浅谈英语长句的翻译技巧

浅谈英语长句的翻译技巧 tungshuzhi On Translating Methods of English Long SentencesOn Translating Methods of English Long Sentences浅谈英语长句的翻译技巧Contents . Introduction.3 . Different Features between Chinese long sentences and English long sentences.3 . Main methods and skills on translation and practical implication.31. According to the order of original sentence.42. Partly or completely disobeying the order of original sentence.53. Dividing the sentence into many parts.74. Several translation methods.8 .Conclusion .10 . IntroductionTranslation, especially for English majors, is an important skill in learning language. In the practice of translation we English majors may meet many problems. Among which, English long sentences translation is still our big difficulty. As it exists many differences between English and Chinese, we should pay more attention to them when we are translating.In this article, I will introduce several translating techniques. To some extent, it will help you translate English long or involved sentences and even improve your translation ability if you acquire them. . Different Features between Chinese long sentences and English long sentencesLong sentence refers to a sentence with many words, complex structure and several stratifications of meaning( 吕瑞昌 , 1983:146 ） .It exists many different features between Chinese long-sentence and English long sentence. In Chinese, there are two kinds of long sentence from its inner structure: one has several component parts and the contents of this kind of sentence are plentiful and delicate; the other is a sentence of two or more clauses, which can show logical relations among things clearly. For example, 虽然我的篱笆直径达二十五码 , 然而这些树却很快地把它完全遮起来 , 使它成为一个绿叶成荫的地方 , 在旱季里住在底下 , 非常合适 .( 方原 , 1959: 93)However, in English long sentence is usually extended sentence which bases on basic structure, namely, subject + predicate. We can extend sentences by adding modifier, compound sentence, using phrase and clause as component. Besides, English focuses on shape similarities. Subject and predicate compound part are the outline of whole sentence while other parts are usually connected to subject-predicate part by using preposition, conjunction, and pronoun and so on. For example, They are striving for the ideal which is close to the heart of every Chinese and for which, in the past, many Chinese have laid down their lives.( 张培基 , 1980 ： 131) . Main methods and skills on translation and practical implicationActually, there are four ways on translating English long sentences, namely, the method of English long sentences translation according to the order of original sentence; the method of English long sentences translation partly or completely disobeying the order of original sentence; the method of English Long sentences translation of dividing the sentence into many parts; the method of English long sentences translation of using several translation methods.1. The method of English Long sentences translation according to the order of original sentenceA series of actions that Some English long sentences describe are basically arranged by the order of time, and sometimes the contents of some English long sentences are arranged by the logic relations, which is consistent with method of Chinese language expression so that we may put English long sentences into Chinese according to order of the original texts .This method of translation is called the method of English long sentences translation according to the order of original sentence.For example: . if he goes abroad he will be the most miserable wretch that was ever born.(DanielDefoe,1959 ,4)version:. 如果一定要出洋去，他就会成为世界上最苦命的人。（方原 , 1959 ： 5)We know he is subject and will be is predicate. There are a if clause and an attributive clause .The main sentence is he will be the most miserable wretch .If he goes abroad is to modify the main sentence. That was ever born is to modify wretch.After analyzing, we have a clearly understanding. The logical relations and expressions of long sentence are the same to those of Chinese. A series of actions that Some English long sentences describe are basically arranged by the order of time, and sometimes the contents of some English long sentences are arranged by the logic relations, which is consistent with method of Chinese language expression so that we may put English long sentences into Chinese according to order of the original texts .This sentence is of that character. So we may use embodying the method of English long sentences translation according to the order of original sentence to translate. And we get the above translation. In the future, meeting the similar sentence, we may use the same way to treat it.eg: On August, the gunboat began her mission, which was, in the eyes of the defenders, a provocative act and seemed to be part of the overall assault which had begun on July 31 . （张培基， 1980 ： 151 ）version: 八月一日 炮舰开始执行任务。在防御者看来，这是一次挑衅行动，而且似乎是七月三十一日开始的全面攻击的一个组成部分。（张培基, 1980 ： 151 ） We know the gunboat is subject, began is predicate and her mission is object. There are two attributive clauses. The main sentence is the gunboat began her mission. which was, in the eyes of the defenders, a provocative act and seemed to be part of the overall assault is to modify the main sentence. which had begun on July 31 is to modify the overall assault. After analyzing, we have a clearly understanding. The logical relations and expressions of long sentence are the same to those of Chinese. A series of actions that Some English long sentences describe are basically arranged by the order of time, and sometimes the contents of some English long sentences are arranged by the logic relations, which is consistent with method of Chinese language expression so that we may put English long sentences into Chinese according to order of the original texts .This sentence is of that character. So we may use embodying the method of English long sentences translation according to the order of original sentence to translate. And we get the above translation. In the future, meeting the similar sentence, we may use the same way to treat it.Generally speaking, the translation process can be divided into two parts: understanding and expressing, which run through translation thoughts.2. The method of English long sentences translation partly or completely disobeying the order of original sentenceThe expressed order of some English long sentences is different from that of Chinese expression of them or even totally opposite, which makes us begin to translate from the back of the original text. And this way is named by the method of English long sentences translation partly or completely disobeying the order of original sentence.For example: This was a fair proposal ,it must be confessed ,had it been made to any one that had not had a settlement and plantation of his own to look after which was in a fair way of coming to be very considerable and with a good stock upon it .(Daniel Defoe, 2003 ： 30)version: 必须承认，假如这个建议是向一个没有定居在这里，没有自己的种植园需要照顾的人提出来的话，那实在是个好机会，既有现成的资本，又有赚大钱的希望。（方原 , 1959: 34)We know this is subject, was is predicate, and object is a noun. There are a subjunctive mood and two attributive clauses. The main sentence is This was a fair proposal. Had it been made to any one. is a subjunctive mood. that had not had a settlement and plantation of his own to look after is to modify any one. And which was in a fair way of coming to be very considerable and with a good stock upon it is to modify proposal.After analyzing, we have a clearly understanding. The logical relations and expression of long sentence is contrary to those of Chinese. The expressed order of some English long sentences is different from Chinese expression of them or even totally opposite, which makes us begin to translate from the back of the original text .This sentence is of that character. So we may use the method of English long sentences translation partly or completely disobeying the order of original sentence to translate. And we get the above translation. In the future, meeting the similar sentence, we may use the same way to treat it.eg: Time goes fast for one who has a sense of beauty, when there are pretty children in a pool and a young Diana on the edge, to receive with wonder anything you can catch. （张培基 , 1980 ： 152 ）version: 当你跟可爱的孩子们站在池子里，又有个年轻的狄安娜在池边好奇地接受你捉上来的任何东西的时候，如果你懂得什么叫美的话，时间是过得很快的。（张培基 , 1980 ： 152 ）We know time is subject, and goes is predicate. The main sentence is time goes fast. who has a sense of beauty is to modify one .And you can catch is to modify anything . when there are pretty children in a pool and a young Diana on the edge, to receive with wonder anything is a clause, which is to modify the main sentence.After analyzing, we have a clearly understanding. The logical relations and expression of long sentence is contrary to those of Chinese. The expressed order of some English long sentences is different from Chinese expression of them or even totally opposite, which makes us begin to translate from the back of the original text .This sentence is of that character. This sentence is of that character. So we may use the method of English long sentences translation partly or completely disobeying the order of original sentence to translate. And we get the above translation. In the future, meeting the similar sentence, we may use the same way to treat it.3. The method of English Long sentences translation with dividing the sentence into many partsWhen the subject or main clause is not closely related with modifiers in English long sentence, according to the expression of using more phrases of Chinese ,sometimes in the E-C Translation we may divide the subordinated clauses or phrases of it into sentences and translate them one by one ,and sometimes need to add some words appropriately in order to keep the meaning of the text coherent .This is called the way of English long sentences translation of dividing the sentence into many parts.eg: I had no notion of a kiln such as the potters burn in or of glazing them with lead ,though I had some lead to do it with ;but I placed three large pippins and two or three pots in a pile one upon another and placed my firewood all round it with a great heap of embers under them; I plied.(Daniel Defoe, 2003 ： 97)version: 我不知道怎样去搭一个窑，象那些陶器工人烧陶器用的那种窑；我也不知道怎样用铅去涂铀，虽然我还有一点铅可以利用。我只把三只大泥锅和两三只泥罐一个搭一个地堆起来，四面架上木柴，木柴底下放上一大堆. ( 方原 , 1959) In this long sentence, there are three compound clauses. Though the structure of these clauses belongs to the same sentence, their meaning is independent. When the subject or main clause is not closely related with modifiers in English long sentence, according to the expression of using more phrases of Chinese, sometimes in the E-C Translation we may divide the subordinated clauses or phrases of it into sentences and translate them one by one ,and sometimes need to add some words appropriately in order to keep the meaning of the text coherent .This sentence is of that character. So, we may use the method of English Long sentences translation of dividing the sentence into many parts to translate, according to the expression of Chinese. And we get the above translation. In the future, meeting the similar sentence, we may use the same way to treat it.eg: Nixon decided he wanted meetings held to a bare minimum, recalled General Alexander Haig, Jr., who served as Kissingers deputy on the NSC staff before being promoted in late 1972 to be Vice Chief of Staff of the Army and in mid-1973 to be Haldemans successor as Chief of Staff at the White House . （张培基 , 1980 ： 155 ） 小亚历山大黑格将军回忆： “ 尼克松决定把会议精简到最低限度。 ” 黑格本人过去在国家安全委员会班子里当过基辛格的副手，一九七二年末升任陆军副参谋长，一九七三年中接替霍尔德曼当上了白宫办公厅主任。 In this long sentence, there are many modifiers such as “served as Kissingers deputy on the NSC staff”,“ before being promoted in late 1972 to be Vice Chief of Staff of the Army” and“ in mid-1973 to be Haldemans successor as Chief of Staff at the White House . Though the structure of these modifiers belongs to the same sentence, their meaning is independent. When the subject or main clause is not closely related with modifiers in English long sentence, according to the expression of using more phrases of Chinese, sometimes in the E-C Translation we may divide the subordinated clauses or phrases of it into sentences and translate them one by one, and sometimes need toadd some wordsappropriately in order to keep the meaning of the text coherent .This sentence is of that character. So, we may use the method of English Long sentences translation of dividing the sentence into many parts to translate, according to the expression of Chinese. And we get the above translation. In the future, meeting the similar sentence, we may use the same way to treat it.4. The method of English long sentences translation of several translation methodsWe have told four ways of translation of English long sentence: 1) the method of English long sentences translation according to the order of original sentence; 2) the method of English long sentences translation partly or completely disobeying the order of original sentence; 3) the method of English Long sentences translation of dividing the sentence into many parts; 4) the method of English Long sentences translation of using several translation methods. In fact, translating an English long sentence, we do not merely use a translation method but ask us to combine kinds of methods to translate it. Particularly under some cases, it is not reasonable when we use any method of four ways we have mentioned above .This needs our careful analysis. What is more, we should completely or properly treat the whole sentence in order to put English long sentence into a clear and coherent and faithful Chinese sentence by choosing reasonable translation methods. This is called the method of English long sentences translation of using several translation methods.eg: My next difficulty was to make a sieve, or search, to dress my meal and to part it from the bran and the husk, without which I did not see it possible I could have any bread.(Daniel Defoe, 2003,98) Version: 我的第二个困难，就是要做一个筛子来筛面粉，把他和糠皮分开；没有这样的东西，我就不可能做面包。 ( 方原 , 1959 ： 108) For this long sentence, there are two stratifications of meaning: A is My next difficulty was to make a sieve, or search, to dress y meal and to part it from the bran and the husk; B is without which I did not see it possible I could have any bread . Translating an English long sentence, we do not merely use a translation method but ask us to combine kinds of methods to translate it. Particularly under some cases, it is not reasonable when we use any method of four ways we have mentioned above .This needs our careful analysis. What is more, we should completely or properly treat the whole sentence in order to put English long sentence into a clear and coherent and faithful Chinese sentence by choosing reasonable translation methods. This sentence has that character. According to the expression of Chinese, we should translate it like the above version. In the future, meeting the similar sentence, we may use the same way to treat it.eg: By the middle of the year, he warned, Soviet Union would overtake the United States in the number of land-based strategic missiles, the result of a massive Soviet effort beginning in the mid-1960s,after the Cuban fiasco, to achieve at least parity and possibly superiority in nuclear weapons. （张培原 , 1980 ： 157 ）version: 他警告说，到本年年中，苏联将在陆上发射的战略导弹的数量上超过美国，因为苏联在古巴事件中遭到失败后，从六十年代中期起就大力发展导弹，目的是为了在核武器方面至少达到同美国均等，并力争超过美国。（张培原 , 1980 ： 158 ）For this long sentence, there are three stratifications of meaning: A is By the middle of the year, he warned, Soviet Union would overtake the United States in the number of land-based strategic missiles; B is the result of a massive Soviet effort beginning in the mid-1960s, after the Cuban fiasco; C is to achieve at least parity and possibly superiority in nuclear weapons. Translating an English long sentence, we do not merely use a translation method but ask us to combine kinds of methods to translate it. Particularly under some cases, it is not reasonable when we use any method of four ways we have mentioned above .This needs our careful analysis. What is more, we should completely or properly treat the whole sentence in order to put English long sentence into a clear and coherent and faithful Chinese sentence by choosing reasonable translation methods. This sentence has that character. According to the expression of Chinese, we should translate it like the above version. In the future, meeting the similar sentence, we may use the same way to treat it. .ConclusionTranslating English long sentences into Chinese needs to master various translation skills. It is very important in learning language. We should acquire all those translation skills with great concentration and do more exercises. Of course, while translating, we should freely use these skills depending on different circumstances.ReferencesDaniel Defoe. Robinson Crusoe. Shanghai: World Librarial Company, 2003.方原译鲁滨逊漂流记北京：人民文学出版社， 1959 。吕瑞昌等汉英翻译教程陕西：陕西人民出版社， 1983 。张培基等英汉翻译教程上海：上海外语教育出版社， 1980 。11