1) You(主) have heard(谓)it (形宾)repeated (宾补) that{宾从(1)} men of science work by means of induction and deduction,that{宾从(2)} by the help of these operations,they,in a sort of sense,manage to extract from mature certain matural laws,and that{宾从(3)} out of these,by some special skill of their own,they build up their theories.你们多次听说过,科学家是用归纳法和演绎法工作的,他们用这种方法,在某种意义上说,力求从自然界找出某种自然规律,然后他们根据这些规律,用自己的某种非同一般的本领,建立起他们的理论。 分析:该句为复合句,主要结构为"主-谓--宾-宾补"。主句中的it是形式宾语,代替后面三个由that引导的平行宾语从句。词组by means of意为"借助于";in a sort of sense 为插入语,意思是"在某种意义上说"。第二从句中these operations 指"归纳法和演绎法"。
2、翻译技巧
1)合译法
合译法通常适用于限定性定语从句或限定意义较强、句子较短的非限定性定语从句。大多数限定性定语从句都可以译成前置定语词组,这样的句子简练易懂。非限定性定语从句,如果从句与先行词间的关系很密切,也可以译成前置定语。 例:Now,however,thechnology has advanced to the point where the useful mobile robot is an immediate possibility. 然而现在,技术已发展到能立即制造实用又能行走的机器人的阶段。
2)分译法
分译法一般适用于非限定性定语从句和某些较长的限定性定语从句。有的定语从句结构比较复杂,从意义上看,不是限定性的,而是对先行词进行描述或说明。遇到修饰词与主语之间的关系不太密切,或者定语从句太长的句子时,在译文中可以将从句或短语分离出来单独叙述,也可以译成并列句,或者译成两个独立句。 例:Similarly,radio stations transmit programs to distant countries in short waves which can travel all around the world.同样,无线电台用短波把节目传送到遥远的地方,到达世界的各个角落。
3)顺译法
如果长句中一连串的动作是按时间顺序安排的,可以按原句顺序,用顺译法翻译。 例:You have spent a whole evening in a French music hall with a dirty-looking fat man who,instead of having messages slipped into his hand by dark-eyed beauties,gets only an ordinary telephone call making an appointment in his room. 你和一个看上去脏乎乎的胖子在一家法国音乐厅里消磨了整个晚上,并没有黑眼睛的美人儿悄悄地把情报塞入他的手中,他只不过接了个普通的电话,约定在他房间里会面。 分析:该句主要结构是:You…spent a whole evening…with a fat man…。句中的关系代词who引出定语从句修饰man。在该定语从句中,介词短语instead of having message slipped into…beauties与从句谓语动词gets…telephone和分词短语making…in his room表示该定语从句中按时间顺序发生的三个动作,翻译时顺译为好。