英汉互译实践与技巧2012.doc

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1、【精品文档】如有侵权，请联系网站删除，仅供学习与交流英汉互译实践与技巧2012.精品文档. 谚语是凝聚着智慧的通俗话语，使得拉美人的言谈变得更加有趣而充满智慧。谚语简洁明快，丰富多彩，也往往带着刺。 When a neighbors dismally unattractive daughter announced her engagement, Imelda remarked, “You know what they say, Senora: Theres no pot so ugly it cant find a lid. ” And when her son-in-law bluster

2、ed about how he was going to get even with his boss who had dock ed his pay, Imelda fixed him with a cold eye and said, “ Little fish does not eat big fish .” One afternoon I heard Imelda and her daughter arguing in the kitchen. Her daughter had quarreled with her husbands parents, and Imelda was in

3、sisting that she apologize to them. Her daughter objected, “But, Mama, I just cant swallow them, not even with honey . They talk so big until we need something; then theyre too poor. So today when they wouldnt even lend enough money to pay for a new bed, all I did was saying something that Ive heard

4、 you say a hundred times: If so grand, why so poor? If so poor, why so grand?“Impertinent !” snorted Imelda. “Have I not also taught you, What the tongue says, the neck pays for ? I will not have it said that I could never teach my daughter proper respect for her elders. And before you go to beg the

5、ir pardon, change those trousers for a dress. You know how your mother-in-law feels about pants on a woman. She always says, What was hatched a hen must not try to be a rooster ! Her daughter made one more cry, “But Mama, you often say, If the saint is annoyed, dont pray to him until he gets over it

6、. Cant I leave it for tomorrow ?” “No, no and no! Remember: If the dose is nasty, swallow it fast . You know, my child, you did wrong. But, A gift is the key to open the door closed against you . I have a cake in the oven that I was making for the Senoras dinner. I will explain to the Senora. Now, d

7、ear, hurry home and make yourself pretty in your pink dress. By the time you get back, I will have the cake ready for you to take to your mother-in-law. She will be so pleased that she may make your father-in-law pay for the bed. Remember: One hand washes the other, but together they wash the face .

8、 ”邻居家丑八怪的女儿宣布她订婚了，伊梅尔达就说： “ 太太，您可听见大伙儿是怎么讲的： 罐儿再丑，配个盖子也不犯愁 。 ” 当她的女婿嚷嚷着要去找克扣他工资的老板算账时，伊梅尔达冷冷地 盯着 他说： “ 小鱼吃不了大鱼。 ” 一天下午，我听见伊梅尔达和女儿在厨房争论开了。原来是女儿刚和公婆吵过嘴，她非要女儿去赔个不是。她女儿却偏不依： “ 可是，妈妈， 这样做我受不了，就是拌了蜜也噎不下呀 ！他们满嘴讲大话，可是一旦求上他们，却又说穷得不得了。就拿今天来说吧，我想借点钱，也就刚够买一张新床，他们都不肯，我便讲了你平时讲过上百遍的那句话： 既然那么阔，干吗要叫穷 ？ 既然那么穷，干吗摆阔气 ？

9、 伊梅尔达鼻子哼了一声，“没家教 ! 难道我没教过你 : ， 舌头闯祸，脖子遭殃 ？我可不愿让人指着脊梁骨说我从来不教自己的姑娘要尊重长辈。你去陪个不是吧，不过先得把长裤换掉。你婆婆最讨厌女人穿男式长裤你是知道的。她常念叨： 孵出来是母鸡就别冒充是公鸡！ 做女儿的还想再争一争：可是，妈妈，你不是经常说， 如果圣人恼怒了，在他消气前就不要向他祈祷 。我能不能明天再去啊？ ” “ 不行，不行！要记住： 药越难吃，越要快吃。 你知道，孩子，是你错了嘛。不过， 大门把你关在外，礼物送到自然开 。 我炉里烤着一个蛋糕，本来是给太太晚餐吃的。待会儿我会向太太解释的。你现在赶紧回家，穿上那条粉红的裙子，把自

10、己打扮得漂漂亮亮的。等你从家回来时，蛋糕就烤好了，你把它带去给你婆婆。这样她就会高兴了，还会让你公公给你们买新床呢。记住： 手要相互洗，脸要双手洗 。 ” Unit One 翻译的定义翻译是指把一种语言文字的意义转换成另一种语言文字。简言之，翻译是一种用不同的语言文字将原文作者的意思准确地再现出来的艺术。从以上翻译定义我们知道， 原文的思想必须尽可能得到保持， 不可有所增删。译者的任务只是转换文字而不是改变其意思。因此，翻译有两种要素：准确性与表达性。准确性是翻译的首要条件。译者必须谨慎地遵循原作者的意思，所选用的字词和句式结构必须如实地传达出原文的意思。表达性是让译文易于理解。换言之，译者必

11、须用自己的手段近可能地将原文的思想清楚而有力地表达出来。准确性使译出的思想明确无误，而表达性则使译文生动，具有魅力。I. Important Role of Translation Translation is a rendering from one language into another, i.e. ,the faithful representation in one language of what is written or said in another language. As a means of communication, translation plays an im

12、portant role in human civilization. In the West, literary translation can be traced back to 300 BC, while in China, recorded translation activities are even earlier, dating from the Zhou Dynasty (1100 BC). However, not until recent centuries, especially by the end of the 19th century did systematic

13、study of translation get underway. In the past decades translation theories and activities have developed fast both at home and abroad. A modern society sees an extensive use of translation on various occasions. If a foreign language is generally accepted as a tool of life, translation then obviousl

14、y serves as a dynamic means of employing this tool. A proper and dexterous translation helps to promote mutual understanding between peoples of different cultural and social backgrounds, whereas a misunderstanding or improper rendering of words or expressions may lead to confusion. Take the familiar

15、 word “menu” for example. Its original meaning is “a list of dished in a meal or to be ordered as separated meals, esp. in a restaurant”, and the Chinese equivalent seems to be clear: “菜单”. However, when used in computer science, “menu” no longer carries the original meaning. Instead, the meaning sh

16、ifts to “a list shown on the display of a computer from which a user can select the operation the computer is to perform”. Evidently the Chinese counterpart should be something like “选项、项目单”. It is a pity that the initial translator neglected this definition, and as a result, the Chinese translation

17、 of this very popular term of computer science fails to convey its true meaning-the translated term “菜单” sounds incongruous with its actual content. So is the rendering of “Renaissance”. The original word refers to the period in Europe between the 14th and 17th centuries, when the art, literature, i

18、deas of ancient Greece were discovered again and widely studied, causing a rebirth of activity in all these things. It is commonly known as “文艺复兴” in Chinese via translation, although we know today that the movement extended far beyond literature and are circles, and the connotation of “Renaissance”

19、 is much more profound that of the Chinese term “文艺复兴”. The same fallacies also occurred in Chinese-English translation. For example, a popular Chinese lipstick with the trademark “芳芳”, when transliterated into English as “Fangfang”, created a hideous image-the English word “fang” happens to have tw

20、o disagreeable definitions: a. a long, sharp tooth of a dog; b. a snakes poisonous tooth. Consequently, this awkward transliteration gave rise to a disastrous failure of overseas trade. Similar translation blunders are not unusual in social or economic activities in our country. To name a few, trans

21、lating “五讲四美、三热爱” into “five stresses, four beauties and three loves”, “抓紧施肥” into “grasp manure”, “白酒” into “white wine” Had the translators had sufficient translation knowledge, such blunders would have been avoidable.III. Literal Translation and Free TranslationThe process of translation consists

22、 of two phases: comprehension and expression. Generally speaking, comprehension is of foremost importance, and expression is the natural consequence of thorough comprehension. However, in the practice of translation we may find that now and then some words in their usual senses are very difficult to

23、 deal with because of the disparity between the English and the Chinese languages. In this case, we have to resort to some special means of translation. Literal translation (直译) and free translation (意译) are two useful approaches in dealing with such awkward situations.The so-called literal translat

24、ion, generally speaking, means “not to alter the original words and sentences”; strictly speaking, it strives “to keep the sentiments and style of the original”. It takes sentences as it basic units and takes the whole text into consideration at the same time in the course of translation. Furthermor

25、e, it strives to reproduce both the ideological content and the style of the original works and retains as much as possible the figures of speech.For example, the concept of “death” may be expressed as follows: breathe ones last (断气), go to ones eternal rest (安息), the long sleep (长眠), pass away, see

26、 God, see Marx, see ones ancestors, go west (归西), go to heaven (进天国), kick the bucket(蹬腿儿了) etc. Actually, quite a lot of successful literal translations have been adopted as idiomatic Chinese expressions. For example, crocodile tears (鳄鱼的眼泪), be armed to the teeth (武装到牙齿), chain reaction (连锁反应), ge

27、ntlemans agreement (君子协定), and so on. Similarly, some Chinese words and expressions may also find their English counterparts through literal translation. For example, “三教九流” (the three religions and the nine schools of thought), “四书五经” (the Four Books and the Five Classics), “纸老虎” (paper tiger), “一国

28、两制” (one country, two systems), and so on.Free translation is an alternative approach which is used mainly to convey the meaning and spirit of the original without trying to reproduce its sentence patterns or figures of speech. This approach is most frequently adopted when it is really impossible to

29、 translate the original literally. For example:Adams apple 喉结At sixes and sevens 乱七八糟It rains cats and dogs. 大雨滂沱The above illustrations can not be translated literally, otherwise, the Chinese rendition would make no sense at all, let alone the original meaning. More often than not, literal translat

30、ion and free translation may be alternatively used in the process of translation, as illustrated by the following examples:1. Theres no pot so ugly it cant find a lid.L T: 再丑的罐儿也不愁配个盖儿。FT: 丑女不愁嫁。2. Little fish does not eat big fish.L T: 小鱼吃不了大鱼。F T: 胳膊拧不过大腿。Literal translation and free translation,

31、however, are two relative concepts. In other words, there is no absolute “literal”, nor entirely “free” version in the practice of translation, and overemphasizing either of them would result in ridiculous consequence. The key point for a translator to grasp is to comprehend the original thoroughly,

32、 and then put it into idiomatic Chinese. In the process of translation, specific approaches such as literal or free translation may be of some help, but we should avoid the two extremes. In the application of literal translation, we should endeavor to rid ourselves of stiff patterns and rigid adhere

33、nce to translation rules, trying to be flexible; while in the practice of free translation, we should be cautious of subjectively, avoiding groundless affirmation or arbitrary fabrication. Whatever the circumstances are, we may alternate or combine these two approaches when it is necessary.1. Every

34、life has its roses and thorns.人生道路上既铺满鲜花，又布满荆棘。2. Ill have Lisa where I want her. 我得让丽莎听从我的调遣。3. He carried his age astonishingly well .他一点也不显老，面容年轻得令人惊讶。4. Shed never again believe anything in trousers. 她再也不愿意相信任何男人了。5. He was a dead shot. However, he met his Waterloo this time.他是一个神枪手，可这次却遭到了惨败。6.

35、 Nixon was pleased by the distinction ,but not overwhelmed.尼克松对受到破格礼遇非常高兴，但并没有受宠若惊。7. Yet China was a land of constant surprise and shifting impression.而中国是一片令人惊讶,日新月异的土地。8. After the failure of his last novel, his reputation stands on slipper ground.他上部小说写砸了，名声从此岌岌可危。9. Mrs. Sawyer looked radiant ,

36、 too, and for the first time gobbled up her dinner like a litter pig.索耶太太也容光焕发，第一次大口大口吃饭，活像一只小猪。10. He walked at the head of funeral procession, and every now and then wiped his crocodile tears with a big handkerchief.他走在送葬队伍的前头，还时不时用一条大手绢抹去他那鳄鱼的眼泪。11. It is the same old story of not being grateful

37、for what we have until we lose it of not being conscious of health until we are ill.还是那句老话：物失方知可贵，病时倍思健康。12. When we are in buoyant health ,death is all but unimaginable .We seldom think of it. The days stretch out in an endless vista. So we go about our petty tasks ,hardly aware of our listless att

38、itude toward life.当我们年轻富强时，死亡几乎是难以想象的事。我们很少想到死。来日方长，前途无量。于是，我们忙于琐碎的事物，根本意识不到我们对生命的漠然态度。Unit Two DictionI. Correspondence between English and Chinese at Word LevelIn most cases there is no existing pattern for sentence translation, nor are there fixed rules for word transformation. Generally speaking

39、, the correspondence between English and Chinese at word level may be categorized as follows:1. Word-for-Word CorrespondenceThis is most evidently shown in proper nouns and technical terms. For example:2. One Word with Multiple Equivalents of the Same Meaning3. One Word with Several Equivalents of D

40、ifferent Meanings4. Equivalents Interwoven with One AnotherIn this case, a certain word may be treated differently according to various circumstances 5. Words without EquivalentsIn this case, an explanation is given instead of an equivalent. Methods of Discriminating the Original Meaning of an Engli

41、sh WordSince English words are prone to various meanings, it is of vital importance for a translator to discern the right meaning of a given word. And the following are the major methods of discriminating word meaning suggested by some linguists.1. Judging from the Word Formation2. Judging from the

42、ReferencesIn many cases the meaning of a word may be judged from the references. This is frequently shown in pronominal words:1) third person pronoun; indefinite pronouns such as some, any, each, both; and definite pronouns such as much, many, few, little, etc. For example:He (father) sent John to t

43、he university and was eager to have him distinguish himself. 他送约翰上大学，巴望能让儿子出类拔萃。2）demonstrative pronouns, such as this, that, these, those and demonstrative adverbs such as here, there, now, then, etc. For example: Health is above wealth, for this cannot give so much happiness as that. 健康比财富更重要，因为财富

44、不能象健康那样给人那么多幸福。3）references of comparison. For example: I hate blue shirts; while shirts suit me but gray is the most preferable.我讨厌穿蓝衬衫，喜欢穿白衬衫，而最喜欢穿灰衬衫。 Without the referential words “father”, “health”, “wealth”, and “shirt” in the above three sentences, it would be very difficult to make out the r

45、eal meaning of such words as “him”, “himself”, “this”, “that” and “the most preferable”.3. Judging from the Context and CollocationThe meanings of the words “tension” and “story” in the previous examples are explicit enough in the context. Here is another example: develop.-His plane developed engine

46、 trouble only seven miles after takeoff. （发生故障）-Modern aircraft are so heavy that the wings must develop a very large lift force in order to sustain the aircraft. （产生升力）-Inspired by these ideas, in 1752 Franklin developed a practical lightning rod.（研制避雷针）-As young Goddard grew into manhood, he devel

47、oped tuberculosis.（患上结核病）Collocation is also an inseparable factor in diction. Lets look at the word “delicate” in the following illustrations, where different renditions are given to the same word so as to suit the collocation.n delicate skin 娇嫩的皮肤n delicate porcelain精致的瓷器n delicate upbringing娇生惯养n

48、 delicate living奢侈的生活n delicate health虚弱的身体n delicate stomach容易吃坏的胃n delicate vase容易破碎的花瓶n delicate diplomatic question微妙的外交问题n delicate difference 讲不大清楚的差别n delicate surgical operation难做的外科手术n delicate ear for music 对音乐有鉴赏力n delicate sense of smell灵敏的嗅觉n delicate touch 妙笔生花n delicate food美味的食物n delicate features 清秀的五官4. Judging from Different Branches of Learning and SpecialtiesFor example, the word “base” means “词根” in lexicology; “本金” in business; “底涂” in painting; “基线” in survey