张培基《英汉翻译教程》第36讲:四字词组和翻译(4)
日期:2012-01-19 17:30

(单词翻译:单击)

(二)将四字词组译成短语,如介词短语,副词短语,不定式短语。

这也是一种常用的方法。这种方法往往是套用英语中最简单的词组或句型。如广告中常用的典雅大方elegant and graceful, 轻柔松软soft and light. 再如,某位领导的讲话要求外交人员立场坚定、目光远大、头脑敏捷、业务熟练、才华出众、风格高尚,黄金祺将原文译为A Chinese diplomat should be firm in stand, broad in vision, swift in wit, qualified in profession, outstanding in talent, noble in character 。原文的六个四字词组在译文里换作六个 adj.+ in +n. 结构的短语,同样对称整齐、简明扼要,与原文相比,形式不同,功能却相似。因此用这个结构来翻译四字词组达到了异曲同工的效果,既保留了原文的风格,又使译文自然贴切,具有可读性。

这种地区的农会和农村政权的领导工作,应当由贫农和中农中思想正确、办事公道的积极分子去做。

In these areas the leading posts in the peasant associations and the organ of political power should be assumed by those activists among the poor and middle peasants who are correct in their thinking and fair and just in running affairs.

(这个例子同样也是采用 adj.+ in +n. 的结构来译四字词组。)

社会主义国家内部的反动派同帝国主义者互相勾结,利用人民内部的矛盾,挑拨离间,兴风作浪,企图实现他们的阴谋。

It was a case of the reactionaries inside a socialist country, in league with the imperialists, attempting to achieve their conspiratorial aims by taking advantage of contradictions among the people to foment dissension and stir up disorder.

(两个简单的动词词组恰当地译出了挑拨离间与兴风作浪。)

纵目眺望,我饱览了一片无限娇艳的风光:万紫千红,郁郁葱葱。鸟语悦耳,花香袭人,涟漪荡漾,瀑布飞流,层峦起伏,阡陌纵横。真可谓生机勃勃,气象万千。

As far as sight could reach, I feasted my eyes on a vastness of infinite charm, which presents itself in a profusion of color, in verdant luxuriance, in dulcet warbling, in pervading perfume, in rippling undulation, in cataract sprays, in hilly waves, in field crisscross and verily in vitality and variety.

(一小段话连用了八个四字词组,译者将它们处理为in +adj. + n. 的结构,使得译文同样结构整齐,意思明确,可以说是达到了内容与形式的统一。)

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重点单词
  • swiftadj. 快的,迅速的 n. 雨燕,线轴 Swift n
  • dissensionn. 意见不合,纠纷,倾轧
  • gracefuladj. 优雅的
  • elegantadj. 优雅的,精美的,俊美的
  • stirn. 感动(激动,愤怒或震动), 搅拌,骚乱 vt. 激
  • achievev. 完成,达到,实现
  • vitalityn. 活力,生命力
  • infiniteadj. 无限的,无穷的 n. 无限
  • advantagen. 优势,有利条件 vt. 有利于
  • outstandingadj. 突出的,显著的,未支付的