第十二章-英汉语言对比.doc

Unit 12
Comprehensive Ability through Comparative Studies
英汉语言宏观对比 综合性与分析性
紧凑与松散 形合与意合
繁复与简单物称与人称 被动与主动
静态与动态 抽象与具体
简接与直接 替换与重复（英语多用代词替换名词，汉语喜欢重复代词）
Synthetic and Analytic 综合性和分析性
English is a synthetic language marked with inflexions, while Chinese is an analytic language, with the inflection implied in the context, or by using auxiliary words such as “的、地、得”，“着，了，的”，etc.
During the wartime, years like these would have meant certain death for many people. Many would have become beggars and others would have been compelled to sell their children.
战争期间碰到这样的年景，很多人肯定会死去，很多人会逃荒要饭，很多人会被迫卖儿卖女。
Thus encouraged, they made a still bolder plan for the next year.
由于受到这样的鼓励，他们为第二年制订了一个更大胆的计划。
But for many, the fact that poor people are able to support themselves almost as well without government aid as they did with it is in itself a huge victory.
但在许多人看来，穷人现在能不靠政府救济养活自己，而且生活得几乎和过去依靠政府救济时生活得一样好，这件事本身就是一个巨大的胜利。
Compact vs. Diffusive 紧凑与松散
English sentences are compact, i.e. tightly combined with connectives or prepositions, while Chinese is diffused, i.e. loose in structure.
A notion has taken hold in the U.S. to the effect that the only people who should be encouraged to bring children into the world are those who can afford them
在美国有一个根深蒂固的观点，即只有对那些抚养得起子女的人，才应鼓励其生育。
Although lonely in a new land, he was described by his fellow workers and students as cheerful, of a friendly nature, honest, and modest.
虽然他单身一人，又处在异乡客地，但正如他的同事和学生描述的那样，他为人愉快开朗，温文尔雅，诚实谦虚。
Hypotactic vs. Paratactic
形合与意合
In English, clauses or phrases are coordinated with or subordinated to one another syntactically while in Chinese they are placed one after another without coordinating connectives.
The many colors of a rainbow range from red on the outside to violet on the inside.
彩虹有多种颜色，外圈红，内圈紫。
He had a disconcerting habit of expressing contradictory ideas in rapid succession.
他有一种令人难堪的习惯：一会儿一个看法，自相矛盾，变化无常。
Complex vs. Simplex 繁复与简单
English sentences are long and complex, while Chinese sentences are short and simple.
Many man-made substances are replacing certain natural materials because either the quality of the natural product can not meet our ever-increasing requirement, or more often, because the physical properties of the synthetic substance, which is the common name for man-made materials, have been chosen, and even emphasized, so that it would be of the greatest use in the field in which it is to be applied.
人造材料通称为合成材料。许多人造材料正在代替某些天然材料，这或者是由于天然材料的数量不能满足日益增长的需要，或者是由于人们选择了合成材料的一些物理性质并加以突出而造成的。因此，合成材料在其应用领域将具有极大的用途。
Impersonal vs. Personal 物称和人称
There are more impersonal structures used as the subject in English than in Chinese.
What has happened to you? 你出了什么事儿啦？
An idea suddenly struck me. 我突然想到一个主意。
Not a sound reached our ears. 我们没有听到任何声音。
A great elation overcame them 他们欣喜若狂
The truth finally dawned on her 她最终明白了真相
Alarm began to take entire possession of him 他开始变得惊恐万状
Excitement deprived me of all power of utterance 我兴奋的说不出话来。
A strange peace came over her when she was alone. 她独处时，感到一种特别的安宁。
Passive vs. Active 被动与主动
As we have mentioned in the previous units, the passive voice is extensively used in English, while in Chinese is tend to active structures.
A few years ago it was thought unusual that programs could ever be called up by viewers to be displayed on their TV screens at home.
几年前人们还以为观众居然能够打电话要求在自己家里的电视屏幕上播出节目是一种稀罕的事情
Static vs. Dynamic 静态与动态
English is static, with agent nouns being repeatly used to replace verbs, while Chinese is dynamic, with more verbs being used in single sentence.
He is a good eater and a good sleeper 他能吃又能睡/他吃的饱睡得香
You must be a very bad leaner; or else you must be going to very bad teacher.
你一定很不善于学习，要不然就是教你的人很不会教
The computer is a far more careful and industrious inspector than human beings.
计算机比人检查的更细心、更勤快
Abstract vs. Concrete 抽象与具体
In some expression, especially when it comes to indicate the state of affairs, English is very abstract while Chinese is more concrete.
The absence of information is an indication of satisfactory developments.
没有消息即表明令人满意的进展
A high degree of carelessness, pre-operative and post-operative, on the part of some of the hospital staff, took place.
医院的某些医护人员在手术前后都非常粗心。
Roundabout vs. Straightforward 间接与直接
Especially about personal opinions.
I couldn’t feel better 我觉得身体好极了
I couldn’t feel agree with you more 我太赞成你的看法了
He can’t see you quick enough 他很想尽快与你见面
This book is quite beyond me 这本书我是在看不懂
Every person has the right to be free from hunger 人人都有不挨饿的权利
If you have a car, you are independent of trains and buses
如果你又小汽车，就不用去坐火车或挤公交了。
Substitutive vs. Repetitive 替换和重复
Pronouns are often used in English to substitute the persons or things that mentioned previously, while in Chinese repetition is commonly used.
You should help her since you have promised to do so
你既然答应了要帮助她就应当帮助她
He hated failure; he had conquered it all his life, risen above it, and despised it in others.
他讨厌失败，他一生中曾战胜失败，超越失败，并且藐视别人的失败。
Practical Abilities Attained from Translation Studies and Practice
Language sensibility
Contextual analysis
Logical thinking
One effective way to develop ability
Compare translated versions and the original with a critical eye, so as to develop a good taste and acquire a keen sense of distinguishing right from wrong.
Language sensibility
There are no places left on the earth that the foot of man has not trodden.
A 地球上所有的地方都有人去过。
B 地球上绝无人迹的地方是没有的。
C 地球上任何地方无不留下人类的足迹。
A little fly dropped on her knee, on her white dress. She watched it, as if it had fallen on a rose. She was not herself
A 一只苍蝇落在她的膝上，落在她的白衣服上，她盯着苍蝇看，仿佛苍蝇落在一朵玫瑰上似的。她不是她自己了。
B 一只苍蝇落在她的膝头上，爬上她的白衣裙。她盯着苍蝇看，仿佛苍蝇落在花瓣上，感到很不舒服。
Gardens are not made by singing “ Oh, how beautiful” and sitting in the shade
A 花园并不是为了哼哼曲子而建造的优哉游哉的庇荫之地。
B 花园并不是悠闲的赞叹一句“啊，多美啊”，坐在树荫下就能轻轻松松建好的。
When woman dresses to kill, the victim is apt to be time
A 当女人梳妆打扮的时候，时间就成了她的牺牲品
B 当女人力图把自己打扮的花枝招展的时候，时间往往就成了牺牲品
Contextual Analysis
Contextual analysis includes both the words, phrases, or passages that come before and after a particular word or passage in the writing and the circumstances in which an event occurs.
Original English :
The big question is, just how progressive has China become, especially in the villages?
Obviously, development occurs on many different levels and phases.
A powerful nation without Western ethics or socialist ethics would confront the rest of the world with difficult problems, especially in the nuclear age.
It is very much in the future interest of the rest of the world, and especially of the people of the United States, that China should continue on the road to socialism and its historical high ethics as progressively as possible.
There is no alternative --- none but the unthinkable.
一个重大的问题是，中国，特别是中国的广大农村，现在究竟先进到什么程度？显而易见，发展的水平和阶段是多层次的，大不相同的。一个没有西方伦理规范或社会主义伦理规范的大国，是会带着种种难题面对外部世界的，尤其是在原子时代更是这样。中国在通往社会主义，前往自己高尚的历史伦理规范的道路上，应当尽可能地继续前进，这对于世界的未来，特别是对于美国人民的未来，都是非常有利的。别无挑选的余地，否则，那就不可思议了。
The big question is, just how progressive has China become, especially in the villages?
Logical thinking
Very wonderful changes in matter take place before our eyes to which we pay little attention
我们很少注意到物质中那些奇异的变化都经常在我们眼前发生
物质中那些奇异的变化常常就发生在我们面前，尽管我们很少注意到这一点
The atom as we know is build on scientific investigations and theories
原子，正如我们所知，是建立在科学的理论和探索上的
我们知道，原子学说是根据科研理论而建立的。
Practice
1. Their accent couldn’t fool a native speaker
他们的口音不能愚弄本地人
本地人不会听不出他们是外乡人的
他们的口音本地人一听便知道是外乡人
2．John is tall like I am the Queen of Sheba
约翰高的像我是示巴皇后
约翰高的话，我就是示巴皇后
要说约翰个头高，没那回事
3. He bet solely upon profit
他只屈身于利润之前。
只有利润才使他低头
他唯利是图
4 She then uncrossed her legs
于是她使她的腿不交叉
于是她把交叉搁着的腿放平
于是她收起二郎腿
5 Did you say “pig” or “fig”
你刚才说的是“猪”还是“无花果”
你刚才说的是“pig”还是“fig”
你刚才说的是“猪”还是“书”
6 （it’s an order from president Bush）
“I don’t care if it is from bush, tree, or grass.”
我不在意它来自灌木、树木还是草
我不在乎它来自布什、树木还是草
管他什么布什、布头、布片，与我无关
7 Money is the last thing he wants, and you won’t succeed by offering it
钱是他想要的最后一件东西，你提供给他钱也不会成功。
钱是他最不想要的东西，你给他钱也不会成功
他绝不想要你的钱，你给他钱也是白搭
8 He was not the eldest son of his father for nothing
他不是爸爸的长子，因为什么也不是
他作为他爸爸的长子，并不是毫无收获的
他作为父亲的长子，自然不会白当的。
4