英语专业毕业论文 英汉语序对比及翻译中的语序调整(3)

Another example is,

工作没有经验，出点错误在所难免。

Translated version 1: “Job has no experience and makes some mistakes, it is hardly avoidable” (Niu and Chen 112).

Translated version 2: Mistakes are hardly avoidable if you have no job experience.

Translated version 1 following the basic SVO English sentence structure makes

a grammatical mistake, because it mistakes the theme of the Chinese sentence“工作”

for the subject of the English sentence. Indeed, the real subject “you” of the Chinese

sentence is omitted. Besides, the Chinese sentence has a connotative meaning that

“如果你没有工作经验，出点错误在所难免”.“没有经验” is a description to the

theme and can not be used as the predicate of the sentence. Thus, after analyzing

sentence structure, adding the omitted subject and reorganizing word order, version 2

correctly and completely conveys the meaning of the Chinese sentence.

3.1.2 Inverted sentences

Generally speaking, subjects are usually placed in front of predicates in both

English and Chinese sentences. But sometimes, the position of predicates and subjects

can be inverted for emphasizing. In order to precisely reveal the connotation of the

original text and comprehensively conveys information, much attention should be

paid to this phenomenon of inverted sentences in translation. For example, 起来，饥寒交迫的奴隶！起来，全世界受苦的人！

Translated version 1: Arise you prisoners of starvation! Arise you toilers of the

英语专业翻译方向 毕业论文

earth!

Translated version 2: You prisoners of starvation arise! You toilers of the earth

arise!

Though translated version 2 following the basic SV English sentence structure

has no grammatical mistakes and conveys the literal meaning of the original version,

it still can not reflect the connotation of the text—the determination and strength of

the poor who struggled for freedom. Compared with version 2, version 1 which

reverses the order of predicate and subject is more powerful in expression, and

effectively arouse readers’ passion. Therefore, we should not only consider literal

meaning but also implicit meaning of a text by changing the positions of predicates

and subjects of the translated version to emphasize information.

3.1.3 The formal subject

In spite of how long subjects are, Chinese tend to put subjects at the beginning

of sentences in most cases. But long subjects are not welcomed by English nations

who tend to keep a balanced sentence structure when talking or writing. With the help

of the formal subject “it”, English language puts real subjects behind of predicates for

emphasizing and keeping a balanced sentence structure, which avoids long subjects at

the same time. For example,

对于大学生来说至少掌握一门外语是必要的。

Translated version 1: To master at least a kind of foreign language is essential for a college student.

Translated version 2: It is essential for a college student to master at least a kind of foreign language.

Translated version 1 puts the subject at the beginning of the English sentence. It

conveys the meaning of the original version and has no grammatical mistakes, but it

leads to a long subject. Translated version 2 uses “it” as a formal subject, and places

the real subject behind of the predicate. Though both of the two versions are

acceptable, version 2 is a more idiomatic English expression.

英语专业翻译方向 毕业论文

To sum up, the different subject and predicate structures lead to different word

orders. In the translation process, the first step is to figure out the corresponding

relationship between Chinese themes and English subjects, and change word order by

taking advantage of inverted sentences or the formal subject if necessary.

3.2 Modifiers

3.2.1 Attributes

In Chinese, except in some cases emphasizing attributes e.g.“荷塘周边，长着

许多树，郁郁葱葱的”, no matter how long words or word groups are, as long as they

are used as attributes, they have to be placed in front of the central words that they

modify. However, in English, the positions of attributes are not always fixed (Li

237-243). If the attribute is a word, it is placed in front of the central word; if the

attribute is a word group or an attribute clause, it is placed behind of the central word.

Besides, in Chinese, an attribute describing the nature of the central word comes first

and is followed by other attributes, that is, placed in the position farthest to the central

word, while in English, such attributes are placed behind of other attributes, that is,

placed in the position nearest to the central word. Thus, different attribute position is

also a factor leading to different English and Chinese word order. Sometimes we need

to shift the position of attributes in translation. The following part will introduce some

cases requiring word order changing in translation.

In English, words showing time, places and directions and some short word

groups are usually placed behind of central words. When translated into Chinese,

these attributes should be put in front of central words. For instance,

Do you know the lady downstairs ?

Translated version: 你认识楼下的那个女人吗？

The people there are going to Beijing.

Translated version: 那里的人们打算去北京。

The class tomorrow is very important.

英语专业翻译方向 毕业论文

Translated version: 明天的课很重要。

In English, restrictive attribut …… 此处隐藏：5060字，全部文档内容请下载后查看。喜欢就下载吧 ……