英译汉中的分译与合译

分译与合译是一种翻译技巧的两个侧面.有分则有合,有合必有分,分分合合,或交替使用,或同时采纳.

一、 分译

所谓分译,即根据行文要求,将一句译成几句.分译法,亦称化整为零法.

1. 将原文中的某一部分抽出来,单独译成一句.

(1) The year 1983 began—and ended—with an unusual oil crisis: fears that the price of crude oil would not go up but down. 1983年新年伊始,就存在着一种异乎寻常的石油危机:人们担心原油价格要下降,而不是上扬.这一年结束的时候,情况依然如故.

(2) This exquisite harmony between nature and man explains in part the enchantment of the older Britain , in which whole towns fitted snugly into the landscape, as if they were no more than bits of woodland. 自然和人和谐无比,这正是英国从前的部分魅力所在.当时的英国,整个城镇就像片片树林一样,巧妙地融入风景画里.

2. 将较长的一句分译为数句.

Her boyfriend has recently returned home from Long Island and he told her of the house where he was boarded, and lodged, a red-tiled bungalow, on a little hill, over-looking the blue sea, with a large, shady garden behind it. 她的男友刚从长岛回家不久.他跟她谈起了那座供他食宿的房子.那是一幢坐落在小山上的红瓦平房,俯视着蓝色的大海,房后还有一个绿树成荫的花园.

3. 将一词分译成不同的表达方式.

(1) The magazine was ably and eloquently conducted, and the general tenor of its articles was to urge on the national economy. 这家杂志经营得宜,立论令人信服,文章的主旨是促进国民经济的发展.

(2) Some Americans pop across the border simply to fuel up on flavorful Mexican food and beer. 一些美国人匆匆越过边界,只是为了吃点可口的墨西哥食品,喝点味美的墨西哥啤酒.

二、 合译

合译法亦称化零为整法,主要是根据行文紧凑、简练的原则,将两句或数句并译成一句.

1. 把原文中的两个或两个以上的简单句译成一个单句.

(1)This novel is of no GREat literary merit. It is merely a pot-boiler. 这部小说纯属胡编乱造,没有多大文学价值.

(2)A man in a newish suburb feels that he has one foot in the city and one in the country. As this is the kind of compromise he likes , he is happy. 住在新郊区的人,觉得一只脚在城里,一只脚在乡下,非常开心,因为这种城乡妥协之地是他喜欢的.

2. 把原文中的主从复合句译成一个单句.

(1)He liked his sister, who was warm and pleasant, but he did not like his brother, who was aloof and arrogant.他喜欢热情文雅的妹妹,而不喜欢冷漠高傲的哥哥.

(2)When I negotiate , I get nervous. When I get nervous, I eat. 谈判时我总是紧张.紧张时我就吃东西.

3. 把原文中的并列复合句译成一个单句.

The time was 10:30, and traffic on the street was light. 十点三十分的时候,街上来往的车辆稀少了.

三、 分合并举

翻译是一项综合思维活动,因此,翻译方法的采用也往往不是单一的,而是几种方法同时并用,相辅相成.分合并举,就是如此.请看下面的例子:

1. Confucius was a believer in moral action and in what we today call human development. He advocated the establishment of harmony within the social order. 孔夫子信仰道德行为,信仰我们今天所说的人的发展,提倡在社会秩序内建立和谐.

文中的believer被分译成两个"信仰",而"提倡"构成的动宾结构代替了原文的第二句,与第一句合并,共用一个主语.

2. Although the size of the task waiting to be carried out is daunting and there are many hurdles to be overcome, it would be wrong to end my address on a note of pessimism. Many countries have already made considerable proGREss in this regard. 尽管等待我们去完成的任务规模之大令人畏惧,尽管有许多障碍有待克服,但是以悲观的调子来结束我的发言是错误的,因为许多国家在此方面已经取得了长足的进步。

先将although分译,再将第二句合译进第一句,并明确前后部分的主从关系。