摘 要: 英語(yǔ)中有些定語(yǔ)從句實(shí)際上只是形式上的定語(yǔ)結(jié)構(gòu), 對(duì)它的先行詞所起的限定、修飾功能很弱, 在句子中起著狀語(yǔ)的作用, 有表示原因、結(jié)果、條件、讓步、目的、時(shí)間等狀語(yǔ)的性質(zhì)。本文主要以英美新聞報(bào)紙為語(yǔ)料, 談一談這種帶有狀語(yǔ)性質(zhì)的定語(yǔ)從句——狀語(yǔ)化定語(yǔ)從句的理解和翻譯。
關(guān)鍵詞:定語(yǔ)從句 關(guān)系 狀語(yǔ)從句 翻譯
英語(yǔ)中有些定語(yǔ)從句對(duì)它的先行詞所起的限定、修飾功能很弱, 只是形式上的定語(yǔ)結(jié)構(gòu),實(shí)際上在意義上與主句有狀語(yǔ)關(guān)系,說(shuō)明原因、結(jié)果、條件、讓步、轉(zhuǎn)折、目的、時(shí)間、空間等關(guān)系。翻譯時(shí)首先判斷主、從句之間的關(guān)系, 然后再將定于從句轉(zhuǎn)換成適當(dāng)?shù)臓钫Z(yǔ)從句形式加以翻譯。本文主要以英美新聞報(bào)紙為語(yǔ)料,談?wù)勥@種帶有狀語(yǔ)性質(zhì)的定語(yǔ)從句——狀語(yǔ)化定語(yǔ)從句的理解和翻譯。
1 譯成原因狀語(yǔ)從句
英語(yǔ)的定語(yǔ)從句如果在意義上具有說(shuō)明主句原因的含義,在翻譯時(shí)可以加上漢語(yǔ)表示原因關(guān)系的詞語(yǔ), 如“因?yàn)?rdquo;等詞, 并轉(zhuǎn)譯成漢語(yǔ)相應(yīng)的從句。
The strike would prevent the docking of ocean steamships,which require assistance of tugboats.
[試譯] 罷工將使遠(yuǎn)洋貨輪無(wú)法靠岸,因?yàn)樗鼈冃枰洗膸椭?br/>The Carter Administration has tentatively decided against the sale to Taiwan of long-range F-4 Phantom fighters that could be used to attack China,Administration officials said today.
[試譯] 一些政府官員今天說(shuō),卡特政府已初步?jīng)Q定不向臺(tái)灣出售F-4 幻影遠(yuǎn)程戰(zhàn)斗機(jī),因?yàn)榕_(tái)灣當(dāng)局極可能使用這種戰(zhàn)斗機(jī)來(lái)攻打中國(guó)大陸。
“We are not too worried about Congress,where we have many good friends,and we are convinced that Sadat will fall on his face if he tries to weaken our ties with American Jewry.” Said a policymaker in Jerusalem.“But we are apprehensive about what will come out of Sadat’s meetings with Carter,who likes to please his guests by saying something they want to hear.”
[試譯]“我們對(duì)美國(guó)國(guó)會(huì)并不太擔(dān)心,因?yàn)槲覀冊(cè)诶锩嬗性S多好朋友。我們深信, 如果薩達(dá)特企圖削弱我們與美國(guó)猶太人的聯(lián)系,他肯定會(huì)碰一鼻子灰。”耶路撒冷某一決策者說(shuō):“我們所擔(dān)心的是,一旦薩達(dá)特同卡特爾總統(tǒng)會(huì)晤成功,會(huì)產(chǎn)生什么樣的后果,因?yàn)樗_達(dá)特總喜歡說(shuō)些奉承客人的話。”
2 譯成結(jié)果狀語(yǔ)從句
英語(yǔ)的定語(yǔ)從句如果在意義上具有說(shuō)明主句結(jié)果的含義,在翻譯時(shí)可以加上漢語(yǔ)表示結(jié)果關(guān)系的詞語(yǔ),如“因此”等詞,并轉(zhuǎn)譯成漢語(yǔ)相應(yīng)的從句。
Copper,which is used so widely for carrying electricity,offers very little resistance.
[試譯] 銅的阻力很小,因此被十分廣泛地用于輸電。
Scientists say this could lead to design changes in airplanes that would save hundreds of millions of dollars in fuel costs.
[試譯] 科學(xué)家們說(shuō),這項(xiàng)成就將引起飛機(jī)設(shè)計(jì)上的變化,從而可以在飛機(jī)燃料費(fèi)用方面節(jié)約數(shù)億美元。
The first computers used the same types of component which made equipment very large and bulky.
[試譯] 首批計(jì)算機(jī)采用同類元件,致使設(shè)備既龐大又笨重。
3 譯成條件狀語(yǔ)從句
英語(yǔ)的定語(yǔ)從句如果在意義上具有表明主句條件的含義,在翻譯時(shí)可以加上漢語(yǔ)表示條件關(guān)系的詞語(yǔ), 如“如果”等詞, 并轉(zhuǎn)譯成漢語(yǔ)相應(yīng)的從句。
Anybody who commits the land power of the United States on the continent of Asia ought to have his head examined.
[試譯] 如果誰(shuí)要把美國(guó)的地面部隊(duì)派遣到亞洲大陸,那他就應(yīng)該檢查一下他的腦子是否正常。
They amounted to near twenty thousand pounds,which to pay would have ruined me.
[試譯]金錢總額將近兩萬(wàn)英鎊,如果要我個(gè)人賠,非要了我的命不可。
It may seem somewhat odd to get water from fire,but we shall find that water is a common by-product of any fire in which hydrogen takes part.
[試譯] 火中取水,似乎有點(diǎn)離奇？但我們不難發(fā)現(xiàn):水乃是火燃燒后所產(chǎn)生的一種常見(jiàn)的副產(chǎn)品;只要燃燒過(guò)程中有氫氣的存在,便會(huì)產(chǎn)生水。
4 譯成讓步狀語(yǔ)從句
英語(yǔ)的定語(yǔ)從句如果在意義上具有表明主句讓步的含義,在翻譯時(shí)可以加上漢語(yǔ)表示讓步關(guān)系的詞語(yǔ),如“雖然”等詞,并轉(zhuǎn)譯成漢語(yǔ)相應(yīng)的從句。
Although we have suffered heavy losses by assisting the French and during the Dunkirk evacuation,we have managed to husband our air fighter strength in spite of poignant appeals from France to throw it improvidently into the great land battle,which it could not have turned decisively.
[試譯] 在援助法國(guó)和敦克爾克大撤退中,我們損失慘重,但還是設(shè)法保存空戰(zhàn)實(shí)力,我們沒(méi)有因?yàn)榉▏?guó)的強(qiáng)烈呼吁而草率投入地面戰(zhàn)斗。即使當(dāng)時(shí)我們這樣做,也是回天乏術(shù),敗局已定。
The statement was phrased in language unfamiliar to anyone who had listened to his speeches for years.
[試譯] 他在這一聲明中所用的措辭,對(duì)于那些即使是多年來(lái)聽(tīng)過(guò)他演講的人來(lái)說(shuō),也是陌生的。

President Asssad,who earlier this year had been flirting with such hard – liners as Libyan President Muammar Kaddafi,drooped his bitter claim that Egypt's Sinai Agreement with Israel were“a sell out of the Arabs” and seemed willing to let Sadat lead the diplomatic search or a political solution to the Arab Israel conflict.
[試譯] 阿薩德總統(tǒng)雖然今年早些時(shí)候曾與利比亞總統(tǒng)卡扎菲這樣的強(qiáng)硬派人物打得火熱,現(xiàn)在卻不再?gòu)?qiáng)烈攻擊埃以簽訂的《西奈協(xié)議》是“出賣阿拉伯國(guó)家的協(xié)議”,并且看來(lái)還愿意讓薩達(dá)特帶頭尋求解決阿以沖突問(wèn)題的政治外交辦法。
5 譯成目的狀語(yǔ)從句
英語(yǔ)的定語(yǔ)從句如果在意義上具有表明主句目的的含義,在翻譯時(shí)可以加上漢語(yǔ)表示目的關(guān)系的詞語(yǔ),如“為了”等詞,并轉(zhuǎn)譯成漢語(yǔ)相應(yīng)的從句。
Chinese trade delegations have been sent to African countries,who will negotiate trade agreements with the respective governments.
[試譯] 中國(guó)貿(mào)易代表團(tuán)前往非洲各國(guó),(以便)屆時(shí)將與非洲各國(guó)政府進(jìn)行貿(mào)易協(xié)定談判。
The present generation is provided with more facts than any previous generation,but we seem to be less and less capable of receiving the facts into our imaginations where they may come alive with feeling.
[譯文]我們這一代人所掌握的客觀知識(shí)比以往任何一代人所掌握的更為豐富,但我們似乎愈來(lái)愈不善于把客觀知識(shí)和我們的主觀想象力結(jié)合起來(lái),以使這些知識(shí)活靈活現(xiàn)。
Some nuclear reactors are used to produce the heat that runs machines for ships and for electric power plants.
[試譯] 有些核反應(yīng)堆是用來(lái)產(chǎn)生熱能的,以開(kāi)動(dòng)輪船和發(fā)電廠的機(jī)器。
6 譯成轉(zhuǎn)折狀語(yǔ)從句
英語(yǔ)的定語(yǔ)從句如果在意義上具有表明主句轉(zhuǎn)折的含義,在翻譯時(shí)可以加上漢語(yǔ)表示轉(zhuǎn)折關(guān)系的詞語(yǔ), 如“但是”等詞, 并轉(zhuǎn)譯成漢語(yǔ)相應(yīng)的從句。
She was very patient towards the children,which her husband seldom was.
[試譯] 她對(duì)孩子很有耐心,可她的丈夫卻常常不是如此。
When I look back on all these worries I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life,most of which had never happened.
[試譯] 我每每回顧起這些憂慮時(shí),就會(huì)想起一位老人在臨終前說(shuō)過(guò)的話:他也曾經(jīng)有過(guò)諸多憂慮, 可這些憂慮大多沒(méi)有發(fā)生。
The suit asks the court to block Kodak from selling its cameras,which it had planned to do starting this month in Canada and late next month in the US.
[試譯] 原告要求法庭禁止科達(dá)公司出售其生產(chǎn)的相機(jī),但該公司早已計(jì)劃于本月幾下月底分別在加拿大和美國(guó)出售。
7 成遞進(jìn)狀語(yǔ)從句
英語(yǔ)的定語(yǔ)從句如果在意義上具有表明主句遞進(jìn)的含義,在翻譯時(shí)可以加上漢語(yǔ)表示遞進(jìn)關(guān)系的詞語(yǔ),如“而且”等詞,并轉(zhuǎn)譯成漢語(yǔ)相應(yīng)的從句。
The fact that the new alliance was locally generated and sustained should be a strong inducement to the US whose interests already dictate such support.
[試譯] 新聯(lián)盟是在當(dāng)?shù)匦纬刹⑶业玫搅水?dāng)?shù)卣挠辛Ψ龀?這一情況對(duì)于美國(guó)來(lái)說(shuō)應(yīng)該具有很大的誘惑力,更何況美國(guó)自身的利益也要求它對(duì)新聯(lián)盟給予支持。
8 譯成時(shí)間狀語(yǔ)從句
英語(yǔ)的定語(yǔ)從句如果在意義上具有表明主句時(shí)間的含義,在翻譯時(shí)可以加上漢語(yǔ)表示時(shí)間順序關(guān)系的詞語(yǔ),如“起初”等詞,并轉(zhuǎn)譯成漢語(yǔ)相應(yīng)的從句。
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.
[試譯] 代表大會(huì)原先已經(jīng)集合,決定繼續(xù)向英皇提出抗議,而現(xiàn)在則發(fā)展到募集軍隊(duì),并且推選喬治.華盛頓為總司令了。
It was a keen disappointment when I had to postpone the visit which I had intended to pay to China in January.
[試譯] 我原先打算元月份訪華,后來(lái)不得不推遲,這使我深感不快。
Samuel O.Bruh was just an ordinary - looking citizen like you and me,except for a curious,shoe - shaped scar on his left cheek,which he got when he fell against a wagon - tongue in his youth.
[試譯] 薩繆爾.布魯這位老兄相貌平平,猶如你我,只不過(guò)是年少時(shí)有一回摔倒,撞在大車轅桿上,從此,左頰留下了一道疤痕;那疤痕倒也別致,形狀像只小小的鞋印,令人感到好奇。
9 譯成空間狀語(yǔ)從句
英語(yǔ)的定語(yǔ)從句如果在意義上具有表明主句遞進(jìn)的含義,在翻譯時(shí)可以加上漢語(yǔ)表示空間順序關(guān)系的詞語(yǔ), 如“在⋯⋯”等詞,并轉(zhuǎn)譯成漢語(yǔ)相應(yīng)的從句。
Can you answer a question,which I want to ask,and which is puzzling me?
[試譯] 我有一個(gè)問(wèn)題弄不懂,相請(qǐng)教你,你能回答嗎？
由此看來(lái),翻譯時(shí)首先應(yīng)擺脫英語(yǔ)形式的束縛,把握其各個(gè)部分含義的內(nèi)在關(guān)系,對(duì)定語(yǔ)從句的外在形式進(jìn)行重組,判斷主、從句的邏輯關(guān)系,然后再按照漢語(yǔ)的行文習(xí)慣,將轉(zhuǎn)換成適當(dāng)?shù)臓钫Z(yǔ)從句形式翻譯。
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