转换法(学习与复习材料).doc

转换法
Definition of Affirmation and Negation
原文本来是正面表达，译文却从反面着笔；或者，原文用肯定语气的，译文不妨倒过来，采取双否定或换反义词加否定语气。
Some Idiomatic Expressions
★ Keep off the lawn! 请勿践踏草地！
★ I couldn’t agree more with you. 我完全同意你的看法。
★ I lay awake almost the whole night.
原译：我整晚醒着躺在那儿。
改译：我躺在那儿，几乎一夜没睡。/几乎一夜没合眼。
★ He was the last man to say such things.
他绝不会说这样的话。
★ They are non-local laborers in Beijing
他们是在北京打工的外地民工。
★ We must never stop taking an optimistic view of life.
我们要永远对生活抱乐观的态度。
★ 王先生这几年一直是全勤。
Mr. Wang has never missed a day’s work for years.
★ I do think that it is beyond his power to fulfill the task.
我的确认为要完成这项任务是他力所不及的。

Purposes of Affirmation and Negation
1.明确语义。
2.加强修辞。
3.符合译语习惯。

3. Examples for Affirmation
1. Isn’t it funny!
真逗！
2. I am never at a loss for a word; Pitt is never at a loss for the word.
原译：我要找一个词从不感到困难，可是皮特找个恰如其分的词却从不感到困难。
改译：我总是能凑合找个词儿说说，可是皮特什么时候都能找到恰如其分的词儿。
3. When Stephen was introduced to the old couple, they said simply, “We’ve read your article. We expected to meet an older man.”
当史蒂夫被介绍给这对老年夫妇的时候，他们只是淡淡地说：“我们看过你的文章，没想到你这么年轻。”
4. 男儿有泪不轻弹，皆因未到伤心处。
Men only weep when deeply hurt.
5. 他的暗示没有引起我的注意。
His hint escaped my notice.

4. Examples for Negation
1. That’s a thing that might happen to any man.
原译：这样的事情可能发生在任何人身上。
改译：这种事情谁也难免。
2. This book is a fool to that both in plot and execution.
这本书不论在情节上还是在写作技巧方面，都不及那一本。
3. He was 75, but he carried his years lightly.
他七十五岁了，可是并不显老。
4. His speech leaves much to be desired.
他的讲话很不如人意。
5. John was a fool for danger.
约翰是天不怕地不怕的。

Conclusion
正面译不顺，不妨反面着笔，以求尽量发挥翻译技巧灵活多变的特点。翻译之所以成为艺术，就是它本身具有创造性。凡是能体现创造性的技巧，都不可能是墨守成规。所以反译自有其依据。
反译有时是必需的，因为说英、汉语的两个民族的思维逻辑和表达方式不同。同一个概念，一个民族正面说，认为是合乎表达习惯的，而另一个民族则认为反着说或换个角度说才顺口。译者必须全面、深入掌握两种语言，才能自觉地和自如地运用反译法这一技巧。

5. Some Traps in Negative Structures
1. not…because
The engine didn’t stop because the fuel was finished．
引擎并不是因为燃料耗尽而停止运转。
In that city，we had never suffered discrimination because we were Jews
我们在那个城市从未因为是犹太人而遭受歧视。
This version is not placed first because it is simple．
此方案并不因为简易而放在首位。
2. cannot…too
You cannot be too careful in proofreading，
校对时，越仔细越好。
3. all／every．．．not
All that glitters is not gold．
发光的不一定都是金子。
everything is not straightened out．
并非每一个问题都弄清楚了。
4. both…not
But you see，we both cannot go．
但是我告诉你，我们俩不能同时都走。
Both the instruments are not precision ones．
这两件东西不都是精密仪器。
5. for all…
He seemed as fresh as ever，for all that I never saw him drink or eat．
尽管我从未见到他喝点什么或吃点什么，他似乎仍然精神饱满。
For all I knew, the files we were supposed to photograph were already on
their way．
说不定那些该由我们去拍摄的文件已在途中。
6. It be + adj. + n. + that…
It is a good workman that never blunders．
智者千虑，必有一失。
It is a long lane that has no end．
路必有弯。(凡事总有变化，不会永远不变。)
It is an ill wind that blows nobody good．
坏事未必对人人都有害处。
It is a good horse that never stumbles．
好马也有失蹄时。