-
“
是
”
字句的翻译
p>
“
是
”
字在汉语语法中称为判断词。
“
是
”
字句在汉语中占有非常重要的位置,可表示等同、类
属、存在、特征、让步、加强语义等多种意义,翻译成英语时也有许多选择,值得注意。
一、
“
是
”
字译为
“be”
< br>主语
+
系动词
+
表语是英语五大基本句型之一,而
be
在系动词中使用
频率最高。因此大多汉
语中的
“
是
p>
”
,英语译成
be
。
英语句子结构:
SV / SVO/ SVOO/
SBP/ SVOC/ SVC
武汉是湖北省的省会,是华
中地区工业、金融、商业、科技、文化教育的中心。
Wuhan, as the capital of Hubei
Province, is also the center of industry, trade,
science, culture and
education in the
area of the country.
原文用了两个
“
是
”
,均表示等同。
< br>
十亿多人口的中国是个巨大的市场,与各国的经济合
作有着广阔的前景。
Represent/embody/constitute
With
a
population
of
over
1.3
billion,
China
itself
represents
a
huge
market
that
holds
great
potential for countries looking for
economic cooperation.
原文中
“
p>
是
”
是表示特征的。
我不是不懂,是不想说。
Not that I didn’t understand it, but
that I didn’t want to say anything.
原文中,
“
不是
”<
/p>
的意思并非否定,而是用来加强
“
不懂<
/p>
”
的语义;后面的
“
是
”
用来加强
“
< br>不想
说
”
的语义。
这些电子计算机是新华公司制造的。
These computers were made by Xinhua
Company.
“
是
”
与
“
的
”
配合表示被动,翻译时要用被动语态。
是人,就会犯错误。
To err
is human.
原文中的
“
是<
/p>
”
的意思为
“
凡
是
”
,译文套用了英文成语
“To
err is human.”
来表示
“
人非圣贤,孰
能无过?
”
的含义。<
/p>
然而,不必凡
“
是
”
皆译
be
。现代汉语中,
“
是
”
字使用频率甚高,这要求我们在汉译英时力戒
照搬,力求有所变化;而汉语遣
词造句过程中的
“
是
”
字,除了表示判断之外,还可能根据它
所依托的主旨语境表达出多种意义来,<
/p>
这就为我们汉译英时使用不同动词来表示
“
是
”
字的所
指提供了可能性。
二、
“
是
”
译为
remain/stay
,表示
continue to
be
的意义
实现工业化仍然是我国现代化进程中艰巨的历史任务。
It
remains
an
arduous
historical
task
in
the
process
of
our
modernization
drive
to
accomplish
industrialization.
扩大就业是我国当前和今后长时期重大而艰巨的任务。
The task of increasing employment is
arduous now and will remain so for a long time to
come.
和平与发展仍是当今时代的主题。维护和平,<
/p>
促进发展,
事关各国人民的福祉,是各国人民
的共同愿望,也是不可阻挡的历史潮流。
Peace
and development remain the themes of our era. To
preserve peace and promote development
bears
on
the
well-being
of
all
nations
and
represents
the
common
aspirations
of
all
people.
It
constitutes an
irresistible trend of history.
除
remain
一词外,译文中还活用了
represe
nt
一词,其词义是
correspond
to
sth.
in
essence
(
与
……
本质上符合
)
,与
common aspiration
构成动词和宾语的搭配,既避免
了三个
“
是
”
字的
机械性重复,又文从意顺,准确地传达了原文中的信息。
三、
“
是
”<
/p>
译为
constitute
,表示
make up
,
form
< br>的意义
以上十条,是党领导
人民建设中国特色社会主义必须坚持的基本经验。
The
above-mentioned
10
principles
constitute
the
basic
experience
the
Party
must
follow
as
it
leads the
people in building socialism with Chinese
characteristics.
党的基层组织是党的全部工作和战斗力的基础。
The primary organizations of the Party
serve as/function as/play the role of/act as/
its foundation
for doing all its work and building up
its combat effectiveness.
Serve
as/function as/act as/
Play the role of
…
The primary organizations
of the Party constitute its foundation for doing
all its work and building
up its combat
effectiveness.
建立健全同经济发展水平相
适应的社会保障体系,是社会稳定和国家长治久安的重要保证。
Establishing
and
improving
a
social
security
system
compatible
with
the
level
of
economic
development constitute an important
guarantee for social stability and long-term peace
and order
in the country.
上述
三句的共同之处在于,
“
是
”
字的功用是
“
构成
”<
/p>
、
“
形成
”
p>
、
“
组成
”
的意思。
四、
“<
/p>
是
”
译为
ser
ve
或
serve as
实现两岸直接通邮、通航和通商,是两岸同胞的共同利益所在。
As the direct links of
mail
,
air and shipping
services
,
and trade across
the Taiwan Straits serve
/represent/embody / (are where) the
interests of the compatriots on both sides (lie).
句中,
serve
< br>的意思是
comply with (
符合
)
,而
“serve the interests
”
正是
“
是共同利益所在
”
。
这是实现现代化建设
第三步战略目标必经的承上启下的发展阶段,
也是完善社会主义市场经
< br>济体制和扩大对外开放的关键阶段。
The
two
decades
of
development
will
serve
as
an
inevitable
connecting
link
for
attaining
the
third-step
strategic
objectives
for
our
modernization
drive/campaign
as
well
as
a
key
stage
to
improving the socialist market economy
and opening wider to the outside world.
句中,
serve
as
的意思是
function or act as (
p>
充当
)
,译者把
“
是
”
、
“
p>
也是
”
合一,由
w
ill serve as
统领
inevitable
connecting link
和
a key stage<
/p>
,重在说明新世纪头二十年的重要性,准确地表
达了原文的信息焦
点。
五、
“
是
”
译为
mean
,
refer to/stand for/be defined as/be
interpreted as/
表示
signify(
意指,意谓
)
的意思
与时俱进,就是党的全部理论和工作要体现时代性,把握规律
性,富于创造性。
Keeping pace with
the times (refers to/stands for/ the fact that)
means that all the theory and work
of
the Party must conform to the
times
,
follow the law of
development and display great creativity.
团结就是力量,团结就是胜利。
Solidarity means
strength
;
Solidarity means
victory.
效率就是金钱,时间就是生命,坚持就是胜利。
Efficiency means money. Time
means/refers to life. Perseverance means/stands
for/can be defined
as victory.
Efficiency means money, time life and
perseverance victory.
六、
“
是
”
的其他译法
创新是一个民族的灵魂,是一个国家兴旺发达的不竭动力,也
是一个政党永葆生机的源泉。
Innovation sustains the progress of a
nation. It remains/serves as/ an inexhaustible
motive force
for the prosperity of a
country and the source of eternal vitality of a
political party.
党的领导主要是政治、思想和组织领导。
Leadership
by
the
Party
mainly
refers
to/can
be
defined
as
its
political,
ideological
and
organizational
leadership.
我们党的最大政治优势是密切联系
群众,党执政后的最大危险是脱离群众。
The
biggest political advantage of our Party lies in
its close ties with the masses while the biggest
potential danger for it as a ruling
party comes from its divorce from them.
细读原文,两个
“
< br>是
”
字确实表示的是
“
在于
”
、
“
来自
”
之意。
就业是民生之本。
Employment has a
vital bearing on /bears on/ the people’s
livelihood.
“
民生之本
”
,
就是人
民赖以谋生的根基。
它不同于
“
水有源
,
木有本
”
之
“
本
”(a tree has its root)
,
也不同于
“
胜利之本
”
之
“
本
p>
”(the foundation of
victory)
。
have a
bearing on
意思是
have relation t
o(
与
……
有关系
)
,
这种译法,
体现的不仅仅是译
好
“
是
”
字的
技巧。
地区性冲突仍然是世界安全与稳定的威胁。
译法
1.
Regional
conflicts
still
pose/constitute/form/make
up/
threats
to
the
security
and
stability
of
the
world.
译法
2.
Regional
conflicts are still challenging the security and
stability of the world.
Regional
conflicts are still setting a challenge to the
security and stability of the world.
Regional conflicts are still
threatening the security and stability of the
world.