翻译理论与实践 Lecture 5 Chapter4

English-Chinese Translation

Lecture Five：Chapter Four Conversion(转换法)

【Teaching Aims】

1. To let Ss know about the theoretical basis for the translation technique: conversion

2. To direct Ss into using conversion in translation 【Teaching Contents】

1. Part 1: Specimen Reading for Comments 2. Part 2: Conversion of Word Classes

3. Part 3: Conversion of Sentence Members 4. Part 4: Conversion of Impersonal Subjects 5. Part 5: Conversion of Perspective 6. Part 6: Assignments

Specimen Reading for Comments: How to Grow Old (Excerpts)(P117)

【Teaching Emphasis and Difficulty】Conversion of Impersonal Subjects and

perspective

【Teaching steps】

Part 1 Specimen Reading for Comments

Bertrand Russell

The best way to overcome the fear of death—so at least it seems to me—is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life. An individual human existence should be like a river—small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past rocks and over waterfalls.

克服怕死念头的最好办法．至少在我看来，就是逐步扩大你的兴趣，并使更加脱离个人所关心的事情，直到禁锢自我的壁垒退渐步步隐退．直到你的生命越来越同大千世界的生命融合在一起。个人的存在应当像一条河---起初狭小，局限在自已的河岸之间，然后激越地流过巨砺，冲下悬崖。

怎样才能活到老（节录）

罗素

Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being. The man who, in old age, can see his life in this way, will not suffer from the fear of death, since the things he cares for will continue. (From Portraits from Memory and Other Essays)

河逐渐越流越宽广，河岸越来越后退，水流也越来越平静，最后和大海融为一体，分不出任何界线，毫无痛苦地失去了自我的存在。如果一个老年人能以这样的态度来看待生命，他就

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是不会怕死，因为他所关心的一切将会继续下去。《译自《记忆中的肖像及其他》）

Part 2 Conversion of Word Classes

4.1.1 English Nouns and Adjectives into Chinese Verbs and Adverbs

In English: Abstract nouns (denoting actions, manners, qualities, feelings, etc.) or gerunds are often used for verbs.

The nominal style（名词化表达法)

In Chinese: Two or more verbs instead of abstract nouns are usually used together or separately in one sentence.

The verbal style（动词化表达法)

Translation: English nouns into Chinese verbs

English adjectives into Chinese adverbs

Examples： English Nouns and Adjectives into Chinese Verbs and Adverbs

1. All peace-loving people demand the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons.

一切爱好和平的人民都要求全面禁止核武器，彻底销毁核武器。（cf.核武器的全面的禁止和彻底的销毁）

2. Ford's first pledge was, \．” 福特一开始就保证说，“总统先生，我支持你，并效忠于你。”（cf.你有我的支持和我的效忠）

3. Speakers called for the liberation of the oppressed of the world. 发言人表示要解放世界上的被压迫者。

4. They took a final look at Iron Mike, still intact in the darkness.

他们最后看了铁麦克一眼--它依旧安然无恙地耸立在黑暗中。

5. He was a clever man; a pleasant companion; a careless student; with a great propensity for running into debt, and a partiality for the tavern. (Vanity Fair)

他是个聪明人，谈吐非常风趣，可是学习又不肯用苦功，他老是东挪西借，又喜欢上酒店喝酒。

6. Talking with his son, the old man was the forgiver of the young man's past wrong doings. 在和儿子谈话时，老人宽恕了年轻人过去所干的坏事。

Examples： English Nouns & Adjectives into Chinese Verbs & Adverbs 4.1.2 Conversion from English Adjective into Chinese Verbs

English adjectives derived from verbs，adjectives denoting feelings, wishes, physical or mental perceptions, etc,, when used with linking verbs, are often converted into Chinese verbs. Examples:

1. You are ignorant of the duties you undertake in marrying. 你完全不懂你在婚姻方面应承担的责任。 2. I am out fifty dollars. 我亏了/损失五十美元。

3.The following plan may become available during the next decade. 下列计划在10年间可能实现。

4.1.3 Conversion from English Prepositions into Chinese Verbs

English ：There are about 286 prepositions and prepositional phrases

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Chinese ：30 prepositions, which are mostly borrowed from their corresponding verbs. Examples:

1. Party officials worked long hours on meager food, in cold caves, by dim lamps.

党的干部每天长时间工作，吃的是粗茶淡饭，住的是冰冷的窑洞，点的是黯淡的油灯。 2. If a man couldn’t walk into a room and tell who was for him and who was against him, then he wasn’t much of a politician.

要是一个人不能在一上任就看出谁支持他．谁反对他．那么他能不配搞政治。 4.1.4 Conversion from English Nouns into Chinese Adjectives 1. O. Henry is the creator of a new short story genre in literature. 欧·亨利在文学上创造了短篇小说的一种新体裁。 2. I have full assurance of the reliability of the information. 我完全相信这个消息是可靠的。

3. When he catches a glimpse of a potential antagonist, his instinct is to win him over with charm and humor.

只要一发现有可能反对他的人，他就本能的要用他的魅力和风趣将这人争取过来。 4.1.5 Conversion from English Verbs into Chinese Nouns Examples:

1. To them, he personified the absolute power. 在他们看来，他就是绝对权利的化身。

2. Formality has always characterized their relationship. 他们之间的关系，有一个特点，就是以礼相待。

3. Wrought-iron behaves differently from iron, which contains a lot of carbon. 熟铁的性能不同于含碳高的生铁。 Practice: drills 4.1.5- 7、9

4.1.6 Conversion from English Adverbs into Chinese Nouns Examples:

1. The blueprint must be dimensionally and proportionally correct. 蓝图的尺寸和比例必须正确。(cf．在尺寸上和比例上必须正确） 2. He is physically weak but mentally sound. 他身体虽弱，但思想健康.

3. Certainly people in enterprises must be mathematically informed if they are to make wise decision.

当然，企业管理人员要想作出明智的决策，就必须懂得数学。 Drills 4.1.6

Part 3 Conversion of Sentence Members

(1) Objects converted into Subject(宾语转成主语)

The conversion of word classes often results in the conversion of sentence members. 1. The road has an ascent of five degrees. 这条路的坡度为五度。

2. The engine has given a consistently good performance. 这台发动机的性能一直很好。

3. This device exhibits high input impedance. 这种器件的输入电阻很高。

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(2) Prepositional Objects converted into Subjects（介词宾语转主语） 1. He is strong of will. 他的意志很坚强。

2. With the introduction of the new method, the products decreased in cost. 引进了新方法，产品的成本降低了。 3. We found a good teacher in Mr. Brown.

我们觉得布朗先生是个好老师。Drills on P115 (5) Subjects converted into Objects(主语转作宾语)

1. Hydrogen is found in many compounds. 许多化合物中都有氢。

2. As the match burns, heat and light are given off. 火柴燃烧时就发出热和光。

3. There is a limit to the acceleration a human being can take without danger to health. 在不危及健康的条件下，人类能够承受的加速度是有一个限度的。

Part 4 Conversion of Impersonal Subjects

4.3.1 Convert Impersonal Subjects into Personal or Other Subjects Examples:

1. Smiles decked the face of Mrs. Bennet. 贝内特夫人满脸笑容。

2. No complaints passed her lip. 她从不抱怨.

3. To make her his queen never entered his mind. 他从来也没有想到要把她娶做皇后。

Drills 4.3.1(Sentence 13, 23, 37) on Page 119

4.3.2 Impersonal Subjects & Split English Sentences into Chinese Complex Examples:

1. The sight of a tailor-shop gave me a sharp longing to shed my rags, and to clothe myself decently once more．

我一看到一家服装店,心里就起了一阵强烈的愿望，很想扔掉这身槛楼的衣服，重新穿得像个样子。

2. His presence would have added only another and needless agony to the last moment of the dying man.

他若在场,也只是给垂死的人在临终时刻多添一阵不必要的痛苦。

3. The combination of this Oriental city's geography and the absence of import taxes has long made Hong Kong the ideal storehouse for transit goods to and from Asia. 由于香港地理位置优越，加上免征各种进口税，这个东方城市长期以来成了各种进出亚州货物的理想中转储运基地。

Drills 4.3.2(Sencence 13, 17, 25) on Page 121

4.3.3 Impersonal Subjects into Chinese Adv. or Prep. Phrases

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Examples:

1. No city on American soil had known such destruction.

在美国国土上,没有一座城市曾经遭受过如此严重的破坏。

2. The year 1959 saw the first appearance of a real flying ship in the world. 1959年,世界上首次出现了一艘真正会飞的船。

3. My conscience told me that I deserved no extraordinary politeness. 凭良心讲,你待我礼貌有加，我却受之有愧。 Drills 4.3.3 on page 122

4.3.4 Impersonal Subjects and Split English Sentences, Simple or Complex, into Chinese Compound or Run-on Sentences Examples:

1. The happiness一the superior advantages of the young women round about her, gave Rebecca inexpressible pangs of envy.

丽贝卡看见她周围的小姐那么福气,享受种种权利，却有说不出的眼红。

2. Its gleaming sands and backdrop of pinewoods and distant hills lend it a pleasant and restful atmosphere.

这儿沙滩闪烁，松林掩映，远山连绵，自有一种心旷神怡的气氛。 Drills 4.3.4(Sentence 10,11,12) on page 123

4.3.5 Impersonal Subjects into Chinese “Extra-position Elements” Examples:

1. The kaleidoscope of shifting interests of the nations during the negotiation made it impossible to sort out the \在谈判期间，各国的利益交化不定,好像万花筒似的，这就使人难以分拼出究竟谁是“胜者”,谁是“输家”。

2. My two great isolating experiences have given me an almost mystical sense of identity with all suffering humanity.

我有过两次不同场合的重要经历，这使我产生了一种几乎带有神秘色彩的同情心而站在一切受苦人一边。

Drills 4.3.5 (Sentence 4.5)

Part 5 Conversion of Perspective 4.4 Conversion of Perspectives

People from different cultures have different perspectives. These differences are reflected in their respective languages and often pose barriers for intercultural communication. To ensure smooth communication between cultures, it is necessary to shift the perspectives in translation.

Conversion of perspective, in its broad sense, refers to any transfer between languages, and in its narrow sense, the conveyance of information from perspectives different from or even opposite to those of the source language. Examples:

1. These are our tasks for the period ahead.

这些是我们今后的任务.(past-orientation vs. future-orientation) 2. She set a good table.

她摆了一桌丰盛的莱肴.(the container vs. the things contained)

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3. He beat her black and blue

他把她打得青一块，紫一块。(different colors) 4. People began to leave the hall by ones and twos. 人们开始三三两两地离开大厅。(different numbers) 5. Students get a discount of 20% on air fares. 学生买机票可打八折。(different angles)

Part 6 Assignments Pre-read Chapter 5

Finish the remaining exercises in Chapter 4 Group 3: Two weeks to make ppt.

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