英语翻译中的增词法

1、增 词 法 （上）试译下列句子Success is often just an idea away.原译：成功往往只是一个念头的距离。改译：成功与否往往只是一念之差。分析：“原译”似乎与原文一一对应、丝丝入扣。但却含糊不清，让人难解其意。“改译”增加了“与否”二字起到了画龙点睛的作用，让人茅塞顿开。The dust, the uproar（喧嚣）and the growing darkness threw everything into chaos.原译：烟尘、喧闹声和渐浓的夜色使一切都陷入混乱之中。改译：烟尘滚滚，人声嘈杂，夜色愈浓，一切都陷入混乱之中。分析：“改译”增加“滚滚”、“人声”几

2、个字，不仅将原文意思表达得淋漓尽致，而且“四字格”的运用也使译文音韵和谐、琅琅上口。英汉两种语言由于表达方式不尽相同，翻译时常常有必要在译文的词量上作适当的增加，使译文既能忠实地传达原文的内容和风格，又能符合译入语的表达习惯。增词法（amplification):亦称增词或增益法，指的是在英汉翻译中适当增加原文中无其形而有其义的词语，以使译文自然通顺，完整、贴切地表达原文的思想内容。翻译时倘若过于拘泥于原文的表达形式，采用一对一的逐词死译，往往就会使译文生硬晦涩，令人费解，有时甚至背离原文的意思。但是，增词法并不意味着译者可以随心所欲、任意地添枝加叶，而必须遵守一条基本原则：增加原文字面虽未出

3、现， 但却为其实际内容所包含的词语。增词一般用于以下三种情况：一是为了意义上的需要；二是为了修辞上的需要；三是为了语法（句法）上的需要。根据意义上或修辞上的需要一、增加量词1）由于英语中没有量词，数词（包括不定冠词a）与可数名词往往直接联用，而汉语却往往要借助量词。因此翻译时应根据汉语表达习惯恰当地增加表示其形状、特征或材料的量词。a bike 一辆自行车 a mouth 一张嘴 a full moon 一轮满月Repeat the experiment using a wooden ruler，a metal spoon，a coin，a tin lid，a pencil and a rub

4、ber eraser.用一把木尺、一把金属匙、一枚硬币、一个铁盒盖、一枝铅笔和一块橡皮，重做这个试验。Aluminum is said to be the thirteenth element in the periodic table.铝是周期表上的第13号元素。A red sun rose slowly from the calm sea.一轮红日从风平浪静的海面冉冉升起。Into the dim clouds was swimming a crescent moon.一钩新月渐渐隐没在淡淡的云彩里。To the east and the south a faint pink is spr

5、eading.东南方呈现一抹浅红，正在向远处扩展。A stream was winding its ways through the valley into the river.一弯溪水蜿蜒流过山谷，汇到江里去了。This too was a complete lie.这纯粹是一派胡言。2） 英语中有些动词或动名词，译成汉语动词时经常需要增加一些表示行为、动作量的量词。如：Once, they had a quarrel.有一次，他们争吵了一番。He gave her a sly look.他狡猾地看了她一眼。I was extremely worried about her, but thi

6、s was neither the place nor the time for a lecture or an argument.我真替他万分担忧，但此时此地既不宜教训她一番，也不宜与她争论一通。 He squeezed his sister too and gave her a gentle push.他也捏了一下他的妹妹，并且把轻轻推了她一下。You might just take a look at my coat before this afternoon. See if it wants pressing.你最好在下午之前瞧一下我的上衣，看是否要熨一下。二、增加表示名词复数的词英语

7、的可数名词有单复数之别，汉语名词的复数没有词形变化，很多情况下不必表达出来。但要表达指多数人的名词时，可在该名词后面加“们”字，如the teachers（教师们），或在该名词前面加上“诸位”、“各（位）”，如ladies and gentlemen（诸位/各位女士和先生）。此外，英语名词复数，汉译时还可以根据情况，增加重叠词、数词或其他一些词来表达，提高修辞效果。 可增加数词或重迭词表示复数。例如：The lion is the king of animals.狮子是百兽之王。I saw bubbles rising from under the water.我看见一个个水泡从水下升起。Th

8、e very earth trembled as with the tramps of horses and murmur of angry men. 连大地都震动了，仿佛万马奔腾，千夫怒吼。The mountains began to throw their long blue shadows over the valley. 群山已在山谷里开始投下蔚蓝色的长影。An individual human existence should be like a river small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushin

9、g passionately past boulders and over waterfalls. 一个人的一生可以比作一条河流：开始身躯很小，两岸之间非常狭窄，水流湍急，冲过砾石，飞下悬瀑。As is known to all, air is a mixture of gases.大家知道，空气是许多种气体的混合物。From the experiments, scientists learned that ocean currents there are erratic than they had thought.科学家们从这些实验得知，那里的洋流远比他们以前想像得更不稳定。You can

10、almost put it down as a general rule in this town that presidents often invite “honest criticism” from their aides.你几乎可以把这一点看成首都的一种惯例：历届总统经常请他们的助手们提出 “直率的批评 ”。Very acute problems exist among them.他们之间存在着种种非常尖锐的问题。They drove in a black limousine, past groves of birch trees and endless rows of identic

11、al new buildings.他们乘坐一辆黑色轿车，经过一丛丛的白桦树和看不到尽头的一排排千篇一律的新住宅。Flowers bloom all over the yard.朵朵鲜花开满了庭院。Newsmen went flying off to Mexico.记者纷纷飞到墨西哥去了。Seeing is believing.百闻不如一见。眼见为实。三、增加表示时态的词 英语动词的时态靠动词词形变化或加助动词来表示时态的变化，汉语动词没有词形变化，表达时态要靠增加汉语特有的时态助词或一般表示时间的词。因此，汉语往往用“曾经”、“已经”、“过”、“了”等表示过去时；用“在”、“正在”、“着”等表

12、示进行时；用“将”、“就”、“要”、“会”等表示将来时。除此之外，为了强调时间概念或强调时间上的对比，往往需要加一些其他的词过去完成时的翻译I had never thought Id be happy to find myself considered unimportant. But this time I was.以往我从未想过，当我发觉人们认为我是无足轻重时，我会感到高兴。但这次情况确是如此。I had imagined it to be merely a gesture of affection, but it seems it is to smell the lamb and ma

13、ke sure that it is her own. 原来我以为这不过是一种亲热的表示，但是现在看来，这是为了闻一闻羊羔的味道，来断定是不是自己生的。The old man had taught the boy to fish and the boy loved him.原来老头儿已教会了孩子捕鱼，所以孩子很爱他。Stephen looked older than his age， for he had had a hard life.斯梯芬看起来比他实际的年龄要老些，因为他曾经历过艰苦的生活。They had always been able to control things. Now

14、control was getting away from all of them.他们从前一向是能够控制局面的，现在他们大家正在丧失控制了。时间上的对比The old man said, They say his father was a fisherman. Maybe he was as poor as we are.老人说：听人说，从前他父亲是个打鱼的。他过去也许跟我们现在一样穷。English prose is elaborate rather than simple. It was not always so.现今英国散文华巧而欠简朴，过去却并非总是如此。I knew it qui

15、te well as I know it now. 我在当时就知道得同现在一样清楚。Mother insisted to this day that she thought I was just joking.直到今天母亲还坚持说，她当时以为我只是开开玩笑而已。The high-altitude plane was and still is a remarkable bird.该高空飞机过去是现在仍然是一种了不起的飞机。四、增加动词根据意义上的需要，可以在名词前后增加动词，使句子意义明确，通顺自然，符合汉语习惯。After the football match, he still has an

16、 important meeting.在观看足球比赛之后，他要参加一个重要会议。In the evening, after the banquets, the concerts and the table tennis exhibitions, he would work on the drafting of the final communique.晚上在参加宴会、出席音乐会、观看乒乓球表演之后，他还得起草最后公报。My work, my family, my friends were more than enough to fill my time.我干工作，我做家务，我与朋友来往，这些占

17、用了我的全部时间。Nobody could count on his restraint or rationality.谁也不能指望他会采取克制或讲道理的态度。He dismissed the meeting without a closing speech.他没有致闭幕词就宣布结束会议。五、增加名词1）英语中有些动词有时用作及物动词，有时用作不及物动词，当它作不及物动词用时，宾语实际上是隐含在动词后面的，译成汉语时往往需要把它表达出来。例如：To wash before meal. 饭前洗手。To wash after getting up起床后洗脸To wash before going

18、to bed睡前洗脚First you borrow, then you beg.头一遭借钱，下一遭就讨饭。Day after day he came to his worksweeping, scrubbing, cleaning.他每天都来干活扫地，擦地板，收拾房间。2）有时，根据汉语的习惯搭配，需要在形容词前增加名词。This typewriter is indeed cheap and fine.这台打字机真是物美价廉。He is a complicated man moody, mercurial, with a melancholy streak.他是一个性格复杂的人喜怒无常，反复

19、多变，有些郁郁寡欢。He was wrinkled and black, with scant gray hair.他满脸皱纹，皮肤很黑，头发灰白稀疏。They, weary but game, decided to take a break.他们人已疲倦而兴致甚高，决定先休息一下。3）某些由动词或形容词派生来的抽象名词，翻译时可根据上下文在其后面增添适当的名词，使译文更合乎规范。如：persuasion 说服工作preparation 准备工作tension 紧张局势arrogance自满情绪等Indifference冷漠态漠madness 疯狂行为complacency 自满情绪backw

20、ardness 落后状态Precaution 预防措施Jealousy嫉妒心理Tension紧张局面Remedy补救方法After all preparations were made, the planes were flown across the U.S. to San Francisco.一切准备工作就绪以后，飞机就飞越美国去旧金山。Recourse to arms is not the best solution to a quarrel between countries.国与国之间的争端诉诸武力，并不是最好的解决方法。The development of economy rema

21、ins one of the priorities of the Chinese government.发展经济仍然是中国政府的首要课题之一。4）当具体名词表达一种抽象概念时，使文中也常根据上下文增加一些适当的名词。He felt the patriot rise within his breast.他感到一种爱国热情在胸中激荡。He allowed the husband to be overruled by the judge, and declared his wife guilty.法官的职责最终战胜了丈夫的角色，他判决他的妻子有罪。六、增加形容词、副词根据原文的上下文，有些英语句子中

22、的名词译成汉语时，需要增加一些适当的形容词。有些动词在一定的场合可以增加适当的副词，才能确切表达原意。 O, Tom Canty, born in rags and dirt and misery, what sight is this!啊，汤姆康地，生在破烂、肮脏和苦难中，现在这番景象却是多么地煊赫呀！With the meeting to begin in just a couple of hours, I hadnt time to worry about such trifles.不出两三个小时会议就要开始了，我没有闲功夫为这些琐事操心了。“Army will make a man o

23、f him”, said his father.他的父亲说：“军队会把他造就成为一个堂堂的男子汉。”He doubtlessly expected hugs, tablefuls of food, tears, laughter, and conversation followed by more conversation, then hugs and more hugs all over again, without end.毫无疑问，他以为会有热烈的拥抱，满桌的食物，激动的泪水，欢乐的笑声，一段接一段的谈话，一次又一次的拥抱，没完没了。分析：译文中增加了三个相应的形容词，形象地描绘出他想象

24、中的欢乐场景，使意思更加明确，表达更加生动。 In the films of those days, all too often it was the same one: boy tractor driver meets girl tractor driver; they fall in love and drive tractors together.在那时候的电影里，总是老一套：男拖拉机手和女拖拉机手始而相遇，继而相爱，终而并肩开拖拉机了。Now and then his boots shone.他的靴子时常闪闪发光。The crowd melted away.人群渐渐散开了。She li

25、ngered long over his letter.她反反复复地回味着他的来信。1） I was, and remain, grateful for the part he played in my release. （注意时态）我的获释是他成全的，对此我过去很感激，现在仍然很感激。2）Man, was, is and always will be trying to improve his living conditions. (注意时态）人类过去、现在和将来始终都在努力改善生活条件。3）In no case will the neighbors look on with folded

26、arms. (译出复数）邻居们（左邻右舍）决不会袖手旁观。 4）Another two weeks saw up-to-the standard machine parts being turned out. （译出复数）又过了半个月，合乎标准的各种机器部件就生产出来了。5）The judge let him off with warnings not to cause trouble again.(译出复数）法官对他再三提出警告，不得重新作案，然后就将他放了。6）The first electronic computers went into operation in 1945. (增加量词

27、）第一批电子计算机于1945年投入使用.1）This helps to save coal and reduce the cost of electricity.(谈及电厂）（增加动词）这有助于节约用煤并降低发电成本。2）I remembered the fear and anger in the gunmens voices because John was being slow. (增加动词）我记得因为约翰当时慢慢腾腾，歹徒的声音中流露出了恐惧与愤懑。3) Some modifications (修改）of the original project were suggested at th

28、e meeting yesterday. (增加名词）在昨天的会上对原来的规划提出了一些修改方案。4）The arrogance of the aristocracy helped to lead to the French Revolution. (增加名词）贵族的傲慢态度促发了法国革命。5) Jeffersons courage and idealism were based on knowledge. (增加形容词）杰斐逊的勇气和理想主义是以广博的知识 为基础的。6）At the meeting he made a speecheloquent and energetic. (增加副词）

29、他在会上发表了讲话非常动听有力。7) The fan, with its modern, elegant, bright, and harmoniously colored design, is an excellent electrical household appliance for cooling purpose on hot summer days.(增加必要的名词）本电扇款式新颖，造型雅致，色彩鲜艳，色泽调和，是炎炎夏日消暑纳凉之家电精品。根据意义上或修辞上的需要的增词：一、增加量词二、增加表示名词复数的词三、增加表示时态的词四、增加名词五、增加动词六、增加形容词和副词七、增加概括

30、词英语和汉语都有概括词。英语中的in short, and so on, etc.等等，翻译时可分别译为“总之”、“等等”。但有时英语句子中并没有概括词，而翻译时却往往了增加“两人”、“双方”、“等”、“等等”、“凡此种种”等概括词，同时省略英语中的连接词。You and I 你我两人Militarily, politically and economically 军事、政治、经济等各方面China, U.S. and Britain held this conference.中、美、英三国举办了这次会议The thesis summed up the new achievements mad

31、e in computers, artificial satellites and rockets.论文总结了计算机、人造卫星和火箭等三方面所取得的新成就Then a little over a decade ago, Professors Hoyle, Bondi, and Gold, working at Cambridge, proposed an entirely different scheme.然而十多年前，剑桥大学的霍伊尔、邦迪和哥尔德三位教授却提出了完全不同的学说。The bond between mathematics and the life sciences has be

32、en strengthened by the emergence of a whole group of applied mathematics specialties, such as biometrics, psychometrics, and econometrics.生物统计学、心理测验学、计量经济学等一大批应用数学专业学科的出现，大大加强了数学和生命科学之间的联系。（注释：原句中的连接词and被省略掉。）八、增加语气助词语气助词是汉语中特有的一种修辞手段，用在句中停顿处或句尾以表示各种语气，如“呢、吧、呀、吗、罢了、而已”等等。不同的语气助词可以起不同的作用，如肯定、疑问、祈使、中间

33、的停顿等等，但英语中没有相应的语气助词。英译汉时应细心体会原文，增加一些语气词，更好地表达原作的意义和修辞色彩。Dont take it seriously. Im just making fun of you.不要认真嘛！我不过开开玩笑罢了。As for me, I didnt agree from the very beginning.我呢，从一开始就不赞成。He described it (Latvia)its forests, its little villages, its people, its fierce nationalismwith an eloquence that co

34、uld only arise out of deep love for ones motherland.他描绘它（拉脱维亚）的风土人情森林啦、小村庄啦、人民啦、人民的强烈民族主义啦等等，只有深深热爱祖国的人才能说得如此娓娓动听，滔滔不绝。It is entirely possible that things are being done for my release right now and that it takes time to do this.完全有可能眼下正在想办法使我获释，只不过需要时间而已。“Some six or eight thousand men,” returned M

35、ontcalm, with much apparent indifference.(J. F. Cooper， The last of the Mohicans)“那也只不过六千到八千人罢了，”蒙卡姆显然满不在乎地说，分析：译者细心体会原文，在译文增加了“那也只不过”和“罢了”这一语气助词，把蒙卡姆满不在乎的语气生动地再现了出来，增强了该译入语的感染力,向读者忠实地传递了原作的含义和修辞色彩。九、增加承上启下的词Yes, I like Chinese food. Lots of people do these days, sort of the fashion.不错，我喜欢中国菜。现在很多人喜

36、欢中国菜，这种情况算是有点赶时髦吧！For mistakes had made, bad ones.因为已经犯下了许多错误，而且还是很糟的错误。 Two, we heard later, were sent to college, at the government expense, while one, it was rumored, had attempted to blackmail the Agency. Unsuccessfully.我们后来听说，两人已由政府资助送进大学学习，并据传说，一个曾试图对中央情报局进行讹诈，结果并未得逞。十、增加反映背景情况的词In April, ther

37、e was the “ping” heard around the world. In July, the ping “ponged”.四月里，全世界听到中国“乒”的一声把球打了出去；到了七月，美国“乓”的一声把球打了回来。Le Monde, the B.B.C, the New York Times, the entire Arab press, all quote Heikal at length.法国的世界报、英国广播公司、美国纽约时报及整个阿拉伯报界，都经常大量引用海卡尔的话。Both Efe and Reuters published their views on the cours

38、e of events in Kosovo.西班牙的埃新社和英国的路透社都对科索沃事态的发展发表了自己的看法。根 据 句 法 需 要一、增补原文回答句中的省略部分Is this your book? Yes, it is.（yes, it is = yes, it is mine.)这是你的书吗？是的，是我的。Dont you want Mr. Smith to be your tutor? Yes, of course I do.你不想让史密斯先生当你导师吗？我当然想。二、增加原文中省略的动词Reading makes a full man; conference a ready man; writing an exact man. 译文：读书使人充实，讨论使人敏捷，写作使人准确。英语的并列句中 通常省略重复的动词，该句省略了makes。而汉语则通过重复动词，构成排比句式，增强表达效果，因此译文中添加了“使人”。 We are concerned to develop the abilities of all our students to the full, not just their academic ability.译文：我们关心的是全面发展学生的各种能力，而