一、非谓语动词在翻译中的作用 非谓语动词在英语中的使用非常频繁,所以在进行英译中的翻译时,正确理解非谓语的用法极其重要。非谓语动词具有所有谓语所不具备的功能,而且部分非谓语动词,特别是现在分词和过去分词,不仅具备形容词和副词的特性,而且还具有动词的部分性质。因此,我们需要注意中文中动词与英文中非谓语动词的转换。 例:The first men to study the nature of electricity could not imagine that their experiments, carried on because of the intellectual curiosity, would eventually lead to modern electrical technology. (西北大学2017年阅读)
翻译: 第一批研究电力性质的人难以相信他们出于求知欲而开展的实验最终会产生现代电子技术。
分析: 句中to study和carried on 是非谓语动词中的不定式和过去分词,但在翻译之后仍具备动词的性质,分别翻译为“研究”和“开展”
二、非谓语动词的翻译 我们知道在中文中,并无谓语与非谓语之分,但在英文中区别得很细致,那我们在遇到非谓语动词的翻译时,应该怎样处理呢? 例:One of hidden consequences of buying products grown or made all around the world, rather than produced locally is the huge amount of packaging. (医学统考2005年阅读) 第一步:断句 One of hidden consequences of buying products/ grown or made all around the world, rather than produced locally /is the huge amount of packaging. 断句之后的分析:这句话属于典型的主系表结构,即“……是……”。buying 属于动名词,具备动词含义;grown or made, ... produced 属于过去分词做后置定语,修饰products。
第二步:翻译 如果购买全球种植或生产的产品,而非当地生产的产品,造成的潜在后果之一是大量包装。
这句话在翻译之后,其中buying, 属于动名词,具备动词含义;grown or made, ... produced 属于过去分词,但都翻译为动词,所以我们可以这么说,所有非谓语动词的翻译都是和动词相关的。
Standing on the rim of Grand Canyon, gazing across this giant wound in the Earth’s surface, a visitor might assume that the canyon had been caused by some ancient convulsion. (西安交通大学2016年阅读)
断句: Standing on the rim of Grand Canyon/, gazing across this giant wound in the Earth’s surface/, a visitor/ might assume /that the canyon had been caused by some ancient convulsion. 分析: 这句话以现在分词standing开头,充当伴随状语,所以根据我们刚才讲的方法,应先找主语,而不是先翻译分词,然后紧接着的gazing 也是现在分词。 翻译: 游客站在大峡谷的边缘,眺望地球表面这道巨大的伤痕,可能会认为是因远古时代的震动而产生了这个大峡谷。
Conflict, defined as opposition among social entities directed against one another, is distinguished from competition, defined as opposition among social entities independently striving for something which is in inadequate supply.(北京航空航天大学2015年阅读)
断句: Conflict/, defined as opposition among social entities directed against one another/, is distinguished from competition/, defined as opposition among social entities independently striving for something /which is in inadequate supply.
分析: 这个句子虽然较长,但逻辑关系明确,过去分词作为插入语,实际上也就是Conflict 的修饰语。分词位于名词之后,相当于定语从句,而且有逗号隔开,更加类似于非限定性定语从句,所以应该选择后置译法。 主干为:conflict is distinguished from competition. 翻译: 冲突被定义为社会实体之间相互对立,它不同于竞争,竞争被定义为社会实体之间独立争取供应不足的东西的对立。 四、总结 今天这篇文章中,主要讲解了非谓语动词,特别是分词的翻译方法。非谓语动词由于在中文里和动词的用法一样,所以我们把非谓语动词翻译为中文的动词。分词的翻译只要注意位置就可以:在句首,找主语;在名词后,则相当于定语从句。