英語翻譯訓(xùn)練方法之――科技英語的特點(diǎn)與翻譯

1、英語翻譯訓(xùn)練方法之科技英語的特點(diǎn)與翻譯一、大量使用名詞化結(jié)構(gòu)當(dāng)代英語語法（A Grammar of Contemporary）在論述科技英語時提出，大量使用名詞化結(jié)構(gòu)（Nominalization）是科技英語的特點(diǎn)之一。因為科技文體要求行文簡潔、表達(dá)客觀、內(nèi)容確切、信息量大、強(qiáng)調(diào)存在的事實(shí)。而非某一行為。Archimeds first discovered the principle of displacement of water by solid bodies.阿基米德最先發(fā)展固體排水的原理。句中of displacement of water by solid bodies 系名詞化結(jié)構(gòu)

2、，一方面簡化了同位語從句，另一方強(qiáng)調(diào)displacement 這一事實(shí)。The rotation of the earth on its own axis causes the change from day to night.地球繞軸自轉(zhuǎn)，引起晝夜的變化。名詞化結(jié)構(gòu)the rotation of the earth on its own axis 使復(fù)合句簡化成簡單句，而且使表達(dá)的概念更加確切嚴(yán)密。If you use firebricks round the walls of the boiler, the heat loss. Can be considerably reduced.爐壁

3、采用耐火磚可大大降低熱耗。科技英語所表述的是客觀規(guī)律，因之要盡量避免使用第一、二人稱；此外，要使主要的信息置于句首。Television is the transmission and reception of images of moving objects by radio waves.電視通過無線電波發(fā)射和接受活動物體的圖象。名詞化結(jié)構(gòu)the transmission and reception of images of moving objects by radio waves 強(qiáng)調(diào)客觀事實(shí)，而"謂語動詞則著重其發(fā)射和接受的能力。二、廣泛使用被動語句根據(jù)英國利茲大學(xué)John

4、Swales 的統(tǒng)計，科技英語中的謂語至少三分之一是被動態(tài)。這是因為科技文章側(cè)重敘事推理，強(qiáng)調(diào)客觀準(zhǔn)確。第一、二人稱使用過多，會造成主觀臆斷的印象。因此盡量使用第三人稱敘述，采用被動語態(tài)，例如：Attention must be paid to the working temperature of the machine.應(yīng)當(dāng)注意機(jī)器的工作溫度。而很少說：You must pay attention to the working temperature of the machine .你們必須注意機(jī)器的工作溫度。此外，如前所述，科技文章將主要信息前置，放在主語部份。這也是廣泛使用被動態(tài)的主要原

5、因。試觀察并比較下列兩段短文的主語。We can store electrical energy in two metal plates separated by an insulating medium. We call such a device a capacitor, or a condenser, and its ability to store electrical energy capacitance .It is measured in farads. 電能可儲存在由一絕緣介質(zhì)隔開的兩塊金屬極板內(nèi)。這樣的裝置稱之為電容器，其儲存電能的能力稱為電容。電容的測量單位是法拉。這一段短

6、文中各句的主語分別為：Electrical energy Such a device Its ability to store electrical energy It (Capacitance 它們都包含了較多的信息，并且處于句首的位置，非常醒目。四個主語完全不同，避免了單調(diào)重復(fù)，前后連貫，自然流暢。足見被動結(jié)構(gòu)可收簡潔客觀之效。三、非限定動詞。如前所述，科技文章要求行文簡練，結(jié)構(gòu)緊湊，為此，往往使用分詞短語代替定語從句或狀語從句；使用分詞獨(dú)立結(jié)構(gòu)代替狀語從句或并列分句；使用不定式短語代替各種從句；介詞十動名詞短語代替定語從句或狀語從句。這樣可縮短句子，又比較醒目。試比較下列各組句子。A d

7、irect current is a current flowing always in the same direction.直流電是一種總是沿同一方向流動的電流。Radiating from the earth, heat causes air currents to rise.熱量由地球輻射出來時，使得氣流上升。A body can more uniformly and in a straight line,there being no cause to change that motion.如果沒有改變物體運(yùn)動的原因，那么物體將作勻速直線運(yùn)動。Vibrating objects pro

8、duce sound waves ,each vibration producing one sound wave.振動著的物體產(chǎn)生聲波，每一次振動產(chǎn)生一個聲波。In communications, the problem of electronics is how to convey information from one place to another.在通訊系統(tǒng)中，電子學(xué)要解決的問題是如何把信息從一個地方傳遞到另一個地方。Materials to be used for structural purposes are chosen so as to behave elasticall

9、y in the environmental conditions.結(jié)構(gòu)材料的選擇應(yīng)使其在外界條件中保持其彈性。There are different ways of changing energy from one form into another.將能量從一種形式轉(zhuǎn)變成另一種形式有各種不同的方法。In making the radio waves correspond to each sound in turn ,messages are carried from a broadcasting station to a receiving set.使無線電波依次對每一個聲音作出相應(yīng)變化時

10、，信息就由廣播電臺傳遞到接收機(jī)。四、后置定語大量使用后置定語也是科技文章的特點(diǎn)之一。常見的結(jié)構(gòu)不以下五種：1、介詞短語The forces due to friction are called frictional forces.由于摩擦而產(chǎn)生的力稱之為摩擦力。A call for paper is now being issued .征集論文的通知現(xiàn)正陸續(xù)發(fā)出。2、形容詞及形容詞短語。In this factory the only fuel available is coal.該廠唯一可用的燃料是煤。In radiation ,thermal energy is transformed i

11、nto radiant energy ,similar in nature to light.熱能在輻射時，轉(zhuǎn)換成性質(zhì)與光相似的輻射能。3、副詞The air outside pressed the side in .外面的空氣將桶壁壓得凹進(jìn)去了。The force upward equals the force downward so that the balloon stays at the level.向上的力與向下的力相等，所以氣球就保持在這一高度。4、單個分詞，但仍保持校強(qiáng)的動詞意義。The results obtained must be cheeked .獲得的結(jié)果必須加以校核T

12、he heat produced is equal to the electrical energy wasted.產(chǎn)生的熱量等于浪費(fèi)了的電能。5、定語從句During construction, problems often arise which require design changes.在施工過程中，常會出現(xiàn)需要改變設(shè)計的問題。The molecules exert forces upon each other, which depend upon the distance between them.分子相互間都存在著力的作用，該力的大小取決于它們之間的距離。Very wonderf

13、ul changes in matter take place before our eyes every day to which we pay little attention.(定語從句to which we pay little attention 修飾的是changes,這是一種分隔定語從句。我們幾乎沒有注意的很奇異的物質(zhì)變化每天都在眼前發(fā)生。To make an atomic bomb we have to use uranium 235,in which all the atoms are available for fission.制造原子彈，我們必須用鈾235，因為軸的所有原

14、子都會裂變。五、常用句型科技文章中經(jīng)常使用若干特定的句型，從而形成科技文體區(qū)別于其他文體的標(biāo)志。例如It-that-結(jié)構(gòu)句型；被動態(tài)結(jié)構(gòu)句型；結(jié)構(gòu)句型，分詞短語結(jié)構(gòu)句型，省略句結(jié)構(gòu)句型等。舉例如下：It is evident that a well lubricated bearing turns more easily than a dry one .顯然，潤滑好的軸承，比不潤滑的軸承容易轉(zhuǎn)動。It seems that these two branches of science are mutually dependent and interacting .看來這兩個科學(xué)分支是相互依存，相

15、互作用的。It has been proved that induced voltage causes a current to flow in opposition to the force producing it.已經(jīng)證明，感應(yīng)電壓使電流的方向與產(chǎn)生電流的磁場力方向相反。It was not until the 19th century that heat was considered as a form of energy.直到十九世紀(jì)人們才認(rèn)識到熱是能量的一種形式。Computers may be classified as analog and digital.計算機(jī)可分為模擬計算

16、機(jī)和數(shù)字計算機(jī)兩種。The switching time of the new-type transistor is shortened three times .新型晶體管的開關(guān)時間縮短了三分之二。（或-縮短為三分之一。）This steel alloy is believed to be the best available here .人們認(rèn)為這種合金鋼是這里能提供的最好的合金鋼。Electromagnetic waves travel at the same speed as light .電磁波傳送的速度和光速相同。Microcomputers are very small in s

17、ize ,as is shown in Fig.5.如圖5所示，微型計算機(jī)體積很小。In water sound travels nearly five times as fast as in air .聲音在水中的傳播速度幾乎是在空氣中傳播速度的五倍。Compared with hydrogen, oxygen is nearly 16 times as heavy .氧與氫比較，重量大約是它的十六倍。The resistance being very high ,the current in the circuit was low.由于電阻很大，電路中通過的電流就小。Ice keeps t

18、he same temperature while melting .冰在溶化時，其溫度保持不變。An object, once in motion ,will keep on moving because of its inertia.物體一旦運(yùn)動，就會因慣性而持續(xù)運(yùn)動。All substances ,whether gaseous ,liquid or solid ,are made of atoms .一切物質(zhì)，不論是氣態(tài)、液態(tài)，還是固態(tài)，都由原子組成。六、長句為了表述一個復(fù)雜概念，使之邏輯嚴(yán)密，結(jié)構(gòu)緊湊，科技文章中往往出現(xiàn)許多長句。有的長句多達(dá)七八個詞，以下即是一例。The efforts that have been made to explain optical phenomena by means of the hypothesis of a medium having the same physical character as an elastic solid body led, in the first instance, to the understanding of a concrete ex