2009年4月24日

英汉翻译常用十大技巧

英汉两种语言在句法、词汇、修辞等方面均存在着很大的差异,因此在进行英汉互译时必然会遇到很多困难,需要有一定的翻译技巧作指导。常用的翻译技巧有增译法、省译法、转换法、拆句法、合并法、正译法、反译法、倒置法、包孕法、插入法、重组法和综合法等。这些技巧不但可以运用于笔译之中,也可以运用于口译过程中,而且应该用得更加熟练,因为口译工作的特点决定了译员没有更多的时间进行思考。

增译法:指根据英汉两种语言不同的思维方式、语言习惯和表达方式,在翻译时增添一些词、短句或句子,以便更准确地表达出原文所包含的意义。这种方式多半用在汉译英里。汉语无主句较多,而英语句子一般都要有主语,所以在翻译汉语无主句的时候,除了少数可用英语无主句、被动语态或"There be…"结构来翻译以外,一般都要根据语境补出主语,使句子完整。英汉两种语言在名词、代词、连词、介词和冠词的使用方法上也存在很大差别。英语中代词使用频率较高,凡说到人的器官和归某人所有的或与某人有关的事物时,必须在前面加上物主代词。因此,在汉译英时需要增补物主代词,而在英译汉时又需要根据情况适当地删减。英语词与词、词组与词组以及句子与句子的逻辑关系一般用连词来表示,而汉语则往往通过上下文和语序来表示这种关系。因此,在汉译英时常常需要增补连词。英语句子离不开介词和冠词。另外,在汉译英时还要注意增补一些原文中暗含而没有明言的词语和一些概括性、注释性的词语,以确保译文意思的完整。总之,通过增译,一是保证译文语法结构的完整,二是保证译文意思的明确。如:
(1)What about calling him right away? 马上给他打个电话,你觉得如何? (增译主语和谓语)
(2)If only I could see the realization of the four modernizations. 要是我能看到四个现代化实现该有多好啊!(增译主句)
(3) Indeed, the reverse is true 实际情况恰好相反。(增译名词)
(4)就是法西斯国家本国的人民也被剥夺了人权。Even the people in the fascist countries were stripped of their human rights.(增译物主代词)
(5)只许州官放火,不许百姓点灯。 While the magistrates were free to burn down house, the common people were forbidden to light lamps. (增译连词)
(6)这是我们两国人民的又一个共同点。 This is yet another common point between the people of our two countries.(增译介词)
(7)在人权领域,中国反对以大欺小、以强凌弱。 In the field of human rights, China opposes the practice of the big oppressing the small and the strong bullying the weak.(增译暗含词语)
(8)三个臭皮匠,合成一个诸葛亮。 Three cobblers with their wits combined equal Zhuge Liang the mastermind.(增译注释性词语)

省译法:这是与增译法相对应的一种翻译方法,即删去不符合目标语思维习惯、语言习惯和表达方式的词,以避免译文累赘。增译法的例句反之即可。又如:
(1)You will be staying in this hotel during your visit in Beijing. 你在北京访问期间就住在这家饭店里。(省译物主代词)
(2)I hope you will enjoy your stay here. 希望您在这儿过得愉快。(省译物主代词)
(3)中国政府历来重视环境保护工作。The Chinese government has always attached great importance to environmental protection. (省译名词)

转换法:指翻译过程中为了使译文符合目标语的表述方式、方法和习惯而对原句中的词类、句型和语态等进行转换。具体的说,就是在词性方面,把名词转换为代词、形容词、动词;把动词转换成名词、形容词、副词、介词;把形容词转换成副词和短语。在句子成分方面,把主语变成状语、定语、宾语、表语;把谓语变成主语、定语、表语;把定语变成状语、主语;把宾语变成主语。在句型方面,把并列句变成复合句,把复合句变成并列句,把状语从句变成定语从句。在语态方面,可以把主动语态变为被动语态。如:
(1)我们学院受教委和市政府的双重领导。 Our institute is co-administrated by the States Education Commission and the municipal government. (名词转动词)
(2)Too much exposure to TV programs will do great harm to the eyesight of children. 孩子们看电视过多会大大地损坏视力。(名词转动词)
(3)由于我们实行了改革开放政策,我国的综合国力有了明显的增强。 Thanks to the introduction of our reform and opening policy, our comprehensive national strength has greatly improved. (动词转名词)
(4)I’m all for you opinion. 我完全赞成你的意见。(介词转动词)
(5)The reform and opening policy is supported by the whole Chinese people. 改革开放政策受到了全中国人民的拥护。(动词转名词)
(6)In his article the author is critical of man’s negligence toward his environment. 作者在文章中,对人类疏忽自身环境作了批评。(形容词转名词)
(7)In some of the European countries, the people are given the biggest social benefits such as medical insurance. 在有些欧洲国家里,人民享受最广泛的社会福利,如医疗保险等。(被动语态转主动语态)
(8)时间不早了,我们回去吧! We don’t have much time left. Let’s go back. (句型转换) (9)学生们都应该德、智、体全面发展。 All the students should develop morally, intellectually and physically. (名词转副词)

拆句法和合并法:这是两种相对应的翻译方法。拆句法是把一个长而复杂的句子拆译成若干个较短、较简单的句子,通常用于英译汉;合并法是把若干个短句合并成一个长句,一般用于汉译英。汉语强调意合,结构较松散,因此简单句较多;英语强调形合,结构较严密,因此长句较多。所以汉译英时要根据需要注意利用连词、分词、介词、不定式、定语从句、独立结构等把汉语短句连成长句;而英译汉时又常常要在原句的关系代词、关系副词、主谓连接处、并列或转折连接处、后续成分与主体的连接处,以及意群结束处将长句切断,译成汉语分句。这样就可以基本保留英语语序,顺译全句,顺应现代汉语长短句相替、单复句相间的句法修辞原则。如:
(1) Increased cooperation with China is in the interests of the United States. 同中国加强合作,符合美国的利益。 (在主谓连接处拆译)
(2)I wish to thank you for the incomparable hospitality for which the Chinese people are justly famous throughout the world. 我要感谢你们无与伦比的盛情款待。中国人民正是以这种热情好客而闻明世界的。(在定语从句前拆译)
(3)This is particularly true of the countries of the commonwealth, who see Britain’s membership of the Community a guarantee that the policies of the community will take their interests into account 英联邦各国尤其如此,它们认为英国加入欧共体,将能保证欧共体的政策照顾到它们的利益。(在定语从句前拆译)
(4)中国是个大国,百分之八十的人口从事农业,但耕地只占土地面积的十分之一,其余为山脉、森林、城镇和其他用地。 China is a large country with four-fifths of the population engaged in agriculture, but only one tenth of the land is farmland, the rest being mountains, forests and places for urban and other uses.(合译)

正译法和反译法:这两种方法通常用于汉译英,偶尔也用于英译汉。所谓正译,是指把句子按照与汉语相同的语序或表达方式译成英语。所谓反译则是指把句子按照与汉语相反的语序或表达方式译成英语。正译与反译常常具有同义的效果,但反译往往更符合英语的思维方式和表达习惯。因此比较地道。如:
(1) 在美国,人人都能买到枪。 In the United States, everyone can buy a gun. (正译) In the United States, guns are available to everyone. (反译)
(2) 你可以从因特网上获得这一信息。 You can obtain this information on the Internet. (正译) This information is accessible/available on the Internet. (反译)
(3) 他突然想到了一个新主意。 Suddenly he had a new idea. (正译) He suddenly thought out a new idea. (正译) A new idea suddenly occurred to/struck him. (反译)
(4) 他仍然没有弄懂我的意思。 He still could not understand me. (正译) Still he failed to understand me. (反译)
(5) 无论如何,她算不上一位思维敏捷的学生。 She can hardly be rated as a bright student. (正译) She is anything but a bright student. (反译)
(6) Please withhold the document for the time being. 请暂时扣下这份文件。(正译) 请暂时不要发这份文件。(反译)

倒置法:在汉语中,定语修饰语和状语修饰语往往位于被修饰语之前;在英语中,许多修饰语常常位于被修饰语之后,因此翻译时往往要把原文的语序颠倒过来。倒置法通常用于英译汉, 即对英语长句按照汉语的习惯表达法进行前后调换,按意群或进行全部倒置,原则是使汉语译句安排符合现代汉语论理叙事的一般逻辑顺序。有时倒置法也用于汉译英。如:
(1)At this moment, through the wonder of telecommunications, more people are seeing and hearing what we say than on any other occasions in the whole history of the world. 此时此刻,通过现代通信手段的奇迹,看到和听到我们讲话的人比整个世界历史上任何其他这样的场合都要多。(部分倒置)
(2)I believe strongly that it is in the interest of my countrymen that Britain should remain an active and energetic member of the European Community. 我坚信,英国依然应该是欧共体中的一个积极的和充满活力的成员,这是符合我国人民利益的。(部分倒置)
(3)改革开放以来,中国发生了巨大的变化。 Great changes have taken place in China since the introduction of the reform and opening policy.(全部倒置)

包孕法:这种方法多用于英译汉。所谓包孕是指在把英语长句译成汉语时,把英语后置成分按照汉语的正常语序放在中心词之前,使修饰成分在汉语句中形成前置包孕。但修饰成分不宜过长,否则会形成拖沓或造成汉语句子成分在连接上的纠葛。如:
(1)You are the representative of a country and of a continent to which China feels particularly close. 您是一位来自于使中国倍感亲切的国家和大洲的代表。
(2)What brings us together is that we have common interests which transcend those differences. 使我们走到一起的,是我们有超越这些分歧的共同利益。

插入法:指把难以处理的句子成分用破折号、括号或前后逗号插入译句中。这种方法主要用于笔译中。偶尔也用于口译中,即用同位语、插入语或定语从句来处理一些解释性成分。如:
(1)If the announcement of the recovery of Hong Kong would bring about, as Madam put it, "disastrous effects," we will face that disaster squarely and make a new policy decision.如果说宣布收回香港就会像夫人说的"带来灾难性的影响",那我们要勇敢地面对这个灾难,做出决策。

重组法:指在进行英译汉时,为了使译文流畅和更符合汉语叙事论理的习惯,在捋清英语长句的结构、弄懂英语原意的基础上,彻底摆脱原文语序和句子形式,对句子进行重新组合。如:
(1)Decision must be made very rapidly; physical endurance is tested as much as perception, because an enormous amount of time must be spent making certain that the key figures act on the basis of the same information and purpose. 必须把大量时间花在确保关键人物均根据同一情报和目的行事,而这一切对身体的耐力和思维能力都是一大考验。因此,一旦考虑成熟,决策者就应迅速做出决策。

综合法:是指单用某种翻译技巧无法译出时,着眼篇章,以逻辑分析为基础,同时使用转换法、倒置法、增译法、省译法、拆句法等多种翻译技巧的方法。如:
(1)How can the European Union contribute to the development of a European film and television program industry which is competitive in the world market, forward-looking and capable of radiating the influence of European culture and of creating jobs in Europe? 欧洲联盟应该怎样做才能对欧洲的电影电视工业有所贡献,使它在国际市场上具有竞争能力,使它有能力发挥欧洲文化的影响,并且能够在欧洲创造更多的就业机会呢?

资源来自网上:http://www.paper-translation.com
说明单位:上海妙文翻译公司

2009年4月20日

迈克尔·乔丹退役演说

I am here to announce my retirement from the game of basketball. It won't be another announcement to baseball or anything to that nature.
Mentally, I'm exhausted, I don't feel I have a challenge. Physically, I feel great. The last time in 1993 I had other agendas. I felt that I wanted to play baseball and I felt that at my age, it was a good opportunity and time to do it. And with the death of my father, and I was basically trying to deal with that.
Actually I talked to Jerry last year once the season ended and I told Jerry at that time, mentally, I was a little exhausted. I didn't know if I would play next year. I wanted to put him on awareness so that he could possibly prepare going into next season. And Jerry, once we had our conversation, wanted me to take time as I did in 93 to make sure that it was the right decision because it was going to be the final decision.
I retired the first time when Phil Jackson was the coach. And I think that even with Phil being the coach I would have had a tough time, mentally finding the challenge for myself. Although he can somehow present challenges for me. I don't know if he could have presented the challenge for me to continue on to this season." Even though middle way of this season I wanted to continue to play a couple more years, but at the end of this season I was mentally drained and tired. So I can't say that he would have restored that.
I will support the Chicago Bulls. I think the game itself is a lot bigger than Michael Jordan. I've been given an opportunity by people before me, to name a few, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Doctor J, Eljohn Baylor, Jerry West. These guys played the game way before Michael Jordan was born and Michael Jordan came on the heels of all that activity. Mr Stern and what he's done for the league, gave me an opportunity to play the game of basketball. I played it to the best I could play it, I tried to enhance the game itself. I've tried to be the best basketball player that I could be.

我在这里宣布从篮球场上退役,而且这次退役后不会再去从事棒球或其他类似的运动。 由于精神上很疲惫,我感到自己非常缺乏挑战力;体力倒还不错。1993年那次退役时我有其他计划:想打棒球,我这个年纪正是从事棒球事业的极佳时机。而且父亲刚好去世了,我只想尽力去面对这一切。
  事实上,去年赛季刚结束时,我和杰里谈过一次。我告诉他我精神上有些疲惫,不知到下一年还能不能打。我想让他意识到这一点,以便为下一赛季做准备。杰里--有一次我们谈过这个问题--让我要象93年那样,好好考虑,以便作出明智的决定,因为这将是最后决定。
  第一次退役时费尔·杰克逊是教练。但我觉得既使本赛季他还担任教练,我也会很困难,内心里,我已感受到了挑战。当然无论如何,他都会给我一些应对方法的。我不知到他是否还有办法使我打完这一赛季。在本赛季中间我还想着再打几年呢,但当赛季结束时,我却感觉精神枯竭,疲惫。因此我确实不能说他会使我恢复精力。
我将支持芝加哥公牛队,我认为比赛本身比迈克尔·乔丹重要得多。我的很多机会都是篮球前辈们给的。我这里指出一些: 贾巴尔,J博士,韦思特。这些人早在乔丹出生前就活跃在赛场了。迈克尔·乔丹只不过是继承了他们的传统。斯特恩先生及其为联盟做出的贡献给了我打篮球的机会。我已尽我最大能力打球,我想努力推动比赛本身的发展。我一直在努力,尽我所能成为最好的球员。

资源来自网上:http://www.paper-translation.com/html/2009/530.htm
说明单位:上海妙文翻译公司

对翻译出版行业搞“发包”说不

去年《文汇读书周报》头版文章披露时代文艺版《诺贝尔文学奖文集》涉嫌“中译中”,质疑该书“译者”李斯一人竟能翻译十几种文字。后来该书责编说,“李斯”是一家翻译公司,这套文集是多人“翻译”合起来的。此事曾有多家媒体报道,无独有偶,近日又见报道,有位“史上最牛的译者”龙婧,从2004年以来,竟翻译出版了二十多种书,涉及英、法、德等多种文字,平均一年出版6本译作,外加出版《林徽因画传》这样的专著。伴随着惊讶与怀疑,终于弄明白,原来是有些人在翻译出版领域也搞起了“发包”。就是出版社把丛书选题包给某个公司、工作室或中介人,再由后者分头找人翻译,最后用统一的译者署名。

  以前只听过搞建筑可以层层“发包”,没想到像翻译出版这样涉外的精神产品生产,竟也有人搞起了“发包”。越想越担心,因为翻译出版搞“发包”,除了能帮助出版社加快出书抢占市场外,实在弊端多多。从净化和规范翻译出版秩序来讲,必须对翻译出版搞“发包”说不。这是因为:

  第一,对原作者不负责任。作者有权署笔名,但笔名也是作品成果的一个符号和标识,同样体现了对作品承担的责任。特别是翻译作品涉及原作者的权益,因此译者的署名不能没有任何制约。翻译需要原作者授权,如果原作者信不过“李斯” 、“龙婧”,你署他们的名,显然对原作者不负责任。不同原作者与不同译者之间,需要不同的授权关系。对于一些作品,如果未获得原作者逐一授权,擅用“发包人”来署名,将构成署名人对原作者的侵权。这种“发包”搞翻译,可能造成版权关系的混乱,甚至招致涉外版权纠纷。

  第二,剥夺了读者选择译者的知情权。翻译是一种再创作,不同译者有不同的翻译风格,像傅雷、朱生豪等名家,已经成为翻译的一种品牌。许多读者购买翻译书,自然要了解译者的情况,首选自己喜爱的译者。可是“发包”式的翻译书,只有“李斯”或“龙婧”的名字,既损害了真实译者的署名权,又剥夺了读者选择译者的知情权。

  第三,成为掩护抄袭者的防空洞。把真实译者名字全部隐去,某种程度上对曝光劣质翻译起了掩护的作用,使得抄袭剽窃者可能仗着有遮羞布而更加有恃无恐。像李斯“译”的《诺贝尔文学奖文集》,经南京大学图书馆版本专业人员初步查验,就发现有《布登勃洛克一家》、《福尔赛世家》、《克丽丝汀的一生》三种书是抄自人民文学、上海译文和译林版的。而龙婧“创作”的《林徽因画传》,更被揭露抄袭了陈学勇、林杉、田时雨等人的作品。这些至今均未见受到追究,看来“发包”式翻译出版,真起到了掩护抄袭者防空洞的作用。

  第四,使翻译质量处于失控状态。出版社承担着对翻译选题和质量的审核和把关任务,而落实这种任务,自然要体现在出版社与每本书译作者的沟通与监管之中。可是“发包”式翻译,只认充当“二传手”的这个“发包人”,出版社连每本书的具体译者是谁都搞不清,还遑论什么审核与监督?这种方式搞出版,出版社无异放弃了对翻译选题和翻译质量的监管义务,实际上是出版权的变相流失。

  人们常在抱怨,翻译质量呈现下滑和抄袭侵权屡禁不止。那就别在翻译出版领域搞什么“发包”,以免加深读者这种抱怨吧。

资源来自网上:http://www.paper-translation.com/html/2009/545.htm
说明单位:上海妙文翻译公司