1、翻译理论与实践,英译汉常用的方法和技巧:(11)英语无生命主语句 的翻译,请翻译以下两个句子：1. The end justifies the means. 2. Every day sees our motherland flourishing.,请翻译以下两个句子：1. The end justifies the means. 目的为方法辩护。2. Every day sees our motherland flourishing.每天看到我们的祖国欣欣向荣。,请翻译以下两个句子：1. The end justifies the means. If the end (purpose) is
2、 justifiable, it will matter little whatever means you use.只要目的正确，用哪种方法是无关紧要的。,请翻译以下两个句子：2. Every day sees our motherland flourishing.Our motherland is flourishing with each passing day.我们的祖国日益繁荣昌盛。,1. The end justifies the means. 2. Every day sees our motherland flourishing. 共同点: 句子都是以无生命事物的名词作主语，叫
3、无生命主语(inanimate subject)。,英语常用无生命的名词作主语, 这是英语和汉语在句子构成方面的一个重要差别。 引起这种差别的原因很多，最主要的恐怕是由于不同民族的不同思维习惯所致。 从动作的执行者是有无生命的这一点来看，英语和汉语的动词均可分为有生命动词和无生命动词。,有生命动词与无生命动词在英语中没有明确的区别，即一个动词常常是既可用作有生命动词、又可用作无生命动词；而在汉语中这两类动词之间却有明确的区别。 汉语中有生命动词表示人和人类社会组织才有的行为或动作, 如：看、哭、送、说、写、讲、拿等；无生命动词表示无生命事物的一些无意识运动、作用或变化，如：吸引、相排斥、变等。
4、,在中国人的思维中，往往以人为中心，认为只有人类和人类社会组织才会有上述有生命动词表示的行为和动作，无生命的事物和现象只能用无生命动词表示动作。所以有生命动词做谓语时不能以无生命名词或代词作主语。,在英美人的思维中，往往更注意客观事物和现象对人的作用和影响，反映在语言表达上就是多用无生命名词作主语。有生命动词既可以用有生命名词做主语，也可以用无生命的名词作主语。例如：George told me that he would come this afternoon.乔治对我说他今天下午来。 My conscience told me that I deserved no extrordinary
5、 politeness.凭良心讲, 你待我礼貌有加, 我却受之有愧。,英语无生命主语句（Non-life subject sentences）的类型: 从充当句子主语的词语来看，大致可分为以下几类： 1. 以时间地点等名词作主语的句子，常用see, find, witness等动词作谓语。例：1949 saw the founding of the Peoples Republic of China.1949年中华人民共和国成立了。Rome witnessed many great historic events.在罗马城发生了许多伟大历史事件。,再如：The following year s
6、aw the death of his mother.第二年他妈妈去世了。Dawn met him well along the way.拂晓时，他早已走了一大段路。The world history has seen more tears than laughter.在世界历史上眼泪比欢笑多。,2. 表示生理、心理状态的名词和表示某种遭遇的名词主语的句子。Astonishment, apprehension, and even horror oppressed her.她焦躁不安，甚至惊恐万分。His weariness determined him to sit down in the f
7、irst convenient shade.他疲惫不堪，于是下了决心，一碰到舒适的阴凉处就坐下休息。,3. 具有行为和动作意义的名词作主语的句子。The very sight of it makes me feel nervous.一见到它，我就感到紧张。 That night sleep eluded him.那天夜里他没睡好。Thought of the interview filled me with fear.一想到面试，我就担心害怕。,4. 用“it”作形式主语，其逻辑主语是 后面的短语或从句的英语句子。It was very wise of you to bring an umbr
8、ella.你带了雨伞是明知的。It is hardly likely that Tom may have forgotten to post the parcel.汤姆几乎不太可能忘记寄这个包裹。,5. 表示其他事物名词作主语的句子。The matter asks immediate attention.这件事需要立即予以注意。Well, Colonel Fitzwilliam, what do I play next? My fingers wait your order.噢，菲兹威廉上校，接着弹个什么曲子？我在听您吩咐呢。Her heart did whisper that he had
9、done it for her. 她的心里的确嘀咕：为了我，他才这么做的。,翻译英语的无生命主语句时首先要考虑到其特点，吃透原文， 然后选好主语，用地道的汉语把原文的意思传达出来。常用的几种方法：1. 改变原句中的主语，即找出合适的动作执行者作为汉语句子的主语，把无生命主语转换为有生命的主语，重组句子。Anger choked his words.他气得话也说不出来。,再如：Her name escaped/eluded me. 我当时想不起她的名字。The courage escaped from me at the moment and words also failed me.我当时没有
10、勇气，也不知该说些什么。Alarm began to take entire possession of him.他开始变得惊恐万分。Something inside me seemed to stop momentarily.我顿时呆住了。,2. 把无生命主语转化为汉语的状语。 这种情况下，一般把主语译成时间、地点状语。某些句子的宾语如是表示某种行为和动作的名词，可译为谓语，其定语译为主语。原谓语不翻译，因实质性内容是由宾语及定语表示的。 例如：Investigation led us to the foregoing conclusion.经过调查，我们得出了上述结论。,再如： The c
11、ity witnessed the outbreak of the slaughter.大屠杀发生在这个城市。大屠杀是在这个城市发生的。The forty years, 1840-80, brought almost ten million migrants to America. 从1840至1880年这四十年中，近一千万移民移居美国。,3. 把无生命主语句转化为汉语的无主语句。例如：The problem defied solution.此问题无法解决。The heat makes me sweat like a pig.热得我满头大汗。The noise made everybody u
12、pset.吵得大家不得安宁。,再如： There may be a chance to win. 可能还会有赢的机会。 There are over twenty printing errors. 有二十多处印刷错误。状语变主语： There sits a flower bed in the middle of the garden. 园子中央有一座花坛。,添加“有人、人们”等主语： There is a growing concern over the population growth. 人们对人口的迅速增长越来越关注。 There comes a knock at the door. 有
13、人敲门。,4. 把无生命主语句译成兼语式。 英语里有些无生命主语与某些动词连用(如:make, cause, throw, send, call, put等) ，具有“使，令”的意义，遇到这种句子时，可译成汉语兼语式。His deeds moved me to tears. 他的事迹使我感动得流下眼泪。,再如：Modesty helps one go forward, whereas conceit makes one lag behind. 谦虚使人进步，骄傲使人落后。His illness left him weak. 疾病使他虚弱。The conference threw doubt u
14、pon the new policy. 会议使人们对新政策产生怀疑。,5. 把无生命主语转换成具体事物的主语，或是保留原主语，并同时引申英语谓语动词的词义，加以适当变通。 Informed guesswork suggests that it could rise to over one hundred million tons next year.熟悉情况的人猜测说, 产量在下一年可能超过一亿吨。,再如: The door refuses to close. 门关不上。 My arms and legs go to sleep.我的手脚不管用了。,6. 把无生命主语句转化成汉语复句。英语中含
15、无生命主语句，从语法上看常常是简单句，但其句子成分之间却含有不同的时空关系，有时还含有并列句和复合句的内容。翻译这类句子时，不能照搬原文表达形式，而要转换主语，必要时还须采用拆分等手段，以便把逻辑关系和时间顺序逐层表达出来。拆译时可增加一些连词（如“因为”、“如果”、“虽然”等）。例：The bitter weather had driven everyone indoors.（由于）天气寒冷刺骨，大家都躲进了室内。,再如：Losing his fortune drove him mad.他由于失去自己的财产而发疯。Dependence upon ones closest relations
16、or great friends for three months will help one discover the other aspect of the human nature.若寄人篱下，哪怕是至爱亲朋，你就会从人们身上看出人性的另一面。This medicine will make you feel better.吃了药，你会舒服些。,试译以下句子： 1. The want of his family had kept him from school, and he had to work as a casual labourer.2. The publishers reject
17、ion of his manuscript depressed him.,1.The want of his family had kept him from school, and he had to work as a casual labourer.他因家境贫寒失学，只好出去打工。2.The publishers rejection of his manuscript depressed him.由于出版商拒绝接受他的手稿，他的情绪一落千丈。,3.His saying that he was sorry altered the case.4.Only the thought of his
18、 mother gave him the strength to go on doing it.5.Sickness had robbed her of her confidence that she could carry the load.,3. His saying that her was sorry altered the case.他表示歉意后，情况就改变了。4. Only the thought of his mother gave him the strength to go on doing it.他想起母亲，才鼓起勇气继续干下去。5. Sickness had robbed
19、 her of her confidence that she could carry the load.她疾病缠身，没信心挑起这副重担。,7. 采用拟人化的句式，但不能滥用。The front garden was a gravel square; four evergreen shrubs stood at each corner, where they struggled to survived the dust and fumes from a busy main road.前庭园是个铺着沙石的广场；四个角落上四丛常青灌木在从繁忙的大街上吹来的烟尘中挣扎着活下去。,再如：Illness
20、 deprives him of life. 疾病夺走了他的生命。Words pay no debts. 空话还不了债。But the house are cold, closed, unfriendly然而那些房子冷漠无情，门窗紧闭，一点也不友好。,练一练：1. No wonder that the sight of it should send the memories of quite a number of the old generation back 50 year ago.2. A visit to the places where he had lived and worked
21、 during his youth brought back many fond memories.,1. No wonder that the sight of it should send the memories of quite a number of the old generation back 50 year ago.难怪老一辈的许多人见了这东西, 就会想起50年前的往事。2. A visit to the places where he had lived and worked during his youth brought back many fond memories.他
22、重游自己青年时代曾经工作和学习过的地方时不禁回忆起许多美好的往事。,练一练：3. The isolation of the rural world because of distance and the lack of transport facilities is compounded by the paucity（缺乏） of the information media.,3. The isolation of the rural world because of distance and the lack of transport facilities is compounded by
23、the paucity（缺乏） of the information media.农村因为地处偏僻，交通不便，与外界隔绝，而通讯工具的缺乏，使农村更为闭塞。,练一练：4. Perhaps, this scene will come back to you years later when you sit alone at sunset like this.,4. Perhaps, this scene will come back to you years later when you sit alone at sunset like this. 也许，在多年后的一个黄昏，像现在，你一个人独坐的时候，你会想起眼前这一情景。,Thank you！,
