大學(xué)英語六級翻譯技法:(二)省略法

(二)省略法

與詞的增補(bǔ)相反,原文中有些詞語從譯文的角度來看往往是多余的,可以或必須刪除,否則會(huì)造成文理不通,或不符合英語表達(dá)習(xí)慣。比如漢語喜歡用重復(fù)手法達(dá)到排比、比較、對比、強(qiáng)調(diào)等目的,而英語則不然,因此翻譯時(shí)往往要把重復(fù)的部分省略。

I.省略原文中反復(fù)出現(xiàn)的名詞,只出現(xiàn)一次

1)人們利用科學(xué)去了解自然,改造自然。

People use science to understand and change nature.

2)有些鳥類,借助于接收它們發(fā)出的尖叫聲的回聲,就能探測出障礙物的位置,并且還能避開這些障礙物。

Certain birds can locate and steer clear of obstacles by receiving the echoes to the squeaks they emit.

3)但那也是一個(gè)人造衛(wèi)星的時(shí)代、核能的時(shí)代和綠色革命的時(shí)代。

But it was also the era of man-made satellites,of nuclear power and of the green revolution.

4)由此可見,市場經(jīng)濟(jì)本身是一個(gè)長期發(fā)展過程的產(chǎn)物,是生產(chǎn)方式和交換方式一系列變革的產(chǎn)物。

We see,therefore,the market economy is itself the product of a long course of development,of a series of revolutions in the modes of production and of exchange.

II.省略原文中重復(fù)的動(dòng)詞,只出現(xiàn)一次

1)他不想傷害他的女朋友,但還是傷害了她。

He has hurt his girlfriend though he didn't mean to.

2)他們說即使他們不研究激光武器,別人也會(huì)研究的。

They argue that if they do not develop laser weapons,someone else will.

3)在英國,人們不反對喝酒,但反對醉酒。

Drinking alcohol is not frowned upon in Britain though getting drunk is.

4)質(zhì)子帶正電,電子帶負(fù)電,而中子既不帶正電,也不帶負(fù)電。

A proton has a positive charge and an electron a negative charge,but a neutron has neither.

III.盡管漢語經(jīng)常用重復(fù)手段來連綴語篇,但也不是千篇一律的機(jī)械重復(fù)。為了避免用詞單調(diào),有時(shí)在內(nèi)容上而不是形式上重復(fù),但翻譯時(shí)依然可以用省略法。

1)她既能工會(huì)畫,又長袖善舞。

She was proficient both as a painter and as a dancer.

2)人們著裝可能不拘禮儀,說話也可能很隨便,表明他們很放松。

People may dress and speak casually,which signals that they are relaxed.

3)正如運(yùn)動(dòng)能強(qiáng)心、健肺、固骨、壯肌,運(yùn)動(dòng)也能健腦。

Just as exercise strengthens the heart and lungs,bones and muscles,it may also power up the brain.

IV.介詞詞組的大量存在和使用也是英語的一大特征,往往可以表達(dá)動(dòng)詞的意思,所以在翻譯時(shí)一些表示具體意思的漢語動(dòng)詞可以省略。

1)主席在出席會(huì)議之前還有很多工作要做。

The chairman had a lot of work to do before the meeting.

2)萬一發(fā)生戰(zhàn)爭,具有高度機(jī)動(dòng)性的一面將獲得決定性的優(yōu)勢。

In the event of war,the side which has a high degree of mobility will get a decisive advantage.

3)科學(xué)需要人們?yōu)槠涓冻鼍薮蟮呐腿硇牡姆瞰I(xiàn)。

Science demands of men great efforts and complete devotion.

4)這是著名的思想家哈利·愛默生·福斯迪克博士所說的話。這些話說明,人確實(shí)可以通過幻想而使自己取得成就。

These are the words of the well-known thinker Dr.Harry Emerson Fosdick,and they show that people can literally daydream themselves to success.

V.省略漢語中某些表達(dá)時(shí)態(tài)的詞

漢語動(dòng)詞沒有詞形變化,表達(dá)時(shí)往往要靠增加漢語特有的時(shí)態(tài)助詞,如表示完成狀態(tài)的“曾”、“已經(jīng)”、“過”、“了”,表進(jìn)行狀態(tài)的“在”、“正在”、“著”,表將來時(shí)的“將”、“就”、“要”、“會(huì)”等等,但英語動(dòng)詞的時(shí)態(tài)只需靠動(dòng)詞形式變化或加助動(dòng)詞來表達(dá)。因此翻譯時(shí)往往可以省略漢語中某些表達(dá)時(shí)態(tài)的詞。

1)“你是老師嗎?”

“不。但我以前是。”

“Are you a teacher?”

“No.But I was.”

2)中國今非昔比了。

China is no longer what it was.

3)另外,當(dāng)你回到第一個(gè)任務(wù)的時(shí)候,應(yīng)該回顧一下你原來所在的位置,以及還有哪些步驟沒有完成。

In addition,when you return to your first task,you should have to review where you were and what steps were left for you to finish.

4)這些龐大的遺址,過去曾是重要的政治、經(jīng)濟(jì)和宗教活動(dòng)的場所,現(xiàn)在幾乎蕩然無存了。

The big sites,which had the important political,economic and religious things going on,are almost all gone.

VI.省略語氣助詞

漢語有很多語氣助詞,如“啊”、“吧”、“呢”、“呀”、“哪”、“哇”、“嘛”、“嗎”、“啦”、“了”、“罷了”、“而已”等等,而英語幾乎沒有,所以在翻譯時(shí)往往省略。

1)利蓓加道:“啊喲,多好哇!”

“Oh,delightful!”said Rebecca.

2)不要當(dāng)真嘛!我不過開個(gè)玩笑而已。

Don't take it seriously.I am just making fun.

3)我們索性在這里過夜吧!

We might just well stay here over night.

VII.省略承上啟下的詞

英語中有大量的分詞詞組、介詞詞組、或形容詞詞組可以在句子中作狀語,相當(dāng)于狀語從句,有些祈使句也可以起到狀語從句的作用,而不必使用表示各種關(guān)系的關(guān)聯(lián)詞,因此漢語的很多關(guān)聯(lián)詞在翻譯時(shí)可以省略。

1)由于人手不夠,我們完成任務(wù)有很大困難。

Not having got enough hands,we had great difficulty in carrying out the task.

2)萊斯利急于趕上班上的其他同學(xué),所以每天晚上都學(xué)到很晚。

Eager to catch up with his classmates,Leslie stayed up late and studied every night.

3)如果你能了解飛行時(shí)差綜合癥是怎么回事以及如何通過飲食把它的不良作用減到最小,你坐飛機(jī)的難受程度就會(huì)輕些。

Understand what Jet Lag is,and how a careful diet can minimize its worst effects,and your flights will be less stressful.

VIII.表示范疇的虛指詞或復(fù)指詞

漢語里有一些名詞,如“任務(wù)”、“工作”、“情況”、“狀態(tài)”、“問題”、“事業(yè)”、“關(guān)系”、“現(xiàn)象”、“局面”、“制度”等等通常有具體的所指,自然應(yīng)該直譯,但當(dāng)它們用來表示范疇時(shí),則失去了具體含義,一般可以省略不譯。

1)不誠實(shí)的現(xiàn)象越來越普遍。

Dishonesty is becoming widespread

2)兩國正在采取措施緩和他們之間的緊張關(guān)系。

The two countries are taking measures to ease the tension between them.

3)這一舉措體現(xiàn)了社會(huì)主義制度的優(yōu)越性。

This move embodies the superiority of socialism.

4)這些都是人民內(nèi)部矛盾問題。

All this are contradictions among the people.

5)朋友們聽說了他家的困難情況后,紛紛伸出援助之手。

Learning about his family's difficulties,all his friends gave him a helping hand.