第五节 减词译法.doc

第五节 减词译法
一、减去对偶同义词中的某一个词
1. The treaty was pronounced null and void.
条约被宣布无效。
2. The most amazing and inspiring part of the tale came after that.
这之后才是故事最惊心动魄的部分。
3. The bold and courageous struggle of the working class and its Communist Party carried the day.
工人阶级及其共产党的英勇斗争取得了胜利。
4. The undersigned sellers and buyers have agreed to close the following transactions according to the terms and conditions stipulated below.
兹经买卖双方同意成交下列商品，特签订条款如下。
5. … since much of this arrives by mere accident, and many a man who commits evil is not totally bad and corrupt in his heart.
因为您的结论大部分是根据偶然事件得来的，而许多做过坏事的人在心灵深处并不是邪恶透顶的。
6. Neither party shall cancel the contract without sufficient cause or reason.
双方均不得无故解除合同。
二、减去连接词
A thousand years will pass and the guilt of Germany will not be erased. (Hans Frank Governor-General of Poland, before he was hanged at Nuremberg)
千年易逝，德国的罪孽难消。
——驻波兰总督汉斯·弗朗克于纽伦堡
（一）减去表示时间的连接词
1. President Roosevelt’s white linen suit and white straw hat glared in the bright sun, as he sat in his open car beside the stand.
罗斯福总统坐在检阅台旁的一辆敞篷汽车里，他穿的白亚麻衣服和戴的白色草帽在灿烂的骄阳下闪闪发光。
2. They waited a long time before Mussolini suddenly stepped out on the balcony and raised a hand in salute.
人们等了很久，忽然墨索里尼走了出来，站在阳台上，举起一只手敬礼。
3. When I sing, I sing off-key.
我一唱歌就跑调。
4. As long last, on June 6, 1944, after the European war was basically decided and Hitler licked, the allies launched their long-delayed western front.
1944年6月6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。
（二）减去表示原因的连接词
1. He wanted to become a missionary because he thought that was the way you could do most for people.
他想当传教士，认为这样可以对人类做出最大贡献。
2. He didn’t come to the meeting as he was ill yesterday afternoon.
昨天下午他病了，没来开会。
3. I shall remember you for huddling me among the servants.
我会永远记得你竟把我塞到仆人堆里去。
（三）减去表示条件的连接词
1. If the board was spinning slowly, you could see all the different colors.
纸板慢慢旋转，就能看见各种不同颜色。
2. “Now, if we put this sofa against the wall and move everything out of the room except the chairs, don’t you think it all right?”
“你们看，把这个沙发贴墙放，把屋子里的东西都搬出去，单留下椅子，怎么样？”
3. If winter comes, can spring be far behind?
冬天来了，春天还会远吗？
（四）减去并列连接词
1. She therefore took another turn and attempted to mitigate the offence.
因此，她换了个办法，企图减轻自己的过错。
2. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed.
资本只不过是劳动的成果。如果不是先有劳动，就不可能有资本。
3. I was like that ship before my education began, only I was without compass or sounding-line, and had no way of knowing how near the harbor was.
我在开始受教育之前，就像这样一条船，只是没有罗盘，没有测深绳，也无法知道离海港有多远。
三、减去代词
（一）减去物主代词
1. Byron shook his head and raised his voice over the shrieking siren.
拜伦摇摇头，提高嗓门儿盖过尖厉的警报声。
2. On what object can we cast own eyes which may not inspire us with ideas of His power, of His wisdom, and of His goodness?
我们眼睛看到的哪些东西不使我们想到上帝的力量、智慧和仁慈呢？
3. Put your hat on your head.
把帽子戴上。
4. For a punishment, you’ll get no allowance for two-weeks—whatever your excuses are.
作为一种惩罚，扣你两个星期的补助，不管有什么理由。
5. In his thirtieth year Whiteman left New York for New Orleans, to become a special writer on the staff of a newspaper.
30岁时，惠特曼离开了纽约来到新奥尔良，在一家报社的编辑部当特约撰稿人。
（二）减去作宾语的代词
1. He has distinguished himself in cost accounting.
他在成本核算业务方面是很出众的。
2. Please take off the old picture and throw it away.
请把那张旧画摘下来扔掉。
3. Sometimes he would give us a disc of pop songs. We would listen to it day in and day out.
有时他给我们带来一张流行歌曲，我们就不分白天黑夜地听起来。
4. I was at once interested in this finger play and tried to imitate it.
我马上对这种手指在手心里写字的游戏产生了兴趣，接着就模仿起来。
5. Ignoring the chair offered him, Chu Teh stood squarely before this youth more than ten years his junior and in a level voice told him who he was.
朱德顾不得拉过来的椅子，端端正正地站在比他年轻十几岁的青年面前，用平稳的语调说明自己的身份……
（三）减去泛指的人称代词
1. As you come into the room, you’ll notice a piano.
一走进房间，就会看见一架钢琴。
2. We have 7 days a week and 24 hours a day.
一个星期有7天，一天有24小时。
3. Fight when you can win; Move away when you cannot win.
打得赢就打；打不赢就走。
4. Even as the doctor was recommending rest, he knew that this in itself was not enough, that one could never get real 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。
（四）减去作主语的人称代词
1. He was 70 years old. He didn’t go out nearly 20 years.
他70岁了。将近20年没有出过门了。
2. Like his friend he had many wonderful ideas, but he only put a few into practice.
他像他的朋友一样，虽然头脑里有许多美妙的想法，却只有少数付诸实施。
3. I don’t want to go to college, I want to devote my life to Christian service.
我不想进大学，只想献身于基督的事业。
四、根据修辞的需要
（一）为了语言的精练，根据汉语的表达习惯，减掉那些可有可无的词
1. He then pulled out a little gilt pocket book and delivered it into the hands of Jones.
他掏出一个金边的小皮夹子来，递给琼斯。
2. “I see you got a wooden leg,” he said, “I think you’re brave. I think you are real sweet.”
“我注意到你一条腿是假的，”他说，“你很勇敢，很可爱。”
3. He started to fumble the map shut, but, before he could move, a bright thing fell throw the air and hit the paper.
他想要把地图册合上，但还来不及动手，一滴亮晶晶的东西落在纸上。
4. I have had less trouble, I warrant you, with a good squire’s family, where we take forty or fifty shillings of a night.
要是招待一位阔乡绅和他的一家，我费的事要少得多，一晚上足能挣上四五十个先令。
（二）有时在英语表达中，用形容词和名词组成的名词性词组，在译成汉语中常用形容词表达，因而可以减去名词
1. Her father treated her in so violent and outrageous a manner.
她父亲对她是如此蛮横、暴戾。
2. Actually, he found Estoril in January and exceedingly chilly and boring place.
实际上，他发现一月里伊什土里尔冷得要命，而且单调乏味。
3. And a sweet young creature is Madam Sophia, that’s the truth.
苏菲亚小姐长得多可爱呀，这一点儿也不差。
4. He poured down glass after glass, thinking that red wine was really remarkably fine stuff.
他一杯接一杯地喝下去，觉得那红酒实在了不起。
5. And for the sword, I never learned to fence and know nothing of the matter.
至于刀剑，我从来也没学过击剑，一点儿也不会。
（三）有时为了译文语言的精练，可将英语的词组译为一个词
wasted and withering years 蹉跎岁月
a rekindled idea 复萌之念
cause and effect 因果
deaf and dumb 聋哑
man and wife 夫妇
heaven and earth 天地
up and down 上下
back and forth 前后
art and literature 文艺
meal and drink 饮食
fire and water 水火
flesh and blood 血肉
sooner and later 迟早
track and field 田径
pick and choose 挑选
iron and steel 钢铁
science and technology 科技
land and water水陆

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