(三)增词法
由于英汉两种语言表达方式和语言习惯的不同,翻译时要根据具体情况适当地增加一些词,以便更忠实通顺地传达原文内容。这种增加是要增加原文中"虽无其词但有其意"的一些词,而不是无中生有地增加。
因此,为了使译文符合汉语的表达习惯,在翻译中可以根据需要适当地增加动词、名词、形容词、副词、量词和表示名词复数、动词时态等方面的词。
1.意义或修辞上增词
主要有以下几种情况:一是动词
形容词或副词的增加;二是英语中的某些抽象名词,翻译时需增加适当的汉语名词;三是添加表示英语复数名词和动词时态的词;四是增加英语中所没有的量词;五是增加语气助词、承上启下的词或某些概括性的词。例如:
Trade wars arise from a ruthless determination on the part of a
company or country to capture the market.
贸易战是由一个公司或国家为占领市场而作出无情的决定引起的。(增加了动词"作出")
With what enthusiasm the Chinese people are building socialism!
中国人民正在以多么高的热情建设社会主义呀!(增加了形容词"高的")
Tom sank down with his face in his hands.
汤姆两手蒙着脸,一屁股坐了下去。(增加了副词"一屁股")
Day after day he came to his work-sweping, scrbbing, cleaning.
他每天来干活--扫地,擦地板,收拾房间。(增加了不及物动词后的名词)
This typewriter is indeed cheap and fine.
这部打字机真是价廉物美。(增加了形容词前的名词)
Not to educate the child is to condemn him to repetitious
iqnorance.
不对儿童进行教育,就等于让儿童沦人世世代代的愚昧状态。(增加了抽象名词ignorance后的"状态")
She had none of the determination that gave her mother's face so
much character, but resembled her father.
她脸上没有那种使她的母亲的脸充满个性的断然决然的表情,而长得象父亲。(增加了抽象名词
determination后的"表情")
They drove in a black limousine, past groves of birch trees and
endless rows of
identical new buildings.
他们乘坐一辆黑色轿车,经过一排排的白桦树和看不到尽头的一排排千篇一律的新住宅。("一排
排"体现了groves,rows所表示的复数内容)
The judge let him off with warnings not to cause trouble again.
法官把他放了,并对他再三提出警告:不得重新作案。("再三"表示了warnings的复数意义)
His father looked older than his age, for he had had a hard life.
他父亲看起来比他的实际年龄要老一些,因为他曾经历过很艰苦的生活。("曾"和"过"表示了时态
had had)
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。("过去"和"现在"表示了时间的对比)
I bought a bike yesterday.
我昨天买了一辆自行车。(增加了量词"辆")
The two countries cooperated militarily, politically and
economically.
两国在军事、政治和经济等方面进行了合作。-(增加"等方面"表示概括性的词)
For mistakes had been made, had ones.
因为错误已经犯了,而且还是很糟的错误。(增加了表示承上启下的词"而且还是")
2.句法上增词
英语中有省略现象,译为汉语时往往要根据句法需要补出英文中省略的成分,主要包括回答中的省略、动词的省略及比较句中的省略等;另外,为表示态度、逻辑关系等,也需要加词。例如;
Is this your bike? Yes, it is. (= it is mine.)
这是你的自行车吗?是,是我的。(增加了回答中省略的部分)
Reading makes f full man; conference a ready man; writing a exact
man.
读书使人充实,讨论使人机智,写作使人准确。(增加了省略的动词)
There are books and books.
书有种种,好坏不一。(增加了表示态度的词)
It may create unnecessary suspense and anxiety, as when you wait
for an expected call
that doesn't come; or irritation, as when you keep dialing a
number that is always
engaged.
它可能引起不必要的焦虑和担心,比如说,你等一个要来的电话确没有来;或者它会使你发怒,比如
说,你在不停地拨一个电话号码,对方却总是占线。(句子中的or irritation是主句的并列宾语,翻
译时需把省略部分明确译出。)
(四)减词法(省略法)
减词法主要指省去可有可无的,或者有了反而不符合汉语表达习惯的词。上海道正认为主要是在翻译时省译英语中的某些代词、连词、冠词和为防止重复而省译某些成分。
1.省略代词
省略代词主要是指省略作主语的人称代词、泛指的人称代词、作宾语的代词及物主代词。例如:
a) But it was the way I am. And try as I might, I haven't been able
to change it.
但我就是这个脾气,虽然几经努力,却未能改变过来。(省译原文中的第二和第三个代词)
b)We live and learn.
活到老,学到老。(省略了泛指人称代词we)
c)She laid her hand lightly on his arm as if to thank him for it.
她轻轻地把手放在他的胳膊上,好象表示感谢。(省略作宾语的代词him,it)
d)In my childhood, I heard a lot about Lei Feng.
在童年时,我就听到很多关于雷锋的故事。(省略物主代词my)
2.省略非人称的或强势句中的让
it 也是非人称的或强势句中的it
it也是代词,这里主要是指它的两种特殊用法,即用作非人称代词和强调。例如:
Outside it was pitch dark and it was raining cats and dogs.
外面一团漆黑,大雨倾盆。
It was on my way home yesterday that I met Mary.
在昨天回家的路上,我遇见了玛丽。
译路通武汉翻译公司整理
2012.7.7