第三章英汉语言的对比

Lecture3ComparativeStudiesofEnglishandChineseLanguagesAsyouknow,ournativelanguageChineseisquitedifferentfromEnglish.Thereisreallyabiggapbetweenthecharacteristicsofthetwolanguages.Inordertolearnthetranslationcoursebetter,wehavetostudythecomparisonbetweenthesourcelanguageandthetargetlanguage.Sinceallthetheories,methods,techniquesconcerningEnglish-Chinesetranslationarebasedonthecomparison,itisveryimportant,sotosay,tomasterthelanguages’peculiarities.LanguageFamilies(语系)EnglishbelongstotheGermanicbranchoftheIndo-Europeanlanguagefamily(印欧语系).ChinesebelongstotheSino-Tibetanlanguagefamily(汉藏语系).ItiswellknowthatEnglishhastherichestvocabularyofanyEuropeanlanguage.OnthebasisofAngles’language(Anglo-Saxon),English,ahybrid,wasbuiltbyabsorbingwordsinvariouslanguages.Latin:pen,pencil,cup,butter,silkFrench:pork,feast,sir,nobleItalian:piano,solo,studio,opera,umbrellaSpanish:cargo,cigarette,cigarGreek:paper,alphabet,dialogue,comedyChinese:tea,chowmein,kowtow,toufuLexicalComparisonofChineseandEnglish(词汇对比)Themajorwaysofword-buildinginEnglisharecomposition(合成),conversion(词性转化),andderivation

(affixation衍生).AndinChinesewehavethesamemajorways.English:Composition:motherland,blackboard,handwriting,silkworm,easy-going,home-made,do-it-yourselfConversion:paperthewindow,emptythebasket,elbowone’sway,upsanddownsDerivation:ableunable,takemistakehopehopelesshopelessnessChinese:Composition:并列式：语言，改革，树立，遥远，左右，出入，好歹

偏正式：学分，本科，红糖，笑声，新衣主谓式（主从式）：耳闻，目睹，脸红，胆小，月明动宾式：思甜，攻关，灭火，开车，踢球补充式：提前，救活，改善，说明，调好重叠式：平平安安，高高兴兴，懒洋洋，亮晶晶，方方面面Conversion:一棵大树，十年树人出售油漆，油漆门窗鸡鸭鱼肉，鱼肉百姓安全第一，不太安全今天真热，把饭热一下Derivation:前缀（Prefix）：超—超人，超额，超支，超音速非—非人，非常，非原则，非正式无—无视，无限，无线电，无名氏，无疑汉语中的“非”、“无”相当于英语中的前缀un-,in-,il-和后缀-less反—反动，反攻，反驳，反问，反腐败可—可亲，可爱，可口，可调整，可怜兮兮后缀(Suffix):手—助手，舵手，选手，帮手，一把手年—幼年，晚年，青少年，周年，光年子—金子，票子，耗子，妻子，爱面子头—外头，对头，拳头，风头，枕头，苗头SemanticComparisonofChineseandEnglish(词义对比)

A.Themeaningsoftheword(词的意义方面)：1、英语中有些词所表示的意义，在汉语里可以找到完全对应的词来表达。（semanticcorrespondence）专用名词、术语和事物名称。TheU.S.StateDepartment(美国国务院)；萨斯SARS（SevereAcuteRespiratorySyndrome）；Aids(AcquiredImmuneDeficiencySyndrome)；直升飞机；太平洋2、英语中有些词与汉语中有些词在词义上只有部分对应。(partlysemanticcorrespondence)大象、龙gun，uncle，aunt，bother，morning3、英语中有些词所表示的意义，目前在汉语里还找不到最后确定的对应词来表达。（semanticzero）mascon(massconcentration)（表示月球表层下高密度的）物质聚积overkill过度杀伤力，现又指表示宣传活动等方面不必要的过度行为，plumber特工，又称“管子工”（美国调查政府雇员泄密事件的特工）。文房四宝：thefourtreasuresofthestudy(writingbrush,inkstick,inkstoneandpaper)乌纱帽：anofficialpost4、英语中有许多词一词多义，其所表示的各个意义，分别与汉语中几个不同的词或词组对应。1、asoftdrug2、softintelligence3、softmoney4、softdrink5、softfire6、softwater1.毒性较轻的麻醉剂；软性麻醉毒品2.非百分之百可靠的，不充分的情报3.纸币4.软饮料5.文火6.软水(不含矿物盐类而易溶解肥皂的水)B.Thepossiblecollocationoftheword(词的搭配能力方面)：英语和汉语在词的搭配能力方面有很大的差异。英语的搭配能力比汉语强。cut(wheat,finger-nails,cake)（英译汉时须考虑译文中词的搭配必须符合汉语的习惯)C.Thewordorder(词序方面)：英、汉语句子中主要成分主语、谓语动词、宾语或表语的词序基本上是一致的。但是各种定语的位置和各种状语的次序在英、汉语中则有同有异，变化较多，所以英汉词序的比较主要指定语、状语位置异同的比较。Thepressureisalmostasheavyonstudentswhojustwanttograduateandgetajob.对于那些只想毕业后找份工作的学生来说,压力也一样不小。ComparisonofChineseandEnglishonsentencestructure（句式对比）p.381.HypotacticvsParatactic(形合与意合)/(主从结构与并列结构)（前一个词指英语，后一个词指汉语）Englishhypotactic

ChineseparatacticAsE.A.Nidapointsoutinhis“TranslatingMeaning”,…sofarasEnglishandChineseareconcerned,themostimportantdifferencelinguisticallyisthecontrastbetweenhypotaxisandparataxis.汉语重句子意义，不重句子的外表形式，结构松散，有大量的流散型句子（流水句），句式呈散珠式的铺排，逻辑性不强，只注重句子意义的表达，常以名词为核心，可以缺损主语、动词、连接词等，看似无序，但形散神聚，节奏感强，很多情况下要靠听者（读者）通过语境悟出字里行间的含义；英语相反，重句子结构与形式，以动词为核心，结构严密紧凑，逻辑性强。Hypotaxis:Thedependentorsubordinateconstructionorrelationshipofclausesarrangedwithconnectives.E.g.:Ishalldespairifyoudon’tcome.(TheAmericanHeritageDictionary,p.649)Parataxis:Thearrangingofclausesoneaftertheotherwithoutconnectivesshowingtherelationbetweenthem.E.g.:Therainfell;theriverflooded;thehouseswerewashedaway.(TheworldBookDictionary,p.1513)

1）汉语句子多成分残缺，语义模糊,靠读者悟出字里行间的含义:枯藤老树昏鸦,小桥流水人家,古道西风瘦马。夕阳西下，断肠人在天涯。

AutumnThoughtsWitheredvines,oldentree,eveningcrows;Tinybridge,flowingbrook,hamlet(小村)homes;Ancientroad,windfromwest,bonyhorse;Thesunissetting,Brokenman,farfromhome,roamandroams.(tr.赵甄陶)

AutumnCrowshoveringoverrugged(不平的)oldtreeswreathed(环绕)withrottenvine——thedayisaboutdone.Yonder(远处)isatinybridgeoverasparklingstream,andonthefarbank,aprettylittlevillage.Butthetravelerhastogoondownthisancientroad,thewestwindmoaning,hisbonyhorsegroaning,Trudging(跋涉)towardsthesinkingsun,fartherandfartherawayfromhome.(tr.翁显良)2）汉语句子多无主语(zerosubject)：要吃有吃，要穿有穿。Wehaveenoughtoeatandsufficienttoputon.不知苦中苦，哪知甜中甜？Ihavemadeproposals,butinvain;Ihavemadeattempts,butwithoutsuccess.不知苦中苦，哪知甜中甜？Ifyouhavenevertastedthebitternessofgall,howcanyouknowthesweetnessofhoney?不到长城非好汉。He

who

has

never

been

to

the

Great

Wall

is

not

a

true

man玩火自焚

。

Whoeverplayswithfirewillperishbyfire.3）无谓语动词：天高云淡。Theskyishighandthecloudsarepale.房间干干净净。Theroomisneatandtidy.这箱子八十磅。Thisboxweighseightypounds.他上海人。HeisfromShanghai.我儿子二十岁。Mysonis20yearsold.3）无宾语：电影很有趣，我一定要去看。Thefilmisinteresting.I’llgoandseeit.蛇在冬天藏起来。Snakeshidethemselvesinwinter.4）无连接词：（因为）他不老实，（所以）我们不相信他。Becauseheisnothonest,wecan’ttrusthim.

人不犯我，我不犯人。Wewillnotattackunlessweareattacked.

说是说了，没有结果。Ihavemadeproposals,buttheyprovedfutile.

抓住了主要矛盾，一切问题就可以迎刃而解。Oncetheprincipalcontradictionisgrasped,allproblemscanbereadilysolved.他不来，我不去。Ifhewon’tcomehere,I’llnotgothere.

聪明一世，糊涂一时。Smartasarule,butthistimeafool.有饭大家吃。Leteverybodysharethefoodifthereisany.不到黄河心不死。Untilallisover,ambitionneverdie.燕子去了，有再来的时候；杨柳枯了，有再青的时候；桃花谢了，有再开的时候。(朱自清《匆匆》)Swallowsmayhavegone，butthereisatimeofreturn；willowtreesmayhavediedback，butthereisatimeofregreening；peachblossomsmayhavefallen，buttheywillbloomagain．5）逻辑矛盾的表达：晒衣服晒太阳tosunone’sclothestobaskinthesun吃苹果吃食堂toeatanappletohaveone’smealsinthecanteen打扫房间打扫卫生

tocleanaroomtodosomecleaning恢复健康恢复疲劳

torecoverone’shealthtogetrefreshed扶贫

poverty

reduction

/poverty

alleviation

6）多余的词语：不必要的浪费unnecessarywaste不切实际的幻想unpracticalillusion,fancy,fantasy毫无根据的毁谤slander他所担任的工作hiswork用鼻子闻了一下takeasmellat脑子里想了想thinkover“彻底粉碎”completelysmash“smash”本意就是breakcompletely，已经包含了“彻底”的意思，加上completely语气反而弱化。“完全征服"completelyconquer“conquer”不可能是partly。“极为可耻"extremelyshameless，“shameless”已是最高级。“伟大的历史性转变"Thisisagreathistoricchange。在英语里，historic已经包含了great的意思。2.ComplexvsSimplex（复杂句式与简单句式）AsEnglishishypotactic,moreoftenthannot,syntacticdevicesareemployedintheformationofsentences.Innormalwritingspeopleusemuchmorecomplexsentencesthansimpleones.TheEnglishcomplexsentencesareoftenlikechainswithclauseslinkingclauses.Ontheotherhand,theChinesesentencesorclausestendtobeshortandsimpleinstructure.Theyareflowingandsimplexwithoneclausefollowingtheotherratherinaline.英语多长句、复杂句，汉语多短句、流水句。英语句子犹如大树，在主干上派生出许多枝条来，所以长句多，复合句多；汉语句子犹如竹子，一节节连起来，因此，汉语短句多、流水句多。英语是语法句，句式繁杂，但主从有序，逻辑性强；汉语是语义句，句式简洁，但结构松散，逻辑性差。

翻译要点：化英语长句为汉语的短句。Themoonissofarfromtheearththatevenifhugetreesweregrowingonthemountainsandelephantswerewalkingabout,wecouldnotseethemthroughthemostpowerfultelescopeswhichhaveyetbeeninvented.(treestructure)月球离地球非常遥远，即使那边山上长着大树，有大象在移动，我们用当今发明的最高倍率的望远镜，也不能看见它们。(bamboostructure)一个英国人，不会说中国话，有一次在中国旅行。AnEnglishmanwhocouldnotspeakChinesewasoncetravelinginChina.我有个问题弄不懂，想请教你，你能回答吗？CanyouansweraquestionwhichIwanttoaskandwhichispuzzlingme?蒲松龄生活在清朝，贪官污吏肆虐，真正有才华的人得不到重用。PuSonglinglivedinatimewhenmostoftheQingofficialsweresounjustandcorruptthattruetalentswithoutmoneytopayabribecouldneverhopetobegiventheopportunitytodemonstratetheirlearning.3.

Top-heavy/Lion-headvsEnd-weight/Peacock-tail（头重与尾重句型）在表达多层逻辑思维时，英语往往是判断或结论、表态等在前，事实或描写等在后，即重心在前；InanEnglishsentence,theshorterelementsusuallygobeforelongeronesinarrangementorder,andthewholesentencelookslikeapyramid.ThatalsoexplainswhytherearesomanyinvertedsentencesinEnglish.汉语则是由因到果、由假设到推论、由事实到结论，按事情发生的先后顺序进行描述,重心在最后。

ThearrangementofaChinesesentenceseemsquitetheopposite,soitlookslikeaninvertedpyramidortriangle.Nothinghashappenedsinceweparted。我们别后没发生什么事情.他因为病了，所以没来上课。Hedidn’tcometoschoolbecausehewasill.Itisatruthuniversallyacknowledgedthatasinglemaninpossessionofagoodfortune,mustbeinwantofawife.一条举世公认的真理，那就是，凡有钱的单身汉，总想娶位太太。凡是有钱的单身汉，总想娶位太太，这是一条举世公认的真理。（更符合汉语表达习惯）Soccerisadifficultsport.（1）Aplayermustbeabletorunsteadilywithoutrest.（2）Sometimesaplayermusthittheballwithhisorherhead.（3）Playersmustbewillingtobangintoandbebangedintobyothers.（4）Theymustputupwithachingfeetandsoremuscles.足球运动员必须能不停地奔跑，有时得用头顶球，撞别人或被别人撞，必须忍受双脚和肌肉疼痛，所以说，足球运动是一项难度大运动。4.StaticvsDynamic(静态与动态)EnglishtendstouselessverbsthanChinese.InasimpleEnglishsentenceorinanEnglishclause,onlyoneverbisusedasthepredicateofthesentenceorclause.InaChinesesentence,anumberofverbscanbeusedasitspredicateatthesametime,sowemaysaythattheChineseisrather“dynamic”whiletheEnglishis“static”.AmasteryofChineseandEnglishisessentialforE-CorC-Etranslation.做英汉/汉英翻译必须掌握好汉语与英语。Engineeringdesignisadecision-makingprocessusedforthedevelopmentofengineeringforwhichthereisahumanneed.工程设计是为发展人类所需工程而作决定的过程。再走几步就到实验大楼了。Afewstepswillbringyoutothelaboratorybuilding./Walkafewstepsandyouwillreachthelabbuilding.我国科学研究发展的特点是理论联系实际。Thedevelopmentofscientificresearchinourcountryischaracterizedbythecombination/linkoftheorywithpractice.5.ImpersonalvsPersonal(InanimatevsAnimate)

（物称与人称）英语多用非人称主语impersonalsubject(又叫无灵主语inanimatesubject)，汉语多用人称主语personalsubject（又叫有灵主语animatesubject）。（原因：汉人重人/人伦，西方重物/自然）InanEnglishsentence,thechoiceofitssubjectoftenfallsontheinanimateorthethingthatisnotliving.Forexample,itwouldbepreferabletosay“Thereareeightpeopleinhisfamily.”than“Hehaseightpeopleinhisfamily.”ThisspecialfeatureofEnglishisespeciallyshowninwritingsinformalstylesuchasnewsreportsorscientificessays.Ontheotherhand,weChinesetendtopickupanimatethingsorpersonstofunctionasthesubjectofasentence.

Thereisatouchofroughpoetryabouthim.他这人还有那么点诗意呢。Themorningsungreetedusaswecameoutondeck.登上甲板，我们便看见了一轮旭日。又过了几个月，我看见他们手上戴了戒指Monthslater,ringsappearedglisteringontheirfingers.黄昏到来，他仍在街上徘徊。Duskfoundhimwanderinginthestreet.他想起了母亲，才鼓足干劲继续干下去。Thethoughtofhismothergavehimthestrengthtogoondoingit.我突然产生了一个可怕的想法。Aterriblethoughtsuddenlystruckme.她独处时感到一种特别的安宁。Astrangepeacecameoverherwhenshewasalone.

2001年中国成功加入世贸。Theyear2001sawChina’sentryintoWTO.他（徐霞客）……发现了许多奇山秀景；他常常选择不同的时间和季节多次重游各地名山……Therewardforhisworkwasthediscoveryofmanyfantasticallybeautifulscenes.Famousmountainsinvariousplaceswouldfindhimcomingbackforrevisitsduringdifferentseasons.Revision:因为天气太糟，我们未能成行。a.*Becauseofthepoorweather,wedidnotgo.b.Badweatherpreventedusfromgoing.一个小学女生失踪了，教师们非常担忧。a.*Aschoolgirldisappeared,andalltheteacherswereverymuchworriedabouther.b.Thedisappearanceofaschoolgirlworriedalltheteachers.他通晓多种不常用的外国语，这使我们感到惊讶。a.*Heisfamiliarwithmanyrarelyusedlanguages;wefeelsurprisedaboutthefact.b.Hisfamiliaritywithmanyrarelyusedlanguagessurprisedusall.6.Passive&Active（被动与主动）PassivesofvariousformsarefrequentlyusedinEnglish.Bycontrast,activeformsareoftenusedinChinese.必须找到新的能源。Newsourcesofenergymustbefound.这个问题正在研究。Theproblemisnowbeingstudied.据估计，今年的股市将会上扬。Itisestimatedthatthestockmarketwillbeontherise.一匹马骑两个人。Twopersonsrodeonehorse.饭做好了。Themealhasbeencooked.7.Substitutive&Repetitive(替代与重复)RepetitionofwordsinEnglishisgenerallymoreorlessabnormalandobjectionableexceptthatitisrhetoricalorsignificant.Toavoidrepetition,Englishoftenemployssubstitution,ellipsis,variation,andsomeotherdevices.英语忌重复，汉语喜重复（汉语通过重复，形成音韵上的美学节奏，英语主张言贵简洁Brevityisthesoulofwit）。他喜欢跳舞，我也喜欢跳舞。HelikesdancingandsodoI.(替代)我们的民族将再也不是被人欺负的民族了。Ourswillnolongerbeanationsubjecttoinsultandhumiliation.(替代)我们能够去掉不不良作风，保持优良作风。Wecangetridofabadstyleandkeepthegood.(省略)我们要相信群众，依赖群众。Wemusthavefaithinandrelyonthemasses.(省略)我们的政策，不光要使领导知道，干部知道，还要使广大群众知道。Ourpolicymustbemadeknownnotonlytotheleadersandtothecadresbutalsotothebroadmasses.(省略)Readingmakesafullman;conferenceareadyman;writinganexactman.(省略)读书使人充实,讨论使人机智,写作使人准确.Readingexercisesone'seyes;Speaking,one'stongue;whilewriting,one'smind.

(省略)阅读训练人的眼睛，说话训练人的口齿，写作训练人的思维。John’sboughthimselfanewFord.Hepracticallylivesinthecar.（变换）约翰给自己买了一部新的福特牌汽车，他几乎就住在这部汽车里。Anelectrontubeisgenerallyusedforamplification,andvacuumtubeisanothernameforthisdevice.电子管通常用来放大，而真空管则是电子管的另一名称。8.英语定语多后置，汉语定语多前置1）副词：那边那个男孩楼上的房间theboytheretheroomupstairs回家的路上onthewayhome2）形容词：重要的事情somethingimportant

anythingnewnothingspecial完全不含水分的混合物mixturecompletelyfreeofwater

ShebelievesthateverythingfashionablecomesfromFrance.她认为时髦的东西都是来自法国的。Whydon’twegosomewherequiet?我们干吗不去一个安静的地方？3）介词短语：窗子边的男孩theboynearthewindow

第一组的学生thepupilsinGroupOnea.SoonotherpeoplewithdifferentformsoftheChristianreligionarrivedinAmerica.b.Tradeamongcountriesallowspeopleineachcountrytousetheirenergiesindoingwhattheydobest.4）不定式短语：thebooktoread

theroomtoliveinthemeetingtobeheld5）现在分词短语：thegirlsittingthere

themantalkingtoMaLiMypointisthatthefrequentcomplaintofonegenerationabouttheoneimmediatelyfollowingitisinevitable.我的观点是：一代人对紧跟其后的另一代人的频繁抱怨是不可避免的。6)过去分词短语：theboynamedTom

computersmadeinJapan

allpartiesconcerned有关各方CarpetswoveninIranandwineproducedinFranceareexamplesofthesespecialgoods.7)定语从句：Somesongsremindusofthepeoplewelove.Videoshavechangedthewaysweplayandlistentomusic.Thesecondreasonwhynationstradewithoneanotheristhatitpaystospecialize. PragmaticComparisonofChineseandEnglishLanguage(语用对比）中国人客气礼貌、谦虚谨慎、体贴关心；西方人个性直率、提倡独立、尊重隐私。1.打招呼：一路辛苦了。*Youmustbetired./Youmusthavehadatiringjourney.Didyouhaveagoodtrip?/Didyouenjoyyourtri