二、为了意义上的需要
英译汉有时有必要增加合适的动词、形容词或副词,使译文意思明确,例如:
(1) When I came to I was in the water, swimming automatically, though I was about two thirds drowned.
当我清醒过来时,发觉自己在水里,虽然浸得半死,却本能地浮着。(增补动词)(原文虽然没有"发觉",但译者根据上下文增补了它,使译文意思更加明确、表达通顺。)
(2) 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。(译文中增加了三个相应的形容词,形象地描绘出他想象中的欢乐场景,使意思更加明确,表达更加生动。)
(3) 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。
(4) These soon told her,… how easy it was and how little it interfered with life's affairs to go and see one's grave.
这些人不久便告诉她…去看自己亲人的坟墓是多么容易,几乎一点儿也不妨碍日常生活。
(5) The sky is clear blue now the sun has flung diamonds down on meadow and bank and wood.
此时已是万里蓝天,太阳把颗颗光彩夺目的钻石洒向草原,洒向河岸,洒向树林。
有时为了意思明确还必须增加合适的名词或是重复同一名词,例如:
(1) These early cars were slow, clumsy, and inefficient.
这些早期的汽车速度缓慢,行动笨拙,效率不高。(译文中在形容词前分别加上了三个名词,既使译文意思明确,又使它形成四字词组,匀称整齐。)
英语中有一些由动词或形容词派生来的抽象名词,翻译时也可根据上下文在其后增加适当的名词,使译文意思明确、符合汉语的表达习惯。例如:
darkness 漆黑一团
madness 疯狂行为
complacency 自满情绪
backwardness 落后状态
(1) 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。
(2) 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。
有时也有必要增加适当的连词,例如:
(3)Without a sense of your fault, how can repentance and amendment be expected?如果对自己的错误都不认识,怎么能悔恨和改正呢?(增补"如果"使得原含蓄条件句中的隐性含义明白无误。)
三、为了修辞上的需要
为了使译文优美自如、活泼生动或是得到强调,有时有必要重复某些词语或是增加适当的描述词、语气助词、重叠词、承上启下的词、概括词。例如:
(1) Poor little tender heart! And so it goes on hoping and beating, and longing and trusting.
可怜这温柔的小姑娘,一颗心抖簌簌的跳个不停,她左盼右盼,一直想念情人,对他深信不疑。(译文并没有将"hoping and beating"简单地译为"盼望着、跳动着",而是增加了一些描述性的词语来描写少女思念情人的心情,使人如见其人、如听其声,产生了一种可触可摸的立体感觉。)
(2) Their host carved, poured, served, cut bread, talked, laughed, proposed healths.
他们的主人,(又是)割啊,(又是)倒啊,(又是)上菜啊,(又是)切面包啊,(又是)说啊,(又是)笑啊,(又是)敬酒啊,忙个不停。(增加语气助词和概括词语)
(3) Only very slight and very scattering ripples of half-hearted hand-clapping greeted him.
欢迎他的只有几下轻轻地、零零落落、冷冷淡淡的掌声。(叠词)
(4) And her thoughtfulness! If the night was anyway cold or wet or windy there was sure to be a little tumbler of punch ready for him.
她多体贴啊!要是哪天夜里较阴冷、潮湿、或是刮风,她必定要斟好一杯混合甜饮料,等着他来畅饮。(原文And her thoughtfulness!是个感叹句,翻译时增加了副词"多"、语气助词"啊",准确地传达了原文的句式和语气。)
n. 会话,谈话