英语翻译基础讲义第一章翻译的基本原则1.Nature of Translation(翻译的性质)Translation is a science.Translation is an art.Translation is a craft.Translation is a skill.Translation is an operation.Translation is a language activity.Translation is communication2.Principles of Translation(翻译的原则)Three characters “信，达，雅”（faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance）———严复《天演论》Three characters “信，达，切”(faithfulness, expressiveness and closeness) ———刘重德《翻译十讲》Summary:忠实与通顺(1) Faithfulness of Translation (翻译的忠实)Strictly speaking, faithfulness is the generalization of the principles of translation. That’s to say, true translation demands that the translator be faithful to the content, language and style of the original at the same time.Eg. 1.War, pestilence and famine consumed one million people.战争，瘟疫和饥馑毁掉了一百万人。
该句译文从三个方面与原文都是一致的。
内容上，措辞完全对应；形式上，中英文都是陈述句，且语序相同。
2.The prize winner wears his honours modestly.1）荣获者带着他的荣誉谦逊地。
2）获奖者谦逊地对待他的荣誉。
3）获奖者虽尊不傲。
三种译文中，第一种完全是对译，读起来别扭，意义也费解。
第二种译法对关键词wear的词义稍有引申，词序也作了一定的调整，合乎汉语的表达习惯，基本上表达了原文的意义。
第三句形式上脱离了原文，单个词义也未与原文相对应，但从句子整体意义上，更近原文，更全面、准确地传递了原文的信息，汉语更精练，顺达。
1.Avoid translating word by word(不可词词对译)Eg. Milky Way(误译牛奶路)---The pale white band of stars and clouds of gas that can be seen across the sky at night.例如，对以下两个问句的回答A) Did you go to see the film last night?B) Didn’t you go to see the film last night?Eg.No, I didn’t.（A句应是“不，我没去”B句应是“是的，我没去。
”）试比较下列译法的优劣：Eg. Greatest compensation for wrongful imprisonment.1.对错误监禁的数额最大的赔偿。
2.最大数额的冤狱赔偿金.Eg.The chief criminals shall be punished without fail.1.主要罪犯将绝对受到惩罚2.首恶必办.显然以上两个例子第二种译法较好。
2.Avoid the cultural misunderstanding（避免文化误解）Eg. Love me, love my dog.（爱屋及乌）Eg. Every dog has its day.（人人都有得意时）Eg. Talk horse （吹牛）Eg. Lock the stable door after the horse is stolen.（亡羊补牢）Eg.Like a cat on hot bricks.（象热锅上的蚂蚁）有时甚至要创造新词。
Eg. He became dissatisfied with modern life and man’s selfish wish for private wealth, so he went and joined a Hippie commune.出于对现代生活的不满和对人们自私的个人财富占有欲的反感,他加入了嬉皮士群居社.3.Avoid the misunderstanding of idioms （避免误解英语成语）Spill the beans (泄露机密)E g. You can’t trust him to keep a secret, he is sure to spill the beans before long.切勿相信他会保守秘密,过不多久,他肯定会泄露于人的.Eg. Who wears the trousers in your family?如将这句话译为“你们家谁穿着裤子?”显然不通。
这里wear the trousers是当家的意思，故应译为“你们家谁当家?”4.convey the implied meaning(要注意把握原文的内容,善于细腻地传递原作的弦外之音)Eg. You hold the office, but you don’t govern.这句话但从意思上讲，很接近中文中的一句俗话“你占着茅坑不拉屎”，但这句话是美国总统里根和卡特在电视辩论中的一句话，如此译出会让人觉得粗俗不堪。
应译为“你占着总统的职位,却治理不了国家.”Eg. Go & Come都用作系动词,与形容词连用表示“变成某种状态或情况”如：Go bad(变坏), go deaf(变聋).&come loose(松动了),come true(成为现实) 但两者在词义上有细微的差别，在以下两个句子中：Look, it has come green.(瞧,液体已经变绿了!)Look, it has gone green.(瞧,液体竟然变绿了!)(2)Faithful to the structure（忠于原文的形式）Eg. I hope you have a happy future before you.我希望你有一个幸福的未来.How do you have the face to say such things?你怎么有脸说出这等话来?以上两句译文与原文的形式完全一致。
1)不能只看表面形式,要看句子所起的作用.Have you had your breakfast?/Where are you going?在中文中只表达一种问候，在英文中应用“hello”或“good morning”代替。
2)不能只追求形式上的一致而犯形式主义的错误.Eg. In New York, it is referred to as “Saint John the Unfinished”1.在纽约,它被认为是“未完成的圣约翰”2.在纽约,人们称之为“未竣工的圣约翰教堂”虽然第一举译文形式上与原文一致，实际上，第二句在意义上更接近忠实于原文。
Eg. Pieces of stained glass dated before AD 850, some possibly even to the 7th century, were excavated by Professor Rosemary Cramp, which were placed into a window of that date in the nearby St. Paul’s Church.如按原文的结构译出为：被罗斯马利·克兰普教授挖掘出来的,可追溯到公元850年,有些甚至可以追溯到七世纪的数块有色玻璃,在当时曾被装在圣保罗教堂附近的一个玻璃上.实际上我们应该把原句拆开来译：罗斯马利·克兰普教授挖掘了数片彩色玻璃,他们制造于公元850年,有些甚至可能造于七世纪.这些玻璃在当时曾用来装饰离发掘地不远的圣保罗教堂的窗户. Come, well, here, there 加强语气Come, John, don’t be so cross.得啦,约翰,别那么怒气冲冲了.Come, cheer up!喂,振作起来吧!Well, well! I should never have guessed it.哎呀,我永远也猜不出.My friend here was a witness of the accident.我得朋友就是这事故的见证.(3)Faithful to the style（忠实于原文风格）风格可分为Formal&informal也可分为Positive/negative, deep/plain, humorous/ rigid还可分为(1)冷淡的或演说性的(2)正式的或慎重的(3) 商量的(4)随便的(5)亲密的等.从谈话方式上来看又分为有修养有文化人讲的标准语,口语,和未受过教育的人所说的粗话,俗话;正式场合使用的语言和非正式场合使用的语言.For all the tea in China(用来表示强烈的拒绝)That man was so rude to me. I wouldn’t go back to that job for all the tea in China! 1.那人对我太无礼了,我无论如何也不再去做那份工作了.2.那家伙对我太无礼了,十八抬大轿来请,我也不去做那分工作了.后一种译法更口语，更直接。
第二章翻译的过程The process of translationThree stages:1.Understanding2.Re-expressing3.EditingUnderstanding1.Understanding the meanings of dictions in the context.(在上下文中理解词义)A) Draw a line from A to B.(线)B)The ship crossed the line.(赤道)C) Cooking is more in your line than mine.(为某人之所长)D) They were given their marriage lines after the registration.(结婚证书)E)She bought an overcoat lined with silk(衬里于…).Eg. Interrupted only briefly by the swearing-in of a new senator, Senator Strom Thurmond spoke against the Civil Right Bill for 24 hr 19 min on 28---29th,1957.参议员斯特洛姆·瑟曼德1957年8月28日至29日所做的反对民权法案的演说长达24小时19分钟,仅被一个新参议员的咒骂短时间被打断.这样的译法显然没有理解swear-in的意思,swear虽有咒骂的意思,但这swear-in意为“宣誓就职”.故应译为“参议员斯特洛姆·瑟曼德1957年8月28日至29日所做的反对民权法案的演说长达24小时19分钟,期间仅因一新议员宣誓就职而短暂中断.”2.Understanding the background(了解原文所涉及的事物和与原文有关的背景)<水浒>中的东京与日本的东京(Tokyo)是两个概念Understanding澹澹长江水悠悠远客情.落花相与恨,到地一无声.-----韦承庆<南行别弟>Mournfully, mournfully roles the long River,Saddened, ah saddened, the stranger’s breast.The flowers as they fall his fate recall,As each flutters down in the earth to rest.-----Fletcher诗中的长江并非Yangtze River,而是Long RiverCountry-house并不一定是“乡村住宅”,而是有钱人的乡间别墅.“问题”一词我们可译作Question, problem, trouble, point, issue,究竟何为恰当译法,需根据情况斟酌.当时我们正在长征的路上,每天行军一百多里.有人译为We were on the Long March. Every day we marched a hundred li or more. <高级英汉双解词典>:march: walk as soldiers do, with regular and measured steps.〈朗曼当代英语词典〉: to walk with regular, esp. forceful steps like a soldier.显然用March不如walk.准确.Re-expressing1.improving Chinese ability(要注意提高中文修养)Cotton fells soft.棉花使人感到柔软。