1. 句子内部指代的翻译
当代词与其所指代的对象在同一划线句中时,一般来可以将代词译为相对应的代词。但是如果前面出现多个名词,而且从数量、性质等方面很难判断代词的指代,则最好将代词翻译成相对应的名词。
98 71) But even more important, it was the farthest that scientists had been able to look into the past, for what they were seeing were the patterns and structures that existed 15 billion years ago.
结构分析:这是一个复合句. But even more important是整个句子的状语,it was the farthest是主句,that scientists had been able to look into the past是修饰the farthest的定语从句,for引导原因状语从句(参见1995年71题),在这个状语从句中,what they were seeing是主语从句,were the patterns and structures是状语从句中的系表结构,that existed…是修饰名词patterns and structures的定语从句。
译 文: 但更为重要的是,这是科学家们所能观察到的最遥远的过去的景象,因为他们看到的是150亿年前宇宙云的形状和结构。
01 71) There will be television chat shows hosted by robots, and cars with pollution monitors that will disable them when they offend.
结构分析:这是一个复合句。There will be television chat shows hosted by robots, and cars with pollution monitors是主句,其中hosted by robots是过去分词短语做television chat shows的后置定语,with pollution monitors是介词短语修饰cars;that will disable them是定语从句,修饰pollution monitors ;when they offend是时间状语从句,修饰动词disable。
译 文: 届时,将出现由机器人主持的电视谈话节目以及装有污染监控器的汽车,一旦这些汽车排
污超标(违规),监控器就会使其停驶。
01 74) But that, Pearson points out, is only the start of man-machine integration:"It will be the beginning of the long process of integration that will ultimately lead to a fully electronic human before the end of the next century.
结构分析:这是一个复合句。But that is only the start of man-machine integration是主句,其中有一个插入语Pearson points out。It will be the beginning of the long process of integration是直接引语中的主句,that引导定语从句修饰名词integration, before the end of the next century是介词短语作状语。.
译 文: 但皮尔森指出,这个突破仅仅是人机一体化的开始:"它是人机一体化漫长之路的第一步,最终会使人们在下世纪末之前就研制出完全电子化的仿真人。"
2. 句外指代的翻译
A.对于指代具体某个或几个名词的词,一定要搞清楚他指代的内容,译文中用代词表示不清的就用名词来表达,哪怕是罗嗦一点也一定要多用名词,只有在明显清楚或者找不到合适的名词才用代词。P8-74
01 74) But that, Pearson points out, is only the start of man-machine integration: "It will be the beginning of the long process of integration that will ultimately lead to a fully electronic human before the end of the next century.
结构分析:这是一个复合句。But that is only the start of man-machine integration是主句,其中有一个插入语Pearson points out。It will be the beginning of the long process of integration是直接引语中的主句,that引导定语从句修饰名词integration, before the end of the next century是介词短语作状语。.
译 文: 但皮尔森指出,这个突破仅仅是人机一体化的开始:"它是人机一体化漫长之路的第一步,最终会使人们在下世纪末之前就研制出完全电子化的仿真人。"
02 64)They are the possessions of the autonomous (self-governing) man of traditional theory, and they are essential to practices in which a person is held responsible for his conduct and given credit for his achievements.
结构分析:这是一个复合句。主句是由两个并列的分句构成的:They are…, and they are;in which引导定语从句,修饰practices,其中is held responsible for … and given credit for …并列做定语从句的谓语,given前面省略了助动词is。
译 文: 自由和尊严(它们)是传统理论定义的自主人所拥有的,是要求一个人对自己的行为负责并因其业绩而给予肯定的必不可少的前提。
B. 若是代词指代的内容为前面的某个句子,需要总结,则在翻译的时候可以以模糊对模糊,根据具体情况将该代词译为“这种问法,这种说法,这个问题,这种做法…”P7-71
97 71) Actually, it isn't, because it assumes that there is an agreed account of human rights, which is something the world does not have.
结构分析:这是一个多重复合句。Actually,是副词做状语,修饰整个句子,it isn't,是主句,在because引导的原因状语从句中,that引导宾语从句,which引导非限制性定语从句修饰名词an agreed account,而the world does not have是省略了从句引导词that的定语从句,修饰something。
译 文: 事实并非如此,因为这种问法是以人们对人的权利有共同认识为基础的,而这种共同认识并不存在。
“It isn't”看来非常简单,但真正翻译起来却不那么容易,因为它有两个难点:一是代词It指代什么?二是Isn’t 后面省略了什么?如果只是译成简单的“它不是”,译者和读者恐怕都会觉得莫名其妙。前面说过,弄清楚代词的指代内容一定要参见前文,而现在句中还有省略,那就更应该参见前文了。前面说“动物有权利吗?问题经常这样提出,这种提问方式听上去是一种有用的、能把问题讲清楚的开场白。” 句中的it 应该和前文中提到的it一样都表示“这种提问”,isn’t后面省略的内容也应该和前句的一样。因此这个句子补充完整之后就成了it isn’t a useful, ground-clearing way to start.由于表语太长,重复显得罗嗦,我们这里可以抓住最关键的词,而形容词ground-clearing(把问题讲清楚的)正好是这个关键词,所以补充的简单一点就是it isn’t a ground-clearing way,译成“这种提问并没有把问题讲清楚”。