摘 要: 法语中有些定语从句实际上只是形式上的定语结构, 对它的先行词所起的限定、修饰功能很弱, 在句子中起着状语的影响, 有表示原因、结果、条件、让步、目的、时间等状语的性质。本文主要以英美新闻报纸为语料, 谈一谈这种带有状语性质的定语从句——状语化定语从句的理解和翻译。
关键词:定语从句 关系 状语从句 翻译
法语中有些定语从句对它的先行词所起的限定、修饰功能很弱, 只是形式上的定语结构,实际上在意义上与主句有状语关系,说明原因、结果、条件、让步、转折、目的、时间、空间等关系。翻译时首先判断主、从句之间的关系, 然后再将定于从句转换成适当的状语从句形式加以翻译。本文主要以英美新闻报纸为语料,谈谈这种带有状语性质的定语从句——状语化定语从句的理解和翻译。
1 译成原因状语从句
法语的定语从句如果在意义上具有说明主句原因的含义,在翻译时可以加上汉语表示原因关系的词语, 如“因为”等词, 并转译成汉语相应的从句。
The strike would prevent the docking of ocean steamships,which require assistance of tugboats.
[试译] 罢工将使远洋货轮无法靠岸,因为它们需要拖船的帮助。
The Carter Administration has tentatively decided against the sale to Taiwan of long-range F-4 Phantom fighters that could be used to attack China,Administration officials said today.
[试译] 一些政府官员今天说,卡特政府已初步决定不向台湾出售F-4 幻影远程战斗机,因为台湾当局极可能使用这种战斗机来攻打中国大陆。
“We are not too worried about Congress,where we have many good friends,and we are convinced that Sadat will fall on his face if he tries to weaken our ties with American Jewry.” Said a policymaker in Jerusalem.“But we are apprehensive about what will come out of Sadat’s meetings with Carter,who likes to please his guests by saying something they want to hear.”
[试译]“我们对美国国会并不太担心,因为我们在里面有许多好朋友。我们深信, 如果萨达特企图削弱我们与美国犹太人的联系,他肯定会碰一鼻子灰。”耶路撒冷某一决策者说:“我们所担心的是,一旦萨达特同卡特尔总统会晤成功,会产生什么样的后果,因为萨达特总喜欢说些奉承客人的话。”
2 译成结果状语从句
法语的定语从句如果在意义上具有说明主句结果的含义,在翻译时可以加上汉语表示结果关系的词语,如“因此”等词,并转译成汉语相应的从句。
Copper,which is used so widely for carrying electricity,offers very little resistance.
[试译] 铜的阻力很小,因此被十分广泛地用于输电。
Scientists say this could lead to design changes in airplanes that would save hundreds of millions of dollars in fuel costs.
[试译] 科学家们说,这项成就将引起飞机设计上的变化,从而可以在飞机燃料费用方面节约数亿美元。
The first computers used the same types of component which made equipment very large and bulky.
[试译] 首批计算机采用同类元件,致使设备既庞大又笨重。
3 译成条件状语从句
法语的定语从句如果在意义上具有表明主句条件的含义,在翻译时可以加上汉语表示条件关系的词语, 如“如果”等词, 并转译成汉语相应的从句。
Anybody who commits the land power of the United States on the continent of Asia ought to have his head examined.
[试译] 如果谁要把美国的地面部队派遣到亚洲大陆,那他就应该检查一下他的脑子是否正常。
They amounted to near twenty thousand pounds,which to pay would have ruined me.
[试译]金钱总额将近两万英镑,如果要我个人赔,非要了我的命不可。
It may seem somewhat odd to get water from fire,but we shall find that water is a common by-product of any fire in which hydrogen takes part.
[试译] 火中取水,似乎有点离奇？但我们不难发现:水乃是火燃烧后所产生的一种常见的副产品;只要燃烧过程中有氢气的存在,便会产生水。
4 译成让步状语从句
法语的定语从句如果在意义上具有表明主句让步的含义,在翻译时可以加上汉语表示让步关系的词语,如“虽然”等词,并转译成汉语相应的从句。
Although we have suffered heavy losses by assisting the French and during the Dunkirk evacuation,we have managed to husband our air fighter strength in spite of poignant appeals from France to throw it improvidently into the great land battle,which it could not have turned decisively.
[试译] 在援助法国和敦克尔克大撤退中,我们损失惨重,但还是设法保存空战实力,我们没有因为法国的强烈呼吁而草率投入地面战斗。即使当时我们这样做,也是回天乏术,败局已定。
The statement was phrased in language unfamiliar to anyone who had listened to his speeches for years.
[试译] 他在这一声明中所用的措辞,关于那些即使是多年来听过他演讲的人来说,也是陌生的。
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