1、汉语词语的翻译 汉译英的质量高低，首先取决于译词的质量过不过关。译词是翻译过程的基础。只有把译词的基础打牢了，才有可能推求句子翻译和语篇修整的技巧，才有可能使翻译的整体质量得到保证。,一 . 汉语词语的特点 1、汉语有许多词语重意合，其外形不完整，其含义靠人们的语言习得去感悟。 例如，“他是在大街上扫垃圾的。”(“扫垃圾的”外形不完整，但是操汉语的人根据语言习得能明白这是“搞清洁工作的”意思。) 翻译这些意合词语时，一般要加词。,1)“行动比言语更响亮”可能老掉牙了，但它仍不失为一条真理。“Actions speak louder than words” may be an overworn
2、phrase, but its still true.2) 她在中国留学服务中心工作。She works at the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange.,2、汉语有些词语的含义会因语境而发生微妙的变化，我们姑且称之为“语境词”。翻译这类词语时，应紧密结合上下文译成相应的词语，而不能按照原词的外形来译。,(1) “介绍”在不同的上下文中，有不同的含义。 1) 发言者先简短地做了自我介绍，然后才开始演讲。 The speaker began his speech after a brief self-introduction. 2)我先介
3、绍一下本公司的主要产品。First let me say something about the main products of our company.,3)能否介绍一下成功经验？ Could you tell us about your experience in achieving success? 4)如果不是朋友介绍，他不会得到那个职位。 He would not have obtained the post without the recommendation of a friend. 5)她特别喜欢给人介绍对象。 Matchmaking is one of her favori
4、te hobbies. She takes great pleasure in acting as a matchmaker.,(2) “轻重”在不同的语境中可以指重量，程度，主次，缓急，适当的程度等等。译成英语时应视情况不同译成不同的词语。 1)这两个大石头轻重相等。 These two stones equal in weight. 2) 这件事无足轻重。This is a matter of no significance. 3) 他总是轻重倒置。He always puts the trivial above the important.,4)处理事情应该讲轻重缓急。 Matters
5、should be handled according to priority. 5)这件事的轻重你仔细掂量掂量。 Just think over the consequences of the matter. 6)这些年青人做事情不知轻重。 These young people do not know the proper way to act.,3、有些汉语词语比较笼统，表意模糊，英译时应突破重直觉、看表象的思维模式，寻求词语的确切含义。 (1) 昨天看电影我没有买到好票。I did not buy a good seat for yesterdays film.(2) 烟囱通风不好，所以
6、火不旺。There is not much draught up the chimney; thats why the fire doesnt burn well. (3) 我校目前尚未设博士点。Our university hasnt yet had any doctoral programs.,4、汉语动词的含义比较单一，其修饰意义往往需要副词配合。英语动词的表达能力强，不仅表达动作本身，而且还表达修饰意义。所以翻译带副词修饰的汉语动词时，不少情况下不使用副词。,1)一座古塔阴森森地矗立在山腰上。An ancient pagoda frowns on the mountainside. 2
7、)他摸索着把门打开。 He fumbled the door open. 3)暴风雨狂袭了一阵后停了。The storm raved itself out.,二 翻译汉语词语的基本要求和方法 1、确切。包括词的轻重、范围、褒贬、色彩、搭配及同义词、近义词的选择。E.g.撤销、取消、取缔、吊销 1) 那位贪污受贿的官员被撤销了职务。The official who is guilty of corruption and taking bribes has been dismissed from his post. 2) 取消中国的最惠国待遇,最大的受害者将是美国。The U.S. will su
8、ffer most if it discontinues Chinas most-favored-nation status,3) 政府授权工商部门严厉取缔投机倒把活动。 Departments in Charge of industry and commerce are authorized by the government to ban speculation and profiteering. 4) 他因违章开车被永远吊销了驾驶执照。 His driving license has been revoked once and for all because of his violati
9、on of traffic regulations,2、简洁。包括去掉可有可无的词，略译汉语的某些词语，减去虚夸的修饰语。 1) 吸烟是他的习惯，对他的健康损害很大。 Smoking, his habit, has done considerable harm to his health.2) 这些问题就是他提出的关于美国政治制度的问题。 These are his questions on the American political system.,3、生动。除应译出词的基本含义外，还要译它的份量、感情色彩、使用场合以及它所包含的特殊气氛等。E.g. 1) 他总算把记者招待会对付过去了。A
10、fter all, he survived the press conference.2) 花园里花草茂盛，五彩缤纷。 The garden is carpeted with a mass of multicolored flowers.,4.汉语可以在一篇文章中多次重复使用同一个词语，译成英语时就要注重用词的多样化。例如“促进”一词，可根据语境译成多种表达形式： (1)我们应该促进相互了解，促进团结。 We should promote unity by furthering mutual understanding. (2)大学的目标应是促进学术的发展。 A university shou
11、ld aim at the advancement of learning.,(3)这项政策将促进经济的发展。 This policy will help fuel economic growth. (4)努力工作是促进他事业成功的主要因素。 Hard work is the main accelerator in his successful career.,三 汉语重叠词组和四字词组的翻译 汉语的重叠词组多出于音韵对仗或生动性的考虑而形成的，译成英语时有些只须译出基本含义，有些还应译出情感、节奏等。E.g. 1) 让我们把房子打扫打扫。Lets clean up the house.,2)
12、 听说你们公司有个空位，我很想去试一试。但你能先为我牵线搭桥吗？ I hear there is an opening in your company and would like to fill it. But will you pull some strings for me?,3）要建立产权明晰，权责分明，政企分开，管理科学的现代企业制度。We will set up a modern enterprise system characterized by clear property ownership, distinct rights and responsibilities, sep
13、arated government functions and enterprise management as well as high efficiency.,四 汉语动词的处理 汉译英遇到最多的问题是动词的处理，汉语是动词集结型的语言。它的连动结构和兼语结构，使它在一句里可以集结许多动词而不感到累赘，反而层次清楚，生动有力。在英语句子里，一般只有一个或两三个并列的谓语动词，所以在翻译时不要盲目跟着汉语走，尽可能用英语中的其他表达形式来表示动作。,1. 可把动词转为表示身份的名词 1) 人际关系就是一种善于听取别人意见，体察别人的需要，虚心接受批评的能力。Interpersonal ski
14、lls are nothing but the ability to be good listener, to be sensitive toward others needs, and to take criticism well.,2) 这就给几十万在高峰时间乘车上下班的人带来了很大的不便。 Thus hundreds of thousands of rush hour commuters are greatly affected. 3）反对三峡工程的人说新形成的水库会淹没许多的城镇和乡村。 Opponents to the Three Gorges Dam argue that the
15、new reservoir will flood many cities and villages.,2. 用形容词表示动作意义 1) 生产率低下, 政策又不当, 加上自身努力不够是造成农村地区贫穷的主要原因。 Low productivity, inappropriate policies and inadequate effort contribute mainly to poverty in rural areas. 2)但有人建议降低政府开支,提高教师工资。 But some suggested lower government spending and higher wages fo
16、r teachers.,3. 用介词短语替代动词 1）他与大学里的一些著名学者和教授相当随便，见面可以直呼其名。 He seemed to be on a casual, first-named basis with eminent scholars and professors in universities. 2）一些市民团体举行抗议活动，反对政府在当地计划建造化工厂。 Some citizen groups have protested against government plans for a chemical plant in the area.,4. 可用分词结构替代动词1）病人
17、候诊要等个把小时，而医生由于人手不够只能穷于应付。 Patients wait hours while the undermanned staff struggled to meet the demand.2）由于通货膨胀，社会的不满情绪不断加剧，在此情况下，政府只得放慢改革。 Because of mounting social discontent over inflation, the government had to slow its reform.,5. 用副词代替动词 1)他当时一心要说动地方政府，街道需要有一个图书馆。但这件事始终没有成功。 He had been trying
18、 vainly to persuade the local government that the neighborhood needed a library. 2）我们希望吃晚饭的时候赶到那里。Hopefully, we will be there by dinnertime.,五. 中国特色词的翻译 要提高翻译质量，还需要研究自己民族特有的一些词汇。这是因为每一个国家都有其自己的文化、传统、意识形态、制度、经济体制等，自然会有一些独特的表达方式。对这类词的翻译既要贴切，又要符合目的语的习惯表达。,1)建设社会主义物质文明和精神文明（邓选）: to build a socialist soc
19、iety with both high material standards and high ethical and cultural standards2）个体经济 the self-employed business3）扭亏为盈 run from loss making to profit making4）无情下岗，有情安排 Although to lay off people is cruel, to get laid-offs re-employed is heart-warming.,六. 缩略词的翻译 中国人善于归纳，喜欢总结，常常使用速记式语言（short hand langu
20、age），把丰富的内容概括为几个字。翻译这类词汇时，最好译出全部内容，或加以解释说明。,1）“三个代表”（代表先进生产力发展方向、代表先进文化发展方向、代表大多数人民的根本利益）the “Three Represents“ theory(The Chinese Communist Party represents the development trend of advanced productive forces, the orientation of advanced culture, and the fundamental interests of the overwhelming ma
21、jority of the people in China.),2) 八荣八耻:以热爱祖国为荣、以危害祖国为耻，以服务人民为荣、以背离人民为耻，以崇尚科学为荣、以愚昧无知为耻，以辛勤劳动为荣、以好逸恶劳为耻，以团结互助为荣、以损人利己为耻，以诚实守信为荣、以见利忘义为耻，以遵纪守法为荣、以违法乱纪为耻，以艰苦奋斗为荣、以骄奢淫逸为耻。,Exercises (1)请大家积极参与单位的体制改革。 (2)他总是以积极的态度处理各种问题。 (3)他对这项计划过于积极，使我不由地怀疑起他的用心。 (4)与其消极等待，不如积极行动。 (5) 他工作马马虎虎。对这类事情倒是挺积极。 (6) 这所全国重点大学
22、为社会输送了大批的人才。,(1)Everyone is called on to take an active part in the systematic reform of ones work unit. You are all encouraged to play an active role in the systematic reform of our unit. (2) He takes a positive attitude in dealing with all kinds of problems. He approaches various problems with a p
23、ositive frame of mind. (3)His excessive enthusiasm over the project makes me wonder about his motivation.,(4)Better to take vigorous action than to wait passively. (5)Slack in his work, he nevertheless shows a keen interest in such things. He is inattentive to his work but strongly drawn into things like this. (6)The national key university has prepared batches of qualified graduates for the society.,
