翻译技巧精讲

[skyhyatt]

LECTURE2.5
TRANSLATING ATTRIBUTIVE CLAUSES
定语从句分为限制型和非限制型两种.形式上,限制型与其先行词紧紧相连,两者没有停顿;非限制型与其先行词之间有逗号隔开.从意义上讲,限制性定语从句用以修饰先行词,两者密不可分;而非限制性定语从句仅仅对先行词作补充行叙述或说明,两者关系不那么紧密.
由于两种定于从句存在着这些区别,一般来说,限制性定于从句多半译成汉语的前置定语,非限制型定语从句则往往译成后置的并列分句.
以下是一般译法:
1限制型定语从句译成前置定语
法律使我们对克服世界上普遍存在的分歧有了最大的希望.
Law offers us our best hope of overcoming the differences that prevail the world.
2非限制性定于从句译成后置的并列分句
然而,那天晚上最引人注目的人物是由乔安娜扮演的贝林的妻子,她以与世无争的表情,加上她那刚刚开始消退的美貌,攫住了观众的想象力.
The highlight of the evening,however,is Joanna Burling’s wife,who seizes the imagination of the audience with her mixtur of resignation and attractiveness that is just beginning to fade.
但是,有时候因为意思上的关系,或者出于汉语句子结构上的考虑,要把限制性定语从句译成后置的并列分句,而把非限制型定语从句译成前置定语.
3限制性定语从句译成后置的并列分局
从前雅典由一条法律,规定该市市民高兴把自己的女儿嫁给谁,就有权强迫她嫁给谁.
There was a law in the city of Athens which gave to its citizens the power of compelling their daughters to marry whomever they pleased.
4非限制性定语从句译成前置定语
他好像是散步之后回家去,因为他那早已过时的扣鞋上布满了灰尘.
He appeared to be returning home from a walk,for his buckle shoes,which followed a fashion long since out of date,were covered with dust.
5有的定语从句,从意义上看实际上相当于状语从句,表示原因目的结果让步等关系.这样的定语从句应译成汉语的偏正复句,并加上响应的连接词表明它与主句的逻辑关系.
挪威自然十分关切欧洲和大西洋国家的发展,因为这些发展大大有助于维护世界上我们这一地区的和平与安全.
Norway is,quite naturally,paying great attention to developments in Europe and in the Atlantic community,which are so instrumental to the maintenance of peace and security in our part of the world.
尽管我大伯明天就满70随了,但它仍然热衷于户外运动.
My uncle,who will be seventy tomorrow,is still a keen sportsman.
6有时候,为了是译文简洁流畅,可以把先行词及其定语从句译成主谓结构.
查理一向认为,只要能避免,就不要插手,所以就没管,希望她终究会改变主意.
Charlie,who never believed in interfering if it could be avoided,left her alone,hoping that she would eventually come around.
他那双黑眼睛好像凝聚着早已逝去的全部青春,与雪白的头发相映衬,显的很不一般;这双眼睛平静地凝视着周围的景色,或是俯视着前面地处那座被晚霞笼罩着的小城.
His dark eyes,in which the whole of his long-lost youth seemed to have centered,and which contrasted strangely with his snow white hair,gazed calmly an the sights around him or peered into the town below as it lay before him,bathed in the haze of sunset.