“转换”在翻译中是用的很广泛的一个概念,一种基本技法。译词有转换,译句也有转换。
语态的转换
1、汉语主动态→英语被动态(箭头表示转换)
英语中被动态使用范围很广。凡是在不必说出主动者,不愿说出主动者,无从说出主动者或是为了行文上的方便,使上下文更连贯等等场合,往往都用被动语态。
汉语与英语不同。汉语的被动式用的较少,这也是汉语的特征之一。严格说来,汉语动词不具备以形态作依据的“被动范畴”。汉语动词不具备英语动词那样的形态变化,而主要依靠词汇手段以及句式来表示被动。就翻译而言,有显性被动特征的句子在英译汉时是比较好处理的。但在很多情况下,汉语诸位之间的被动关系是隐含的,不一定非要借助“被”、“叫”、“给”、“受”、“遭”、“让”等助词来体现,也可以说汉语的被动在内容后和形式上并没有形成严谨的规范,以汉语做母语的人主要靠交流中的语感来表示主动与被动。
(1)、日本两位围棋高手接连受挫。
Two super go players from Japan were defeated one after another.
(2)、错误不应当加以掩饰,而必须加以揭露,才能得到改正。
精选文库
Mistakes must not be covered up. They must be exposed before you can correct them.
(3)、这种行为将为所有有良知的人所蔑视。
Such conduct will be looked down upon by all with sense with decency
解释:以上三例都有明显的被动标志:“受”、“加以”、“为……所”,这类汉语句子叫做显性被动语句,汉译英时可译成对应的英语被动态。值得注意的是,汉语中这些显性被动标志在翻译是不一定要用英语动词的被动式,要具体情况具体对待,也可以用含有被动意义的名词、分词、形容词或介词短语来表达。如下二例:
(1)、他本想再去天津,遗憾的是被病魔夺去了生命,没能看到经济建设给他的故乡带来的翻天覆地的变化。
In fact he was planning to return to Tianjin but ,falling victim to cancer, he was not able to do it and see the changes that had been taken place in his hometown since the economic construction.
(2)、计划能否顺利实施还受到客观条件的制约。
The materialization of the plan is also subject to objective realities.
下面一些句子含有隐性被动:
(1)、这种杀虫剂效果很好,屡试不爽。(“试”是被动)
--
2
精选文库
This new insecticide has proved effective every time it is used.
(2)、我想他两家也算是门当户对了,一说自然成。
The two families being fairly well matched, I thought once the request was made it was bound to be granted.
解释:所谓隐性被动,实际上就是逻辑上的被动:用被动式事由逻辑推理决定的。有许多汉语句子没有明显的被动标志,但含义确实被动的,在英译时仍应以英语被动式来表达。
此外,汉语里有些以“据说”、“据报道”、“大家知道”、“应该指出”、“人们认为”等开头的句子,英译时也常译成被动语态或译成用it作形式主语的被动结构。
(1)、据报道有一百多人在这次爆炸中丧生。
It is reported that over one hundred people were killed in the explosion.
(2)、人们认为她那些想当明星的计划都只不过是白日做梦罢了。
It was believed that her plans for a movie star had all been merely daydreams.
(2)、一般认为在剧院里大声说话是不妥当的。
It is generally considered not advisable to talk loudly in the theater.
-- 3
精选文库
2、英语被动态→汉语主动态
汉英分别属于完全不同的语系,因此英语被动句译成汉语时没有现成的对应表达方式;在处理英语被动句时,我们必须根据汉语的表达习惯,从句式和辅助词两个方面多想办法,尽可能译出原句的被动意义。
(1)、Japanese companies may be particularly wary, but such nervousness is now shared by managers from other countries.
日本企业似乎过于谨慎,不过其他国家的经理们也有着相同的忧虑。
(2)、Chinese firms that the currency is not a one-way bet. And Mr. Jen suggests that the Yuan’s fall on August 5th may have been intended to help state enterprises or banks with dollars to sell.
另一个可能性是,当局也许希望投机者和中国公司明白货币并非单向博弈。金先生亦暗示,8月15日人民币贬值也可能是帮助持有美元的国有企业或银行抛售。
解释:从上述两例可以看出,英语被动句译成汉语主动句时,主语可以是原句的主语,可以是by后面的名词或代词,也可以是原句中隐含的动作执行者。
英语描述事物的性质、状态,或表达某种观点的被动句,可译成汉语的无主句或系表结构的判断句,即“……是……的”、或“……是的……”的句式,见如下例句:
(1)、Power would be got if there were money to get it with.
-- 4
精选文库
权是可以用钱来谋取的。
(2)、Terms for settlement of the dispute have now been agreed.
我们都知道汉语是用词汇手段来表达被动意义的,而词汇的选择灵活性非常大。在翻译英语的被动语态时,我们所用的方法也绝非仅限于上面的几种。“易词而译”也是一个常用的方法,如下面两例:
(1)、She gave many excuses, but what they added up to was that she did not wish to be troubled.
她找了许多借口,但他们认为归根结底是她不愿找麻烦。
(2)、She and her husband has been asked out for the evening.
她和她丈夫今晚应邀赴约去了。
解释:以上二例译文采用了“易词而译”的方法,即不改变主语,而是将原文中采用的过去分词译成了汉语的主动式动词。
小结:
汉英表示被动语态的手段各异,英语被动句要比汉语被动句用的多,因此在汉英翻译时必须按英语语法逻辑和规则进行语态分析;英汉翻译时则要充分发挥汉语的词汇手段优势,不要拘泥于形式上的对应,译出自然、符合目的语表达习惯的译文。准确熟练的语态翻译被认为是翻译技巧的第一个基本标志。
--
5
精选文库
时态的转换
在汉语中,“时态”只是个意念问题;在英语中时态则是一个形态问题、语法范畴问题。因此在翻译中,我们不能把英语动词各种时态的形态与汉语表示时态的形态助词(着、了、过)和副词(已经、曾经、将要,等等)机械地一一比况对应。在很多情况下,英语原句的时态和英语译句的时态并不是一致的。我们必须深研语法,同时随机应变,尊重双语的语用习惯,坚持描写主义的原则。
1、英译汉中的时态
(1)、英语的一般现在时转译为汉语的一般将来时
“You keep your hands off her, you hear me?”the man threatened.
“你别再打她主意了,听见了吗?”那个男人威胁道。
(2) 英语的一般现在时转译为汉语的进行时
Women play a important role in the economic reform in China.
在中国的经济改革中,妇女起着重要的作用。
(3) 英语的一般现在是转译为汉语的过去时
How dare you speak like that to my face!
-- 6
精选文库
你竟敢在我面前这么说话!
(4) 英语的现在完成时转移为汉语的进行时
I have always wondered at the passion so many people have of going abroad.
我一直在想,为什么这么多人如此热衷于出国?
(5) 英语的现在完成时转移为汉语的过去时
It is true that the earth is round, and that has been evident to every astronaut.
“地球是圆的”这句话是真理,对每个宇航员来说,更是毋庸置疑的。
(6) 英语的现在进行时转移为汉语的将来时(尤其是指在这类进行时具有将来的作用和涵义是)
Of course, I’m not going to make that mistake.
当然了,我不会去做那种错事了。
(7) 英语的现在进行时转移为汉语的一般现在是
I am six feet five. I try never to give my friends the feeling that I am looming over them.
-- 7
精选文库
我身高六英尺无,因此每当我见到朋友时,我总是想方设法不使他们感到站在他们面前的是个庞然大物。
(8) 英语的现在进行时转译为汉语的现在完成时
What did he mean by this? I’ve no idea what he is driving at.
他这是什么意思?我简直被他弄得莫名其妙了。
(9) 英语的一般将来时转移为汉语的一般现在时
Even if the Chinese central bank does, as some expect, let the Yuan strengthen more than previously anticipated, this will not be the panacea that many hope for.
即使中国人民银行像外界所期待的,让人民币比以往更坚挺,这也不是大多数人所期盼的万能药。
从以上的例子可以看到我们描写主义翻译态度和原则。实际上变异是无穷尽的。
2. 汉译英中的时态
汉译英中“时态”是一个大课题,也是高年级翻译教学的重大课题,教学中不应忽略。关键是要认清汉英差异,按英语的预防逻辑和规则办事,摆脱汉语语法概念和汉语思维的干扰【对比语言学中也称为“母语迁移”(mother tongue transfer)】。如果不摆脱这种干扰,则肯定出错。
-- 8
精选文库
(10)他说,四年前,她从上海同济大学毕业,也正是国柱读的那个大学的那个系。
【误】He said that four years ago, she graduated from Tongji University, the same college and the same department Guozhu went go.
【正】He said that four years before she had graduated from Tongji University, the same college and the same department of the same college Guozhu went to.
解释:译者完全忘了间接引语中的英语时态有一些列的时态变化规则。
(11) 那时,全城的灯色昏黄,街上很挤,我朝城北的方向走去,心里在想什么我也不知道。
【误】At that time, the lights in the whole city were brown out. The streets were very crowded and I walked to the north. I really didn’t know what was on my mind.
【正】At that time, the lights in the whole city were dim and brown. The streets were very crowded and I was walking facing north. Actually I didn’t know what was going on in my mind.
解释:中国译者常忽视动词进行体。进行体富动态感,翻译要把握好。
(12) 其他人去游泳,我儿子说他也要去。
【误】When the others went swimming, my son said he went too.
--
9
精选文库
【正】When the others went swimming, my son said he was going in, too.
解释:同上。但“was going in”表示的是过去将来时,符合原意:“想加入其他人”。
(13) 眼下我习惯常徜徉之处,是京城的时尚圈,而以往对那些圈中人我是莫不心的。
【误】All around me in the fashionable circles of the capital I frequented now, where before I was rather indifferent.
【正】All around me in the fashionable circles of the capital I was now frequenting, I began to meet people whom I had been indifferent to before.
解释:译句结构不对:过去完成时也是中国译者不大能运用自如的。
(14) 他的笔触细腻,用辞和讲究:遇到行文中需要,他也不避俗词俗句。
【误】His style was carefully crafted and shrewd. He was unafraid to make himself look bad when it suited the narrative.
【正】His style is carefully crafted and shrewd. Also he is unafraid to make himself look bad when it suits the narrative.
解释:请注意英语“timeless present”(范时性现在时)的用法。原译其实相当好,可能认为作者已故,必须用过去时。
(15) 我回家后对父母说我上哪儿了买了啥,两位老人听了很不高兴。
--
10
精选文库
【误】When I went home and told my parents where I went to and what I bought, they were not pleased.
【正】When I went home and told my parents where I had been and what I had bought, they were not pleased.
解释:过去时与过去完成时所指的不同时间性是我们必须多加注意的:过去完成时指向“过去的过去”(the past before the past),而一般过去时则仅仅指向“过去”。
小结
由于英语和汉语是属于不同的语系的语言,英汉动词的“时间表示法”完全不同,不存在结构形式上的对应关系。因此,在翻译中,“时态转移”几乎随时都可能发生。译者应该对这种调整非常敏感,不要拘泥于英汉时态在形态上的机械对应,那是没有意义的。如果说“有对应”,那一切都是随机的,不是必然的。这中间汉译英尤宜多加注意,因为英译汉我们可以让语感参与判断,汉译英时中国人的汉语语感非但帮不上忙,而且还可能帮倒忙!
-- 11
因篇幅问题不能全部显示,请点此查看更多更全内容