一、常見(jiàn)錯(cuò)誤
1.詞匯方面
(1)望文生義
“紅”譯為“red”,可是表示妒忌的“紅眼”不可譯為“red-eyed”,應(yīng)譯為“green-eyed”。
有一篇報(bào)道中有這樣一句話“這位著名的籃球隊(duì)員是加拿大裔”,但這句話不能簡(jiǎn)單地譯成“This famous basket-baller is a canadian”。因?yàn)樗^“加拿大裔”,是指有加拿大的血緣,但其國(guó)籍,根據(jù)上下文,卻應(yīng)該是美國(guó)國(guó)籍,因此這句話應(yīng)譯為“This famous basket-baller is a canadian American”。
(2)目標(biāo)語(yǔ)背景知識(shí)的缺乏
在提到“亞洲四小龍”時(shí),很多學(xué)生馬上會(huì)聯(lián)想到“four dragons”,孰不知“dragon”在英語(yǔ)中是指一種兇殘的動(dòng)物,是邪惡的象征,因此應(yīng)翻譯為“four tigers”。
“笨得像豬”或者“睡得像豬”不能理解為“as stupid as a pig”或者“sleep like a pig”,而要說(shuō)“as stupid as a donkey”或者“sleep like log”。
(3)搭配不當(dāng)
漢語(yǔ)的“開(kāi)”,英語(yǔ)中往往翻譯為“open”,可是“開(kāi)”這個(gè)詞同時(shí)存在很多方面的含義:開(kāi)門(mén)open the window 開(kāi)飯serve a meal 開(kāi)機(jī)器operate a machine 開(kāi)會(huì)hold a meeting 開(kāi)茶館run a teahouse 開(kāi)車 drive a car
2.句法結(jié)構(gòu)方面
(1)句子成分殘缺不全
他有一個(gè)姐姐,是醫(yī)生。原譯:He has an elder sister is a doctor.
正確譯文:He has an elder sister, who is a doctor.
(2)未使用或錯(cuò)誤地使用體現(xiàn)邏輯關(guān)系的連接詞
“漢語(yǔ)重意合,英語(yǔ)重形合”。英語(yǔ)如此講究邏輯,因此,許多在漢語(yǔ)中不言自明或者不言而喻的意思,放到英語(yǔ)語(yǔ)言環(huán)境下,都要用外在形式一一體現(xiàn)出來(lái)。
(A)表示因果
我已養(yǎng)成了遇事深思的習(xí)慣,并找到了與不同學(xué)生友好相處的方法。
原譯:I have formed the habit of thinking problems through thoroughly and found a way to get on well with many different types of students.
改譯:I have formed the habit of thinking problems through thoroughly. In addition, I have found a way to get on well with many different types of students.
連詞“and”難以體現(xiàn)前后潛在的“因果”關(guān)系。介詞短語(yǔ)“in addition”使前后兩句的內(nèi)在邏輯得以“外化”,兩句彼此獨(dú)立,句義鮮明。
(B)表示轉(zhuǎn)折
瑪麗不喜歡讀書(shū),她喜愛(ài)音樂(lè)和舞蹈,很會(huì)唱歌。
原譯:Mary isn’t fond of study of any kind, she loves music and dancing and is good at singing.
改譯:Mary isn’t fond of study of any kind, but she loves music and dancing and is good at singing.
(C)添加了不必要的連接詞 因?yàn)樗×,所以我們(nèi)タ赐?/SPAN>
原譯:Because she was sick, so we went to see her.
改譯:“because”或“so”去掉其中一個(gè)。
(3)被動(dòng)句翻譯錯(cuò)誤
(A)錯(cuò)誤地把漢語(yǔ)中的地點(diǎn)狀語(yǔ)或時(shí)間狀語(yǔ)譯為了主語(yǔ)
明天下午兩點(diǎn)在學(xué)校禮堂開(kāi)教學(xué)研究會(huì)。
原譯:At 2: 00 p.m. tomorrow in the schoolhall will hold a teaching symposium.
改譯:There will be a teaching symposium in the schoolhall at 2: 00 p.m. tomorrow.
(B)未能正確地使用被動(dòng)語(yǔ)態(tài) 昨天這個(gè)男孩傷著了肩膀。
原譯:The boy wounded his shoulder yesterday.
改譯:The boy’s shoulder was wounded yesterday.
(4)逐字翻譯的錯(cuò)誤或者說(shuō)譯出的是“中式英語(yǔ)”。
例如:“請(qǐng)大家坐好!” 原譯:“Sit well!”
改譯:“Attention, please.”或“May I have your attention?”
在我國(guó)中小學(xué)課堂上,要求學(xué)生坐姿端正,所以經(jīng)常聽(tīng)到老師上課對(duì)學(xué)生說(shuō):“Sit well!”(“坐好!”)。從語(yǔ)言角度談,如果一個(gè)學(xué)生坐姿不好,那應(yīng)該說(shuō):“Sit straight!”。同樣,“站好!”是“Stand straight!”,而不是“Stand well”;從文化上看,它表明不同國(guó)家有著不同的教育習(xí)俗。在西方國(guó)家,就學(xué)生姿勢(shì)而言,只要不是躺著,或靠在別人身上,并不要求坐直。如果課堂秩序不好,老師一般只是說(shuō)“Attention, Please.”或“May I have your attention?”
二、解決問(wèn)題的對(duì)策
提高漢譯英能力的四個(gè)步驟:分析句子的邏輯結(jié)構(gòu),為所譯的句子確定要采用的句型,確定合適的語(yǔ)態(tài)、時(shí)態(tài),確定相應(yīng)準(zhǔn)確的詞匯。
1.邏輯
翻譯首先要分析句子邏輯結(jié)構(gòu),為選擇合適句型準(zhǔn)備。
(1)她看起來(lái)至少要年輕10歲。She looks at least 10 years younger than her age.
(2)他說(shuō)得太快,要跟上他實(shí)在困難。He speaks too fast. It is hard to keep up with him.
2.句型
掌握了幾個(gè)基本的句型,就如同抓住了英語(yǔ)語(yǔ)言的精髓。
(1)宋徽宗與其說(shuō)是一位國(guó)君,不如說(shuō)是一位繪畫(huà)大師。Song Huizong was more of an artist than a king.
(2)他們爬得高,以便看得更遠(yuǎn)。They are climbing higher so that they may get a better view.
(3)我突然想到我們可以用計(jì)算機(jī)來(lái)做這項(xiàng)工作。 It suddenly occurred to me that we could use a computer to do the job.
3.語(yǔ)態(tài)
我們應(yīng)該保護(hù)消費(fèi)者不受欺騙。 We should protect the consumers from being tricked.
4.時(shí)態(tài)
每個(gè)句子都有一個(gè)動(dòng)詞時(shí)態(tài)的問(wèn)題,即該句所表達(dá)的行為是在何時(shí)發(fā)生的。不同的時(shí)間應(yīng)該用不同的時(shí)態(tài)來(lái)表達(dá),而漢語(yǔ)的時(shí)態(tài)通常是用時(shí)間狀語(yǔ)來(lái)表達(dá)的,如昨天、現(xiàn)在、將來(lái)等,動(dòng)詞則不發(fā)生變化。由于英漢語(yǔ)言的這種差異,漢譯英時(shí)往往容易忽略而出錯(cuò)。
(1)那個(gè)國(guó)家的氣候除了七月以外都是很溫和的。The climate of that country is mild except in July.
(2)他從小就雙目失明。 He has gone blind since he was young.
(3)那男孩子一躍而起,沖出了房子。The boy jumped to his feet and rushed out of the house.
(4)如果希特勒沒(méi)有上臺(tái),歷史的進(jìn)程就會(huì)不一樣了。 If Hitler hadn't come into power, the course of history might have been different.
5.詞匯
首先一定要分辨出漢語(yǔ)句子中單詞的準(zhǔn)確含義,其次在選擇英語(yǔ)詞匯時(shí)一定要看準(zhǔn)詞性,然后再運(yùn)用到譯文中。
(1)他們決定放棄不再找了,因?yàn)樗麄冋伊艘粋(gè)星期,什么也沒(méi)找到。
誤譯:They decided to give up the find, because they have found for a week and nothing was found.
英語(yǔ)中“find”的詞義是強(qiáng)調(diào)找沒(méi)找到的結(jié)果,而不是強(qiáng)調(diào)尋找這個(gè)動(dòng)作,look for 才是尋找。所以此句前兩個(gè)“find”應(yīng)該用“search”和“l(fā)ook for”,而“search”強(qiáng)調(diào)尋找的難度和認(rèn)真度。
正確翻譯:They decided to give up the search because they had looked for it for a week and had found nothing.
(2)他愛(ài)人去機(jī)場(chǎng)給他送行。
誤譯:His love went to the airport to see him off. love一般是指戀人、情人,句中的愛(ài)人明顯是 指妻子。
正確翻譯:His wife went to the airport to see him off.