在翻译实践中,经常会遇到复杂难翻的中文句子。那么,如何翻译复杂的中文句子呢?
一般,在正式翻译这些句子之前,应当按照它的含义,将它划分成不同的部分。比如,翻译“每一个人,作为社会的一个成员,有权享受其人格和尊严的自由发展所必需的社会、经济、文化权利,这些权利是通过国家努力和国际合作来实现的,并且与所在国家的组织、资源、现状相一致。”这个句子,我把它划分成6个部分,请特别注意,第4部分嵌套在第3部分中间。
①每一个人,②作为社会的一个成员,③有权享受 [④其人格和尊严的自由发展所必需的] 社会、经济、文化权利,⑤这些权利是通过国家努力和国际合作来实现的,⑥并且与所在国家的组织、资源、现状相一致。
这样划分之后,就可以将第4、5、6部分翻译成三个定语从句,用来修饰第3部分的最后一个单词rights,请看:
①Everyone
②as a member of society
③is entitled to the social, economic and cultural rights
④which are necessary to the unrestrained development of his/her personality and dignity
⑤which are realized through national effort and international cooperation
⑥which are concordant with the organization, resources and situation of each country.
不过,在英语中,通常是一个定语从句修饰一个名词,很少有三个定语从句修饰一个名词,因此可以将第4部分改写成一个短语,将第5、6部分合并成一个定语句子,请看:
①Everyone
②as a member of society
③is entitled to the social, economic and cultural rights
④necessary to the unrestrained development of his/her personality and dignity
⑤which are realized through national effort and international cooperation and concordant with the organization, resources and situation of each country.
最后,将这5个部分组合起来,就是这个中文句子的英文译文。
Everyone, as a member of society, is entitled to the social, economic and cultural rights necessary to the unrestrained development of his/her personality and dignity, which are realized through national effort and international cooperation and concordant with the organization, resources and situation of each country. |