数字的表达
在汉英翻译中,我们经常会遇到数量增加、减少的问题。然而英汉两种语言在倍数增减的表达上存在着很大差异,别说翻译了,就算是拿一篇现成的段落或文章来考考大家的阅读理解能力,也未必所有人都能准确理解文章内容。请读者试着翻译这个句子:
与去年同期相比,今年的出口总量增长了两倍。
译文:The total amount of the export has increased by three times, compared to the same time last year.
分析:该句涉及数量的变化。今年出口总量增加了两倍,是说在去年总量的基础上再增加了两倍。那么,也就是说今年的总量应该已经增长到去年同期的三倍。所以by three times为正解。这题前面讲过的了,加深一下印象。
1)表示陈述某个数量的句型。除最常用的系动词加数词之外,还可以用...go up to...,...as+adj. +as...,...has reached to...,...rise to...等。
例1 快过年了,大白菜的价格已接近3元一斤。
译文:The New Year is coming, and the price of the cabbage goes up to nearly 3 Yuan per kilogram.
2)表示数量比较和增减的句型。表示数量比较和增减的句型很多,大致包括...as...as...,...as...again as...,...数量词+as...as...,...as...as+数量词,...数量词+比较级+than...,比较级+than...by...,...数量词+the size(length,volume)of...,...数量词+that of...,...表增减的动词+by/ to/over/down...数量词。
例2 这种商店的价格是前一种商品的两倍。
译文:The price of this product is twice as much as that of the previous one.
例3 小轿车车速比大货车快一倍。
译文:The car runs as fast again as the truck.
例4:这只桶能装那只桶三倍的水。
译文:This barrel can hold three times as much water as that one.
例5 这家医院的缴费是一般医院的三至五倍。
译文:This hospital charges three to five times that of ordinary ones.
例6 去年该工厂的产量下降到2003年的65%。
译文:The output of that factory last year fell to 65% of the output in 2003.
3)特殊词语表示数量比较和增减。除了上面介绍的表示数量变化的句型之外,还有一些特殊的单词可以直接表示数量增减。这些单词通常用作形容词或动词,在句中充当表语或谓语。这些单词比使用某些句型来得更简洁,也比较容易掌握。
首先是以-ble和-ple结尾的表示倍数的词。这里介绍从"两倍"到"十倍"的英文表达,大家可以从中找出表述规律。
两倍double 三倍treble/ triple 四倍quadruple 五倍quintuple
六倍sextuple 七倍septuple 八倍octuple 九倍nonuple
十倍decuple
有读者或许会问:"一倍"怎么说?如果说A的数量是B的一倍,那不就是A=B吗?即:A equals B。如果说A比B多一倍,也就等于A的数量是B的两倍,就要用double一词了。所以英文里一般不说...as one time as...。但是有half as much again的说法,意为"一倍半"。
另外,英文里有一个很管用的后缀。当你想不起来倍数的表达的时候,不妨在数字后面加上它,准没错!它就是-- -fold。当然这个后缀是表示数量的增加。请大家用这些特殊数字表达法来翻译下列句子:
例7 预计下月我的工资会翻两翻。
译文:It's expected that my salary will triple next month.
例8 自1974年以来,计算机进口量增加了7倍。
译文:The number of computer imports has been septupled since
例9 这个月水费开支是原来的四倍。
译文:The water rate quadrupled this month.
例10 过去五年中,我公司的销售额已增长至四倍。
译文:Sales in our company have increased up to four-fold in the last five years.
例11 我买进这些邮票后他们的价格已经提高了三倍。
译文:The value of these stamps has multiplied three-fold after I bought them.
英语中,尤其是科技英语中,会涉及到大量的数字表达。翻译数字不仅需要一定的翻译技巧,还要具备相关的专业知识,并根据原文的上下文所表达的意思判断,从中探求正确的译法。英语与汉语里数字增减的表述都是有一定规律可循的。但是这样的句型和表达很多,因此考生要对这些句型逐个加以记忆以免错译。学会准确地表达数字,不仅适用于六级翻译新题型,也同样适用于六级作文题。尤其是图表作文对数字的描述要求非常高。
专项练习
1. He is ________________ (他与其说是个学者)as a writer.
2. The parents should also set the kids free _______________ (以便他们自己做选择).
3. Some freshmen _____________(打定主意)to pursue a master's degree after undergraduate studies.
4. So it is essential for the students _____________(深入社会实践)in order to learn something that they can't get in class.
5.In order to improve the competence of state-run enterprises,the central government ________________(已经实行了一系列改革),among which is cutting down the staff.
翻译讲解
1. not so much a scholar
解析:本句意为:与其说他是个学者不如说是个作家。考查的是"与其......倒不如......"的句型。句中所给部分已有as,所以最好用not so much...as...。如:In many cases,nursing is not so much a job as a way of life.(在许多情况下,护理与其说是是一件工作倒不如说是一种生活方式。)
2. to make their own choices
解析:考查目的状语"以便"的英文表达,正确答案可以是:in order to/to/so as to+动词,也可以用in order/so+that从句。具体要根据字数要求定。
3. make up their minds
解析:本句意为:许多大一新生打定主意要在本科毕业后继续争取硕士学位。"打定主意、决定下来"可选用:make up one's mind to do,be determined to do,decide to do。题中pursue表示坚持不懈地追求,如:She pursued the study of English for five years.(她持续不断地学了五年英语。)
4. to participate in social practice
解析:本句意为:对学生而言,有必要深入社会实践,从而学到课堂上学不到的东西。"深入"事实上是指学生要参与社会实践,因此确切译法是to participate,"社会实践"可译成social practice或social activity。
5. has implemented a series of reforms
解析:本句意为:为了提高国有企业的竞争力,政府已经实行了一系列改革,其中一项是裁员。这里大家要记住"国有企业"的表达,而"外资企业"应译为 oversea-funded enterprise或foreign-based company。"实行"可选用implement,carry out,由于是"一系列"改革,因此reform要用复数形式。另外"已经"暗示句子应该用完成时态。
订阅:
博文评论 (Atom)
An effective blog thus creates a traffic flow through the
blog site. This is especially beneficial for getting a web page listed by the search engines.
Webmasters and website owners are forced to constantly seek the best new products in order to keep up with their competitors, visitors,
and ever emerging new technologies.
Here is my homepage : magic article rewriter
Howdy! This post could not be written any better! Reading through
this article reminds me of my previous roommate!
He constantly kept talking about this. I am going to send this post to him.
Fairly certain he will have a very good read.
Thank you for sharing!
http://richardcolbertsblog.com/groups/painless-products-and-services-through-tuition-singapore/
http://vt.findmydoc.co.uk/?topic=no-hassle-strategies-to-singapore-tuition
My website - handball f謩nin
My site > cricket news in hindi