CATTI二级口译精讲第12讲讲义

主题翻译 Theme Practice

谈到中美贸易问题，首先要看到一个最基本的事实，这就是25年来我们两国之间的贸易有了巨 大的发展。从1979年的不足25亿美元，发展到今天的1000多亿美元，增长了几十倍。这种巨额增长，是不是只 对一方有利而对另一方不利？或者说只是中国赚了而美国亏了？不是。事实上，两国都从迅速发展的中美贸易 中获得了巨大的利益。//

中美贸易之所以能迅速发展，根本原因在于两国经济具有极大的互补性。这种互补性，很大程 度上来自两国资源条件、经济结构以及消费水平存在着很大的差异。中国是最大的发展中国家，市场广阔，发
展迅速，劳动力成本低，但资金短缺、科技和管理相对落后。//

美国是最大的发达国家，经济总量大，资本充足，科技发达，但劳动力成本高。这种差异性和 互补性，将在今后长期存在，在经济全球化的大背景下显得更加突出。我认为，这就是中美贸易能够持续快速 发展的客观基础。//

中国有一句描写登泰山感受的古诗：“会当凌绝顶，一览众山小”。我们对待中美贸易问题， 要有这种高瞻远瞩的战略眼光。诸如美中贸易逆差问题，人民币汇率问题，知识产权保护问题，贵国社会各界 甚为关注。所有这些问题，是在中美贸易发展中出现的问题，是可以取得共识，也是可以逐步得到解决的，不
应该也不可能影响中美经贸发展大局。//

滔滔长河有时会卷起漩涡，漫漫历史进程难免会发生波折。随着中美经贸合作规模的扩大，有点摩擦在所难免。只要双方有诚意，这类问题完全可以通过平等协商和扩大合作来加以妥善解决。//

回顾中美经贸关系发展25年的历史，我们应当从中汲取一些重要的经验和教训。我愿意，就发展中美公平贸易和经济合作提出五条原则，与各位商榷。这五条原则是：

第一、互利共赢。从大处着眼，既要考虑自己利益，又要考虑对方利益。

第二、把发展放在首位。通过扩大经贸合作来化解分歧。

第三、发挥双边经贸协调机制作用。及时沟通和磋商，避免矛盾激化。

第四、平等协商。求大同存小异，不动辄设限和制裁。

When talking about China-US trade, we should not overlook one fundamental fact, that is, in the past 25 years, two-way trade has experienced a tremendous expansion. From merely 2.5 billion US dollars in 1979 to over 100 billion today, the increase is dozens of times. Does such a huge increase benefit only one side at the expense of the other? Or is China the winner and the US the loser? The answer is obviously no. In fact, both countries have reaped tremendous benefits from the rapid expansion of China-US trade. //

The reason for such a rapid growth in China-US trade lies, in the final analysis, in the high degree of complementarity of the two economies, which, to a large extent, stems from their big differences in economic resources, economic structures and consumption levels. China is the world’s largest developing country with a huge market, fast development and a low cost of labor, but short in capital and relatively backward in technology and management. //

On the other hand, the US is the world’s largest developed country, big in economic size, abundant in capital, and advanced in science and technology. But the cost of labor in the US is very high. Such diversity and complementarity will remain for a long time, and are likely to feature more prominently in the ongoing economic globalization. This, in my view, is the material basis for the sustained and rapid expansion of China-US trade. //

Depicting how the climber of the towering Mount Tai feels, an ancient Chinese poem goes, “I must ascend the mountain’s crest; it dwarfs all peaks under my feet.” When approaching problems in China-US trade, we also need to take a strategic perspective of vision and foresight. Problems such as US trade deficit with China, the RMB exchange rate, and intellectual protection, are of concern to many quarters of US society. But they are also problems that come along with expanded China-US trade, and they can be ironed out gradually since common understanding on them is entirely obtainable. They should not, and will not, stand in the way of the larger interests of China-US trade. //

As whirlpools are sometimes found in a surging river, the flows of history can also be interrupted by some occasional setbacks. As bilateral trade and economic relations grow in size, some frictions are hardly avoidable. So long as the two sides act in good faith, such problems can be resolved properly through equal consultation and expanded cooperation. //

A review of China-US trade and economic relations in the past quarter of a century reveals certain important experience and lessons that we should bear in mind. Now, I would like to propose the following five principles for fair trade and economic partnership between China and the US for your consideration: //

First, mutual benefit and win-win result. Thinking broadly, one should take account of the other’s interests while pursuing its own.

Second, development placed as number-one priority. Existing differences should be resolved through expanded trade and economic cooperation.

Third, greater scope to coordinating mechanisms in bilateral trade and economic relations. Disputes should be addressed in a timely manner through communication and consultation to avoid possible escalation.

Fourth, equal consultation. The two sides should seek consensus on major issues while reserving differences on minor issues, instead of imposing restrictions or sanctions at every turn.

口译讲评 Comments on Interpretation

1．“谈到中美贸易问题，首先要看到一个最基本的事实 贸易有了巨大的发展。”在译成 英文时可以采用“正说反译”的译法，“When talking about China-US trade, we should not overlook one fundamental fact, that is, in the past 25 years, two-way trade has experienced a tremendous expansion.”这样做一方面更符合英文的表达习惯，另一方面利用双重否定法更好地表达了作者肯定的语气。

2．“中美贸易之所以能迅速发展，根本原因在于两国经济具有极大的互补性。这种互补性，很大程度上来自两国资源条件、经济结构以及消费水平存在着很大的差异。”汉语的一个明显特点是多重复， 而英语则尽量避免重复，而通过形式手段——如关系代词或指示代词来体现句子之间的逻辑关系。在这句话 中，我们可以使用关系代词“which”，将这两句话合并，翻译成定语从句。“The reason for such a rapid growth in China-US trade lies, in the final analysis, in the high degree of complementarity of the two economies, which, to a large extent, stems from their big differences in economic resources, economic structures and consumption levels.”此句也可译为：The rapid growth in China-US trade is mainly attributable to the marked differences in the two countries’ resources, economic structures and consumption levels, and to the fact that the two economies can be complementary to each other.”

3．“中国是最大的发展中国家，市场广阔，发展迅速，劳动力成本低，但资金短缺、科技和 管理相对落后。”汉英两种语言的实质差别在于前者重意合，而后者重形合。将一种意合语言翻译成形合语言时，就必须在语言的排列上突出句子的主次成分，而这一点在汉语中往往是呈隐性状态的，所以口译者应当把 握这一特点，先找出长句的主句，即句子的中心，其他相关意思的扩展可以靠介词短语、分词短语、或是从句 来实现。因此翻译这句话时，可以将后面的三个主谓短语转化为英语中的介词短语和形容词短语来补充说 明“中国是最大的发展中国家”。所以译文为“China is the world’s largest developing country with a huge market, fast development and a low cost of labor, but short in capital and relatively backward in technology and management.”

4．“美国是最大的发达国家，经济总量大，资本充足，科技发达，但劳动力成本高。”译法 同上。“On the other hand,the US is the world’s largest developed country, big in economic size, abundant in capital, and advanced in science and technology.”

5．“ 贵国社会各界甚为关注。”可以译为“of concern to many quarters of U.S. society”也可译为“of concern to many sections of U.S. society”

6．“所有这些问题，是在中美贸易发展中出现的问题，是可以取得共识，也是可以逐步得到解决的，不应该也不可能影响中美经贸发展大局。”在翻译这个长句之前，先分析句子的主次成分，“所有这些问题可以逐步得到解决”和“不应该也不可能影响中美贸易发展大局”可以作为并列的两个主句，或断句翻译成独立的两个句子。而其他次要成分，可以变换成从句。“是在中美贸易发展中出现的问题”可以用定语从句处理，而“可以取得共识”应该是问题解决的前提条件，因而可以用since从句表示。该句可译为“But they are also problems that come along with expanded China-US trade, and they can be ironed out gradually since common understanding on them is entirely obtainable. They should not, and will not, stand in the way of the larger interests of China-US trade.” 在口译中，将句子进行逻辑归纳分析，既有利于理解记忆，而且可以使译文更有条理，符合英文习惯。

7．“及时沟通和磋商，避免矛盾激化。”在汉语中，没有主语的句型很普遍；英译时常须将隐含的主语与宾语补上，以符合英语语法习惯。因此在翻译汉语无主句时，我们可以在句子的其他部分找到一个词来做主语，或者根据句子意思添加主语，然后寻找或添加相应的谓语动词。在这句话中，我们可以用“矛盾”做主语，避免矛盾激化的前提是解决矛盾，所以谓语可以选用“address”一词，及时沟通和磋商是解决 矛盾的办法，可以用介词短语“through”来表示。所以该句可译为“Disputes should be addressed in a timely manner through communication and consultation to avoid possible escalation.”这句话也可以通过添加主语“we”来翻译。“We should address the disputes in a timely manner through communication to avoid their possible escalation.”同时从这句翻译中，我们也可以看出，由于汉语重意合，所以在译成英文时，应当注意分析各成分之间的逻辑关系，不能按照句子的表面形式机械地进行翻译。