1、考研英语长难句翻译技巧 考研英语长难句翻译措施:分句法 分句法,有时英语长句中主语或主句与修饰词关系并不十分亲密,翻译时可以按照汉语多用短句习惯,把长句从句或短语化成句子,分开来论述,为了使语意连贯,有时需要合适增长词语。例如: 例 1. The number of the young people in the United States who can`t read is incredible about one in four. 上句在英语中是一种相对简单句子,不过假如我们按照原文句子构造死译,就也许被翻译成: 没有阅读能力美国青年人数目令人难以相信约为
2、 1/4。这样,就使得译文极为不通顺,不符合汉语体现习惯,因此,我们应当把它译为:大概有 1/4 美国青年人没有阅读能力,这简直令人难以置信。 例 2. Television,it is often said,keeps one informed about current events,allow one to follow the latest developments in science and politics,and offers an endless series of programmes which are both instructive and entertaini
3、ng. (85 年考题) 分析:在此长句中,有一种插入语it is often said ,三个并列谓语构造,尚有一种定语从句,这三个并列谓语构造尽管在构造上同属于同一种句子,但均有独立意义,因此在翻译时,可以采用分句法,按照汉语习惯把整个句子分解成几种独立分句,成果为:人们常说,通过电视可以理解时事,掌握科学和政治最新动态。从电视里还可以看到层出不穷、既有教育意义又有娱乐性新节目。 下面我们再举一种例子: 例 3. All they have to do is press a button,and they can see plays,films,operas,and sh
4、ows of every kind,not to mention political discussions and the latest exciting football match. (85 年考题) 他们所必须做只是按一下开关。开关一开,就可以看到电视剧、电影、歌剧,以及 其他多种各样文艺节目。 至于政治问题辩论、 近来激感人心足球赛更是不在话下。 例 4. Although perhaps only 1 per cent of the life that has started somewhere will develop into highly complex a
5、nd intelligent patterns,so vast is the number of planets that intelligent life is bound to be a natural part of the universe. 虽然在某处已经开始生命中也许仅有百分之一会发展成高度复杂、有智慧型式,不过行星数目如此之多,以致有智慧生命一定是宇宙一种天然构成部分。 考研英语长难句翻译重点:逆序法 逆序法。英语有些长句体现次序与汉语体现习惯不一样,甚至完全相反,这时必须从原文背面开始翻译。 例如: 例 1. Aluminum remained unk
6、nown until the nineteenth century,because nowhere in nature is it found free,owing to its always being combined with other elements,most commonly withoxygen,for which it has a strong affinity. 分析:这个句子由一种主句,两个原因状语和一种定语从句, 铝直到 19 世纪才被人发现是主句,也是全句中心内容,全句共有四个谓语构造,共有五层意思: A. 铝直到 19 世纪才被人发现; B. 由于
7、在自然界找不到游离状态铝; C. 由于它总是跟其他元素结合在一起; D. 最普遍是跟氧结合; E. 铝跟氧有很强亲和力。 按照汉语体现习惯一般因在前,果在后,这样,我们可以逆着原文次序把该句翻译成: 铝总是跟其他元素结合在一起, 最普遍是跟氧结合; 由于铝跟氧有很强亲和力,由于这个原因,在自然界找不到游离状态铝。因此,铝直到 19 世纪才被人发现。 例 2. It therefore becomes more and more important that,if students are not to waste theiropportunities,there
8、will have to be much more detailed information about courses and moreadvice. 分析:该句由一种主句,一种条件状语从句和一种宾语从句构成, 变得越来越重要是主句,也是全句中心内容,全句共有三个谓语构造,包含三层含义: A. 变越来越重要; B. 假如要使学生充足运用他们机会; C. 得为他们提供大量更为详尽信息,作更多指导。 为了使译文符合汉语体现习惯,我们也采用逆序法,翻译成:因此,假如要使学生充足运用他们(上大学)机会,就得为他们提供大量有关课程更为详尽信息,作更多指导。这个问题显得越来
9、越重要了。 下面我们再举几种实例: 例 3. It is probably easier for teachers than for students to appreciate the reasons whylearning English seems to become increasingly difficult once the basic structures and patterns of the language have been understood. 一旦理解英语基本构造和句型,再往下学似乎就越来越难了,这其中原因,也许教师比学生更容易理解。 例 4
10、 They (the poor) are the first to experience technological progress as a curse whichdestroysthe old musclepower jobs that previous generations used as a means to fight their wayout of poverty. 对于以往几代人来说,旧式体力劳动是一种用以挣脱贫困手段,而技术进步则摧毁了穷人赖以为生体力劳动,因此首先体验到技术进步之害是穷人。 例 5.A great number of graduate stu
11、dents were driven into the intellectual slum when in the United States the intellectual poor became the classic poor,the poor under the rather romantic guise of the Beat Generation,a real phenomenon in the late fifties. 50 年代后期美国出现了一种任何人都不也许视而不见现象,穷知识分子以跨掉一代这种颇为浪漫姿态出现而成为美国经典穷人,正是这个时候大批大学生被赶进了知识分子
12、贫民窟。 例 6. Such is a human nature in the West that a great many people are often willing to sacrifice higher pay for the privilege of becoming white collar workers. 许多人宁愿牺牲比较高工资以换取成为白领工人社会地位,这在西方倒是人之常情。 例 7. Insects would make it impossible for us to live in the world; they would devour all
13、our crops and kill our flocks and herds,if it were not for the protection we get from insecteatinganimals. 假如没有那些以昆虫为食动物保护我们,昆虫将吞噬我们所有庄稼,害死我们牛羊家畜,使我们不能生存于世。 考研英语长难句翻译要点:次序法 次序法。当英语长句内容论述层次与汉语基本一致时,可以按照英语原文次序翻译成汉语。例如: 例 1. Even when we turn off the beside lamp and are fast asleep,electricit
14、y is working for us,driving our refrigerators,heating our water,or keeping our rooms airconditioned. (84 年考题) 分析:该句子由一种主句,三个作伴随状语目前分词以及位于句首时间状语从句构成,共有五层意思:A. 既使在我们关掉了床头灯深深地进入梦乡时;B.电仍在为我们工作;C. 帮我们开动电冰箱;D. 加热水;E. 或是室内空调机继续运转。上述五层意思逻辑关系以及体现次序与汉语完全一致,因此,我们可以通过次序法,把该句翻译成: 虽然在我们关掉了床头灯深深地进入梦乡时, 电仍在为我
15、们工作: 帮我们开动电冰箱,把水加热,或使室内空调机继续运转。 例 2. But now it is realized that supplies of some of them are limited,and it is even possible to give a reasonable estimate of their expectation of life,the time it will take to exhaust all known sources and reserves of these materials. (84 年考题) 分析:该句骨干构造为It is
16、realized that ,it 为形式主语,that 引导着主语从句以及并列 it is even possible to 构造,其中,不定式作主语,the time 是expectation of life同位语,深入解释其含义,而 time 背面`句子是它定语从句。五个谓语构造,体现了四个层次意义: A. 可是目前人们意识到; B. 其中有些矿物质蕴藏量是有限; C. 人们甚至还可以比较合理估计出这些矿物质可望存在多少年 ; D. 将这些已知矿源和储量将消耗殆尽时间。 根据同位语从句翻译措施, 把第四层意义体现作合适调整, 整个句子就翻译为: 可是目
17、前人们意识到,其中有些矿物质蕴藏量是有限,人们甚至还可以比较合理估计出这些矿物质可望存在多少年 ,也就是说,通过若干年后,这些矿物所有已知矿源和储量将消耗殆尽。 下面我们再列举几种实例: 例 3. Prior to the twentieth century,women in novels were stereotypes of lacking anyfeatures that made them unique individuals and were also subject to numerous restrictionsimposed by the maledominated
18、 culture. 在 20 世纪此前,小说中妇女像都是一种模式。她们没有任何特点,因而无法成为具有个性人;他们还要屈从于由男性主宰文化老式强加给他们种种束缚。 例 4. This method of using controls can be applied to a variety of situations,and can be used to find the answer to questions as widely different as Must moisture be present if iron is to rust? and Which variety of
19、 beans gives the greatest yield in one season? 这种使用参照物措施可以应用于许多种状况,也能用来找到很不相似多种问题答案,从铁生锈,与否必须有一定湿度才行?到哪种豆类一季产量最高? 例 5. It begins as a childlike interest in the grand spectacle and exciting event;it grows as a mature interest in the variety and complexity of the drama,the splendid achievements
20、and terrible failures;it ends as deep sense of the mystery of man`s life of all the dead, great and obscure, who once walked the earth,and of wonderful and awful possibilities of being a human being. 我们对历史爱好来源于我们最初仅对某些历史上宏伟场面和激感人心事件感到孩童般爱好;其后,这种爱好变得成熟起来,我们开始对历史这出戏剧多样性和复杂性,对历史上辉煌成就和悲壮失败也感爱好;对历史爱好,
21、最终以我们对人类生命一种深沉神秘感而告结束。对死去,无论是伟大与平凡,所有在这个地球上走过而已逝人,均有能获得伟大奇迹或制造可怕事件潜力。 例6. If parents were prepared for this adolescent reaction, and realized that it was a sign that the child was growing up and developing valuable powers of observation and independent judgment,they would not be so hurt,and therefore would not drive the child into opposition by resenting and resisting it. 假如做父母对这种青少年反应有所准备, 并且认为这是一种显示出孩子正在成长,正在发展珍贵观测力和独立判断力标志,他们就不会感到如此伤心,因此也就不会因对此有愤怒和反对情绪而把孩子推到对立面去。 9 / 9






