子以便使句子读起来更加生动、易懂。” [9](98)而这里从句所译成的并列句子通常后置。因此,我们常采用后置法。后置法又分成三种,分述如下:
1. 译成并列句,重复先行词
(1) I told the story to John ,who told it to his brother.
译:我把这事告诉了约翰,约翰又告诉了他弟弟。
(2) 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.
译:他们正在为一个理想而努力,这个理想是每个中国人所珍爱的。在过去,许多中国人曾为了这个理想而牺牲了自己的生命。
2. 译成并列句, 省略先行词
(1) He saw in front that haggard white-haired old man, whose eyes flashed red with fury.
译:他看见前面那个憔悴的白发老人,眼睛里闪着愤怒的红光。
(2) It is he who received the letter that announced the death of your uncle.
译:是他接到那封信,说你的叔叔去世了。
3. 译成独立句
(1) He had talked to Vice-President Nixon, who assured him that everything that could be done would be done.
译:他和副总统尼克松谈过话。副总统向他保证,凡是能做到的都将全力去做。
(2) One was a violent thunderstorm, the worst I had ever seen, which obscured my objective.
译:有一次是暴风雨,猛烈的程度实为生平所仅见。这阵暴风雨遮住了我的目标。
(三)融合法
由于限定性定语从句与主句关系比较紧密,所以汉译时可将主句压缩成汉语词组作主语,而把定语从句翻译成谓语,融合成一个句子。例如:
(1) We used a plane of which almost every part carried some indication of national identity.
译:我们驾驶的飞机几乎每个部件都有国籍的某些标志。
(2) We are a nation that must adhere to the guiding principle of socialism and four modernizations.
译:我们这个国家必须坚持社会主义和四个现代化的基本方针。
(四)拆分法
英语非限定性定语从句对先行词不起限制作用,只对它加以描写、叙述或解释。当主、从句之间关系比较松散时,可以把定语从句拆出来,译成一个单独的句子放在主句前面或后面。例如:
(1) We have six American teachers, who can’t speak Chinese.
译:我们有六位美籍教师。他们都不会说中国话。
(2) Nevertheless the problem was solved successfully, which showed that the computations were accurate.
译:不过问题总算圆满地解决了。这说明计算很准确。
(五)转译法
在英语中,常常可以看到,“一些定语从句,在作用和意义上则是状语,但又不同于状语从句。因此,不能把这类从句译成定语从句。在翻译时,只能视其全句的逻辑关系及内含语义,将这类状语化的定语从句译成表示原因、结果、目的、条件、让步等的分句。这样,译文才既体现了原文内涵的语义,又符合上下文的逻辑关系”。[10](102)翻译时应善于从原文的字里行间发现这些逻辑上的关系,然后译成汉语里各种相应的句子。例如:
1. 译成表原因的分句:
(1) The ambassador was giving a dinner for a few people whom he wished especially to talk to or hear from.
译:大使只宴请几个人, 因为他特地想和这些人谈谈,听听他们的意见。
(2) The computer, which seems to play the role of a human brain, is often called a electronic brain.
译:由于计算机起着类似人脑的作用,所以常被称作电脑。
2. 译成表结果的分句:
(1) There was something original, independent, and heroic about the plan that pleased all of them.
译:这个方案富于创造性,独出心裁,很有魅力,所以他们都很喜欢。
(2) They turned a deaf ear to our demands, which enraged all of us.
译:他们对我们的要求置之不理,这使我们大家很气愤。
3. 译成表目的的分句:
(1) We have to oil the moving parts of the machine, the friction of which may be greatly reduced.
译:我们必须给机器的可动部件加油,以便使摩擦大大减少。
(2) He wishes to write an article that will attract public attention to the matter.
译:他想写篇文章以期引起公众对此事的关注。
4. 译成表条件的分句:
(1) Men became desperate for work, any work, which will help them to keep alive their families.
译:人们极其迫切地要求工作,不管什么工作,只要它能维持一家人的生活就行。
(2) He may have acute appendicitis, in which case he will have to be operated on.
译:他可能得了急性阑尾炎,如果是这样,他就得动手术。
5. 译成表让步的分句,译成 “虽然……”、“尽管……”:
(1) Electronic computers, which have many advantages, cannot carry out creative work and replace man.
译:虽然计算机有很多优点,但它不能进行创造性的工作,也代替不了人。
(2) He insisted on buying another coat, which he had no use for.
译:他坚持再买一件大衣,尽管他并无此需要。
结论
翻译是一种创造性的语言活动,是一门艺术,其中英译汉中定语的翻译是一个重要的课题。英语定语对中心语起着修饰、描述和限定的作用,有些学者也称之为“修饰语”。[11](104)综上所述,我们可以知道英语定语的翻译对于理解一个句子意思是非常重要的。由于汉语中有后置定语的情况较少,因此,英译汉时,汉语译文中定语的位置一般情况下放在被修饰的名词前,然而大部分情况下并不能简单地译成“……的”结构,这时候就要考虑到应用转译。
可以说,长定语是书面语的风格特点之一,从事英汉翻译学习和工作的人,或多或少都会感到有些棘手。正确理解定语的内容和用法以及相应的翻译技巧,是提高这两种语言书面语表达能力的环节之一,因而需要我们下一番功夫去掌握它。“这里,充分了解这两种语言在定语方面不同的思维(思维是一切活动的基础),译者应注重对语言结构、语义系统方面进行研究,然后进行转译,如此得出译文才能自然、流畅。”[12] (23)
翻译的标准多种多样,有许多名人早已作出了各自深为体会的看法。然而笔者认为定语的翻译并
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