1、1第十讲 断句分译第一节 恰当断句不少语言学家认为汉语的句界是模糊的。因为汉语句子是话题评述型。也就是说只要评述没有结束，句子可以一直下去，期间的意思只用逗号分开，呈流水句的形式。而英语句子不同，其句子是主语谓语型的，不管对主语的说明有没有完，一个句子主谓结构全了就可以断掉。因此在翻译时，碰到汉语中一逗到底的流水句，要分析里面有几层意思，再进行恰当的断句。1. 大凡在四十岁的年龄，中国文化人传统观就是写自传的年龄了，远的不说，近百年内的就有好几本如四十自述一类的名著，散文里 边便有俞 平伯中年一篇，径直 讲了中年是说不清楚的东西。 扬子晚报According to the traditiona
2、l mentality of Chinese men of letters, it is time for a man in his forty to write an autobiography. In this century alone, we have seen several famous autobiographies like A Self-portrait at the Age of 40 published. Especially worth mentioning in the autobiographical essays is Mr. Yu Pingbos Middle
3、Age in which he tells directly that middle age is something indescribable.原文是个超长句，至少有三层意思：第一层是传统的观点；第二层是近百年的例子；第三层是俞平伯的话。英语不能用一句翻译，要按意思断开来翻译。2. 世界上一些国家 发生问题 ，从根本上来 说，都是因为经济上不去，没有饭吃，没有衣穿，没有房住，工资增长被通 货膨胀抵消，生活水平下降，大批人下岗和失业，长期过紧日子。邓小平文选Basically, the root cause for social unrest in some countries lies i
4、n their failure to boost their economy. Consequently they lack food, clothing and shelter, and their wage increases are offset by inflation. With a decline in living standards, widespread layoffs and unemployment, people have to suffer chronic hardships.汉语这个长句，其表达的几层意思都是用逗号分开的。如翻译时不进行适当的断句，译出来的意思不仅不
5、清楚，而且句法上也容易出问题。仔细分析，这个句子可能有三层意思：“一些国家发生问题，从根本上来说，都是因为经济上不去”是一个意思；“没有饭吃，没有衣穿，没有房住，工资增长被通货膨胀抵消”是一个意思，剩下来的是一层意思。因此把这一个句子断开，分成三句表达，意思、句法可以了。3. “人间仙境”桃花源，位于湖南常德市西南 40 公里外，南倚武陵，中贯国道，北临沅水，要居湖南省诸风景名胜区之枢 纽，系湖南省十大 风景名 胜区之一。Taohuayuan (the land of Peach Blossoms), located about 40 kilometres to the southeast o
6、f Changde City, is among the ten well-known scenic sports in Human Province. It is a thoroughfare to the other nine places, with Mount Wuling on the south, the Yuan River on the north, and the interstate highway through its area. 在地方可景点介绍文章里，汉语往往把地方或景点当作主题，一直描写下去，到介绍完才句号。而英语没有这样的主题结构句，只能分开翻译。24. 光彩夺
7、目的上球体直径为 45 米，其 观光层高达 263 米，是鸟瞰全市景色的最佳处所，当风和日丽时，举目远望，佘山、金山、崇明 岛隐隐可见，真有“ 登泰山而小天下”之感。Located in the 45-meter-in-diameter radiant upper sphere, the observation deck, as high as 263 meters above sea level, makes it the best place to get a birds eye view of the whole city. On a fine day, standing on it,
8、one can see the lazy outlines of Mr. Sheshan, Mr. Jinshan and the Chongming Island in the distance, with the feeling that the world is belittled.这个汉语句子相当长，若以逗号为界，有六个分句。但分析一下，至少有两层意思，一是介绍观光层情况，二是介绍它的功能。因此前三个分句可以译成一句，后三个分句可以译成另一句，这样意思就清楚了。5. 她（刘姥姥）此 时又带了七、八洒，又走乏了，便一屁股坐在床上，虽说歇歇，不曾想身不由己，前仰后合，朦胧两眼，一歪身，就睡
9、在床上。 红楼梦Being still more than half drunk and tired from the walk, she plumped down on the bed to have a little rest. But her limbs no longer obeyed her. She swayed to and fro, unable to keep her eyes open, then curled up and fell fast asleep.6. 旧中国的农业发展水平极为低下，有 80%的人口长期处于饥饿半饥饿状态，遇到自然灾害，更是饿殍遍地。For lo
10、ng periods of time in the old days 80 percent of the population suffered from starvation or semi-starvation because of the extreme backwardness of agricultural production. Natural disasters nearly always resulted in widespread deaths from starvation.汉语四个小句，但从意思上分析有两个因果关系：前两个为一个关系，后两个为一个关系，这样可以切成两句翻译
11、。7. 老关忙即跳下车去，摸摸腰 间的勃朗宁，又向四下里瞥了一眼，就 过去开了车门，站在门旁边。 子夜Old Guan quickly scrambled out of the car, placing his hand on the Browning at his side and glancing all round. Then he went round and opened the other door and stood holding it.8. 现在，有右的东西影响我 们，也有 “左”的东西影响我们 ，但根深蒂固的 还是“左” 的东西。 邓小平文选At present, we a
12、re being affected by both Right and “Left” tendencies. But it is the “Left” tendencies that have the deepest roots.第二节 分清主次汉语中许多流水句结构如竹竿，一节一节地下去，尽管每句传递的内容轻重不同，但结构都是一样的。汉语似乎没有能够表明信息重要或次要不同的语言形式。但是英语不同，它的句子结构 是树状结构，它有独立句表达重要的信息，有各种从句（定语从句、名词从句、状语从句等）和各种短语（分词短语、不定式短语、名词短语、介词短语和同位语短语等）表示次要的信息。几个相关的事情或动作
13、在一起，主要内容用一个主句作为主干，其他信息用从句、短语形式作为支干往上挂。困此在翻译时，对流水句要注意，不要随意断句切开，而要分清它们之间的主次逻辑关系，找到句子的重心，让它作为主句，然后其3他的次要的意思根据它们和主句的逻辑关系，分别变为从句、分句、短语等次要语言结构译出。一、从句、分词短语1. 说到底是年轻人的压力很大， 处于创业阶段，需要不 时 地拼搏，而中年人大功告成，可以缷下担子，逃避风雨，享受一下所谓的宁静淡泊与闲适了。The crux of the problem is that young people are under extreme pressure, for bein
14、g at the start of their career, they have to exert themselves to the utmost. The middle-aged people, however, may relieve themselves of their load and retreat into a quiet, unambitious and leisurely life since they have accomplished whatever they have.这个句子有两层意思，一层是讲年轻人，一层是讲中年人，这样就可以断句。但其中的几个小句就不宜再断，
15、因为它们有逻辑关系。而第一层意思中“年轻人压力很大”是主要信息， “处于创业阶段，需要不时地拼搏”是说明“压力大”的原因，是次要的，就不能用同样结构，可用状语从句，而其中“处于创业阶段”又是说明为什么“需要不时地拼搏” ，语言结构还要次一等，可用短语：being at the start of their career。第二层意思中， “大功告成”是后面“缷下担子”和“享受”的原因。同样不能用同一语言结构，被说明的用主句，说明原因的用从句 since they have accomplished whatever they have.。2. 每年领导层都要总结经验，对的就坚持，不 对的就赶快改
16、，新问题出来抓紧解决。Every year as leaders we should review what we have done so as to continue what works, discard what does not. We should lose no time in tackling them whenever new problem arise.句中的几个小句讲了两层意思：“每年领导层都要总结经验，对的就坚持，不对的就赶快改”是一层意思， “新问题出来抓紧解决”是另一层意思。而“对的就坚持，不对的就赶快改”是“总结经验”的目的，困此要用不同的处理。3. 华大妈在枕
17、头下掏了半天，掏出一包洋针，交 给老栓，老栓接了，拌拌地装入衣袋，又在外面按了两下，便点上灯，吹灭灯盏，走向里屋去。After some fumbling under the pillow, Old Shuans wife produced a packet of silver dollars which she handed over to him. Pocketing it nerously, and feeling the pocket twice to make sure that it was there, Old Shuan lighted a paper lantern and,
18、 bowing out the lamp, went into the inner room.汉语表达九个动作都用句子，而且一句一个逗号。如果英语也如法炮制，一句一句地翻译出来，可想而知，将是什么样的英语了。要翻译出地道的英语，首先根据意思断句（这里断成两个句子） ，然后在各个句子里，找出主要动作用谓语动词表达，其他信息处理为分词、不定式短语。4. 紫鹃答应着，忙出来 换了一个痰盆儿，将手里的这个盆儿放在桌子上，开了套间门出来，仍旧带上门，放下散花软帘，出来叫醒雪雁。红楼梦比较下面两个译文：a. Zijuan was answering and hurried out to change a
19、spittoon and put the one in her hand on the table and opened the door of inner room to go out, still closed it, let down the flowered portiere and go to wake Xueyan.b. Zijuan, answering the call, hurried out to fetch a clean spittoon, placing the used one on the 4table in the outer room. Having clos
20、ed the door behind her, she let down the soft flowered portiere before going to wake Xueyan.第一个译文是按照原文的结构，七个动作都用句子表达，因此表面上是英语，但骨子里是汉语。而第二个译文，首先把七个动作断成两句。然后在每句中只让一个相对重要的动作用英语谓语动词表达，其他动作由用分词短语、从句等，这样，英语味道就出来了。5. 教室太吵，宿舍太闷，走到外面，校园里的 树林中，小河边，假山旁，荒草上全是同学知己，一个个手捧书本，口中念念有词。As the classroom was too noisy an
21、d the dorm too stuffy, I went outdoors, only to find fellow students everywhere - in the woods, by the book, beside the rockery, and on the lawn, all with books in their hands and reading the texts aloud.原文是典型的汉语结构，句中有好几层相关的意思。前两句是原因：由于教室太吵，宿舍太闷；后一句是结果：所以走到外面。汉语一句一句下去没有主次顺序，而翻译时要反映出来。6. 有个年轻人，名叫顔回，家
22、里很穷，缺吃少穿，住的房子又小又破。There was a young man named Yanhui, who was so poor that his family lived in a small, dilapidated house with insufficient food and clothing.如果照原文顺序译：There was a young man named Yanhui, who was so poor that his family lived in a small, dilapidated house with insufficient food and cl
23、othing. 一个个简单句并列着，就不成英语了。要译出地道的英语，就一定要根据意思，分清主次，语言结构上区别对待。7. 一边走着，似乎道旁有一个孩子，抱着一堆灿白的东西。冰心As I passed along, I somehow sensed the presence of a child by the roadside carrying something snow white.句中有三个动作，确定其中一个主要的用主句译出，其他用从句和非谓语形式等译出。8. 我冒了严寒，回到相隔二千余里，别了二十余年的故乡去。Braving the bitter cold, I traveled mor
24、e than two thousand li back to the old home I had left over twenty years agl.9. 中国的野生动物，种 类繁多，堪称世界种群最多的国家之一， 拥有 4400 种脊椎动物，占世界分布总量之十强。China is home to one of the worlds most diverse populations of wild animals with its 4,400 species of vertebrates, accounting for over 10 percent of the world-wide to
25、tal.“拥有 4400 种脊椎动物，占世界分布总量之十强”是说明“堪称世界种群最多的国家之一”的。因此可以处理为次要结构。二、介词、名词短语1. 相当多的国有企业生产经营困难，下岗和失业人员增多，就业压力加大。Quite a number of state-owned enterprises are experiencing difficulties in production and management, causing an increase in unemployment and consequent pressures in employment.汉语句型是呈并列的，但分析内容，
26、“下岗和失业人员增多，就业压力加大”是“生产经营困难”造成的，在语言上要反映出这一主次关系，就要尽量把句子结构换成短语结构来翻译。2. 这五年，首先是 农村改革带来许多新的变化，农作物大幅度增产，农民收入大幅度增5加，乡镇企业异军突起。邓小平文选During those five years, rural reform brought about many changes: a great increase in crop production, and in farmers income as well as the rise of rural enterprises as a new fo
27、rce.汉语后面三个分句是次要的，是“变化”的具体内容，不能用同一语言形式。此处把主谓结构变成了次一级的偏正名词短语译出了。3. 我们的国家大，人口众多，经济落后， 农业要搞上去，最重要的是还是要依靠一系列正确的政策调动农民的积极性，自力更生，艰苦奋斗。Agriculture advance in so vast a country with such a large population and backward economy as in China, requires above all motivating the farmers to work hard and self-relia
28、ntly by means of a series correct policies.“我们的国家大，人口众多，经济落后”是“农业要搞上去”的本身条件，可以用次要结构处理，让“农业要搞上去”成为主要句子。 “国家大，人口众多，经济落后”是主谓结构的句子，转化为偏正结构短语，语言级别就低了一等。不少四字成语是主谓结构性的句子，都可以译为偏正结构。如“这里气候温和，四季分明”译成：It enjoys a temperate climate with well-marked seasons.4. 大峡湾的谷地，山峦交错，峡谷相连，江水汹涌。The valley of the Grand Bend i
29、s full of multi-peaked mountains, joined canyons and turbulent waters.5. 这些女式衬衣系采用上等纯丝制成的， 价格公道，工 艺 精湛，设计独特。These blouses are made of pure silk of best quality, reasonable in price, excellent in craftsmanship and unique in designs.练 习孔乙己我从十二岁起，便在镇口的咸亨酒店里当伙计，掌柜说，样子太傻，怕伺候不了长衫主顾，就在外面做点事罢。外面的短衣主顾，虽然容易说话
30、，但唠唠叨叨缠夹不清的也很不少。他们往往要亲眼看着黄酒从坛子里舀出，看过茶壶底里有水没有水，又亲看将壶子放在热水里，然后放心；在这严重控制监督下，掺水也很为难。所以过了几天，掌柜又说我干不了这事。幸亏荐头的情面大，辞退不得，便改为专管温洒的一种无聊职务了。我从此便整天的站在柜台里，专管我的职务。虽然没有什么失职，但总觉得有些单调，有些无聊。掌柜的是一副凶脸孔，主顾也没有好声好气。教人活泼不得；只有孔乙己到店后，才可以笑几声，所以至今还记得。译文：At the age of twelve I started works as pot-boy in Prosperity Tavernat the
31、edge of the town. The boss put me to work in the outer room, saying that I looked too much a fool to serve long-gowned customers. The short-coated customers there were easier to deal with, it is true, but among them were quite a few pernickety ones who insisted on watching for themselves while the y
32、ellow wine was ladled from the deg, looked for water at the bottom of the wine-pot, and personally inspected the pots immersion into the hot water. Under such strict surveillance, diluting the wine was very hard indeed. Thus it did not take my boss many days to decide that this job too was 6beyond m
33、e. Luckily I had been recommended by somebody influential, so he could not sack me. Instead I was transferred to the dull task of simply warming wine.After that I stood all day behind the bar attending to my duties. Although I gave satisfaction at this post, I found it somewhat boring and monotonous. My boss was a grim-looking man, nor were the customer much pleasanter, which made the atmosphere a gloom one. The only times when there was any laughter were when Kong Yiji came to the tavern. Thats why I still remember him. （选自英汉对比与互译教程 ）
