翻译

考研英语翻译—词法翻译讲义

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翻译技巧：词法翻译法

词义选择和词义引申

是考研翻译中最常用的翻译技巧。

在考研翻译中，这中现象更是比比皆是：

在1994年72）题a leader of the new school contends中，school是“学派”的意思，而不是“学校”的意思；

在1996年74）题elegant system中，elegant是“完美，完善”的意思，而不是“优雅”的意思；

在2001年75）题And home appliances will become so smart that...中，smart是“智能化”的意思，而不是“聪明”的意思； 在2003年75）题like the concept of set in mathematics中，set是“集，集合”而不是“一套，放置”等意思.......。

一、词义的选择 如：

I’ll see her home tonight 今晚我送她回家。

India is the home of elephants. 印度是大象的生长地。

He’s at home with the classics. 他精通古典文学

New homes are for sale. 新房出售。

She’s at home where she is. 她在哪儿都自由自在。

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Maternity home costs in America have gone up sharply. 美国妇产医院收费已经急剧上涨。 Much is produced here for home market. 这里为国内市场生产了许多产品。 He looks on London as his home. 他把伦敦看成是他的故乡。

由此可见，一词多义的现象在英语中十分普遍。在翻译时，词义的选择应从以下几个方面着手。

（一）根据词性确定词义

如：forecast有“预报，预测”的意思，用作动词和用作名词时意思相同；increase作动词时，表示“增加，增长，增进”的意思，用作名词时主要还是表达这些意思。

如：book这个单词，在作名词时，意思是“书，书籍”；用作动词却常表示“预订，预约”的意思。又如：while作连词时，有 “当...的时候，而，虽然”等意思；作名词时，却指“片刻，一会儿”；作动词，又有“消磨”的意思。遇到这种情况，如果不弄清楚词性，常常就会将词义搞错，进而影响原文的正确理解和准确翻译。因此在翻译中，我们可以根据语法关系来辨别关键词的词性，以便能准确的判断词义。如：

light：

This light is too poor to read by. 这光线太暗不能看书。（名词） Aluminum is a light metal. 铝是一种轻金属。（形容词） Will you light the fire for me? 你替我点上火好吗？（动词） round：

The Earth is not completely round. 地球并不是完全圆的。（形容词）

Let's go into the hall and have a look round. 让我们进大厅转一转。（副词） They are dancing in a round 他们围成一圈跳舞（名词） He worked round the day. 他工作了一整天。（介词）

The boy's eyes rounded with excitement. 男孩兴奋得眼睛睁得圆圆的。（动词） （二）根据上下文确定词义

我们以动词move为例，如果上下文不一样，move的意思显然也是不一样，必须依据上下文才能做到准确通顺的翻译。

That car was really moving. 那汽车跑得可真快。

Share prices moved ahead today. 股票价格今日上扬。

The story of their sufferings moved us deeply. 他们的苦难经历深深打动了我们。

Work on the new building is moving quickly.

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新大楼的工程进展得很快。

The government's opinions on this matter haven't moved. 对这件事的看法没有改变。

I move that we support the introduction of this new technological process. 我提议我们支持采用这一新工艺方法。 She moves in the highest circles of society. 她生活在高级社交圈里。

Unless the employers move quickly, there will be strike. 雇主若不尽快采取措施，就要引起一场罢工。 （三）根据汉语习惯搭配确定词义 如：a deep well是指深井；a deep voice低沉的嗓音；a deep red 鲜红色；deep in study 专心学习；a deep mystery 难以理解的奥妙；a deep thinker知识渊博的思想家；deep outrage强烈的愤怒。

又如动词work在翻译时如果上下文不同，汉语习惯搭配也不一样，翻译时应该选择不同的词义来表达。

I think your suggestion will work. 我想你的建议行得通。

The new treatment works like magic. 新疗法疗效神奇。 My watch doesn’t work. 我的表不走了。 The sea works high. 海浪汹涌起伏。

She worked her way to the front. 她好不容易才挤到前面。

The root of the pine tree worked down between the stones. 松树的树根在石缝间扎下去。 The new regulation is working well 新规定执行得很顺利。

二、词义的引申

（一）通过抽象化加以引申 例如：

They have their smiles and tears. 他们有自己的欢乐与悲哀。（原文中的smiles and tears本来是“微笑和眼泪”，但是可以引申为抽象的“欢乐与悲哀”。）

We insist that international trade should not be a one-way street. 我们坚持主张国际贸易不应是有来无往。（在原文中，one-way street本意为“单行道”，将“单行道”与国际贸易联系在一起，便不难引申为“有来无往”这一含义。）

I have no head for mathematics. 我没有数学方面的天赋。（原文中的head本来是“头脑”的意思，但是可以引申为“对数学没有天赋”。）

（二）通过具体化加以引申 例如；

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The car in front of me stopped, and I missed the green. 我前面的车停住了，我错过了绿灯。（在原文中，green本来是“绿色”的意思，但是根据上下文，可以引申为具体的事物：“绿灯”。）

Perhaps the only trouble with copper is that it is not hard enough for some uses. 就某些用途来说，铜的唯一缺点也许是硬度不够。（原文的trouble本来是“麻烦”的意思，但是与“铜”联系在一起，就可以引申为“缺点”来翻译了。）

词性转换

一、转译成动词

例如：I admire your decision to fight for the difficulties in preparing the examination. 译文：你决定战胜复习考试中的困难，这一点我很羡慕。 （一）名词转译成动词

1．由动词派生的名词转译成动词。

Rockets have found application for the exploration of the universe. 火箭已经用来探索宇宙。

In China, there is a lot of emphasis on politeness. 在中国，人们非常注重讲礼貌。

2．含有动作意味的名词往往可以转译成动词。

A careful study of the original text will give you a better translation. 仔细研究原文，你会翻译得更好。

The sight and sound of our jet planes filled me with special longing. 看到我们的喷气式飞机，听见隆隆的机声，令我特别神往。 3．英语中有些加后缀-er的名词， He is a good singer. 他唱歌唱得好。

Those small factories are also lavish consumer and waster of raw materials. 那些小工厂还在极大的消耗和浪费原材料。

4．有些短语中作为中心主体词的名词往往可转译成动词，如To have a rest 和To have a good look at 里的rest 和look.

You must be tired. Why don’t you take a rest? 你一定很累了，为什么不休息一会呢？

The car braked sharply, coming to rest on the edge of the cliff. 汽车猛的刹住，停在悬崖边上。 （二）形容词转译成动词 I am anxious about his health. 我担心他的身体健康。

Scientists are confident that all matter is indestructible. 科学家们都深信，所有的物质都是不灭的。 常见的有：

与思维和知觉相关的形容词：aware, conscious, certain, sure, mindful, ignorant, alert等； 与情感相关的形容词：glad, pleased, cautious, careful, angry, happy, exhilarated, excited, confident, thankful, grateful, concerned, eager, afraid, doubtful, sorry等；

与欲望相关的形容词：desirous, hopeful, anxious, keen, enthusiastic, zealous等。

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（三）副词转译成动词

She opened the window to let fresh air in. 她把窗子打开，让新鲜空气进来。

After careful investigation they found the design behind. 经过仔细研究之后，他们发现这个设计落后了。

二、转译成名词

（一）英语中很多由名词派生的动词，以及由名词转用的动词，在汉语中往往不易找到相应的动词，这时可将其转译成汉语名词。 1．名词派生的动词

This kind of behavior characterizes the criminal mind. 这种举止是罪犯的心理特征。

To them, he personified the absolute power. 在他们看来，他就是绝对权威的化身。 2．名词转用的动词

Our age is witnessing a profound political change. 我们的时代是深刻政治变革的见证。

Most U.S. spy satellites are designed to burn up in the earth’s atmosphere after completing their missions.

美国绝大多数间谍卫星，按其设计，是在完成使命后，在大气层中焚毁。 （二）有些英语被动式句子中的动词，可以译成“受（遭）到„„+名词”、“予（加）以+名词”这类结构。

He was treated very shabbily by the press during this period. 在这期间，他受到了新闻界极不公正的对待。 I was encouraged by our president. 我得到了校长的鼓励。 （三）形容词转译成名词

1．英语中有些形容词加上定冠词表示某一类的人，汉译时常译成名词。 They did their best to help the sick and the wounded. 他们尽了最大的努力帮助病号和伤员。

Both compounds are acids, the former is strong and the latter is weak. 这两种都是酸。前者是强酸，后者是弱酸。

2．有时候根据情况，可以灵活处理，把有些形容词转换成名词来翻译。 He was eloquent and elegant—but soft. 他有口才、有风度，但性格软弱。 His whole family were religious. 他全家都是虔诚的教徒。

三、转译成形容词

（一） 形容词派生的名词往往可以转译成形容词。 This issue is of vital importance. 这个问题至关重要。

The pallor of her face indicated clearly how she was feeling at the moment.她苍白的脸色清楚地表明了她那时的情绪。

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（二） 有些名词加不定冠词作表语时，往往要以转译成形容词。 Our performance was a success. 我们的演出很成功。

Independent thinking is an absolute necessity in study. 思考对学习是绝对必需的。

四、其它词类转译

（一）形容词与副词的互相转译

1．由于英语中的名词在翻译的时候可以转换成汉语动词，所以修饰该名词的形容词往往转译成汉语副词。

We must make full use of exiting technical equipment. 我们必须充分利用现有的技术设备。 This is sheer nonsense. 这完全是胡说

2．由于英语中的动词在翻译的时候可以转换成汉语名词，所以修饰该动词的副词往往转译成形容词。

This film impressed him deeply. 这部电影给了他深刻的印象。 （二）名词与副词的互相转译 1．名词转译成副词

The new mayor earned some appreciation by the courtesy of coming to visit the city poor. 新有礼貌地前来访问城市贫民，获得了他们的一些好感。 2．副词转译成名词

It is officially announced that China has successfully launched her fist manned spaceship. 官方宣布，中国已经成功的实现了载人航天。

增词法

增加原文中省略的部分

（一）增补回答句中省略的词语 Do you like sport? Yes, I do. 你喜欢体育运动吗？是的，我喜欢体育运动。

Shall I bring you a dictionary or an encyclopedia? Both, please. 给你带一本词典来还是带一本百科全书来？请把两样都带来。 Are you tired? Not very. 你累了吗？不太累。

（二）增补并列结构中省略的词语

We don’t retreat, we never have and never will。

我们不后退，我们从没有后退过，将来也决不后退。（we never have and never will=we never have retreated and never will retreat）

A fool and his words are soon parted; a man of genius and his money.

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愚人会很快忘记说过的话，智者会很快放弃手里的钱。（a man of genius and his money=a man of genius and his money are soon parted）

Reading makes a full man; conference a ready man; writing an exact man. 读书使人充实，讨论使人机智，写作使人准确。 （三）增补表示逻辑关系或者平衡结构的词语

Without a sense of your fault, how can repentance and amendment be expected? 如果对自己的错误都不能认识到，怎么能指望你会悔改呢？ Suppose the preparatory work should not be completed. 假设准备工作完成不了，那可怎么办？

Since air has weight, it exerts force on any object immersed in it.

因为空气具有重量，所以处在空气中的任一物体都会受到空气的作用力 Students should learn from teachers and vice versa. 学生应该想老师学习，老师也应该向学生学习。

增加意义上或修辞上的需要上的部分

（一）增加动词

He dismissed the meeting without a closing speech. 他没有致闭幕辞就宣布结束会议。

He spoke hopefully of the success of the negotiation. 他满怀希望地说谈判会取得成功。

After the basketball match, the chairman still has an important meeting. 在观看篮球比赛之后，还有一个重要会议要参加。

（二）增加形容词或者副词 What a leader he was!

他真是一个出类拔萃的领袖啊。 The crowds melted away. 人群渐渐散开了。

As he sat down and began talking, words poured out. 他一坐下来就讲开了，滔滔不绝地讲个没完。

（三）增加名词

1．在不及物动词后面增加名词

Day after day he came to his work –sweeping, scrubbing, cleaning. 他每天来干活——扫地，擦地板，收拾房间。 He never drinks before driving. 他开车前从不喝酒。

Aunt Harriet used to entertain lavishly. 哈丽特阿姨时常慷慨地款待客人。 2．在形容词前增加名词

This typewriter is indeed cheap and fine. 这部打字机真是价廉物美。

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A new kind of aircraft—small, cheap, pilotless—is attracting increasing attention. 一种新型的飞机正越来截止引起人们的注意——这种飞机体积不大，价钱便宜，无人驾驶。

3．在抽象名词后增加名词 如：

to innovate革新——innovation革新措施 to evolve进化——evolution进化过程 to solve解决——solution解决方法 to derive推导——derivation推导过程 to persuade说服——persuasion说服工作 to prepare准备——preparation准备工作 backward落后——backwardness落后状态 tense紧张——tension紧张局势

arrogant自满——arrogance自满情绪 mad疯狂——madness疯狂行为 antagonistic敌对——antagonism敌对态度 redundant多余——redundancy多余信息 After all preparations were made, our meeting will begin. 一切准备工作就绪以后，会议就开始。

They wanted to ease the tension in the Middle East. 他们试图缓解中东的紧张局势。

（四）增加表示名词复数的词 1．增加重迭词表示复数

Flowers bloom all over the yard. 朵朵鲜花开满了庭院。

Newsmen went flying off to Mexico. 记者纷纷飞到墨西哥去了。

There were rows of houses which he had never seen before. 一排排的房子，都是他从来没有见过的。 2．增加数词或其他词表示复数 The lion is the king of animals. 狮是百兽之王。

We have to face different problems. 我们得面对各种不同的问题。

Mr. Hobbs didn’t talk over my suggestions with his brother until yesterday afternoon. 直到昨天下午，霍布斯先生才跟他兄弟讨论了我的各项建议。

（五）增加表达时态的词

１．对某种时间概念作强调时，往往要加一些词。 Ｉhad known two great social systems. 那时以前，我就经历过两大社会制度。（这里除了用“过”字外，还增加了“那时以前”，强调过去完成的动作。）

The old man had taught the boy to fish and the boy loved him.

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那位老人已经教会了孩子捕鱼，所以孩子很爱他。 2．强调时间上的对比时，往往需要加一些词

Man, was, is and always will be trying to improve his living conditions. 人类过去、现在而且将来总是在尽力改善生活条件。

I was, and remain, grateful for the part he played in my release. 我的获释是他成全的，对此我过去很感激，现在仍然很感激。 The high-altitude plane was and still is a remarkable bird. 该高空飞机过去是现在仍然是一种了不起的飞机。

省略法

语法角度

（一）省代词

1．省略作主语的人称代词 （1）省略作主语的人称代词

I had many wonderful ideas, but I only put a few into practice. 我有很多美妙的想法，但是只把少数付诸实践了。 He was thin and haggard and he looked miserable. 他瘦弱憔悴，看上去一副可怜相。

（2）英语中，泛指人称代词作主语时，即使是作第一个主语，在汉语译文中往往也可以省略。

We live and learn. 活到老，学到老。

When will he arrive?—You can never tell. 他什么时候到？——说不准。

The significance of a man is not in what he attained but rather in what he longs to attain. 人生的意义不在于已经获取的，而在于渴望得到什么样的东西。 2．省略作宾语的代词

The more he tried to hide his mistakes, the more he revealed them. 他越是想要掩盖他的错误，就越是容易暴露。 Please take off the old picture and throw it away. 请把那张旧画取下来扔掉。 3．省略物主代词

I put my hand into my pocket. 我把手放进口袋。

She listened to me with her rounded eyes. 她睁大双眼，听我说话。

（二）代词it的省略

Outside it was pitch dark and it was raining cats and dogs. 外面一团漆黑，大雨倾盆。

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He glanced at his watch; it was 7:15. 他一看表，是七点一刻了。

It took me a long time to reach the hospital. 我花了很长时间才到了医院。

It is the people who are really powerful. 人民才是最强大的。

（三）省略连接词

Ｈe looked gloomy and troubled. 他看上去有些忧愁不安。（省略并列连接词） As it is late, you had better go home. 时间不早了，你最好回家去吧。（省略表示原因的连接词） If sinter comes, can spring be far behind? 冬天来了，春天还会远吗？（省略表示条件的连接词） If I had known it, I would not have joined in to. 早知如此，我就不参加了。（省略表示条件的连接词）

John rose gloomily as the train stopped, for he was thinking of his ailing mother. 火车停了，约翰郁郁地站了起来，因为他想起了病中的母亲。（省略表示时间的连接词）

（四）省略冠词

1．英语有冠词，汉语没有冠词；因此，英译汉时往往可将冠词省略。 A teacher should have patience in his work. 当教员的应当有耐心。（省略不定冠词A） The horse is a useful animal. 马是有益的动物。（省略定完词The）

It is out of the question to fly to the moon in the past. 在过去，飞往月球是绝对办不到的事情。（省略定完词The） The moon was slowly rising above the sea. 月亮慢慢从海上升起。（省略定冠词The）

2．英译汉时，省略原文中的冠词是一般情况。但在某些场合，冠词却不能省略，可以翻译为“一个，每一，这个，那个”等。例如： He left without saying a word. 他一句话不说就走了。

Egbert said he was getting a dollar a mile. 埃格伯特说，他（开车）每天一英里就赚一块钱。 This is the book you wanted. 这就是你要的那本书。

（五）省略介词

1．省略表示时间的前置词

The People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949. 一九四九年中华人民共和国成立。

比较：中华人民共和国成立于一九四九年。

（介词译成汉语在句首时可以省略，在句尾就没有省略）

新东方在线 [www.koolearn.com ]考研英语网络课堂电子教材系列 翻译

On July 1, 1997, Hongkong returned to the People’s Republic of China. 一九九七年七月，回归了中华人民共和国。 2．省略表示地点的前置词

Smoking is prohibited in public places. 公共场所不准吸烟。

In winter, it is much colder in the North than it is in the South. 冬天，北方的天气比南方冷得多。 如：

He stood by the desk. 他站在桌旁。

I stayed in my brother’s house. 我住在弟弟家里。 省略动词

When the pressure gets low, the boiling-point becomes low. 气压低，沸点就低。

Delivery must be effected within the time stated on the purchase order. 必须在购货单规定的时间交货。

修辞角度

（一）英语句子中有些短语重复出现，或者具有相同意义的词重复出现，英译汉时可按情况作适当省略。

University applicants who had worked at a job would receive preference over those who had not.

报考大学的人，有工作经验的优先录取。

Neither party shall cancel the contract without sufficient cause or reason. 双方均不得无故解除合同。

（二）根据汉语习惯，译文中可以省略一些可有可无的词。

There was no snow, the leaves were gone from the trees, the grass was dead. 没有下雪，但叶落草枯。

三个优先原则

利用短句原则、介词优先原则

第一部分，讲解想要得到翻译的基本分该怎么办。 三个优先： 1.短句优先 2.介词优先 3.顺序优先 短句优先就是汉语短句优先

就是把你有限的英语单词转变成为汉语之后来造句。造汉语短句。越精短越好。

新东方在线 [www.koolearn.com ]考研英语网络课堂电子教材系列 翻译

参见04年真题

) Being interested in the relationship of language and thought, Whorf developed the idea that the structure of language determines the structure of habitual thought in a society. He reasoned that because it is easier to formulate certain concepts and not others in a given language, the speakers of that language think along one track and not along another.

沃尔夫对语言和思维的关系感兴趣

介词优先 考的最多的是介词，而考的最多的介词又是in,其次是of ,with... 介词优先就是先翻译介词后面的，再把它放到介词前面的那个词前面去。 a of b of c即c的b的a

of 的翻译

参见97年真题

72) Some philosophers argue that rights exist only within a social contract, as part of an exchange of duties and entitlements.

一些哲学家辩论说，权利今仅存在于社会契约中，作为责任和权利的交换的一部分。

参见07年真题

(46) Traditionally, legal learning has been viewed in such institutions as the special preserve of lawyers, rather than a necessary part of the intellectual equipment of an educated person.

当你发现句子已经像个短句是就打上逗号。

a sort of ,a piece of 等数量词就不能从后往前了。

参见03年真题

65) Thus, the anthropological concept of \"culture,\" like the concept of \"set\" in mathematics, is an abstract concept which makes possible immense amounts of concrete research and understanding. immense amounts of 大量的

in的翻译 1.在......中（里面） 2.以（用）一种方式 讲解第二种用法的翻译 参见03年真题

62) Social science is that branch of intellectual enquiry which seeks to study humans and their endeavors in the same reasoned, orderly, systematic, and dispassioned manner that natural scientists use for the study of natural phenomena. in the manner 以......方式

参见04年真题

65) Whorf came to believe in a sort of linguistic determinism which, in its strongest form, states that language imprisons the mind, and that the grammatical patterns in a language can produce far-reaching consequences for the culture of a society.

新东方在线 [www.koolearn.com ]考研英语网络课堂电子教材系列 翻译

in its strongest form 以一种形式

参见06年真题

46）I shall define him as an individual who has elected as his primary duty and pleasure in life the activity of thinking in Socratic（苏格拉底）way about moral problems.

in ...way 以......方式

with 用法 1.随着......，2.用......，3.带有、具有，4.用......,5.和......、与......

参见01年真题

71) There will be television chat shows hosted by robots, and cars with pollution monitors that will disable them when they offend.

cars with pollution monitors 带有污染监控器的小汽车

参见04年真题

61）The Greeks assumed that the structure of language had some connection with the process of thought which took root in Europe long before people realized how diverse language could be.

the structure of language had some connection with the process of thought语言的结构和思维的过程有一些联系。

顺序优先原则

先不考虑改变顺序。按照英语的顺序翻译。如果说不通时 再考虑用汉语的顺序。 参见05年真题

46）Television is one of the means by which these feelings are created and conveyed-and perhaps never before has it served so much to connect different peoples and nations as in the recent events in Europe.

电视是一种方式

参见08年真题

47 He asserts, also, that his power to follow a long and purely abstract train of thought was very limited, for which reason he felt certain that he never could have succeeded with mathematics. He asserts他也断言，他的思维力有限， argue辩论

state陈述 demonstrate 证明、证实

a long and purely abstract train 一长串，一个很长的系列 follow 跟上，还可当明白、理解

他也断言，他要理解那一长串的并且极度抽象的思维的能力是有限的。因为这个原因，他确

新东方在线 [www.koolearn.com ]考研英语网络课堂电子教材系列 翻译

认他从来没在数学上获得成功。

49 He adds humbly that perhaps he was \"superior to the common run of men in noticing things which easily escape attention, and in observing them carefully.\" He adds 他谦卑地补充说，也许他比别人有优势， superior 比......高级的、有优势的

common 普通 run 一群人 在这儿不必翻译

他谦逊地补充道，或许他\"比普通人更能够注意到那些容易忽视的细节，并对其进行仔细的观察\"。

参见04年真题

63）The newly described languages were often so strikingly different from the wellstudied

languages of Europe and Southeast Asia that some scholars even accused Boas and Sapir of fabricating their data.