第五章 被动语态的译法(12)

英汉互译理论和实践(选修) 第五章被动语态的译法 (教学安排:2课时) 第一节英语被动句的译法 英语中被动语态使用范围很广,尤其是在科技英语中, 被动语态几乎随处可见,凡是在不必或不愿说出或无从说出施动者以及为了便于连贯上下文或者为了强调动作的承受者等场合,往往都用被动语态。汉语中虽然也有被动语态,但使用范围狭窄得多。这是一种十分有趣的比较。有人统计,《水浒传》全书仅仅用了120个被动句,而例1计14个谓语动词,竟用了13个被动语态。 例1 原文:As oil is found deep in the ground, its presence cannot be determined by a study of the surface. Consequently, a geological survey of the ground rock structure must be carried out. If it is thought that the rocks in a certain area contain oil, a “drilling rig”is assembled. The most obvious part of a drilling rig is called“a derrick”. It is used to lift sections of pipe, which are lowered into the hole made by the drill. As the hole is being drilled, a steel pipe is pushed down to prevent the sides from falling in. If oil is struck, a cover is firmly fixed to the top of the pipe and the oil is allowed to escape through a series of valves. 译文: 英语被动句多数情况下译成汉语的主动句,只有在特别强调被动动作或特别突出被动句才译成汉语被动句。我们要选一种既符合汉语习惯,又保持上下文连贯的译法。 英语被动句的翻译主要有以下几种情况: 一、译成汉语主动句 1.原句中的主语、谓语不变,译文中没有示被动的标志,如“被、把”字等,形式上是主动句,表达被动意义。 例2 原文:On Practice has been translated into many foreign languages. 译文: 例3 原文:The whole country was armed in a few days. 译文: 例4 原文:The sense of inferiority that he acquired in his youth has never been totally eradicated. 译文: 2.原句中的主语移到谓语之后,译作宾语。 例5 原文:Another middle school has been set up in our district. 译文: 例6 原文:1,200 people had been saved by soldiers in the earthquake. 译文: 例7 第五章被动语态的译法 1 原文:The Times is read by the people who run the country; The Guardian is read by the people who would like to run the country; The Financial Times is read by the people who own the country; and The Daily is read by the people who remember the country as it used to be. 译文: 3.译成带表语的主动句,即译成判断句。 例8 原文:The decision to attack was not taken lightly. 译文: 例9 原文:In the old society,women were looked down upon. 译文: 4.含主语从句的被动句型译为主动句。以it作形式主语的英语句子,翻译时常要转为主动形式,有时可加上“有人”、“大家”、“我们” 等不确定主语。 例10 原文:It is reported that the enemy has been breeding new strains of killer viruses. 译文: 例11 原文:It is suggested that meeting be put off till next Monday. 译文: 例12 原文:It is well known that natural light is actually made up of many colours. 译文: 这类句型还有: 不加主语: It is hoped that … 希望…… It is reported that … 据报道…… It is said that … 据说…… It is supposed that … 据推测…… It may be said without fea r of exaggeration that … 可以毫不夸张地说…… It must be admitted that … 必须承认…… It must be pointed out that … 必须指出…… It will be seen from this that … 由此可见…… 可加主语: It is asserted that … 有人主张…… It is believed that … 有人认为…… It is generally considered t hat … 大家(一般人)认为 It will be said … 有人会说…… It was told that … 有人曾经说…… 二、译成汉语被动句 为了强调被动动作或突出施动者时,可以将英语被动句译为汉语被动句。 1.汉语句中有“被”、“给”、“遭受”、“挨”、“受到”等词。 例13 原文:North China was hit by an unexpected heavy rain,which caused severe flooding. 译文: 例14 原文:The window pane was broken by the child. 译文; 例15 原文:I started to explain that I could not do my best since my spectacles had been taken away from me, but she wouldn’t let me finish. 译文: 例16 原文:The behavior of a fluid flowing through a pipe is affected by a number of factors, including the viscosity of the fluid and the speed at which it is pumped. 译文: 2.译成“为……所”的结构。 例17 原文:Granny Wang was forced by family circumstances to enter a knitting mill in Shanghai as a child laborer at the age of twelve. 译文: 例18 原文:I was so impressed by these words that I used them later for a Christmas card. 译文: 三、译成“把”、“使”和“由”字句 例19 原文:The famous hotel had been practically destroyed by the big fire. 译文: 例20 原文:The plan is going to be examined first by the research group. 译文: 例21 原文:By evening the occupation was complete, and the people were chased off the streets by an eight o'clock curfew. 译文: 四、译成无主语句 例22 原文:Some measures must be taken to control the water pollution. 译文: 例23 原文:Methods are found to take these materials out of the rubbish and use them again. 译文: 第二节汉译英中语态的变换 汉语中使用被动语态的情况很少,我们叙述一种行为时,常用主动式。英语中大量的及物动词可以用在被动语态中,不少相当于及物动词的短语也可以用在被动语态中。 (一)汉语被动句的英译 1.带有被动标记的汉语被动句 这类句子一般表示强烈的被动意义,着重被动的动作。 1)出现被动标记词(有“被”、“受”、“遭”、“给”、“挨”、“叫”、“让”等)。 例1 原文:窗上的玻璃叫那个孩子打破了,他一定要挨骂的。 译文: 2)使用“为……所”、“被……所”结构 例2 原文:他的一位朋友被歹徒所杀害。 译文: 3)“加以”、“予以”等词后+谓语动词表示被动 例3 原文:这个问题必须在适当的时候以适当的方式予以处理。 译文: 4)例外情况 并不是所有带被动标记得句子都要译成英语的被动式。必须首先考虑所选英语动词的特点、习惯用法以及上下文之间的关系等,然后决定用何种语态。 例4 原文:老太太被风吹病了。 译文1: 译文2: 2.不带被动标记的汉语被动句 有些汉语句子结构上是主动句,而含义上是被动句。该类型的句子在汉语中大量存在,英译时一般也要用被动语态来翻译。 例5 原文:物质既不能创造又不能消灭。 译文: 例6 原文:狡兔死,走狗烹;飞鸟尽,良弓藏;敌国破,谋臣亡。 译文: (二)汉语主动句的英译 汉译英时主动句转译成被动句的原因如下: 1.为了强调接受动作的人或事物的重要性 英语里常用被动结构把动作的承受者作为句子的主语,来突出它的地位,强调其重要性。因此,汉译英时,往往将汉语的主动句变换为被动句。 例7 原文:一群人立即把他围住了,向他提出一个又一个问题。 译文: 2.为了加强上下文的连贯性 例8 原文:50年代初期,美国企图征服朝鲜,从而进犯中国;但最后中朝军民打败了他们。 译文: 3.为了使措辞得当、语气委婉 英语常出于礼貌上的考虑,不说出施动者,尤其是第一人称,因而使用被动式。在汉语的讲话、通知、请帖中常用被动语态来翻译其中的汉语主动句。 例9 原文:请全系教师和干部于星期五下午二时在会议室集合听。 译文: 4.汉语一些习惯用语的翻译 习惯用语,有时使用“人们”、“有人”、“大家”等作主语;有时看来是无主语句,有的是句子的独立结构,如“据悉”、“应该说”、“必须指出”、“已经证明”等。汉语这类习惯用语一般翻译成英语的被动式。 例10 原文:应该说,情况基本上是好的。 译文: 翻译练习 1.Much has been said about the complexity of the nuclear power reaction. 2. A pair of black eyes might have done some execution had they been placed in a smoother face. 3.Bearing must be lubricated. 4.Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested. 5.We were brought freedom and happiness by socialism. 6.The manuscript was sent to the printer in London a few weeks before the French Revolution. 7.The boy was beaten black and blue. 8.She was caught in the downpour. 9.They are daily and hourly enslaved by the machine, by the overlooker, and particularly, by the manufacturer himself. 10.His argument was refuted down to the last point. 11.很抱歉,因为雨太大,参观博物馆得推迟到明天了。 12.采取“一国两制”适合中国国情,并非权宜之计。 13.如果资本主义在港台得不到保障,那里的繁荣与稳定就不能维持,和平解决问题也就不可能了。