二.怎样处理主谓搭配?
有时如果译文照搬原文的主谓搭配会感到很别扭,这就是需要变动一下主语。一种常见的办法是到主语部分中的定语里找一个词来作主语,后面的谓语可能好安排一点。
例6.我国经济发展分三步走,本世纪走两步,达到温饱和小康,下个世纪用三十年到五十年时间再走一步,达到中等发达国家的水平。
China is developing its economy in three steps. Two steps will be taken in this century, to reach the point where our people have adequate food and clothing and lead a fairly comfortable life. The third step, which will take us 30 to 50 years into the next century, is to reach the level of the moderately developed countries.
例7.我国的经济发展,总要力争隔几年上一个台阶。
In developing the economy, we should strive to reach a higher level every few years.
例8.同时,我们的对外开放采取了多种方式,包括搞经济特区,开放十四个沿海城市。
In the meantime, we have implemented the policy of opening China to the outside world in many ways, including setting up special economic zones and opening 14 coastal cities.
例9.改革开放以来,我们立的章程并不少,而且是全方位的。经济、政治、科技、教育、文化、军事、外交等各个方面都有明确的方针和政策,而且有准确的表述语言。
Sine we introduced the reform and the open policy, we have drawn up many rules and regulations covering all fields of endeavor. Clear-cut guidelines and policies concerning economic and political affairs, science and technology, education, culture and military and foreign affairs have been worked out and expressed in precise terms.
这四个例子,原文的主语分别是“我国经济发展”、“我国的经济发展”、“我们的对外开放”和“我们立的章程”。译文若保持原文的主语,后面的谓语就很难安排。现在译文用China和we作主语,例9的第二句把宾语变为主语,这样后面的谓语就好安排了。看来,把主语部分中的定语拿出来作主语,不失为一个好办法。
另一个办法是根据上下文来确定或引入一个词语作主语,以与后面的谓语形成较好的搭配,使句子读起来顺畅。
例10.改革开放迈不开步子,不敢闯,说来说去就是怕资本主义的东西多了,走了资本主义道路。要害是姓“资”还是姓“社”的问题。
The reason some people hesitate to carry out the reform and the open policy and dare not break new ground is, in essence, that they’re afraid it would mean introducing too many elements of capitalism and, indeed, taking the capitalist road. The crux of the matter is whether the road is capitalist or socialist.
例11.农业实行多种经营,因地制宜,该种粮食的地方种粮食,该种经济作物的地方种经济作物,不仅粮食大幅度增长,经济作物也大幅度增长。
By diversifying agriculture in accordance with local conditions, the peasants have grown grain and cash crops in places suited to them and have substantially increased the output of both.
例12.社会主义发展生产力,成果是属于人民的。
Under socialism, when the productive forces are developed, the result belongs to the people.
例13.电视一打开,尽是会议。
Every time you turn on the television, you see a meeting being held.
这四个例子,主语都不长,都没有定语,但在译文中保持原文的主谓搭配也是不可能的。从英语的角度看,“改革开放”怎能“迈步子”?“农业”怎能“实行多种经营”?“社会主义”怎能“发展生产力”?“电视”自己也不能“打开”。例10,从上下文看,说的是一部分人的情况,因此译文加了some people作主语,后半句加they作主语也就顺理成章了。第二句“姓‘资’还是姓‘社’”前面缺一个主语。既然前面一句已经提到the capitalist road,第二句译文以the road作主语就很方便了。例11加了the peasants作主语统管全句,和后面的谓语也就容易接上了。例12确定把原文的宾语“生产力”作为主语,后接被动语态。例13引进you作主语统管全句,读起来通顺自然。若一个主语能管到底,中间最好不要换主语,英语非常重视这一点。
例14.不搞争论,是我的一个发明。不争论,是为了争取时间干。一争论就复杂了,把时间都争掉了,什么也干不成。
It was my idea to discourage contention, so as to have more time for action. Once disputes begin, they complicate matters and waste a lot of time. As a result, nothing is accomplished.
此例原文有三句话,译文也是三句,但作了调整。第一句的译文用了引词it作形式主语,后面的动词不定式才是真实主语。第二句译成目的状语,与第一句合并。鉴于第一句已经用了contention一词,第三句译文就用disputes作主语了。此例还有一点值得注意。“争论”一词在原文里出现三次,译文却只用了一个contention,一个disputes,避免了重复。
例15.基本路线要管一百年,动摇不得。
We should adhere to the basic line for a hundred years, with no vacillation.
最后这个例子最精彩。若在译文里保持“基本路线”作主语,要为谓语动词“管”字在英语里找一个对应词可就太难了。万般无奈,只好重新组织句子。结果就是现在这个译文。译者引入we作主语,动词也作相应的调整,用adhere to,把the basic line作宾语。前边的we把后边的with no vacillation也管住了。这句译文既简单,又流畅,实在太妙了。
以上译例均出自《邓小平文选》第三卷。口语体的文章最能体现英汉两种语言在主谓搭配方面的差异。为写此文,我重读了第三卷中的一些文章。我过去教学时用过这些文章,现在读来倍感亲切。《邓小平文选》英译本是由中央编译局翻译出版的。这是一个很好的译本,原文语言生动,译文也可以说是处处到位,从事汉英翻译工作的同志不可不读。你读过了吗?