笔译时定语从句的一些特殊译法题
1、 定语从句有时可以译为并列分句,主要是指非限制性的定语从句:
1) Nearly everyone knows the story of ”the dog that worried the cat that caught the rat that ate the grain that lay in the house that Mr. Bubble built.”
几乎人人都知道这个故事:“冒泡先生盖了房,房里堆了粮,耗子把粮食吃光,猫把耗子抓伤,狗又把猫逼上房。”
2) Thinking that you know when in fact you don’t is a fatal mistake to which we are all prone.
自认为知道而实际上并不知道,这是一个致命的弱点,我们都容易犯这种错误。
2、 倒译法:
1) Yet he failed somehow, in spite of a mediocrity, which ought to have insured any man a success.
按理说,他这样的庸才,正该发迹才是,可是不知怎么,只是不得意。
2) You have given Fieldstone, who dislikes me anyhow, the chance he was waiting for.
费尔德斯丁反正就不喜欢我,你给他的机会正是他求之不得的。
3、 译为相当于英语中的状语从句一样的译法:
1) How can anyone hope to be a qualified teacher, who doesn’t know what the students are thinking and demanding?
一个教师如果不知道他的学生在想什么,需要什么,怎能指望成为一个合格的教师呢?
(译为条件状语从句)
2) The thief, who was about to escape, was caught by the policemen.
小偷正要逃跑时,被警察抓住了。
(当作时间状语从句来处理)
4、 有时可译为相当于汉语中的谓语结构或宾语结构:
1) In recent years an interesting fact has been brought to public attention: As educational levels, salaries, and the cost of living have increased, more and more people are now having fewer and fewer children to the point where schools in many cities have to close down.
最近几年一个有趣的情况引起人们的注意:随着教育水平、工资和生活消费的提高,越来越多的人不想多生孩子,已经到了许多城市的学校不得不关门的地步。
(译为相当汉语的谓语结构)
2) She knew the sequestered spots where the hens laid their eggs.
她知道母鸡在什么隐蔽的角落里下蛋。
(译为相当汉语中的宾语结构)
3) He had a lot of eggs to sell, which would have made he beloved anywhere.
他有许多金蛋蛋要卖,足以使他到处受到欢迎的。
(谓语结构)
5、 译成独立句子:
1) There was another man who seemed to have answers, and that was Mr. Bubble.
另外一个人似乎胸有成竹,那就是冒泡先生。
(溶合式)
2) Yonder are the Misses Leery, who are looking out for the young officers of the Heavies…
那边是李瑞家的小姐们正在望眼欲穿地等待着重炮队里的年轻军官。
(溶合式)