英语翻译之合译法

Chapter 5 Combination（合译法）

Objectives:

＊To be aware of the major differences between Chinese sentence structures and English ones

＊To know about a translating strategy- Combination

＊To learn how to achieve good combination

＊To practice using combination while translating

Main Contents

＊Part I Warm-up Exercise

＊Part II Introduction

Translating Skill: Combination

＊Part III Combination in E-C Translation

A. Words

B. Phrases

C. Idioms and Slangs

D. Simple Sentences

E. Compound Sentences

F. Complex Sentences

＊Part IV Combination in C-E Translation

＊Part V Exercises

Part I Warm-up Exercise

Directions: Read the following sentences and try to put them into Chinese.

1. In designing advertisements for other countries, messages need to be short and simple.

2. He was very clean. His mind was open.

3. She went back home to take care of her husband. He was seriously ill.

4. It smelled a sweet, intense smell of fruit.

5. Who told you to make such a fuss over nothing?

Part II Introduction

English and Chinese differ greatly in sentence structure. If we follow the original sentence structure in translation, we may find it hard to reproduce the original thought. In addition to other ways to deal with this case, we may rearrange the sentence structure by integrating two words, phrases, or sentences into a single expression or a simple sentence.

Combination is a technique employed to achieve conciseness and contractedness in translation. In combination , we have to determine what to combine, how to combine, what the subject or the predicate of the new clause or sentence should be, and how to rearrange various parts of the original sentence.

Part II Combination in E-C Translation （合译法在英译汉中的应用）

A.Words （词的合译）

This technique is used to integrate two words of close meaning into one expression. Examples:

1. You will supply financial power, and we’ll supply man power. Isn’t that fair and square?

译文：你们出钱，我们出人，这难道还不公平吗？

2. His father is a man who forgives and forgets.

译文：他的父亲非常宽容。

3. Her son was wise and clever, but her daughter was silly and foolish.

译文：她的儿子非常聪明，可女儿却很笨。

4. He suffered aches and pains.

译文：他遭受百般疼痛。

5. He is a man of culture and learning.

译文：他是个很有学问的人。

Try to translate:

1. He was kindly, generous and obliging.

2. He was jealous and envious of his brother. He resented that his younger brother was so

successful.

B.Phrases (固定词组的合译)

Examples:

1.All the ones we have seen here have four-star abilities with five-star ambitions.

译文：我们在此看到的所有人都是些眼高手低之辈。

2.He threw on a coat and left home in a hurry.

译文：他套上一件衣服，匆匆忙忙地离开了家里。

3.I was examined and re-examined.

译文：我受到再三诘问。

4.Kino hurrying towards his house, felt a surge of exhilaration.

译文：基洛加快步伐，兴致勃勃地朝自己家走去。

5. The sooner he changes his mind，the better for him.

译文：还是越早叫他回心转意越好些。

Try to translate:

1. He likes to make lengthy speech.

2. It’s obvious that she is the one who stands out from the rest.

C.Idioms and slangs（习语、谚语和俚语的合译）

Examples:

1.To be mindful of personal gains and losses

译文：患得患失

2.To be on thin ice

译文：如履薄冰

3.To be wild with joy

译文：欣喜若狂

4.Beyond cure

译文：不可救药

5.To blow one’s own horn

译文：自吹自擂

Try to translate:

1. To call white black

2. As easy as turning over one’s hand

3. To fish in troubled waters

D．Simple Sentences （简单句的合译）

Examples:

1. He has been ill for many years. He died in loneliness finally.

译文：他病了很多年。他最终在孤独中死去。

（√）他生病多年后孤独的死去。

2. The river is very wide. One cannot see the opposite bank.

译文：那条河很宽。一个人看不到对岸。

（√）河宽得看不到对岸。

3. He came back to his hometown. He has left it for quite many years.

译文：他回到了他的故乡。他离开它已经很多年了。

（√）他回到了阔别已久的故乡。

4. He was very stupid. He even didn’t know how to do the simple counting.

译文：他很笨。他甚至不懂做简单的算数。

（√）他笨得连简单的算数都不会。

5. There are men here from all over the country. Many of them are from the South. 译文：这里这些人都是从全国各地来的。他们当中很多人是从南方来的。

（√）从全国各地来的这些人中有很多是南方人。

Try to translate:

1. He took out a match and lit the candle. A light lit up the darkness.

2. She wasn’t really listening. She was thinking about something else.

3. We are all alike. We all have families.

https://www.360docs.net/doc/6d14878197.html,pound Sentences （并列复合句的合译）

Examples:

1.In 1844 Engles met Marx, and they became friends.

译文：1844年恩格斯遇见马克思，然后他们成为了朋友。

（√）1844年恩格斯与马克思相遇并成了朋友。

2. The river ran down to Pisa from Florence, and then it reached the sea.

译文：那条河从佛罗伦萨流到比萨，然后到达大海。

（√）那条河从佛罗伦萨流经比萨入海。

3. It was in mid-August, and the repair section operated under the blazing sun.

译文：时间是八月中旬，维修人员在烈日下工作。

（√）八月中旬，维修人员在烈日下工作。

4. Mark wasn’t able to escape from the fire. Neither were the children.

译文：马克没能从火里逃生。孩子们也没能逃生。

（√）马克和孩子都没能从火里逃生。

5. The Post Office was helpful, and Marconi applied in June, 1896, for the world’s first radio

patent.

译文：邮局提供了帮助，马可尼于1896年6月获得了世界上第一项无线电专利。

（√）在邮局的帮助下，马可尼于1896年6月获得了世界上第一项无线电专利

。

Try to translate:

1. Neither has Mary wanted to rent a house，nor does her husband．

2. Overwork may cause physical decline，and then insomnia may result.

3. The time was half past ten, and the traffic on the street was light.

https://www.360docs.net/doc/6d14878197.html,plex Sentences （复杂句及主从复合句的合译）

Examples:

1. He is not the one who will give up easily.

译文：他不是一个轻易服输的人。

2. Our two countries are neighbors whose friendship is of long standing.

译文：我们两国是友谊长存的友好邻邦。

3. When I negotiate, I get nervous. When I get nervous, I eat.

译文：我在谈判时总是有些紧张，而我紧张时，就想吃东西。

4. It was my liver that was out of order.

译文：我的肝脏出了毛病。

5. When we praise the Chinese leadership and the people, we are not merely being polite.

译文：我们对中国领导人和中国人民的赞扬不仅仅是出于礼貌。

Try to translate:

1. There many people who want to see the film.

2. I was wandering when I saw a notice outside a Sunday School.

3. The judge said it was difficult to comprehend why the police acted so in this matter.

Part IV Combination in C-E Translation

A. 汉语短句译为英语复合句

Examples:

1. 对长辈们不能没大没小的。祖父是一家之主，尤其要尊敬。

译文：Show respect to your elders, particularly to your grandpa, head of the family.

2. 战士们无所畏惧地奋勇向前。他们的脚步很坚定。

译文：Fighters march forward fearlessly，with firm steps.

3. 我爱北京。我特别爱黎明前的北京。

译文：I love Beijing, especially predawn Beijing.

4. 男同学在打篮球。女同学在打乒乓球。

译文：The boys are playing basketball, while the girls are playing ping pang.

5. 湖中有十来枝荷花。荷花上清水滴滴，荷叶上水珠滚来滚去。

译文：Crystal drops were dripping from a dozen lotus buds in the lake, while beads of water rolled about the leaves.

B. 汉语复句译为英语单句

Examples:

1. 这位中国女学生说了一声“我是中国人”，就悄悄走开了。

译文：After saying “I am from China”, the Chinese girl student went aw ay quietly.

2. 我还年轻，我还要活下去，我还要征服生活。

译文：Being still young, I want to live on and conquer life.

3. 我家里生活苦，父亲做小买卖，妈妈是家庭妇女。

译文：My family was hard up, with Father a peddler, Mother a housewife.

4. 他父亲是二战中的一个杀人凶手，竟当上了这个城市的市长。

译文：Her father, a murderer in the Second World War , became the mayor of the city.

Try to translate:

1. 踢足球的，踢足球去了，打篮球的，打篮球去了。

2. 这个方案富于创造性，独出心裁，很有魄力，他们都很喜欢。

3. 中国是个大国，百分之八十的人口从事农业，但耕地只占土地面积的十分之一，其余为

山脉、森林、城镇和其他用地。

Part V Exercises

A. Translate the following sentences into Chinese.（词的合译）

1. Is it really and truly?

2. She was surprised and taken aback.

3. The room is cozy and comfortable.

4. We must reach our goals and aims.

5. It’s right and proper to do this.

6. He was safe and sound in the earthquake.

7. There is a hard and fast rule against smoking here.

8. He is dead and gone.

9. I am tired and exhausted.

10. We should be open and straight with each other.

11. He shook and trembled with fear.

12. They all agreed that it was fair and square to do so.

13. These are ways and means of propaganda.

14. The food is enough and to spare.

15. I hate all these hustle and bustle.

B. Translate the following sentences into English.（词组、习语的合译）

1. 他的房间总是乱七八糟。

3. 他决心洗心革面。

3. 那时候很多人忍饥挨饿。

4 他突然说出些惊心动魄的话来。

5. 他的报告只不过是些陈词滥调。

6. 别把这当灵丹妙药。

7 你没必要低三下四。

8. 他是个粗心大意的家伙。

9. 这不过是痴心妄想。

10. 她说话总是轻声细语。

11. 那幅画令人心动神怡。

12. 我并没有叫你去为非作歹。

13 你怎么能忘恩负义呢？

14. 这里发生了翻天覆地的变化。

15. 他欢天喜地的回家去了。

C. Translate the following sentences into Chinese. （句子的合译）

1. He would miss many things and many people. He would miss Mary.

2. The young man was very miserable. He had no money about him. All his savings had been

stolen.

3. The door was unlocked. Jenny went inside and sat down. She was near collapse, barely able to

move her swollen feet.

4. She is very busy at home. She has to take care of the children and to do the kitchen work.

5. This novel is of no great literary merit. It is merely a pot-boiler.

6. July and August are the months when the weather is hot.

7. While I came to the summit, I became very excited.

8. Confucius was a believer in moral action and in what we today call human development. He advocated the establishment of harmony within the social order.

9. Young people don’t hesitate to attempt one thing after another. Eager to experiment, they

welcome new ideas. They are restless and alive and never satisfied. They seek perfection. 10. I pulled up a chair and sat down. I sat with my legs wide apart at first. But this struck me as

being irreverent and too familiar. So I put my knees together and let my hands rest loosely on them.

D. Translate the following sentences into English. （汉译英中的合译）

1. 方才落了一阵雨，天气还是闷热难堪。人们心里还是热燥燥的，期望着再来一次暴雨。

2. 被观众鼓了几声掌就飘飘然，就忘乎所以，就成了歌星，就坐飞机，就灌唱片，这简直是胡闹。

3. 我在学堂里坐着，心里也闷，不如给他家放牛，倒快活些。

4. 秋天，无论在什么地方的秋天，总是好的；可是啊，北国的秋天，却特别地来得清，来

得静，来得悲凉。（郁达夫：《故都的秋》）

5. 他停住脚步，转过身来定眼一看，是个中年妇女，身材高挑，仍然一副好模样，虽然受了时间的折磨而有点憔悴。