(一)连续动词的翻译 中文连续动词并不总是具有同等的重要性,也不应在译文中被一律处理为并列动词或动词短语,而应分析其内在的语义差异和联系,在译文中做到灵活、合理组合,并适时使用关联词表明其逻辑关系。 例1如果一个禁令能使相关国家都产生压力,增强责任感,提高科技水平,造福民众福祉,何尝不是一件理应支持点赞的好事情。译1 If a ban can prompt relevant countries to feel more pressure, have a greater sense of responsibility, improve their technological levels, and provide more benefits to people, isn't it a great thing that deserves support and liking?译2If China's ban could trigger other countries to develop more advanced technologies out of a greater sense of urgency and to better serve their own people with a stronger sense of responsibility, China must, indeed, be doing a good deed. 解析译1语法无误,但造成英文动词堆砌,表达效果欠佳。译2分析了几个连续动词之间的逻辑关系,明确了“提高科技水平”是核心行为,是在“产生压力”的条件下开始进行的(即“出于”),“造福民众福祉”是其目的(即“为了”),而“增强责任感”是在造福民众时的状态(即“抱有”)。由此产生的译文主次分明、逻辑清晰,特别是“产生压力”“增强责任感”分别被译为名词结构“out of a sense of urgency”和“with astronger sense of responsibility”,使译文的层次感更佳。 例2今天,中国颁布“洋垃圾”禁令是造福中国人的决定,也给其他国家敲了警钟。译1Today, China introduced a ban on 'foreign garbage' import, which is a decision that benefits the Chinese people and gives a wake-up call to the rest of the world.译2China's ban on 'foreign garbage' import should be seen as a great service to the Chinese people and a wake-up call to the rest of the world. 解析 中文原句由a)中国颁布“洋垃圾”禁令、b)造福中国人的决定、c)给其解析他国家敲了警钟,三个成分构成。译1除将b部分按原文词性译为名词外,a和c两部分均处理为“主+动+宾”结构,语法无误,但译文中b和c的结构未能实现平行,稍显不足。译2将三个成分都处理为名词性结构,整句理解为“中国颁布(的)“洋垃圾禁令”是“造福中国人的决定”和“给其他国家的一记警钟”。分别译为“China's ban,a great service to the Chinese people,a wake-up call to the rest of the world”,译文简洁有力。 例3欧盟也推出新的塑料战略,深入推进循环经济发展,提高欧盟整体垃圾处理能力。译1The EU has adopted new strategies on plastics, promote the development of a circular economy in an in-depth manner, and raise the Union's overall capacity for waste disposal.译2 The EU has adopted the first-ever Europe-wide strategy on plastics as part of the transition to a more circular economy and to enhance the Union's overall capacity for waste disposal. 解析 “深入推进循环经济发展”在译1中被译为“promote the development ofa circular economy in an in-depth manner”,其中“in an in-depth manner”显得十分生硬。译2把“深入”这部分语又转移到“循环经济”上来,译为“transition to acircular economy”,并通过“as part of”来变换表达“推进循环经济发展”与“推出塑料战略”之间的逻辑关系,使译文整体清晰、连贯。 (二)合理选择主语,增强语义连贯例11989年国际社会制定了《控制危险废物越境转移及其处置的巴塞尔公约》,中国是缔约国。译1In 1989, the international community formulated the Basel Convention on the Control of Thansboundary Movements of Hazandous Wastes and Their Disposal, and China is one of its Parties.译2China is a Party to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazandous Wastes and Their Dispasal adopted in 1989. 解析 译1按照中文原文结构译为两个小句,译2则省去了“国际社会”这一主语,因为这是不言自明的信息:任何国际公约的制定主体都是国际社会。译2选择“中国”作为主语,将两个小句整合为“中国是······公约的缔约国”,译为“China is a Party to the Convention... ”,使译文更为连贯。 例2早在2006年,发生在西非的进口垃圾酿成公共卫生安全灾难的事件,本该早已唤醒垃圾输出国改弦更张,纠正以邻为壑的错误做法。译1As early as 2006,a public health disaster that was caused by toxic waste shipped from other countries to West Africa should have prompted garbage exporters to stop doing the wrong thing.译2Many still remember the public health disaster in West Africa in 2006 caused by toxic waste shipped from other countries. The tragedy should have prompted garbage exporters to stop doing the wrong thing. Unfortunately, little has changed ever since. 解析译1将“早在2006年”机械地译为“as early as 2006”,又以“灾难事件”作为主语,造成“灾难事件早在2006就应该唤醒·....·”的误读。译2避免了这种误读,不仅清晰译出“发生在2006年的灾难事件”,更为这部分语义选择补充主语many, 译为“Many still remember the public health disaster in West Africa in 2006...”,通过人称主语凸显出灾难事件造成的创伤。在译出“灾难事件本该唤醒。“...”之后,又通过增加“Unfortunately, little has changed ever since”一句,强化了发达国家未能吸取救训的遗憾情感。 (三)合理选择句式,突出信息焦点例1发达国家应该重新考虑对塑料的使用,不要只是简单想着在海外另找地方倾倒。译1Developed nations should reconsider their use of plastics and not simply thinkof looking for other places in foreign countries to dump their wastes.译2Now it is high time that developed nations re-thought their use of plastics and not simply sought alternative foreign dumping grounds. 解析 译1语法正确,也表达了基本语义,但译2使用了“It is high time..”引导的强调句式(从句需使用虚拟语气),传达了“刻不容缓”的语义,强调了该发达国家改变行为的迫切性,增强了表达效果。另外,“在海外另找地方倾倒”在译1中处理为“找地方+(来)倾倒(垃圾)”的连续动词结构,译为“look for other places in foreign countries to dump their wastes”,不够简洁。译2将其释义为“寻找+海外倾倒场所”的动宾结构,译为"seek alternative foreign dumping grounds”,更为简洁和连贯。 例2现在在中国,垃圾科学合理分类理念更加深入人心,加强垃圾管理和循环利用更加严密规范。我们也欣慰地看到,在中方宣布“洋垃圾”禁令之后,美国······. 欧盟也······.译1The Chinese people are more aware of the necessity of waste separation and sorting, and are following more stringent rules on waste management and recycling. We are also pleased to see that after China's ban,some American companies have... , and the EU has...译2We could already see encouraging changes in China and elsewhere in the world. The Chinese people are more aware of the necessity of waste separation and sorting, and are following more stringent rules on waste management and recycling. Some American companies have... The EU has... 解析 译1语法正确,也表达了基本语义,但译2的信息焦点更为突出,表达效果更佳。原文“我们也欣慰地看到”中的“也”提示下文美国和欧盟的状况和上文中四的状况同样令人欣慰,译2因此将该评价话语单独成句,放在段首,统领中国、美国、欧盟的积极变化,突出全段信息焦点。同时,对于“欣慰地看到”,译1译为“wevare pleased to see”,而译2将“欣慰”这部分语义转移到各国的“令人欣慰的变化”上,译为we could already see encouraging changes”,更贴近英文的表达逻辑。