturbing与rumours有逻辑上的主谓关系，故译为汉语的分句。 例6. Pessimistic prophecies are self-fulfilling.

悲观者终日想着可能会发生不好的事情，行动上就受了影响，那些不好的事情自然就因此而发生了。 【评析】这句话在语篇中的语境是谈终日患得患失的悲观者所持的生活态度及其可能造成的负面影响。原句的意思对原语读者来说是不言自明的，但对译语读者来说，那些不惜笔墨所增添的词语却是理解原文信息所不可缺少的，因为只有这样才能表达出原句在语境中的实质性内涵。

例7. He left a note of welcome for me, as sunny as his face.

他留下一封信，对我表示欢迎。那信写得热情洋溢，犹如他那灿烂的笑容。 例8. See Naples and die.

看了那不勒斯奇景，就是死了也甘心。

【评析】意大利的那不勒斯、那不勒斯海湾和那不勒斯东部高耸的维斯威火山，景色壮丽使人看后，感到死了也值得，故译文加了“奇景”和“就是„„也甘心。”

由上述例句可见，英语的词往往译为汉语的词组，英语的词组往往译为汉语的分句或句子，英语的一个句子可译为汉语的几个句子，即句群。(参阅第一篇6.1)

2.6 为了加强语气或表达清晰而增词

在英美文学作品中，象征是最为典型的手法之一。如美国女作家凯特·肖班(Kate Chopin)的传世之作《觉醒》(The Awakening)就有着令人震撼、发人深思的象征意义： 例1. But when she was there beside the sea, absolutely alone, she cast the unpleasant, pricking garments from her, and for the first time in her life she stood naked in the open air, at the mercy of the sun, the breeze that beat upon her, and the waves that invited her.

然而，当她来到大海边，发现四下决无一人时，她脱去了那件扎人的、穿着难受的泳衣，平生第一次赤裸裸地站在光天化日之下，任凭阳光戏弄，任凭海风拍击，任凭呼唤她的海浪泼溅。

【评析】这里女主人公(埃德纳)脱去扎人的、令她难受的泳衣，赤身裸体投入大海的怀抱。这一艺术形象具有强烈的象征意义——埃德纳决心挣脱与其格格不入的世俗传统的束缚，投入大海，在死亡中寻求新生，寻求她梦寐以求的自由。为了充分表现埃德纳以死抗争的决心，译者重复使用了三个“任凭”，构成排比句，以加强语气。这种增词，既符合原意，又较为生动地传达出埃德纳摈弃旧的传统观念的决心及在自由中获得新生后酣畅淋漓的心情。 例2. I had experienced oxygen and/or engine trouble.

我曾碰到过，不是氧气设备出故障，就是引擎出故障，或者两者都出故障。 【评析】例文重复使用了三个“出故障”，否则难以清晰地表达原文中“and/or”的含义。

词义的选择和引申

英译汉时，大量的工作是从汉语中选择恰当的词来表达英文中的词义。英国语言学家弗思(J. R. Firth)说：Each word when used in a new context is a new word(每个词用于新的上下文中，就成为一个新词)。林语堂(1938)针对汉语有过类似的论述：“字义是活的，每每因在文中的用法而变化”，“凡要明字义之人，必求之于全句文中，非咬文嚼字或区区靠字典上的界说定义所能明白的，”而且，“字愈常用愈简单，则其用法愈繁复。”因而，翻译时不能拘泥于原词的表面意义，或英汉词典中所给的意义，而要根据上下文悉心揣摩这个词在原文中的特定含义，选择符合汉语习惯的对应词，这是确切忠实地用汉语表达原文的一个基本环节。

一般说来，选择和确定词类可以从以下三方面着手：

1.1 根据词类确定词义

选择词义，首先要判明一个词在句中属于哪一种词类，起什么作用，然后再根据词类选择适当的词义。例如：up在下列例句中所属词类不同，词义也就不同：

例1. What are you doing up there? 你在那边做什么? He is (well) up in mathematics. 他精通数学。 【评析】以上两例中up为副词。

例2. They went up wind. 他们迎风而行。

The ship is sailing up the river. 这船正向河的上游航行。 【评析】以上两例up为介词。

例3. The new museum is up and opens to the public. 新博物馆已落成开放。 When will the up train start? 上行车何时开行? 【评析】以上两例中up为形容词。

例4. The landlord promised his tenants there would be no further ups this year. 房东向房客们保证今年不再提高房租。

We all have our ups and downs. 命运盛衰无定。(人生总有起起落落。) 【评析】以上两例中up为名词。

例5. Prices are being upped by 20%. 价格上涨了20%。

She upped and threw the teapot at him. 她跳起来，将茶壶向他掷去。 【评析】以上两例中up为动词。

又如round一词：

例1. Bullets fell round him. 子弹落在他的周围。

The planets move round the sun in the same direction and nearly in the same plane. 诸行星以同一方向且约同一平面上绕着太阳运行。 【评析】以上两例中round为介词。

例2. Shall I show you round? 我领你四处看看好吗?

Come round and see me this evening. 今晚请过来看我。 【评析】以上两例中round为副词。

例3. It is as round as a ball. 它像球一样圆。

She has got a mellow, round voice. 她的声音圆润宏亮。 【评析】以上两例中round为形容词。

例4. The night watchman makes his rounds. 守夜者巡察。

There burst out a round of applause. 发出了齐声喝彩。 【评析】以上两例中round为名词。

例5. The bear rounded and faced the hunters. 那熊转过身来对着猎人们。

When you pronounce the vowel [u:] round your lips. 发元音[u:]时，要双唇收圆。 【评析】以上两例中round为动词。

值得指出的是，词类转换使英语获得了无数生动精悍的词汇；作为一种语言现象它也是英语在历史发展中的产物。认识这一点可以提高我们运用英语词汇的能力，从而提高翻译能力。

1.2 根据词的搭配习惯确定词义

英语和汉语词的搭配习惯不同，主要是动词和宾语、形容词和名词的搭配。汉译时需要按汉语的搭配习惯处理。

1. 动词和宾语的搭配

现以动词make为例：

to make a dress 做一件衣服 to make trouble 惹麻烦 to make a fire 生火 to make a living 谋生 to make the bed 铺床 to make money 赚钱 to make a speech 发表演说 to make a will 立遗嘱 to make a poem 作一首诗 to make investigation 进行调查 to make a mistake 犯错误 再以动词hold为例：

to hold a meeting 开会

to hold one's attention 吸引某人注意 to hold a position 坚守阵地 to hold one's breath 屏住气 to hold one's promise 守信

to hold somebody guilt 判定某人有罪 to hold the baby in one's arms 抱孩子

to hold a pipe between the teeth 嘴里叼着烟斗 to hold power 掌权

to hold a leading post 担任领导工作

2. 形容词和名词的搭配

现以形容词strong为例：

a strong man 强壮的人；果断(有魄力)的人 a strong case 有力的主张 a strong faith 坚定的信仰 a strong contrast 强烈的对照 strong measures 强硬措施

a strong situation (故事、戏剧等中)动人的场面 a strong bank 资力雄厚的银行 a strong drink 含烈酒的饮料 strong butter 有臭味的牛油 a strong microscope 倍数大的显微镜 再以形容词为heavy为例：

a heavy blow 沉重的打击 a heavy eater 食量大的人 heavy food 难消化的食物 a heavy fire 猛烈的炮火 a heavy heart 沉重的心情 a heavy sea 波涛汹涌的海面 a heavy sky 阴沉的天气 a heavy style 枯燥冗长的文体 a heavy thinker 深邃的思想家 heavy news 令人难过的消息 a heavy road 崎岖的路

1.3 根据词的使用场合确定词义

英语中的同一个词用于不同的场合，就会有不同的词义，必须充分考虑到词的使用场合及上下文的联系，才能选择其恰当的词义。

例如：claim这个词，一般都认为它的对等词是“(根据权利)提出要求、所有权”。但是，请看下面的例子：

例1. A caller to the broadcasting station claimed responsibility for the bombing. 有人打电话给广播电台，声称这爆炸是他干的。

例2. Throughout centuries London has claimed to be the foremost city of the world. 几个世纪以来，伦敦堪称世界一流城市。

例3. Oxford claims a large share in the making of England. 牛津大学对英格兰的发展贡献很大。

例4. The explosion claimed more than twenty lives. 这次爆炸使20多人丧生。

例5. The matter claims our first attention. 这事急需我们予以注意。

例6. She can claim credit for the success. 她可以要求人们承认这次成功归功于她。 例7. My order has prior claims on your time. 我的定货还要请你优先考虑。

例8. The store has more claims on admiration than it is possible to mention. 这家商店声誉之好无与伦比，大大值得人们的赞美。

例9. His personality is his only claim to remembrances. 人们能记起他来的唯有他的品格。

【评析】claim用作名词的基本定义之一是：(对某事物的)权利；要求权；所有权”，但如果不把词义溶化在全句中而机械地按定义死译，译文就会生硬，甚至不知所云。必须根据全句的意思进行意译。同一词在同一词类中也必须根据上下文做不同的处理，因此has prior claims on your time译为“优先考虑”；has claims on admiration译为“大大值得赞美”而only claim to remembrance则译为“唯一值得人们怀念的。”

又如，challenge这个词，一般都认为它的对等词是“挑战”，但在下面的例句中却需要逐一重新理解其含义：

例1. I challenge you to answer my question. 我要你回答我的问题。

例2. She challenged him for lying. 她指责他说谎。

例3. I now challenge Mr. Ford to deny that statement. 现在我要问福特先生敢不敢否认那篇讲话。

例4. I've constantly challenged my own conclusion. 我一直在重新考虑自己的结论。

例5. The United States Government does not challenge that position. 美国对这一立场未提出异议。

例6. His question challenged us to think. 他的问题促使我们去思考。

例7. The task challenged his organizing ability. 这项任务对他的组织能力是一个考验。 例8. The sentry challenged us. 哨兵问我们口令。

例9. Recent discoveries have challenged their old notion. 最近的发现使得他们原来的观念成了问题。 例10. They challenge for the Davis Cup. 他们决心争夺戴维斯杯。

例11. It's the challenge of our time. 这是我们时代的要求。

例12. Their success is a challenge to my effort. 他们的成就鞭策我做出努力。

例13. This poses a challenge to logic. 这简直是荒谬绝伦。

例14. She looked at me with challenge. 她以毫不在乎的眼光看着我。

例15. This is a great challenge to the jurors. 这对陪审员来说是一个非常艰巨的任务。

例16. That those who had learned from us now excelled us was a real challenge. 曾向我们学习的人反倒超过了我们，这对我们确实是个激励。

上述例句说明，英语词汇在具体的应用中，词义往往契合语言情境而变化万千。 不过，这也是学英语的中国学生到了高级阶段所遇到的一个难题；学过的单词在新的上下文出现时，原来的意义用不上，不解其意；经查词典或请教别人，弄清其意思后，再次遇到这个单词出现在另一个新的上下文中时，又不解其意(不懂的次数有多有少，因人因词而异)。总觉得这些单词的意义太“活”，难以掌握。

从表面上看，以上所举的claim和challenge具有很多意义，似乎是“一词多义”。这种看法是在理解英语单词意义时汉语思维的结果；如果用英语思维，就会发现，这两个词都

具有一个根本意义。这个“根义”在每一个例句中都适用，所谓的“多义”只不过是根义在不同的上下文中符合汉语习惯的各种不同“译法”，而每一个译法只适用于一个特定的上下文。根义和译法的关系一般可用公式表示如后：根义+上下文=译法。 把不同的译法视为一词“多义”，是用汉语思维去理解英语单词内涵。当然，英语中一词多义的现象是存在的，比如：to become既可作“变成”解，又可作“适合”解；coach既可作“四轮马车”解，又可作“教练员”解，二者之间并无意义上的联系。然而我们面临的问题是往往把源出同根、在意义上有内在联系的各种译法看成是相互在意义上没有联系的概念，然后称之为一词多“义”。从英语思维角度看，这不是一词多“义”，而是一词多“用”或一词多“译”。

上文指出，根义+上下文=译法。但从根义到译法(或者说是“理解”“看懂”)有一个思维转变的过程，现举几个简单例子说明：

例1. The more one gardens, the more one learns; and the more one learns, the more one realizes how little one knows.

人们越耕耘，学得越多；学得越多，才明白知道的越少。 或：耕而后有所得，学而后知不足。

【评析】知道garden可作动词，根义是“从事园艺活动”，但不明白此处为何译为“耕耘”。按照英语思维有如下的思维转变过程：

从事园艺活动→(在园中)劳作，栽培植物等→耕耘。 例2. The river drains five provinces. 河流流经五个省。

【评析】知道drain的根义是“把水排掉”，但不明白为什么在这句话中的drains译为“流经”。按照英语思维有如下的思维转变过程：

河流把五个省的水排掉→五个省的水流入河流(好比耕地中的一条水沟)→河流流经五个省。

例3. balanced information 全面的消息

【评析】知道balance的根义是“平衡”，但不明白为什么balanced information译为“全面的消息”。思维转变过程：

平衡→包括正反两个方面→全面的(消息)(即不要“报喜不报忧”) 例4. The general's estimate of Hitler was cold-blooded and honest. 将军对希特勒的评价是客观的，可信的。 【评析】知道cold-blooded的根义是“冷血的”，但不明白为什么在这句话中的cold-blooded译为“客观的”。思维转变过程：

冷血的→感情不冲动的→冷静的→客观的(评价)

例5. His spoken English isn't good enough because of lack of exposure. 他的英语口语不太好，因为缺乏英语环境。 【评析】知道exposure的根义是“暴露”，但不明白为什么这句话中的exposure可以译为“英语环境”。思维转变过程：

暴露→没有遮盖→直接(与英语)接触→英语环境。

英语一向被认为是一种适应性、可塑性较强的语言。英国语言学家艾利克·帕特里奇(Eric Partridge)说，英语中有一句话：“词本无义，义随人生。”(Words do not have meanings; People have meanings for words.)。美国语言学家罗伯特·霍尔(Robert A. Hall，Jr. )在谈到英语词义时说：“人们在特定情况下赋予一个词的任何词义理所当然地是这个词的实际意义。”(Any meaning people give to a word is automatically its real meaning under those circumstances.)。只要出于自然，符合语境，无须字典来认可。 语境有时甚至使相同的词语具有或褒或贬截然不同的含义。如：

例1. I don't like her. She is tall and thin and moves like a crane. 我不喜欢她。她个儿太高，瘦骨嶙峋，走起路来像只大鹤。

例2. I do like her. She is tall and thin and moves like a crane. 我很喜欢她。她身材高挑，颇具骨感，走起路来如仙鹤一般飘逸。

例1和例2中的第二句话是完全相同的，但由于例1中的第一句话是“我不喜欢她”，随之第二句对“她”的描述意为“身材不佳”；例2中的第一句话是“我很喜欢她”，随之第二句对“她”的描述意为“身段优美，且是个骨感美人。”

从上述数例可见，英语学习到了高级阶级，就词汇而言，可以说没有上下文就没有词义(no context, no text)。既然“义寓于文”就必须“以文明义”，即根据上下文的逻辑关系、层次条理前后呼应确定词的具体涵义。

习语的译法

英语和汉语是两种高度发展的语言，因而都拥有大量的习语。习语是经过长时间的使用而提炼出来的固定短语或短句，是人民智慧的结晶。习语大都具有鲜明的形象，适宜于用来比喻事物，因而往往带有浓厚的民族色彩和地方色彩。习语有的意思明显；有的富于含蓄，意在言外，可引起丰富的联想；有的可能包含几个意思，必须根据上下文的具体情况来明确它的意义。习语既是语言中的重要修辞手段，同时其本身也是各种修辞手段的集中表现。不少习语前后对称，音节优美，韵律协调。由于习语具有这些特点，翻译时就应当尽量保持这些特点。译者除了忠实地表达原文习语的意义外，还应尽可能保持原文习语的形象比喻、丰富联想、修辞效果以及其民族、地方特色等。习语不仅大量出现在文艺作品里，在政治和科学论文中也同样经常遇到。习语翻译的好坏对整个译文的质量有直接的影响。因此，如何处理习语是翻译中的一个极为重要的问题。

我们这里所谈的英语习语(idioms)是就其广义而言的，包括俗语(colloquialisms)、谚语(proverbs)、俚语(slang expressions)等。

习语的英译汉有三种主要方法：（一）直译法；（二）汉语同义习语的套用法；（三）意译法。现分述如下：

一、直译法

所谓直译法即指在不违背译文语言规范以及不引起错误的联想的条件下，在译文中保留英语习语的比喻、形象和民族、地方色彩的方法。有时尽管英语习语的比喻、形象对汉语读者可能比较生疏，但由于它在一定上下文中具有强烈的政治意义，或有明显的西方民族、地方、历史等色彩，所以也应采用保留原文表达方式的直译法。用这种方法处理习语，把西方习语移植到汉语中来，往往可以丰富译文语言。例如：

To fight to the last man 战斗到最后一个人 To break the record 打破记录 Under one's nose 在某人鼻子底下 Armed to the teeth 武装到牙齿

Packed like sardines 挤得象罐头沙丁鱼 Sour grapes 酸葡萄 A die-hard 死硬派

A gentleman's agreement 君子协定 An olive branch 橄榄树枝 The Trojan horse 特洛伊木马 The heel of Achilles 阿基里斯的脚踵

The sword of Damocles 悬挂在达摩克里斯头顶上的剑 The open-door policy 门户开放 The most-favored-nation clause 最惠国条款 The position-of-strength policy 实力地位 Shuttle diplomacy 穿梭外交 The cold war 冷战 The hot war 热战

A cat has nine lives 猫有九命 Blood is thicker than water 血浓于水 Barking dogs do not bite 吠犬不咬人 A rolling stone gathers no moss 滚石不生苔

二、汉语同义习语的套用法

有的英语习语和汉语同义习语在内容和形式上都相符合，双方不但有相同的意义和修辞色彩，并且有相间的或大体相同的形象比喻。

在英译汉时我们如遇到这样情况，不妨直截了当地套用汉语同义习语。例如：

（一）双方有完全相同的形象比喻：

To praise to the skies 捧上天去 To fish in troubled waters 混水摸鱼 To add fuel to the fire 火上加油 To be on thin ice 如履薄冰 Walls have ears 隔墙有耳

Strike while the iron is hot 趁热打铁

（二）双方有大体相同的形象比喻：

A drop in the ocean 沧海一粟 To laugh off one's head 笑掉牙齿 To shed crocodile tears 猫哭老鼠 To be out at elbows 捉襟见肘 To spend money like water 挥金如土 At sixes and sevens 七颠八倒；乱七八糟

Six of one and half a dozen of the other 半斤八两

One boy is a boy, two boys half a boy, three boys no boy 一个和尚挑水吃，两个和尚抬水吃，三个和尚没水吃

三、意译法

如果不可能或没有必要用直译法保留英语习语的表达形式，并且在汉语中也找不到合适的同义习语可供套用，就得用意译法配合上下文把英语习语的含义表达出来。例如：

1) The teenagers don't invite Bob to their parties because he is a wet blanket. 青少年们不邀请鲍勃参加他们的聚会因为他是一个令人扫兴的人。

2) Among so many well-dressed and cultured people, the country girl felt like a fish out of water.

同这么多穿着体面而又有教养的人在一起，这位乡下姑娘感到很不自在。

3) All right, I blame myself. But it's the last time. We were cat's-paws, that's all.

得了，怪我自己瞎了眼。可是我再也不干啦。我们上了人家当，没别的。

4) To break the ice, Ted spoke of his interest in mountain climbing, and they soon had a conversation going.

为了打破沉默，特德说自己对爬山有兴趣，这样他们很快就交谈起来。

5) She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth; she thinks she can do what she likes.

她生长在富贵之家，认为凡事都可随心所欲。 6) But the die was cast, he could not go back. 但事已决定，不容反悔。

在运用上述三种方法时还必须注意下列各点：

（一）汉语和英语中有许多习语反映各自的民族或地方色彩，英译汉时一方面应当注意保存这种特色，另一方面应当注意不要用汉语中具有鲜明民族、地方色彩的习语硬套英语的习语，以免把汉语的民族或地方色彩强加到译文中去，以致和原作的上下文形成矛盾。例如，Two heads are better than one和汉语习语“三个臭皮匠胜过诸葛亮”虽然有相同的意义，但在英译汉时决不应套用后者，因为诸葛亮是我国的一个历史人物，与原作上下文会形成矛盾。如果把它译为“一人不及两人智”就比较合适，意思既不走样，又可避免因民族色彩所引起的矛盾。

（二）有些带有浓厚民族色彩、地方色彩或具有典故性的英语习语，译成汉语时必须加注才能交代清楚原意。例如，仅仅把To carry coals to Newcastle译为“运煤到纽卡索，多此一举”，还是不够的，因为这里虽然已加上“多此一举”来揭示前半部比喻的含义，但读者对“纽卡索”还是不能理解；必须加注，说明“纽卡索”是英国的一个产煤中心地，运煤到纽卡索是多余的事。

（三）英语习语常常以缩略的形式出现，如：Jack of all trades and master of none（杂而不精的人）可缩略为Jack of all trades,含义不变；If you run after two hares, you will catch neither （脚踏两头船，必定落空）可缩略为To run after two hares, 含义也不变；It's no use crying over spilt milk（作无益的后悔）可缩略为To cry over spilt milk, 含义也不变。译者必须首先熟悉这种英语常用习语并注意其简化现象，才能为英语简化习语的汉译创造条件。一般说来，简化习语的英译汉，可在易解的条件下保持原文的简化形式，但如不能满足易解的条件，那就必须按英语原型习语来译。例如：

1) When he dined with his sister that evening, Madeline helped herself to a cigarette from his pack on the table, and lit and smoked it inexpertly. He defiant, self-satisfied, somewhat pathetic air made Warren laugh. \"When the cat's away, hey?\" he said.

他跟他妹妹那天一起吃晚饭的时候，梅德琳从桌上他的烟合里取了支香烟，点了火，不太在行地抽了起来。她那种倔强的、自满的、有点惹人爱怜的神气引得华伦哈哈大笑。“猫不在了，嘿！”他说。

这里原文when the cat's away是习语when the cat's away, the mice will play（猫儿不在，鼠儿成精；大王外出，小鬼跳梁）的缩略形式。译文“猫儿不在了”保持原文的缩略形式，因为读者是可以通过上下文来理解其含义的。根据上下文，华伦和梅德琳是兄妹，华伦说“猫儿不在了”是取笑妹妹背着管教严肃的父亲而在偷偷地抽纸烟。

2) \"Well, it's the old story of the stitch in time,\" he said. \"Your politicos could have got the weird little bastard with no trouble early on, but they didn't. Now they have problems...\"

“嗯，还是那句老话：及时缝一针，可以省掉九针，”他说。“你的那班政客要是早下手，本来可以轻而易举地把这个不可思议的小杂种干掉的，可是他们不动手。现在他们遇到难题了„„”

这里原文the stitch in time是习语A stitch in time saves nine（及时缝一针，可以省掉九针；小洞不补，大洞吃苦）的缩略。如把它直译为“及时缝的一针”，对有些读者来说，尽管有上下文可供参考，意思仍然不清楚。今译者放弃原文的简化形式，按原型习语直译为“及时缝一针，可以省掉九针”，就比较好懂了。

3) \"... I think, and I certainly hope, those stories are terribly exaggerated. Our intelligence says they are. Still, where there's smoke —\"

“„„我觉得，我当然也希望，这些报导是可怕地夸大了。我们的情报人员说是这样。不过，有烟必有火——”

这里原文where there's smoke是习语where there's smoke, there's fire （=There is no smoke without fire有烟必有火；无火不起烟。）的简化。如拘泥于原文的简化形式而译成“只要有烟”或“有烟的地方”，许多读者将不知所云。比较可取的办法就是摆脱原文的简化形式，按原型习语直译成“有烟必有火”或“无火不起烟”，或索性套用汉语同义习语“无风不起浪”来表达。

（四）有时候，英语原文虽然没有用习语，但在一定上下文中，在忠实于内容和总的风格的前提下，可以把英语原文中的非习语译为汉语习语，使译文生动有力。例如：

1) But against the vast expanse of the sky, the chute looked very small. 但和广阔无垠的太空相比，降落伞看起来是沧海一粟。

2) Over the past several weeks, she had grown increasingly restless. 过去几周，她越来越六神无主。

3) It is clear that he was one of the outstanding pilots in the whole program. 事实很清楚，在整个执行计划中他是出类拔萃的驾驶员之一。 4) I was nervous before crowds. 我在大庭广众之前感到紧张。

5) The German penetration of the Allied lines was a damning commentary on the supposed (invulnerability) of the Maginot Line.

马奇诺防线据说是固若金汤这一点，已被德军突破盟军防线这件事驳得体无完肤了。 6) It was a privilege revokable at any time on whim of the authorities. 这种恩赐只要当权者心血来潮随时可以取消。 7) Dulles greeted me with a bemused look. 杜勒斯欢迎我时，满脸是呆若木鸡的表情。

8) Anything I said would in all likelihood contradict their version. 无论我说什么话，十之和他们的说法发生矛盾。

9) The mere thought of appearing before a crowd frightened me. 只要一想到要在大庭广众之前露面就使我胆战心惊。

10) It was Monday, February 21, 1972, and Richard Nixon was about to achieve an authentic \"first\"; a presidential visit to China.

这一天是一九七二年二月二十一日，星期一，理查德·尼克松就要实现一件货真价实的“创举”了：美国总统访问中国。

11) The guest was pleased by the distinction but not overwhelmed.

来宾对这种破格礼遇感到高兴，但并没有受宠若惊。

必须注意，英语非习语译为汉语习语，不应违背忠实、通顺的翻译标准，而要有助于更好地达到这个标准。初学翻译者往往不加推敲，滥用汉语习语，因而产生相反的效果，以词害义。例如：

1) This aircraft is small, cheap, pilotless. 原译：这种飞机小巧玲珑，价廉物美，无人驾驶。 改译：这种飞机体积不大，价格便宜，无人驾驶。

原文本来可以译为“这种飞机小，便宜，无人驾驶”。由于“小”、“便宜”与“无人驾驶”字数不等，缺少汉语的对仗美，原译者片面追求形式上的均匀对称，滥用不恰当的汉语习语“小巧玲珑”和“价廉物美”来分别代替“小”和“便宜”，画蛇添足，使译文中出现了一些在原文中所没有的含义。又如： 2) It was a chilly day in early spring. 原译：这是早春二月，乍暖还寒的日子。 改译：在初春一个寒冷的日子。

原文early spring是“早春”的意思，“早春”并不一定指在早春的二月，原译多了一个“二月”，增加了原文中所没有的含义；chilly是“寒冷”的意思，并没有“刚暖”的含义，原译中的“乍暖”也是多余的。

3) Earthy and gracious, he finds the city dwellers too cold and sophisticated. 原译：他朴实宽厚，觉得城里人过于冷漠无情，玩世不恭。 改译：他朴实宽厚，觉得城里人太冷漠，太世故。

原文cold是“冷漠”、“冷淡”、“不热情”的意思，原译“冷漠无情”增加了分量。又sophisticated是“世故”的意思，原译“玩世不恭”也走了样。 4) We found him lying on his back on the lawn. 原译：我们发现他在草地上袒腹高卧。 改译：我们发现他仰卧在草地上。

原文lying on the back是“仰卧”，原译增加“袒腹”是无中生有，以词害义。 5) When they met again, each had already been married to another.

原译：他们重新见面时，一个已是“使君有妇”，一个已是“罗敷有夫”了。 改译：他们重新见面时，一个已是有妇之夫，一个已是有夫之妇。

“使君自有妇，罗敷自有夫”出自乐府民歌十三首的“陌上桑”。诗句叙述太守使君对采桑女罗敷举动轻浮而遭到严辞斥责，描写了一个美丽而坚贞的女性形象。这里原译引用这句诗，不但增加了一些原文中所没有的含义，并且把浓厚的汉语民族色彩强加到译文中去，与原作上下文格格不入。

拟声词的译法

凡以摹仿事物或动作的声音而构成的词都称为拟声词。拟声造词是比较简单、原始的构词法；世界各族语言都有大量的拟声词，英语和汉语也不例外。在英语和汉语的历史发展过程中，拟声造词法曾不断丰富了词汇，并在继续起着这种作用。拟声不但是一种构词法，同时也是一种重要的修辞手段。在英语中，尤其在英美文学作品中，拟声词的应用范围是很广的，例如：摹仿金属声的有clash, clank, ting, tinkle, clang, jangle, ding-dong, tick-tack, 等等；摹仿人等液体声的有splash, bubble, sizz, sizzle, splish-splosh, drip-drop, 等等；摹仿各种动物叫声的有neigh, baa, moo, miao, screech, hiss, cook-a-doodle-do, 等等；摹仿人的各种发声的有giggle, chuckle, shriek, snort, sneeze, snigger, smack, whisper, grunt, grumble, mumble, sputter, murmur, chatter, gurgle, whoop, 等等。因此，从事英汉翻译就不能不注意英汉两种语言在使用拟声词时有何异同，并加以对比研究。

由于词义的转变，英语拟声词往往不仅仅指声音，并兼指产生声音的动作（转义后可作动词或名词用）；例如，flap本指扁平物拍打时发生的“拍挞”声，但转义后也可指动作“拍打”（动词to flap；名词a flap），又如bang本指“砰砰”的敲物声，但也可指敲物的动作“敲打”（动词to bang;名词a bang）。汉语有同样的情况，例如，“隆隆”本指雷、大炮、巨型车辆等的深沉宏大的响声，但转义后也可同时兼指“打雷”、“炮轰”、“行车”等动作（作动词或名词用）。换言之，拟声词有同时兼顾动作和声音的特点。 拟声词的英译汉可归纳为三种情况：

一、英语原文有拟声词，汉译时也运用拟声词

（一）英语拟声词往往同感叹词一样，使用，不作为所在句中的任何句法成分。汉语拟声词有同样的情况，因此汉译时较为简便，把英语原文中作成分用的拟声词相应地译成汉语中作成份用的拟声词即可。例如：

1) Two heavy guns went off in the woods—BRUMP! BRUMP! 两门重炮在森林里开始发射了—轰隆！轰隆！

2) Whee-ee-ee! Whee-ee-ee! The police whistles shrilled suddenly. “的！的！”突然警笛响了。

3) Thump! A table was overturned! “哗啦！”桌子推翻了。

（二）英语拟声词大多作动词、名词或动词派生词（如分词、不定式、动名词）等使用，而近代汉语中的拟声词则大多是动词附加语或名词附加语，如“声砰砰地响着”中的“砰砰地”是动词附加语，“我们听到了砰砰的声”中的“砰砰的”是名词附加语。因此，英译汉时往往可把原文中的英语拟声动词、拟声名词或拟声动词派生词转译成汉语拟声动词附加语或拟声名词附加语。例如：

1) But as the door banged, she seemed to come to life again. 可是当门砰地关上的时候，她好象又清醒过来了。（动词附加语）

2) All was quiet and still except for the distant tinkling of a piano. 除了远处一架钢琴的叮当叮当声外，万籁俱寂。（名词附加语） 3) \"What's happening?\" he muttered.

“怎么回事呀？”他喃喃地问。（动词附加语）

4) \"What's that?\" he suddenly exclaimed, hearing a rustle; and they both looked up.

他听见一种沙沙的声音，就突然喊道，“什么东西？”接着，他们两个抬头看去。（名词附加语）

5) \"Hold him by the nose, dearie, then he'll splutter and wake up.\" “捏住他的鼻子，阿妹，他就会呼噜呼噜地醒过来啦。”（动词附加语） 6) They heard the of birds among the bushes. 他们听到树丛中鸟儿发出的嘁嘁喳喳声。（名词附加语）

（三）在英、汉两种语言中有时同一个拟声词可兼状几种不同事物的声音，在进行互译时，往往在甲语言是一词多状时，在乙语言却每状各有专词。反过来的情况也是如此。例如，英语拟声词rumble可兼状闷雷、车辆、人的肚子等的几种不同声音。译成汉语时却各有专词：

1) Thunder rumbled in the distance. 远处雷声隆隆。

2) The cart rumbled past. 大车轱辘轱辘地驶过。

3) His stomach rumbled emptily. 他的肚子饿得咕咕作响。

二、英语原文有拟声词，汉译时不用拟声词 （一）英译汉时，原文中的拟声词并不是在任何情况下都必须在译文中加以机械的复制。拟声词的运用必须有利、有节。不论写作或翻译，都不宜毫无节制地滥用拟声词，以免文字流于轻佻、累赘，降低表达力。译者有时斟酌上下文的情况，可以运用非拟声词来表达英语拟声词。例如：

1) I clanked the kettle. 我敲水壶。

2) The cop carried a stick, ready to thwack anybody who offended his ear or eye. 提了根棍棒，遇到他不顺耳、不顺眼的，动手就打。 3) The train puffed towards Tokyo from Sendai. 火车从仙台开向东京。

4) He slammed his tea cup down on the table. 他把茶杯往桌上一顿。

在这些例子中，原文的拟声词clanked, thwack, puffed, slammed等都分别译成非拟声词“敲”、“打”、“开向”、“顿”等。

（二）各种非生物的声音在英语中很多是由专词表达，而汉语却往往把非生物的声音简单笼统地表达为“„„声”或“„„响”等等，不附加任何拟声词，如“脚步声”、“飞机声”、“雷响了”、“电话响了”、“炮响”等等。试举若干译例如下：

1) We heard the machines whirr. 我们听到了机器声。

2) They heard the muffled booming of artillery from afar. 他们听见远处大炮在隐隐约约地响着。

3) The squeaking of the radio was disturbing everybody. 收音机的声音在扰乱大家。

4) The screeching of the brakes got on my nerves. 煞车声刺激了我的神经。

5) The train whistle tooted. 火车汽笛响了。

6) The underground train was humming. 地铁在响。 （三）英语一般都用专门拟声词表达各种动物的叫声。汉语以前也由专词表达，如：“狗吠”、“狼嗥”、“鹤唳”、“鹊噪”、“马嘶”、“虎啸”、“狮吼”、“鸟啭”、“鸡啼”、“蝉噪”、“猿啸”等等；但在近代汉语中，别在口语中，这些专词有的已不常用，往往为笼统的“„„叫”或“„„鸣”等所代替。下面是几个译例：

1) The frogs in the fields outside the town were croaking cheerfully. 青蛙在城郊田野里起劲地叫着。

2) The cock in the yard crowed its first round. 院子里的雄鸡已经叫头遍了。

3) The moment he rushed in, the hens chucked and the dogs barked. 他一进门，鸡也叫，狗也咬。

三、英语原文没有拟声词，汉译时加用拟声词

英语非拟声词译为汉语非拟声词后，仍可酌情另加有关的拟声词，以加强译文的表达力。例如：

1) The stone fell on his head. 石头叭嗒落在他的头上。

2) The child fell into the water. 小孩扑通落到水中去了。

3) Zigurd fell asleep almost immediately. 祖格德几乎倒头就呼呼睡了。

4) Phyl expected them to start brawling, but Mrs. Cooper merely laughed good-naturedly.

菲儿以为她们要开始吵架了，可是古柏太太只是很和善地哈哈大笑了一阵。 5) The kids are crying loudly. 孩子们在哇哇大哭。

6) There were no sounds but that of the tread of the men and the footsteps of the two shaggy ponies which drew the van. 那时候，只听见沙沙的脚步声以及拉车的那两匹鬃毛蓬松的小马得得的马蹄声，除此之外，再听不到别的声音了。

在这些例子中，原文都没有拟声词。为了增强表达效果，译文中分别增添了“叭嗒”、“扑通”、“呼呼”、“哈哈”、“哇哇”、“沙沙的”、“得得的”等汉语拟声词。

直译与意译

直译和意译是英汉翻译的两种不同方法。古代佛经翻译中“质”和“文”的争议不仅是翻译标准之争，也是直译与意译两种方法之争。至今，这仍是个争论不休的问题。

直译者认为，译文应尽力复制原文的语言形式，因为表达形式反映了表达内容，形式的改变意味着意义的改变。只有保留原文的表达形式，才能忠实地传达原文的思想内容。意译者则认为，原语和译语各有自己的表达方式，要如实传达原文的思想内容，必须改变原文的表达方式，改变成符合译语习惯的表达方式，否则，译文就表现不了原文的精神实质。 从上述简介来看，大抵主张直译者着重点在于“准确”，而主张意译者着重点在于“通顺”。我们在“翻译的标准”中提到，合格的翻译应该既“准确”而又“通顺”。片面强调了一点而忽视了另一点，是不适当的。我们使用的翻译方法要求达到两者的统一。因此，很难确定一条普遍的原则，到底采用哪一种方法为好，这主要看句子的具体情况而定。

9.1 英汉句子结构和表达方式与汉语相似时可用直译

英语和汉语在句子结构方面有一定的相似性。从句子成份来看，英语和汉语都有主语、谓语、宾语、定语、状语。尤其是主语和谓语，从本质上讲都是英语和汉语句子的主干部分，它们的基本句型也无太大的区别。在英汉句子结构基本对应的情况下，应以直译为主。

例1. The tarmac was almost empty. 停机坪上几乎空无一人。

例2. My cousin was sitting on a beautiful white horse. 我的堂兄骑在一匹漂亮的白马上。

例3. Because he is capable as well as confident, he will succeed. 因为他既有信心，又有能力，他会成功的。

例4. If we spend all the money, we shall be poor again. 要是我们把所有的钱都花光了，我们就又要过穷日子了。

在段落中，若英汉的句子结构和行文顺序基本相似，应以直译为主。为使译文通顺，可做局部调整。请认真比较下面两段文字，注意英汉结构上的相似性：

例5. People are always talking about \"the problem of youth\". If there is one, then it is older people who create it, not the young people themselves. Let us get down to fundamentals and agree that the young are after all human beings—people just like their elders. There is only one difference between an old man and a young one: the young man has a glorious future before him and the old one has a splendid future behind him, and maybe that is where the rub is. 人们总在谈论“年轻人的问题”。如果真有这么一个问题，那也是年长者硬造出来的，而不是年轻人自己造的。让我们认真考虑一下问题的实质，同时我们要承认年轻人毕竟是人——是跟他们的长辈一样的人。青年人和老年人只有一点不同，那就是青年人的光辉未来在他们前头，而老年人的辉煌已经留在了他们的身后，或许这就是问题之所在。

例6. A very small number of people do not need to work for their income. They may be the owner of houses or land, from which they receive rent, or they may possess shares or deposit with the post office or other saving banks, from which they earn interest. They may organize business which do not involve them much work but provide them with a good income.

一小部分人无需工作即可获得收入。他们可能占有房地产，从中收取租金；或者他们可能握着股票或把钱存入邮局或其它(储蓄)银行，从中得到利息。他们可能经商，无需自己付出多少劳动却可获得丰厚的收入。

9.2 英汉句子结构和表达方式与汉语差异较大时应用意译

实际上，作为非亲属语的英语和汉语，相似之处甚少而不同之处甚多。如本书第一篇所述，英语句子重“形合”，往往用词形变化、连接词、分词、定语从句和主格结构等表示成分之间的各种语法关系，句子的外形很严谨；而汉语句子则重“意合”，由于没有词形

变化，定语从句和主格结构，连接词和分词的使用也比英语少，所以往往用隐性连贯方式即“意合”表示各种语法关系，句子的外形看似松散，动词使用较多。鉴于英汉语有诸多不同的特点，汉译时要想完全复制其形式，有时是十分困难的。勉强复制，势必造成译文词不达意或诘屈聱牙，甚至误解。先看几个比较简单的例子：

例1. You have my sympathy. 直译：你有我的同情。 意译：我同情你。

【评析】直译生硬牵强，非但读不通，甚至看不懂。意译把原文名词sympathy译为汉语动词，形式上虽不相符，但却确切地表达了原文内容。

例2. Nothing that has been done can not be done better. 直译：没有什么已被做过的事情不能被做得更好。 意译：任何事情都有改进的余地。

【评析】英文广泛使用被动语态，译文保留原主语，被动改主动，否定句换译为肯定句。直译拗口费解，意译晓畅简明。

例3. March 1990 found me working in a small constructional firm. 直译：1990年发现我在一家小型建筑公司工作。 意译：1990年，我在一家小型建筑公司工作。

【评析】原文是英文的习惯说法，直译为中文却令人费解，所以需把原句的主句译为状语，将原句的复合宾语译成句子的主体。 例4. A great elation overcame them.

直译：一种巨大的欢乐情绪控制了他们。 意译：他们欣喜若狂。

【评析】采用反宾为主的译法，符合中文的习惯。

例5. Words don't always mean what they seem to mean. 直译：文字、语言并不总是它表面的含义。 意译：话语常有弦外之音。 【评析】直译固然也可以懂，但意译更能充分地把原文的含义表达出来，也更符合中文习惯。 例6. But the long and exhausting trip proved too much. 直译：这次漫长而又令人疲劳的旅行证明了许多。 意译：但是，旅途漫漫，劳顿不堪，让人难以忍受。 【评析】too much在此处意为“糟糕”“过分”，根据上下文，可译为“让人难以忍受”或“令人疲惫”。

例7. A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle. 直译：没有男人的女人犹如没有自行车的鱼。

意译：女人用不着男人，就像鱼用不着自行车一样。

【评析】单从用词造句看，直译与原文可谓亦步亦趋，但谁能看懂这样的译文呢?直译让人莫名其妙的原因在于拘泥于原文中without短语作定语的形式。只要改变了这一形式，原文的含义在译文中就一目了然了。

例8. His addition completed the list. 直译：他的加入完成了名单。 意译：把他添上名单就全了。

【评析】直译用抽象名词addition作主语，不符合汉语的表达习惯，意译才是地道的汉语。

以上的例句说明，翻译的方法应随着句子性质不同而有所变化。译者需根据句子的性质，采取适当的方法，以达到准确与通顺相结合的效果。

文学家茅盾在谈到文学翻译时讲过一段话，对翻译方法的选择具有指导意义：“每种语文都有它自己的语法和语汇的使用习惯。我们不能想象把原作逐字逐句，按照原来的结构顺序机械地翻译过来的翻译方法，能够恰当地传达原作的面貌；我们也不能想象这样的译文会是纯粹的本国文字。好的翻译者一方面阅读外国文学，一方面却以本国的语言进行思索和想象。只有这样才以能使自己的译文摆脱原文的语法和词汇的特殊性的拘束，使译文既是纯粹

的祖国的语言，而又忠实地传达了原作的内容与风格。

另一方面，必须指出：我们虽然反对机械的、生搬硬套的翻译方法，我们也同样地反对另一个极端——那种完全破坏了原文的语法结构和词汇使用，极端自由化的翻译方法。我们认为，我们不但可以，而且必须，适当地考虑原作的语言特征，而同时也尽可能使译文用纯粹的汉语表达出来。”

在翻译具有文学艺术性的文字时，一般要采取比较自由的翻译方法，即意译的方法，使原作的艺术特征和文字美尽可能地体现出来。试看下例：

As far as sight could reach, I feasted my eyes on a vastness of infinite charm, which presented itself in a profound of color, in verdant luxuriance, in dulcet warbling, in pervading perfume, in rippling undulation, in cataract sprays, in hilly waves, in field criss-cross and verily in vitality and variety. 纵目眺望，我饱览了一片无限娇媚的风光：万紫千红，郁郁葱葱，鸟语悦耳，花香袭人，涟漪荡漾，瀑布飞流，层峦起伏，阡陌纵横，真是生机勃勃，气象万千。

【评析】这句话典型地体现了英语“形合”的特点，句中由which引导的非限定性定语从句中有九个是由介词in构成的介词短语，用以描述a vastness of infinite charm(无限娇艳的风光)具体地表面在九个方面。在文学语言中，经常不提具体的人或事物而以人或事物的属性抽象地表示这些人或事物的本身。在写景中，不提“鸟”而提warble(啭)、chirp(啁啾)；不提“花”而提fragrance(馥郁)、perfume(芳香)；不提“溪”、“湖”，而提ripple(涟漪、潺潺)，wimple(小河曲流，起涟漪)；不提“闪电”而提zigzag(z字形的)flash。在写人时，往往不提“作家”、“书法”而提pen；不提“技术高明的外科大夫”，而提smart knife等等。但在汉译时，必须译出它们所象征具体的人或事物，不能把a great pen直译为“一支伟大的笔”，而应译为“一个伟大的作家”，也不能把a zigzag flash译成“z字形的闪光”，而应译为“闪电”。同理，在翻译上述例句时，须把warbling和perfume译成“鸟语”、“花香”，具体地点出“鸟”、“花”二字。

值得一提的是，在翻译英语长句时，为使译文醒目、简明、扼要，可使用冒号避免冗繁重复。本句的译文就使用了冒号，其后用10个四字结构简洁生动地译出了原文用九个介词短语所描绘的风光。我们再来看一个文学翻译的范例：

As the Manager of the Performance sits before the curtain on the boards, and looks into the Fair, a feeling of profound melancholy comes over in his survey of the bustling place. There is a great quantity of eating and drinking, making love and jilting, laughing and the contrary, smoking, cheating, fighting, dancing, and fiddling; there are bullies pushing about, bucks ogling the women, knaves picking pockets, policemen on the look-out, quacks (other quacks, plague take them!) bawling in front of their booths, and yokels looking up at the tinseled dancers and old rouged tumblers, while the light-fingered folk are operating upon their pockets behind. Yes, this is Vanity Fair; not a moral place certainly; nor a merry one, though very noisy. — From W. M. Thackery's \"Vanity Fair: Before the Curtain\"

领班的坐在戏台上幔子前面，对着底下闹哄哄的市场，瞧了半晌，心里不觉悲惨起来。市场上的人有的在吃喝，有的在调情，有的得了新欢就丢了旧爱；有在笑的，也有在哭的，还有在抽烟的，打架的，跳舞的，拉提琴的，诓骗哄人的。有些是到处横行的强梁汉子；有些是对女人飞眼的，也有扒手和到处巡逻的，还有走江湖吃十方的，在自己的摊子前面扯起嗓子嚷嚷(这些人偏偏是同行，真该死!)，跳舞的穿着浑身发亮的衣裳，可怜的翻跟头老头儿涂着两腮帮子胭脂，引得那些乡下佬挣着眼瞧，不提防后面就有三只手的家伙在掏他们的口袋。是了，这就是我们的名利场。这里虽然是个热闹去处，却是道德沦丧，也说不上有什么快活。(萨克雷“名利场：开幕前的几句话》，杨必译) 【评析】撒克雷(1811—1863)是英国维多利亚时代的小说家。他的作品评论人的行为和社会弊端，以生动风趣的叙述吸引读者。译者深谙原作者所反映的当时英国的市井生活和文化历史背景，因而能把manager译为“领班的”，把quacks译为“走江湖吃十方的”。原文用了there is、there are表示客观存在的句型，用名词加分词短语或介词短语作定语描写各色人等，绘声绘色，栩栩如生。译者用了增词、转换词类等各种翻译技巧，循着原作者的思路，灵活地运用符合汉语习惯的表达方法，使译文所描述的画面与原文画面相映成趣。可

以说，译者充分发挥了他的创造才能，用他所认为的最适当的语言把原作的风采表达出来。例如，把other quacks, plague take them!译为“这些人偏偏和我同行，真该死!”，就是译者吃透了上下文和原作的艺术风格后而生出的妙笔，如果简单地译为“别的江湖骗子，真该死!”就有失原文的辞趣。

倘若文学作品的媒介是语言，而文学是语言的艺术，那么，文学作品的翻译也不能不属于语言艺术的范畴。至此，我们在回答本书绪论中所涉及的一个问题“什么是翻译”时，还可以明确地说：翻译是一种艺术。

长句的译法

由于英语句子中短语多，从句多，在句法结构上可以层层修饰，句中套句，再加上插入语、补加成分、同位语或成分等，可以形成复杂的长句。翻译长句时，必须首先分析各部分之间的语法关系及逻辑关系，弄清整个句子的中心内容及各层意思，然后根据汉语的特点、习惯和表达方式，正确地译出原文的意思。英语长句的汉译主要采用顺序法、变序法和分句法。

8.1 顺序法

有些英语长句的叙述层次与汉语比较一致，基本上可按照原文顺序译出，为了使前后语气衔接，可增加必要的词语。例如：

例1. When our ship cleared harbor, taking my family and me on the first leg of our journey home to the United States, I watched the receding coastline of Japan with mingled relief and regret: relief from the oppressive feeling that I was being watched; regret that the book I envisaged writing would not make me welcome again in the land of my birth.

当轮船离开港口，带着我们一家人在返回美国的旅途中戗风直驶第一段航程的时候，我怀着既宽慰又怅然的心情凝视着从视野中逐渐消失的日本海岸——我因从被人监视的令人窒息的气氛中解脱出来而感到宽慰；又因我要写的书将使我在我的出生之地成为不受欢迎的人而惆怅。

例2. In oxygen we have a different problem, for although both a research chemist and a chemical manufacturer know the element O means oxygen, in practice they have different ideas about it. Thus, if the researcher performed a delicate experiment, using the manufacturer's oxygen it might easily be a failure since the so-called O, whether used as a solid, liquid or gas, would almost certainly contain other substances.

就氧而言，我们遇到一个不同的问题，因为虽然化学研究工作者和化学成品制造商都知道元素O指的是氧，但在实践中他们关于氧的概念都不一样。因而，假定研究工作者用制造商生产的氧来做一次精确度很高的实验，这实验很可能会失败，因为这种所谓的氧不论是用其固体、液体或气体，几乎肯定都含有杂质。

8.2 变序法

英语长句的表达顺序往往与汉语表达顺序大相径庭，英语中最重要的信息往往出现在句首，然后再交代条件、原因等；而汉语往往先将背景情况铺陈开来，说明条件、原因等信息，然后再说出结果等最重要的或最新的信息；有时则按照逻辑关系或时间的先后安排语序，因而汉译时需要按汉语的表达习惯调整顺序，全部或部分倒译。(参阅第一篇第7章) 例1. It may seem rather quaint (1) for an alliance of democratic governments to wage war upon an autocratic government at great expense in life and material, and then leave the chief autocrat of that government in a position of leadership (2). 民主国家结成同盟，不惜牺牲大量的生命和物质力量，向一个开战，而最终却把这个的君主留置领袖地位(2)，这看来是令人感到奇怪的(1)。 【评析】本句由it作先行主语，由for加不定式构成的真正主语相当长。依照汉语叙事在前表态在后的表达习惯，要先译出后面的真正主语。 例2. Solutions of the problem of old age have to be considered against a historical back-ground (1) of slow but substantial changes in Chinese family structure (2), caused by rising living standards and family planning (3). 由于人民生活水平的不断提高以及计划生育(3)，中国的家庭结构发生着缓慢却又具有实质性的变化(2)，必须根据这一历史背景考虑人到老年的问题(1)。 【评析】这个长句是个简单句，句中由介词against引起的状语短语极长，其中background后面又套了一个由介词of构成的定语，而of的宾语changes之后又接由过去分词caused引起的定语说明原因。按照汉语先说原因后说结果，先叙述事实后表明见解的习惯，汉译时需倒译。 例3. I make the direct statement to the American people (1) that there is a far less chance of the United States getting into war (2), if we do all we can now to support the nations defending them against attack by the Axis than if we acquiesce in their defeat, submit, tamely to an Axis victory, and wait our turn to be the object of attack in another war later on (3). 我开诚布公地向美国人民声明(1)：如果我们竭尽全力支援那些保卫自己抵御轴心国的进攻的国家，而不是默认他们的失败，驯服地屈从于轴心国的胜利，并坐待我们自己成为今后另一次战争的攻击目标(3)，那么，美国卷入战争的可能性就会小得多(2)。 【评析】句中statement后接由that引起的较长的同位语，其中含有由if引起的从句表示条件。按照汉语的表达习惯，通常条件在前，结果在后，故句中的同位语汉译时需倒译。 例4. I consider a human soul without education, like marble in the quarry (1), which shows none of its inherent beauties (2), until the skill of the polisher fetches out the colors, makes the surface shine, and discovers every ornamental cloud, spot and vein that runs through the body (3). 我认为一个没受教育的人，他的心灵就如采石场里的大理石(1)，只有经过能工巧匠的加工，研磨出斑斓的色彩，光洁的面层，使之显露出悦目的云纹和彩点，以及贯穿通体的石理(3)，才能展现其天生丽质(2)。 【评析】主句中介词like的宾语marble带有一个较长的非限定性定语从句，该从句又包含一个由until引起的时间状语从句，从其内容上看含有条件状语的意思。按照汉语条件在前结果在后的表达习惯，应先译由until引起的从句，再译非限定性定语从句中的主句。 例5. Tess and the other three were dressing themselves rapidly (1), the whole bevy having agreed to go together (2) to Mellstock Church, which lay some three or four miles distant from the dairy-house (3). 离牛奶厂三四英里地是梅勒陶教堂(3)，苔丝和她那三个伙伴已商议好了，要一块儿到那儿去做礼拜(2)，所以现在都在屋里急急忙忙换衣裳(1)。 【评析】句中的the whole bevy having agreed to...是个分词结构，相当于as the whole bevy had agreed to...其描述的动作显然发生在were dressing之前，在英语中可位于它的后面，但在译文中需将“商议”移在“换衣”之前。另外，having agreed也带有原因的含义，依照汉语先述原因后述结果的习惯，“商议”也应移到“换衣”之前。句末有一非限定性定语从句，说明教堂与牛奶厂的距离，为了行文方便并使句子前后呼应，在译文中可将其移至句首。 例6. Kangsi seems to have been confident that his example would teach his son the filial duty and devotion (1) that Kangsi had so strongly demonstrated for his grandmother (2)—once his only support in times of great sorrow, now gone (3). (Silas H.L. Wu, \"Passage to Power\") 曾经是康熙悲伤懊恼时唯一的支持者的祖母，与世长辞了(3)。康熙曾对她竭尽忠孝(2)，看来，他满以为自己的表率作用会教太子懂得如何恪守孝道(1)。 【评析】该句中由that引导的宾语从句中有一个由that引导的定语从句，修饰the filial duty and devotion，该从句的谓语时态为过去完成时，其表述的动作显然发生在前，故而

在译文中应先叙述。句末有一补加成分，根据上下文的意思和汉语行文习惯可将其移至句首。 例7. The problem (1) of possible genetic damage to human populations (2) from radiation exposures, including those resulting from the fallout from testing of atomic weapons (3), has quite properly claimed much popular attention in recent years (1). 人类由于面临辐射威胁，其中包括原子武器试验产生的放射性散落物所造成的辐射威胁(3)，很可能遭到基因损伤(2)，这一问题近年来已经理所当然地引起了人们的广泛重视(1)。

【评析】这是个主语较长的简单句，长就长在修饰主语problem的of定语短语，从of possible genetic damage开始，直至atomic weapons；其中又有定语短语套定语短语，这里的damage既受to human populations和from radiation exposures的修饰，其间的exposures又受including those resulting from the fallout from testing of atomic weapons的修饰；如果再作进一步分析的话，those指exposures，受resulting from the fallout的修饰，而fallout又受from testing of atomic weapons的修饰。从逻辑上说，from radiation exposures...weapons说明possible genetic damage的原因，可单独译为一句先说原因后说结果的句子：“人类由于„„很可能遭到基因损伤”，然后再将主语the problem连同谓语has...claimed...attention...译为另一句：“这一问题„„引起了„„重视。” 例8. You must fix in mind the symbols and formulas, definitions and laws of physics (1), no matter how complex they may be, when you come in contact with them (2), in order that you may understand the subject better and lay a solid foundation for further study (3). 为了更好地了解物理学，并为进一步学习打好稳固的基础(3)，当你接触到物理学上的符号、公式、定义和定律的时候，不管他们是多么复杂(2)，你必须把它们牢牢记住(1)。 【评析】英语句一般先说出必须做的动作，然后指出这个动作的目的。而汉语中往往先提出目的，然后叙述为了实现这个目的应做的动作。所以原文句中的目的状语从句in order that you may understand...for further study应译在句首。另外，汉语中的时间状语和让步状语一般也先说在前，然后叙述随着跟上来的动作，所以原文句中的when you come...with them和no matter how...may be应译在主句之前。

8.3 分句法

当长句中并列成分较多，或主句与从句、短语与其所修饰的词之间的关系不很紧密，各具有相对的性时，可按汉语中多用短句的习惯，把长句分割成若干短句译出。为了使句之间相互衔接，可以适当地增减词语。在短句的处理上，有时也需改变顺序。 例1. Having just left school or technical institute (1), where they had their place and a task to fulfil and where they were known and esteemed by their collegues (2), those young people who do not land that first job they were so eagerly looking forward to have to face up for the first time to unemployment (3), a situation for which neither family nor school has prepared them (4). 青年人在学校或技术学院都各得其所，各有自己需要完成的任务，受到同学的了解和尊重(2)。而现在，他们刚刚离校(1)，却找不到自己孜孜以求的第一个职业，不得不面对有生以来的第一次失业(3)。对于这种情况，无论是家庭还是学校都没有帮助他们做好准备(4)。 【评析】在上面的例子中，出于语段逻辑一致的要求，译文把一句分为三句，并依汉语中时间顺序安排，把原文句首中的分词短语，置于译文第二句话开头。 例2. Here in the train there is the sound of youth, loud and alive, but out there I know all the sounds in all the world have gone and earth is just a blue dusk coming fast (1) and I know this is a dying beautiful day (2), that day I remembered those times in the desert and in the mountains of the Lebanon, when loneliness came with the night, and I sat there listening to the bombers going over or to the jackals howling, and wished that at that very minute I could go back to the peace and the beauty and the living of the days I used to know (3). 车厢里是朝气蓬勃的震耳的青春声音；可是，我却知道，车厢以外，整个世界都已寂静无声，大地为迅速到来的幽暗的暮色所笼罩(1)。这是一个美丽的傍晚(2)。我记得在黎巴嫩的沙漠和山地度过的日子里，也有过这样的时刻，当孤寂伴随着夜幕降临时我坐在那里倾听着头上轰炸机的嘶鸣或者豺狼的嚎叫，心里盼望着能马上重温我旧日所熟悉的平静美好的生活(3)。

【评析】这是一句带有较多并列成分、从句和短语的冗长繁复的句子，可如标号所示分成三个单独的句子译出。 例3. At the same time, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jr., a newspaper columnist (1) who provided Roosevelt with accurate surveys in the past (2), sent him disturbing reports (1) based on 2000 miles of travel through eight southern and Midwestern states (3). 与此同时，报纸专栏作者小科尼厄斯·范德比尔呈交罗斯福的报告也令人不安(1)。这位作者过去曾向罗斯福提供过一些准确的调查材料(2)。这次报告是他跋涉两千英里，走遍南部和中西部八个州之后完成的(3)。 【评析】这句中主语的同位语有一个由who引导的定语从句，宾语reports后有一个较长的由过去分词短语构成的后置定语。在意思上各具有相对的性，故可如标号所示译为三个单句。 例4. After that two-and-a half-year's trial (1), which was commended for its fairness even by the Japanese vernacular press (2), the Tribunal sentenced twenty-five Japanese leaders to death or imprisonment (3) for having conspired to wage aggressive war and for being responsible for the conventional war crimes—the atrocities—which had been committed by their subordinate (4). 经过两年半的审讯(1)，法庭判决25名日本国家领导人死刑或徒刑(3)。这是因为他们阴谋发动侵略战争，并对常规的战争罪行——即他们部属的累累暴行——承担责任(4)。法庭审判之公正，甚至日本本国报界也予以褒扬(2)。 【评析】句首的介词后有一个由which引导的非限定性定语从句，与先行词的关系不十分密切，只是对先行词加以说明。句末有两个介词短语for having conspired...和for being...，起进一步解释作用。这两部分均可译为单句。

否定句的译法

英语中否定含义的表达形式多种多样，其中有些表达方式与汉语的表达方式完全不同。由于英汉两种语言在表达否定概念时使用的词汇手段、语法手段以及语言逻辑方面存在差异，在英译汉时往往需要做正反处理。就词汇而言，英语中表示否定的词比汉语多，有名词、代词、动词、形容词、副词、介词、连词等；从意义上分类有全部否定、部分否定、含蓄否定、否定转移、特殊结构等。其形式相当繁杂，归纳如下：

7.1 全部否定(Absolute Negation)

全部否定用“全部否定词+肯定式谓语”表示，其否定范围自否定词起一直延续到句末。如：

例1. As we know, electricity can not be conducted by means of insulation. 我们知道，电不能靠绝缘体来传导。

例2. China of today is not what it was thirty years ago. 今天的中国已经不是30年前的中国了。 例3. The book was nowhere to be found. 这本书到哪里也找不着了。

例4. I found none of the things that I was looking for. 我要找的东西，一样都没有找到。

例5. Nothing in the world is difficult for one who sets his mind to it. 世上无难事，只怕有心人。

7.2 部分否定(Partial Negation)

英语中表示“全体”意义的代词(如：all, both, everybody, everyone, everything)和表示“全体”意义的副词(如：altogether, always, entirely, everywhere, wholly)与not连用时，均表示“不都„„”、“并非都„„”等部分否定意义，这种句型不同于汉语的思维方式，不要误会作全部否定。如：

例1. Not all the answers are right. 并非所有的答案都是正确的。

例2. All is not gold that glitters. 闪光的东西并不都是金子。 例3. I do not know all of them. 对于他们我不是个个都认识。

例4. I don't know everything about her. 关于她的事我不全知道。

例5. Such a thing is not found everywhere. 这样的事情并非什么地方都有。 例6. I'm not altogether satisfied. 我并不完全满意。

例7. A great scholar is not always a very wise man. 大学者未必一定是极聪明的人。 例8. I am pleased to know that, in your judgment, the little I did say was not entirely a failure.

您认为我那短短的讲话还不是彻底失败，我感到十分高兴。

7.3 半否定(Semi-Negation)

半否定也称准否定(Quasi-Negation)，它在否定中持一丝保留，没把话说绝。半否定词有scarcely(几乎不)、barely(几乎没有)、few(不多的，几乎没有的)、hardly(几乎不，简直不)、little(不多的，毫不)、rarely(很少，难得)、seldom(很少)。这些词与谓语动词肯定式连用，构成半否定句。如：

例1. He had barely rested when he was called out again. 他再次被人唤走时，几乎还没有休息。 例2. They are very few in number. 他们的数量很少。

例3. On hearing the news, one could hardly believe his ears. 听到这个消息，人们简直不相信自己的耳朵。

例4. He slept little last night because of the pain. 由于疼痛，他昨夜几乎没睡。 例5. Little remains to be said. 简直没有什么可说的了。

7.4 特指否定(Special Negation)

否定谓语动词称为一般否定(General Negation)，否定非谓语成分(即除谓语以外的其他成分，否定的仅是一个方面)称为特指否定或局部否定(Local Negation)。如：

例1. They are allowed not to go swimming. 允许他们不去游泳。

例2. You should pay attention not to what they say but to what they do. 你应当注意的不是他们说什么而是他们做什么。 例3. They want not your pity but your help. 他们要的不是你的怜悯，而是你的帮助。

例4. He came to work not by bus, but on foot. 他不是坐车，而是步行上班的。

特指否定可以用下列结构表达。这些结构可构成寓否定意义于肯定形式的英语句子，可译为汉语的否定行文。如：

1) too...to (太„„不能)

例1. He's too much of a coward to do that. 他太怯懦了，干不了那件事。

例2. Instances are too numerous to list. 例子多得举不胜举。

2) more A than B (与其B不如A)或more than + 含有can (could)的从句 例3. He is more brave than wise. 他有勇无谋。

例4. My gratitude for your help is more than I can express. 对于你给我帮助的感激之情我无法表达。

例5. This house is more like a school than a church. 这所房子与其说像教堂，不如说像学校。 3) 比较级 + than + 不定式(不至于做)

例6. You should know better than to play football in the classroom. 你应懂得不该在教室里踢足球。

例7. He was wiser than to have done such a thing. 他不至于愚蠢得竟然做出这样的事情。

4) 连词or、before、unless在具体语境中表达特指否定意义 例8. Give me liberty or give me death.

与其不自由，不如就去死。(不自由毋宁死。) 例9. He'd die of hunger before he would steal. 他宁愿饿死不愿偷窃。

例10. She desired no one for husband before him. 她非他不嫁。

例11. He slipped out before the meeting started. 会议还没开始，他就悄悄地溜出去了。

例12. Unless you put on your overcoat, you'll catch a cold. 如果你不穿大衣，就会着凉。

7.5 双重否定(Double Negation)

双重否定是用否定副词not加否定意义的词构成的。not的作用是把后面一个词语中已有的否定含义颠倒过来，形成“否定+否定=肯定”的语言效果，这种双重否定可译成汉语的肯定行文，有些是表示加强语气，有些是委婉的表达法。如：

例1. I have brought back your man — not without risk and danger. 我已经把你的人带回来了——那还是有风险的。

例2. It is not uncommon for a great scholar to be ignorant in everyday affairs. 伟大的学者对日常事务无知，这种情况常见。

例3. There is no metal but expands when heated and contracts when cooled. 金属都是热胀冷缩的。

【评析】but相当于否定性关系代词which not，使此句构成双重否定。 例4. I could not see you and not love you. 我见到你就生爱慕之心。

例5. No one can read the story without being moved to tears. 谁读了这篇小说都会潸然泪下。

例6. Americans don't speak English without slang. 美国人开口必说俚语。

cannot...too/over/enough是双重否定的一种特殊句型，意为“怎么„„都不过分”。如： 例7. You cannot be too careful. / You cannot be over careful. / You cannot be careful enough.

你越小心越好。(你多么小心都不过分。) 例8. He can't be over praised. 怎么赞扬他都不为过。

有时可用hardly、scarcely、impossible、difficult替换cannot...too结构中的not。如：

例9. We can hardly come back too soon. 我们回来得愈快越好。

例10. Now, I have recalled these beginnings of the careers of Franklin, Darwin and Mozart because they strikingly illustrate a profound psychological truth, the significance of which can scarcely be overestimated.

现在，我又一次重温了弗兰克林、达尔文以及莫扎特开创事业的情况，因为这些情况显然阐明了一个心理方面的深刻道理，其意义无论怎样估计也是不过分的。

7.6 转移否定(Transferred Negation)

转移否定是用于否定中的一种特殊现象，即句中的否定虽然出现在主句谓语动词部分，否定范围却不在主句谓语动词本身，而转移到了句子末端的宾语、状语或其他成分上。

1. 转移否定表示思维活动

转移否定多局限于表示思维活动，如判断看法之类的动词，比如：anticipate(预料，期待)、believe(相信)、calculate(计划，打算)、expect(幻想)、figure(想象)、hope(希望)、imagine(想象)、reckon(认为)、suppose(设想，推测)、think(想，认为)等。使用这类动词时，主语中的否定往往转移到宾语从句中。

例1. I don't believe that Peter is guilty of the crime. 我相信彼得是无罪的。

例2. I don't suppose that my boss will object to my absence. 我想老板不会反对我请假。

例3. I don't fancy we can win easy victories. 我认为我们不能轻易取胜。

例4. I don't imagine these young people are dropouts. 我想这些年轻人不是退学学生。

例5. I don't think this article is any easier than that one. 我认为这篇文章一点不比那篇容易。

需要注意的是，并非所有这种相似含义的动词都能用于否定转移结构，assume(设想)、surmise(推测)、presume(假设，推定)等词就不用于否定转移。如： 例6. They don't assume that Tom came. 他们不相信汤姆来了。

例7. They assume that Tom didn't come. 他们相信汤姆没有来。

2. 表示感觉

表示感觉的系动词seem(看起来)、appear(看上去，似乎)、feel(感觉)、look as if(看上去似乎„„)、sound as if(听起来似乎„„)等做主句的谓语时，否定转移到其后的从句中。如：

例1. It doesn't seem likely that he will pass the exam. 看起来他考试不会及格。

例2. It doesn't appear that she had a taste for music. 她对音乐似乎没有什么鉴赏能力。

例3. I don't feel I can stand it much longer. 我觉得我再也受不了啦。

例4. It doesn't look as if we'll have to walk. 看起来我们似乎不必步行。

例5. His voice doesn't sound as if he, had a cold. 他的声音听着不像伤风似的。

此外，如果表示“想，设想”的动词或上面所提到的动词跟情态动词连用或有副词修饰时，这时否定就不转移到从句上。如：

例6. I can't believe that they are married. 我不能相信他们结婚了。

例7. I didn't ever suppose they were happy. 我从来不认为他们幸福。

例8. You mustn't think he is stupid. 你千万不要认为他笨。

例9. I wouldn't have imagined that he would be here. 我从不曾想到他会在这儿。

例10. It just didn't seem that it would rain. 就是看不出来天会下雨。

在这些例子中，否定不能再转移的原因很清楚，情态动词有它自己的意思，而状语则是强调主句中的谓语动词的。

3. 否定从谓语转向不定式

在某些情况下，否定可以从谓语动词向不定式转移，即否定词not由谓语部分移向不定式to之前。如：

例1. The baby doesn't appear to be awake. =The baby appears not to be awake. 那孩子看上去没有醒着。

例2. She didn't seem to have changed much. =She seemed not to have changed much. 她看上去没多大变化。

例3. I didn't come here to hear your grievances. =I came here not to hear your grievances. 我到这儿来并不是为了听你诉苦。

4. not because结构

在not because结构中，常有否定转移现象，在这类结构中，虽然从语法上看，not与谓语动词连用，但是否定重心不在谓语动词上，而在由because引起的从句和由for引起的介词短语上。如：

例1. I don't teach because teaching is easy for me. 我之所以教书不是因为我觉得教书轻松。

例2. He doesn't like them because they are always helpful but because they never complain.

他喜欢他们并不是因为他们乐于助人，而是因为他们从不抱怨。 例3. Raven didn't leave the party early because Carol was there. 雷文并不是因为卡洛尔在那里而很早地离开了那个聚会。

5. 语境与否定转移

丹麦英语语法学家Otto Jesperson在A Modern English Grammar一书中说，“英语有一种趋势，就是尽量在本应使用特指否定的地方改用一般否定，即将否定词尽量置于谓语部分。”换言之，谓语部分的否定词可以和句中的任何成分发生关系，因此否定句所表示的可以不止一种关系，而可能是多种关系，是表层结构(surface structure)相同，但深层结构(deep structure)各异的歧义结构。比如例句：I didn't take Joan to swim in the pool today. 若说话者带上不同的对比核心重音，否定的焦点便落在不同的位置上，句子的意思便产生了区别。从逻辑上讲，这一句子可有六种不同的意义：

例1. I didn't take Joan to swim in the pool today. (I forgot to do so.) 我今天没带琼到游泳池去游泳。(我忘记带她去了。)

例2. I didn't take Joan to swim in the pool today. (It was Mary.) 我今天带到游泳池去游泳的不是琼。(是玛丽)

例3. I didn't take Joan to swim in the pool today. (just to see it) 我今天带琼到游泳池去不是游泳。(只不过是看看而已)

例4. I didn't take Joan to swim in the pool today. (I took her to the seaside) 我今天带琼去游泳的地方不是游泳池。(是海边)

例5. I didn't take Joan to swim in the pool today. (It was last week that I did so).

我不是今天带琼去游泳池游泳的。(我是上周带她去的)

例6. I didn't take Joan to swim in the pool today. (It was my brother who took her) 今天带琼去游泳池游泳的不是我。(是我兄弟带她去的。)

对于把英语作为外语来学习的中国人来说，这种转移否定最易造成误解，因为汉语的语序同语义有十分密切的关系，句子的意思是靠相邻成份的粘连，否定词很难越过其相邻的词而和相距甚远的成份发生关系。而英语中否定词的否定范围却可以包括句子的每个成份。若不以话语形式出现，若不受上下文约束，下面这些句子至少都有两种理解。

例1. He didn't mention it on purpose. ① He mentioned it unintentionally. 他不是故意提到这事的。

② He deliberately didn't mention it. 他故意不提这事。

例2. He didn't go downtown because his father was ill.

① He went downtown, but it wasn't because his father was ill.

他进城并不是因为他父亲病了。

② Because his father was ill, he didn't go downtown. 他没进城，因为他父亲病了。

例3. I have not studied English for two years.

① I have studied English for less than two years. 我学英语还不到两年。

② I stopped studying English two years ago. 我已经有两年不学英语了。

事实上，我们理解句子并非只依赖语序等句法结构，非语言知识在句子理解中起着十分重要的作用。一旦用常识来判断、辨别，有的否定句即使无逻辑重音和上下文也不会产生歧义。如：

例1. The earth does not move round in empty space. 地球并不是在空无一物的空间中运转。

例2. The engine didn't stop because the fuel was finished. 发动机不是因为燃料用完而停下来的。

例3. He was not ready to believe something just because it was said to be so by Aristotle.

他(伽利略)并不是因为亚里斯多德说过某事如何如何，就轻易地相信了。 【评析】若理解成否定主句：“只是因为亚里斯多德说过某事，他才不愿相信”。就大错特错了，好像伽利略对亚里斯多德抱有很深的成见，因而固执成见，甚至不顾真理似的。

例4. Facts do not cease to exist just because they are ignored. — Aldous Huxley. 事实并不因为人们忽视就不再存在了。——赫胥黎

例5. The sky is not less blue because the blind man does not see it. 天空不会因为盲人看不见，就不那么蓝了。

例6. Neither believe nor reject anything, because any other person has rejected or believed it. — Thomas Jefferson.

不要因为别人相信或否定了什么东西，你也就去相信或否定它。——杰斐逊

应当指出的是，上文提到的否定范围是一个重要的语法概念。例如，I didn't go because I was afraid. 按否定转移可理解为：我不是因为害怕才去的。若写成I didn't go, because I was afraid, 则按否定主句来理解，意思是：因为我害怕，所以我才没去。因为否定范围到逗号就结束了。

大多数情况下，都要根据上下文，逻辑推理，说话人的语调，标点符号的运用等加以确定，细心揣摩，具体分析，不能以某种规则去硬套。

7.7 含蓄否定(Implied Negation)

有些句子单从形式上看是肯定的，而意义上是否定的，称为含蓄否定。从英译汉的角度看，下述几类值得注意：

1. 用虚拟语气构成

虚拟语气是构成含蓄否定的语法手段。虚拟语气是表示说话人主观愿望或假设情况，往往与事实相反，所以肯定式的虚拟语气，往往表示事实上的否定。如：

例1. She would have fallen but for his sudden arm. 要不是他一把抓住她，她就摔倒了。

例2. As if he would ever go! (= Of course he won't go.) 他才不会去呢。

例3. If I had time for that! (= I don't have time for that.) 要是我有时间干那件事多好!(实际上我没有时间干那件事。) 例4. If I only knew! (= It's a pity that I don't know.) 要是我知道多好!(很遗憾我不知道。)

2. 用隐含否定含义的成语构成

含有否定意义的常用成语有：to be (all) Greek to(不懂)、to be all thumbs(不顺手，不通)、to be at sea(茫然，不知如何是好)、to be barren of(无益的，无结果的)、to cut sb. (不理睬，假装没看见)、for want of(因缺少)、to give sb. the go-by(不理睬)、to give sb. the cut direct(故意不理某人)、to be a layman(外行，不懂)、to mind one's own business(不要管闲事)、to null and void(无效，失效)、toturn a deaf ear to(充耳不闻)、to shut one's eyes to(视而不见，熟视无赌)等。如：

例1. Bionics is all Greek to me. 仿生学我一窍不通。

例2. He is so upset today, he is all thumbs. 他今天心烦意乱，做事很不顺手。

例3. I was (quite) at a loss how to do. 我不知怎么做好。

例4. He turns a deaf ear to all warnings. 他对所有警告都充耳不闻。

例5. The plants died for want of water. 这些植物因缺水而枯死了。

例6. John fell in love with Mary, but she gave him the go-by. 约翰爱上了玛丽，但玛丽却不理睬他。

例7. How have I offended you? You gave me the cut direct? 你故意不理我，我怎么得罪你了?

3. 用隐含强烈否定意义的习语、反语、问句等构成

用暗含强烈否定意义的习语、反语、问句等修辞手段是一种表示含蓄否定的方法。这种否定方法往往比一般的否定句更具有强烈的否定意义，更能表达深刻的思想、强烈的感情。这种含蓄否定既无特定句型，又无否定词，其否定含义多为习惯用语或引申义。如：

例1. I'll buy it.

我答不上来(或“不晓得”)。

例2. Catch me making the same error again. 我决不再犯同样的错误。 例3. I dare him to jump. 我谅他也不敢跳。 例4. Keep it dark!

这事不可泄露出去。

例5. She bears her age well. 她一点不显老。 例6. For all I care!

这事我才不管呢。(我才不在乎呢!) 例7. It's anyone's guess. 这事谁也不清楚。

例8. What difference does it make? (=It makes no difference.) 这有什么不同?(这没有什么不同。)(修辞问句)

例9. Much I care! (=I don't care.) 我太在乎了!(我才不在乎呢!)(反语)

例10. A fat lot you know! (=You know nothing.) 你懂的真多!(你懂个屁!)(习语)

例11. Much right he has to interfere with me.

他有那么多干涉我的权力!(他根本没有干涉我的权力!)(反语) 例12. Be dazed/hanged if I know. (=I don't know at all.) 鬼才知道!(我根本不知道。)(赌咒语)

4. 由It is...that...形成的英文谚语构成

在英文谚语中，It is...that的含义是“再„„也不会(不能)”、“无论多么„„也不会(也不能)。”从其含义上看可以视为一种表示“让步”概念的特殊表现法。有不少具有这种结构的英文谚语有含蓄否定意义。如：

例1. It is a bold mouse that breeds in the cat's ear. 再胆大的老鼠也不会在猫耳朵里下崽。

例2. It is silly goose that comes to the fox's sermon. 再傻的鹅也不会听狐狸说教。

例3. It is a fond fisher that angles for a frog. 再笨的渔翁也不至钓青蛙。

例4. It is a good gear that lasts aye. 再好的工具也不会永远不坏。

例5. It is a wise father that knows his own child. 聪明的父亲，也往往不了解自己的儿子。

例6. It is a good doctor that follows his own advice. 名医不自医。

例7. It is an ill bird that fouls it's own nest. 再坏的鸟也不会弄脏自己的窝巢(家丑不可外扬)。 例8. It is a poor mouse that has only one hole. 再笨的老鼠也不会只打一个洞(狡兔三窟)。

在以上8个例句中，that部分从形式看都是肯定的，其含义都是否定的。原因在于，这种句型不同于一般的含有定语从句的复合句，更不是强调句型。若从英译汉的角度看，这是一种需要反译的特殊句型。从上述例句看，后面的that原文是肯定句，应译成否定句；相反，也有一些此类英谚原文是否定句，但应译成肯定句。如：

例1. It is a long lane that has no turning. 再长的长巷也有转弯(路必有弯，事必有变)。 例2. It is a wise man that never makes mistake. 智者千虑，必有一失(圣人也会犯错误)。

例3. It is a sad (poor) heart that never rejoices. 再悲伤(不幸)的人也有欢乐的时候。

例4. It is a skilled worker that never blunders. 人有失手，马有失蹄。

例5. It is a good machine that never goes out of order.

永远不出故障的机器是没有的(再好的机器也有发生故障的时候)。

7.8 非否定意义的否定句

英语中有些句子形式上是否定句，意义上却是肯定的。这种句子被称为非否定意义的否

定句，可译成汉语的肯定行文。从句型或用法上看，有下述几类：

1. not...for nothing

在句型not...for nothing中，not用来否定for nothing，从而加强了谓语的肯定意义。 例1. Believe me; he did not fly into such a rage for nothing. 请相信我，他勃然大怒是有原因的。

例2. I saw it in your eyes when I first beheld you; this expression and smile did not — did not strike delight to my inmost heart for nothing. (Charlotte Bronte) 我第一次看见你时，就在你的眼睛里发觉了这点；这表情和微笑使我的内心深处感到这样欢乐，对——这绝对是有来由的。

例3. She was not her father's child for nothing. 她不愧是她爸爸的好女儿。

2. nothing if not

nothing if not表示“极其，极端”等强烈的肯定意义。 例1. He was nothing if not clever. 他很聪明。

例2. The situation is nothing if not fine. 形势好极了。

例3. He was never precipitate; he was nothing if not discreet. 他从不鲁莽，谨慎极了。

例4. He is nothing < i>if not a gentleman. 它是一个十足的正人君子。

3. nothing less than

nothing less than表示“完全是，正好是”，含义是肯定的。 例1. That's nothing less than a miracle. 那完全是一个奇迹。

例2. What he said was nothing less than a lie. 他说得纯属谎言。

例3. It was nothing less than tyranny. 这完全是统治。

例4. We expect nothing less than a revolution. 我们完全预料到会发生。

4. more than/other than的否定

negative + more than/other than表示“正好是，只得”，具有较强的肯定意义。 例1. One crow is no more white than another. 天下乌鸦一般黑。

例2. I could not do it other than hurriedly. 我只得匆匆了解此事。

5. 其他

有些带否定词的短语或句子，使用时并不构成否定意义，却表示肯定。 例1. I'd go there as soon as not. 我巴不得去那儿。

例2. I would as soon do it as not. 我宁愿做那件事。

例3. As often as not, he thinks before he speaks. 他通常是经过深思熟虑后才发表意见的。 例4. Nothing succeeds like success. (谚)一事成则事事成

7.9 英语当中某些特殊的否定语型

在非规范英语中，有某些特殊现象，如在表示强调否定时，往往使用双重否定，甚至多重否定。马克·吐温的The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn中便有不少这类句子。它不同于正规英语中否定之否定等于肯定。如：

例1. We never thought of nothing wrong. 我们从来没想到有什么错误。 例2. He don't know nothing. 他什么也不知道。

例3. Don't nobody but god know when dat day gon be. 除了上帝谁也不知道那一天何时到来。

例4. It ain't no cat can't get in no pigeon coop. 没有猫能进入鸽笼。

被动语态的译法

英语中被动语态使用范围很广。凡是在不必说出主动者、不愿说出主动者、无从说出主动者或者是为了便于连贯上下文等等场合，往往都用被动语态。汉语中虽也有被动语态，但使用范围狭窄得多。英语被动语态的句子，译成汉语时，很多情况下都可译成主动句，但也有一些可以保持被动语态。

一、译成汉语主动句

英语中被动结构的句子译成汉语主动句可以有几种不同情况：

（一）原文中的主语在译文中仍作主语

1) The whole country was armed in a few days. 几天以内全国武装起来了。

2) The sense of inferiority that he acquired in his youth has never been totally eradicated. 他在青少年时期留下的自卑感，还没有完全消除。

3) On their domestic stations events in the Middle East were dismissed briefly. 在他们国内电台的广播中，中东事件只轻描淡写地报导了一下。

（二）原文中的主语在译文中作宾语

1) By the end of the war 800 people had been saved by the organization, but at a cost of over 200 Belgian and French lives. 大战终了时，这个组织拯救了八百人，但那是以二百多比利时人和法国人的生命为代价的。 2) It would be astonishing if that loss were not keenly felt. 如果（人们）不强烈地感到损失，那倒是奇怪了。 3) Mr. Billings cannot be deterred from his plan. （人们）不能阻止比林斯先生实行他的计划。

（三）译成带表语的主动句

1) The crew were trained at Eglin Field, Fla.

（轰炸机）机组人员是在佛罗里达州埃格林空军基地训练的。 2) The decision to attack was not taken lightly. 进攻的决定不是轻易作出的。

3) He (Barrymore) then continued his walk down the alley. His (Sir Charles') body was found at the end of it.

然后巴里莫尔继续沿着小道走下去。查尔斯爵士的尸体就是在小道的尽头发现的。

（四）常用被动句型的翻译

有一类以it作为形式主语的英语句子，在译文中常要改成主动形式，有时不加主语，有时则加上不确定的主语，如“有人”、“大家”、“人们”、“我们”等。

1. 不加主语时

It is hoped that... 希望…… It is reported that... 据报…… It is said that... 据说……

It is supposed that... 据推测……

It may be said without fear of exaggeration that... 可以毫不夸张地说…… It must be admitted that... 必须承认…… It must be pointed out that... 必须指出…… It will be seen from this that... 由此可见……

2. 可加主语的

It is asserted that... 有人主张……

It is believed that... 有人相信（认为）…… It is generally considered that... 大家认为……

It is well known that... 大家知道……（众所周知……） It will be said that... 有人会说…… It was told that... 有人曾经说……

二、译成汉语被动句

汉语也有用被动形式来表达的情况。这一类句子，都是着重被动的动作，有些说出了动作的主动者，有些则不说出动作的主动者。英语被动句译成汉语被动句时往往借助于以下各种方式：

（一）“被……”或“给……”

1) Any minute we would surely be spotted by enemy planes flying in and out of the airfield. 我们随时都会被出入机杨的敌机发现。

2) But shortly afterwards they heard that every single member of that first party had been captured by Spanish Froniter police and put into a concentration camp.

可是，不久以后他们听说，第一批的所有人都被西班牙的边防逮捕并关进了集中营。 3) I started to explain that I could not do my best since my spectacles had been taken away from me, but she wouldn't let me finish.

我开始解释，我不可能干得很好，因为我的眼镜已给拿走了，但她不准我讲完。

4) I closed my eyes and said to myself, \"I am not a number. My name will be remembered as an

anti-Nazi writer, and I have done more harm to your system than you can ever do me. I am not a number!\"

我闭上眼睛想，“我不是个号码。我的名字将作为一个反纳粹的作家而被纪念着。我给你们制度造成的损害比你们能加在我身上的要大得多。我不是个号码！”

（二）“（遭）受……”

1) Our foreign policy is supported by the people all over the world. 我们的对外受到全世界人民的支持。

2) I was seized with sadness as I thought of how the ancient city had been spared during the Second World War and now might be destroyed by an impending riot.

我想到了这座古城在第二次世界大战时得到幸免而现在却要遭到即将来临的的破坏，内心感到悲伤。

3) They were given a hearty welcome. 他们受到热烈欢迎。

4) He was policed by the bosses' cops. 他受到老板雇用的的监督。

5) Therefore, when we are received with so much honour and so much kindness in this great country I believe that the People's Republic of China is doing a very significant thing. 因此，当我们在这个伟大国家里受到这样隆重和盛情的接待时，我认为中华人民共和国这样做是有重大意义的。

（三）“为……所”

1) These views of Marx and Engels have now been adopted by all proletarians who are fighting for their emancipation.

马克思和恩格斯的这种观点，现在已为正在争取的全体无产阶级所采纳。

2) Once the men had been accepted by the Comet organization, they were brought to Brussels. 士兵们一旦为彗星组织所接受，就被送到布鲁塞尔去。

3) I was so impressed by these words that I used them later for a Christmas card. 我为这些话所深深感动，后来我就把它们写在圣诞贺片上。

三、译成“把”、“使”和“由”字句

1) By evening the occupation was complete, and the people were chased off the streets by an eight o'clock curfew.

至傍晚，占领已告完成。八点钟开始的宵禁把人们从街道赶走。

2) Since the wingspan of the twin-engine bombers was too wide for the ship's elevators, they couldn't be stored below.

由于这种双引擎轰炸机翼展超过了升降机的宽度，所以不能把它们放在甲板下的机库内。 3) The famous hotel had been practically destroyed by the big fire. 大火使这著名旅馆几乎全部毁灭。

4) Organizational leadership must be made fully equal to the task of ensuring the realization of the political slogans and decisions of the Party.

必须使组织上的领导能完全保证党的政治口号及其决议的实现。 5) Most letters from his wife, are read to him by the nurse in the hospital. 他的妻子给他的信件，大多数是由医院里的护士念给他听的。

6) And the astonishing thing is that this most dangerous operation was organized by a young attractive twenty-three-year-old Belgian girl, Andree De Jongh by name. 令人惊奇的是，这个极其危险的作战行动是由一个年青美貌的比利时姑娘组织的，她名叫安德·岱荣，年二十三岁。

分句、合句法

翻译英语句子时，有时我们可把原文的句子结构整个保存下来或只稍加改变即可，但在不少情况下则必须将原来的句子结构作较大的改变。分句法和合句法是改变原文句子结构的两种重要方法。所谓分句法是指把原文的一个简单句译成两个或两个以上的句子。所谓合句法是指把原文两个或两个以上的简单句或一个复合句在译文中用一个单句来表达。现分别举例说明之：

一、分句法

（一）把原文中的一个单词译成句子，使原文的一个句子分译成两个或两个以上的句子。

1. 副词

1) The Chinese seemed justifiably proud of their economic achievements. 中国人似乎为他们在经济上取得的成就而自豪，这是合乎情理的。

2) Incidentally, I hope to get better medical treatment in these countries than I can possibly get here in the United States.

顺便提一下，我希望能在这些国家得到比我在美国这里所能得到的更好的治疗。 3) They, not surprisingly, did not respond at all. 他们根本没有答复，这是不足为奇的。

2. 形容词

1) Chairman Mao might have spoken with understandable pride of his policy of \"self-reliance\". 毛在谈到他的“自力更生”的时，也许有些自豪感，这是可以理解的。 2) That region was the most identifiable trouble spot.

那地区是个麻烦的地方，这是大家最容易看得出来的。

3) He had long been held in cordial contempt by his peers; now that contempt was no longer cordial.

长期以来，他的同僚虽然看不起他，却还是对他有些亲切感；现在，除看不起之外，亲切感也没有了。

3. 名词

1) A movie of me leaving that foxhole would look like a shell leaving a rifle.

我离开那个单人掩体速度之快，要是拍成电影的话，会象出膛的子弹一样。

2) As a place to live, it left much to be desired. As a secret training base for a revolutionary new plane, it was an excellent site, its remoteness effectively masking its activity... 作为居住的地方，这里有许多不足之处。但作为完全新型飞机的秘密训练基地却是非常理想的。它地处边陲，人们不易了解其中的活动……

3) He shook his head and his eyes were wide, then narrowed in indignation.

他摇了摇头，两目睁得圆圆的，接着又眯成一条线，脸上露出了愤怒的神色。

（二）把原文中一个短语译成句子，使原文的一个句子分译成两个或两个以上的句子。

1. 分词短语

1) They were at home in the home of the people, moving confidently without fear. 他们在群众家里感到自在，行动时心里踏实，无忧无虑。

2) She sat with her hands cupping her chin, staring at a corner of the little kitchen. 她坐在那儿双手托着下巴，眼睛凝视着小厨房的一角。

3) Sunrays filtered in wherever they could, driving out darkness and choking the shadows. 阳光射入了它所能透过的所有地方，赶走了黑暗，驱散了幽影。

2. 名词短语

1) I wrote four books in the first three years, a record never touched before. 我头三年写了四本书，打破了以往的记录。

2) The military is forbidden to 'kill' the vessel, a relatively easy task.

（）禁止军方“击毁”这艘潜艇，虽然要击毁该艇并不怎么费事。

3) The station chief would have to be close to the director, a member of the inner circle. 这位站长就得接近董事，因为董事是核心集团的成员。

4) Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, a universally accepted law. 能量既不能被创造也不能被消灭，这是一条普遍公认的规律。

3. 前置词短语

1) In August 1946, on my fifth trip through China, bound for my Moscow home but not in haste, since my husband had died in the war, I came to Yenan.

一九四六年八月，我在回莫斯科家的途中，第五次路过中国；由于我丈夫已在战争中牺牲了，当时我并不急于回去，就到了延安。 2) Their power increased with their number. 他们人数增加了，力量也随之增强。

3) He arrived in Washington at a ripe moment internationally. 他来到华盛顿，就国际形势来说，时机正合适。

（三）把原文的一个句子拆开，译成两个或两个以上的句子。

1) Sometimes Mrs. Cross would be walking around in the big kitchen watching him eat. 有时，克罗斯太太会一面在大厨房踱来踱去，一面看他吃饭。

2) She had made several attempts to help them find other rental quarters without success. 她已试了好几次，要帮他们另找一所出租的房子，结果并未成功。

3) But another round of war in the region clearly would put strains on international relations. 但是，如果该地区再次发生战争，显然会使国际关系处于紧张状态。

4) His failure to observe the safety regulations resulted in an accident to the machinery. 因为他没有遵守安全规则，机器出了故障。

二、合句法

（一）把原文中两个或两个以上的简单句（Simple sentence）译成一个单句。

1) It was on the early morning of April 2, 1971. The pilots were briefed in the ready room. 一九七一年四月二日清晨，飞机驾驶员都在待命室接受飞行任务。 2) He was very clean. His mind was open. 他为人单纯而坦率。

3) There are men here from all over the country. Many of them are from the South. 从全国各地来的人中有许多是南方人。

4) His father had a small business in the city of Pisa. This city is in the north of Italy near the sea.

他的父亲在意大利北部近海的比萨开小铺。

（二）把原文中的主从复合句(Complex sentence)译成一个单句。

1) When I negotiate, I get nervous. When I get nervous, I eat. 我在谈判时总是有些紧张。紧张时我就吃点东西。

2) When we praise the Chinese leadership and the people, we are not merely being polite. 我们对中国领导人和中国人民的赞扬不仅仅是出于礼貌。 3) I'm blest if I know. 我一点儿也不知道。

（三）把原文中的并列复合句(Compound sentence)译成一个单句。

1) From Florence the river Arno ran down to Pisa, and then it reached the sea. 阿诺河从佛罗伦萨流经比萨入海。

2) In 1844 Engels met Marx, and they became friends. 一八四四年恩格斯与马克思相遇并成了朋友。

3) The time was 10:30, and traffic on the street was light. 十点三十分的时候，街上来往的车辆稀少了。