1、大学英语汉译英常见错误分析一 词法层面名词 1近来我忙极了,希望你能理解我的现状。误:I have been terribly busy and I hope that you can understand my current condition.正:I have been terribly busy and I hope that you can understand my current situation.condition 多跟身体状况或生活状况有关, situation 多指某时期的情形或境况。2. 最近我的胃经常有问题。误:Recently I often have proble
2、ms with my stomach.正:Recently I often have stomach trouble.身体某部位有问题用 trouble,不用 problem。 “胃有问题”也可英译为:I have some trouble with my stomach.3. 各级领导干部应加倍努力,提高人民的生活水平。误:Leading cadres at various levels should double their efforts to improve peoples living level.正:Leading cadres at various levels should d
3、ouble their efforts to improve peoples living standard.level 可译“水平、级别” ,standard 则意为“水平、标准” ;“生活水平”应译为living standard。4. 那位商人的不良行为坑害了消费者的利益。误:The bad action of that businessman has done lots of harm to consumers interests.正:The ill action of that businessman has done lots of harm to consumersinteres
4、ts.bad 一般指 “坏” ,ill 一般指生病,但用作形容词或副词时可以指“坏”或“恶劣” ;action 多指抽象的、继续的或复杂的行为,而 act 则指具体的、短暂的或简单的行为或作为。 代词 1像他这样的孩子不应任由他在外面随便玩乐。误:Such a boy as him should not be on the loose.正:Such a boy as he should not be on the loose.as 后面代词的格应与 such a boy 保持一致,boy 为主格,因此应用 he,不能用him。2. 这两个词很像,我区别不出他们。误:These two word
5、s are very much alike. I cant tell one from another.正:These two words are very much alike. I cant tell one from the other.another 指同类中(三个以上)的另一个,the other 指已知的两个事物或人中的另一个。形容词或副词 1. 她看上去很健康。误:She seems to be very health.正:She seems to be very healthy.health 为名词,healthy 为形容词。该句还可英译为:She seems to be in
6、 good/excellent health. 2. 他没有意识到学习英语的重要性。误:He doesnt aware of the importance of learning English.正:He isnt aware of3. 很多人都出席了会议。误:Many people present at the meeting.正:Many people were present动词 1. 我的故乡发生了巨大的变化。误:A great change was taken place in my hometown.正:A great change took place in my hometow
7、n.词组 take place, break out 等都是不及物动词,没有被动语态。例如:1937 年中国爆发了抗日战争。英译为: The War of Resistance Against Japan broke out in China in 1937.2. 那个严重的交通事故是去年发生的。误:That serious traffic accident was happened last year.正:That serious traffic accident happened last year.happen 与 occur 一样,都属于不及物动词,没有被动语态形式。例如:我从未想到他
8、能亲自来帮我的忙。英译为:It never occurred to me that he could come here in person to help me.3. 当她的男朋友不理她时,她非常生气。误:She got very angry when her boy friend neglected her.正:She got very angry when her boy friend ignored her. neglect 是指“忽视、不注意”或“忘记”的意思,ignore 则指“装着不知道”和“故意不理睬”的意思。上述译文中用 ignore 才恰当。4. 据说压力大或超负荷工作的人
9、更有可能增加体重。误:It is said that those who are stressed or working overtime are more likely to increase weight.正:It is said that those who are stressed or working overtime are more likely to put on weight.“人增加体重”不用 increase weight,而用 put on weight 来表达。increase 可作及物与不及物动词,表示“增加、增大、增长、增强” ,例如:去年欧洲增加了同中国的贸易。
10、英译为:Last year,Europe increased foreign trade with China.又如:这家公司的利润已经大大增加了。英译文为:The profit of this company has increased greatly.连词 1. 他棋下得好,没人能赢他。误:He plays chess very well, no one can win him.正:He plays chess so well that no one can win him.汉语句子的因果关系很明白,但用英语表达时,必须用连接词表达出这种逻辑关系。2. 牛不喝水强按头是不行的。误:You
11、can lead a cow to water. You cannot make him drink.正:You can lead a horse to water, but you cant make him drink.汉语句中的转折关系可用连词 but 来表达。另外,汉语习惯用“牛” ,而英语习惯用“马” 。3. 张先生生病了,别指望他今天来干活了。误:Mr. Zhang is ill, he is not expected to work here today.正:Mr. Zhang is ill, hence he is not expected to work here today
12、.并列句必须加连接副词 hence。4. 我们坚决维护和平,超级大国却挑起战争。误:We firmly maintain peace, the superpowers are provoking war.正:We firmly maintain peace, while the superpowers are provoking war.汉语表达的是对比关系,英译文中需增加连词 while。时态 1. 如果到那时这个问题解决了,我就会告诉你。误:I shall let you know if the question will be settled by that time.正:I shall
13、 let you know if the question is settled by that time.在时间、条件状语从句中,用一般现在时表示将来时。2. 到 2020 年,中国将全面建成小康社会。误:By the year of 2020, China will complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all aspects.正:By the year of 2020, China will have completed the building of a moderately prosperous soc
14、iety in all aspects.表示将来某一时刻前完成的动作,用将来完成时表示。虚拟语气1. 如果我是你的话,我就不会干这种事。误:I would not do such a thing if I am you.正:I would not do such a thing if I were you.表示与现在事实相反的假设情况,从句用过去式,主句用 would 或 should 等+动词原形。2. 如果他能早到一会儿,就会目睹这场事故了。误:If he would have arrived earlier, he would have seen the accident.正:If he
15、 had arrived earlier/Had he arrived earlier, he would have seen the accident.虚拟语气中表示与过去事实相反,从句中用过去完成式,主句中用 could 或 would等加现在完成式。3. 如果你明天要去,我将让你现在回家做准备。误:I would let you go back home to make preparations if you will go there tomorrow.正:I would let you go back home right now to make preparations if yo
16、u should go there tomorrow.表示与将来事实相反的假设,从句用 should+动词原形,或 were to+动词原形,主句用 would/should 等+动词原形。主谓一致1. 老师和他的学生要一块儿步行去电影院。误:The teacher, together with students, are going to the cinema on foot.正:The teacher, together with students, is going to the cinema on foot.英文中有插入语的句子,谓语与第一个主语保持一致。2. 在山脚下植树的是一群刚刚
17、入学的大学生。误:Planting trees at the foot of the mountain are a group of college students who have just entered school.正:Planting trees at the foot of the mountain is a group of college students who have just entered school.倒装句中分词短语作主语,其谓语用单数形式。3. 他的言行不一。误:What he says and what he does does not agree.正:Wh
18、at he says and what he does do not agree.用 and 连接两个词、短语或句子时,如果指的是两件事情其谓语为复数形式。4. 在我国,每个男孩和女孩都有受教育的权利。误:In our country every boy and every girl have the right to receive education.正:In our country every boy and every girl has the right to receive education.由 and 连接的并列单数主语的前面如果有 each,every,no 或 many a
19、 等修饰,谓语动词要用单数。例如:如今许多男人和女人都志愿参加献血。英译为:Many a man and a woman nowadays has volunteered to donate their blood for the patients.否定句1. 所有答案都不对。误:All the answers are not right.正:None of the answers are right.all+否定,是部分否定,如:答案未必全对。All the answers are not right.发光的未必是金子。All that glitters is not gold.汉语中的“都
20、不” “都没有”在英语中用 none of,如 : 他们都没有出席会议。None of them attended the meeting.男孩子们对这项游戏都不感兴趣。None of the boys were interested in this game.2.我并非两个花瓶都要。误:I want none of the two vases.正:I dont want both of the vases.正:I want only one of the two vases.不合逻辑的句子1. 中国的私人汽车越来越多。误:In China, private cars have become
21、more and more.正:There are an increasing number of private cars in China.“汽车越来越多”并不是指汽车本身主动变多,而是汽车在中国的存在越来越多。三 汉英思维差异、表达习惯差异1. 他的英语水平比我高。误:His English level is higher than that of mine.正:He knows more English than I.正:His English is better than mine.2. 保持健康的情绪可以有效降低感冒发生的可能性。误:Keeping a healthy mood c
22、an decrease the chance of catching cold.正:The chance of catching cold may very well be decreased by keeping a healthy mood.汉译英时有人常把“保持健康的情绪”看成主语,实际上是方式状语。3. 我们坐火车去长沙。误:Well take the train going to Changsha.正:Well go to Changsha by train.4. 一些心理学家认为,人们出门在外时可能会感到孤独。误:Some psychologists think that peop
23、le might feel lonely when they are outside the home.正:Some psychologists hold that people might feel lonely when they are away from home. “出门在外”指“离开家门”而不是指“outside the home 在家门外面” 。5. 让我们承担如此重要的任务,我们感到十分荣幸。误:Were allowed to take such an important task. We feel greatly honored about it.正:We feel greatly honored to have been charged with such an important task.汉语先叙事,后表态,而英语的习惯表达是先表态,后叙事。例如:接到你们的贺函,我十分愉快和感谢。I am very happy and grateful to receive your message of greetings