(一)一词多义 同一个词,由于语境不同,其词义可千差万别。试看下面几个例子: 1) He got all the credit for the discovery. 2) The ledger shows 300 pounds on the debit side and 50 pounds on the credit side. 3) The availability of cheap long term credit would help small businesses. 4) They sold grain on credit during time of famine. 5) How much do I have to my credit? 6) They cannot obtain credit at all in the trade. 7) They have opened the covering credit with the Bank of China, London.
只要翻开一般词典,我们就可知道,一词多义是语言普遍现象。因此,根据不同语境正确选词是翻译一项最基本技能。再看几个汉译英例子: 1)价廉物美 2)我们不销售廉价质次货物。 3)我们已按很低价格向你们报盘。 4)你们将会看出我们这批货物价格是很便宜。 5)请报体温表最低价。 6)对我们业务建议如有兴趣,请寄样品,并告最惠条款。 7)我们报价已是最低价,折扣不能再多给了。 以上七个句子都涉及到“价格低”这么一个概念,但若要译得贴切,却可能须用不同词来表达。试译如下: 1) fine and inexpensive 2) We do not sell cheap quality goods. 3) We have made you an offer at a very competitive price. 4) You will find our prices for these goods very popular. 5) Please make us your lowest quotation for Clinical Thermometers. 6) If you feel interest in our business proposal, please send us the samples together with your best terms and conditions. 7) As we have quoted you our rock-bottom price, we can’t give you any more discount.
(二)词义引伸 在英汉互译中,有时会遇到某些词在词典上难以找到贴切具体上下文词义,如生搬硬套,译文往往语意不清,甚至导致误解。在这种情况下,需要根据上下文和逻辑关系,从该词固有基本含义出发,进一步加以引伸。例如: 1) We have an interest for your athletic goods. 2) To cover our shipment, we would request you to establish a commercial letter of credit in our favour for the contracted amount through an American Bank. 3) We enclose a list showing our present availabilities. 4) The arrivals do not conform to the sample. You must have shipped the wrong parcel. 5) It is one of the most useful of the household conveniences. 6) We insist that international trade should not be a one-way street. 7) Oil prices came tumbling down, brightening the outlook for inflation and.