-
Unit 9
Nominal Clauses
Highlights of the Unit
单元要点概述
Practical Translation Training
实用翻译训练
I. Translation of English Nominal
Clauses
英语名词性从句的翻译
II. Translation of Chinese
Complex Sentences
汉语复句的翻译
Reflections and Practice
思考与练习
BACK
单元要点概述
实用翻译训练英译汉：
The
Difference between a Brain and a Computer
实用翻译训练汉译英：硅谷
I.
英语名词性从句的翻译
1.
主语从句
2.
宾语从句
3.
表语从句
4.
同位语从句
II.
汉语复句的翻译
1.
句子的合并
2.
句序
<
/p>
本单元分析探讨了英语名词性从句的翻译方法及汉语复合句的一般翻译方法。
英语名词性从句可分
为主语从句、宾语从句、表语从句、同位语从句四大类。这些
从句的翻译一般按原文的语
序处理即可，
相对较为容易。
不过，
在
翻译以
为形
式主语、形式宾语的主语从句、宾语从句时，语序往往应颠倒。
本单元重点为同位语从句的翻译。
英语同位语从句的翻译可按这样四种方法来处
理：
1.
保持原本的语序；
2.
译为类似定语的结构或独成一句；
3.
加入冒号、破折
号或
“
这样
”
、
“
这一
”
、
“
即
”
等字眼进行翻译；
4.
改
变原文的同位语结构，用汉语的
无主句或其他方式译出。
汉语不存在类似英语的名词性从句
。汉语的复合句主要分为联合复句和偏正复句两
类。我们在翻译汉语复句时，关键在于抓
住句子的重心，将主要信息译为英语的主
句，其余部分视情况可分别用分词、动名词、不
定式、介词短语等来翻译。与英语
相比，汉语句子较为简短、零散，词序也较为固定，翻译时应
注意句子的合并、语
序的调整。
Practical Translation
Training
1. English-Chinese
Translation
The Difference
between a Brain and a Computer
It is
frequently said that computers solve problems only
because they are
to
do
so.
They
can
only
do
what
men
have
them
do.
One
must
remember
that
human
beings also can only
do what they are
instant the fertilized
ovum is formed, and our potentialities are limited
by that
Our
is
so
mach
more
enormously
complex,
though,
that
we
might
like
to
define
in
terms
of
the
creativity
that
goes
into
writing
a
great
play
or
composing a great
symphony, into conceiving a brilliant scientific
theory or a profound
ethical
judgment.
In
that
sense,
computers
certainly
can't
think
and
neither
can
most
humans.
Surely, though,
if a computer can be made complex enough, it can
be as creative as we
are.
If
it
could
be
made
as
complex
as
a
human
brain,
it
could
be
the
equivalent
of
a
human brain
and do whatever a human brain can do.
To
suppose
anything
else
is
to
suppose
that
there
is
more
to
the
human
brain
that
the
matter that composes it. The brain is
made up of cells in a certain arrangement and the
cells
are
made
up
of
atoms
and
molecules
in
certain
arrangements.
If
anything
else
is
there, no signs of it
have ever been detected. To duplicate the material
complexity of the
brain is therefore to
duplicate everything about it.
But how long will it take
to build a computer complex enough to duplicate
the human
brain?
Perhaps
not
as
long
as
some
think.
Long
before
we
approach
a
complex
as
complex as our brain, we will perhaps
build a computer that is at least complex enough
to
design another computer more complex
than itself. This more complex computer could
design one still more complex and so on
and so on.
In
other words, once we pass a certain critical
point, the computers take over and there is
duplicate the human brain-
but far surpass it.
Notes and Explanations
1. fertilized
ovum
受精卵
, fertilize v.
施肥，使受精
2. in
terms of
以
……
的措辞，用
……
的话
3. goes into
进入（某种状态）
；此处可根据中文表达的需要，分别译作
“
写出
”
、
“
创
作
”
、
“
提出
”
、
“
< br>创立
”
4. In...
sense
从
……
意义上讲
5. it could be the equivalent
of a human brain
它可能与人脑不相上下；注意此句中的
两个
could
，表示虚拟语气
< br>
6.
to
suppose
that
there
is
more
to
the
human
brain
假设人脑还有更多的奥秘；此处
< br>more
为名词
7. If
anything else is there
假如真有别的什么奥秘；此处的
anything
可具体化处理
8. duplicate v.
复制；此句中的两处不定式
to
duplicate
分别作主语和表语
9. approach
向
……
靠近，接近，此处为
“
接近完成
”
之意
10.
critical point
临界点
11. take over
接收；取代
2. Chinese-English
Translation
硅谷犹如一块磁铁，把许许多多天资聪颖的工程师、科学家、企业家从世界各地聚
集到这里，一起追求成名致富，投身于技术革命的大潮，其影响及于人类，必将远
远超过划时代的欧洲文艺复兴和产业革命。
许多国家也有或正在着手建设自己的
“
硅谷
”
，但至今无一威胁到美国硅谷
的领先地
位。美国硅谷与众不同，究竟秘诀何在呢？
首先，硅谷有着世界最大最密集的
优秀电脑专才群体、最佳的后援服务体系，并紧
密联系着斯坦福大学等世界一流的研究机
构，而后者正源源不断地培育出电脑业赖
以发展的明日天才。若缺少这些有利条件，硅谷
的面貌便会大不一样。
Notes and Explanations
1.
硅谷
Silicon Valley
2.
天资聪颖的工程师、
科学家、<
/p>
企业家
talented
engineers
，
scientists and
entrepreneurs
3.
追求成名致富
in search of
fame
，
fast money
4.
划时代的欧洲文艺复兴
the epoch-making
European Renaissance
5.
着手建设
in the process of
creating /setting up
6.
美国硅谷的领先地位
the preeminence of
the U. S. prototype
7.
最密集的<
/p>
……
群体
the largest
concentration of
8.
后援服务体系
supporting services
9.
斯坦福大学
Stanford
University
10.
源源不断地培育
continually
nurture/cultivate/foster
11.
明日天才
would-be geniuses
English
subordinate
clauses
are
classified
into
six
groups
，
namely
，
subject
clauses
，
objective
clauses
，
predicati
ve
clauses
，
apposi
tive
clauses
，
attr
ibutive
clauses
，
and
adverbial clauses. Since the first four
of them function as nouns in a complex
sentence
，
they are generally
called nominal clauses. And here are some nominal
clauses from the
above Practical
Translation Training:
●
It
is
frequently
said
that
computers
solve
problems
only
because
t
hey
are
（
subject
clause
）
人们常说，电脑之所
以能解决问题，只是
因为给它们输入了解决问题的
“
程序
”
。
● They can only do what men have them
do.
（
objective
clause
）
它们只能做人让它们
做的事。
● One must remember that human beings
also can only do what they are
to
do.
（
objective
clause
）
我们应该记住，人类
同样也只能按
“
程序
”
办事。
● It could be the
equivalent of a human brain and do whatever a
human braid can
do.
（
objective clause
< br>）它就能与人脑旗鼓相当，完成人脑所能做的一切。
●
To suppose anything else is to suppose that there
is more to the human brain t
han the
matter that composes
it.
（
predicative clause
）如果还要设想别的什么的话，那就是假
设人脑除了构成它的物质之外，还有
更多的奥秘。
In this section we ace going to find
some specific methods of translating nominal
clauses.
Besides
，
we'll
touch on the translation of Chinese complex
sentences.
I. Translation of English
Nominal Clauses
1. Subject Clauses
1) Subject
Clauses Introduced by Pronouns
These clauses include such
pronouns as what
，
whatever
，
whoever
，
etc. and when they are
translated into
Chinese, they may generally remain their original
position.
●
What he told me was only half
-truth.
他告诉我的只是半真半假的东西而已。
● Whatever he saw and heard on his trip
gave him a very deep impression.
他此行所见<
/p>
所闻都给他留下了深刻的印象。
●
Whoever comes to our publ
ic. reference
library will be welcome.
什么人到我们公共
参考图书馆来都受欢迎。
2
）
In
this case
，
the subject
clauses may either precede or follow the principal
clauses.
● It
doesn't make much difference whethe
r he
attends the meeting or not.
他参不参加会
议都没多大关系。
● It seemed inconceivable that the
pilot could have survived the crash.
驾驶
员在飞机坠
毁之后竟然还能活着，这看来是不可想像的事。
● It is strange that she should have
failed to see her own shortcomings.
真奇怪，她竟然
没有看出自己的缺点。
●
It is rumored that the
meeting will be held in June.
据传闻，这次会议将在六月举行。
2. Object
Clauses
Generally
speaking,
there
is
no
need
to
change
the
position
of
the
object
clauses
in
translation.
However
，
in
some
cases
，
when
functions
as
the
formal
object
of
a
complex
sentence
，
or
sometimes
，
preceded
by
a
preposition
，
a
change
of
order
is
necessary
：
● I understand
that he is well
qualified
，
but I feel that he
needs more experience.
我知道
他完
全够条件，但我觉得他需要更多的经验。
● I take
it for granted
that you will come and
talk the matter over with him.
我理所当然
地认为，你会来跟他谈这件事的。
● I
regard it as an honor that I am chosen to attend
the meeting.
我被选参加会议，感到
十分荣幸。
● We have no definite information yet
as to which route he will take.
关于他将走哪条
路线，我们还没有确切的消息。
3. Predicative
Clauses
English predicative
clauses
，
like object
clauses
，
are generally
translated without changing
their
original position.
● This is where the shoe pinches.
这就是问题的症结所在了。
●
Things are not always as th
ey seem to
be.
事物并不总是如其表象。
●
His view of the press was that the reporters were
either for him or against him.
他对新
闻界的看法是，记者们不是支持他，就是反对他。
4. Appositive
Clauses
Apposition
，
a
state of affairs in grammar in which one simple
sentence contains two or
more noun
phrases that describe the same person or the same
thing and are used in the
same
way
，
appears more frequently
in English than in Chinese. The following methods
are usually used to translate
appositive clauses.
1) Keeping the Original Order
● He expressed
the hope that he would come over to visit China
again.
他表示希望能再
来中国访问。
● We are not investigating the question
whether he is trustworthy.
我们不是在调查他是
否可以信任的问题。
● She had
no idea why she thought of him
s
uddenly.
她不明白自己为什么突然想到了
他。
2) Converting
into an Attributive Order or an Independent Clause
●
Yet
，
from the
beginning
，
the fact that I
was alive was ignored.
然而，从一开始，我
仍活着这个事实却偏偏被忽视了。
●
They
were
very
suspicious
of
the
assumption
t
hat
he
would
rather
kill
himself
than
surrender.
对于他宁愿自杀也不投降这种假设，他们是很怀疑的。
● It does not alter the fact that he is
the man responsible for the delay.
迟延应由
他负责，
这个事实是改变不了的。
3
）
Using
Punctuation Marks or Specific Words
Punctuation marks such as
colon
，
dash or such
expressions as“
这样
”
，
“
这种
”
，
“
这一
”
，
“
即
”
，
etc.
，
are usually
used to introduce appositive clauses.
● But considering
realistically
，
we had to face
the fact that our prospects were less than
good.
但是现实地考虑一下，我们不得不正视这样一个事
实：我们的前景并不妙。
● And there was
the possibility that a small electrical spark
might accidentally bypass the
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