Chinese sentence translation methods

Chinese Sentence Translation Methods (Summary)

We should pay attention to skills and methods in everything, and translation is no exception. Here are some translation methods of Chinese sentences, I hope to help you!

I. Sub-grammar

Translate a word or phrase from the original text into a sentence. Make a sentence in the original into two or more sentences or simply disassemble a sentence in the original and translate it into two or more sentences.

In mid-August, the repair team members worked in the scorching sun.

It was mid-August, and the repair department was working under the scorching sun. (A single sentence is split into coordinate compound sentences.

Second, the syntactic structure

Translate two or more simple sentences, master-slave complex sentences or parallel complex sentences in the original text into single sentences.

: exodus she has tried several times to help them find another house to rent, but the results have not been successful.

She has tried seven times to help them find other rented dormitories, but all failed.

Third, active translation method.

As far as Chinese-English translation is concerned, it is to translate sentences into English in the opposite way to Chinese.

: exodus we strongly oppose the company's new policy.

We strongly oppose the company's new policy.

Fourthly, reverse translation method.

As far as Chinese-English translation is concerned, it is to translate sentences into English in the opposite way to Chinese.

There are only five customers in the bar who have not left yet.

There are only five customers left in the bar.

Five, sequential method

Sequential translation does not change the word order of the original expression and will not affect the understanding of the original content.

Even when we turn off the bedside lamp and fall asleep sweetly, electricity still works for us: start the refrigerator, heat the water or keep the indoor air conditioner running.

Even when we turn off the bedside lamp and fall asleep, electricity is working for us, driving our refrigerator, heating our water, or keeping our room air-conditioned.

In the sentence, the first half is an adverbial clause, and the second half is "start", "heat" and "make"? "Operation" is the specific content of "electricity works for us". Therefore, in translation, the translator regards these three parallel actions as V V-ing.

Supplementary work content. The translation conveys the meaning of the original text exactly in the word order of the original sentence. Accurate and smooth? Purpose.

Six, the reverse order method

According to the expression habits of the target language users and the cognitive ability of the target language readers, the reverse translation method is based on the word order of the original text, so as to better convey the content of the original text.

Exodus: He always sits in a fixed seat when he goes to church, but that day they found that he was not sitting in his usual position.

They noticed that he was sitting in a seat different from the one he usually chose to attend worship.

Seven, add words

Adding some words that are not in the original seems to be disloyal to the original, but after careful analysis, it will be found that the meaning expressed by these added words is not out of nothing, but implied in the original. You know, from one language to another, sometimes you can find the equivalent of one language in another language, but it is almost impossible to achieve the purpose of translation by relying entirely on the conversion of equivalent words. The habits of different languages still determine that words must be appropriately added (subtracted) according to the habits of one of them in order to achieve the purpose of multilingual communication. If we mechanically translate the text word for word, we will not only fail to express the thought, spirit and image of the original text, but also make the translation inconsistent and make jokes. Imagine that. Seven captures Meng Huo? Mechanical translation: Meng Huo was captured seven times, and it is difficult for foreign readers with different cultural backgrounds to really understand the connotation of this allusion.

: exodus I am very glad to hear that you are safe.

I am very glad to hear that you are safe and sound! (supplementary theme.

In addition to paying attention to adding grammatical function words in translation, it is sometimes necessary to add information related to the cultural connotation of China. For example:? Two heads are better than one? Two heads are better than one. In translation, the master's thought is a supplementary explanatory expression, otherwise foreigners can't know who Zhuge Liang is.

Eight, word subtraction

Subtracting words means omitting unimportant words without affecting the original intention, so as not to drag your feet. Like what? They began to study the recent situation,

Analyze the current situation? Two? What's the matter? You can omit one and translate it directly into that they begin to learn to analyze recent situations, because the two recent situations in the original Chinese sentence are for emphasis, but if you also translate them into two recent situations in English, it is not only verbose, but also not in line with English expression habits.

This system can be implemented when conditions are ripe, but not when conditions are not ripe.

This system can be adopted when conditions are ripe, otherwise it will not work.

Nine, part-of-speech conversion

Part-of-speech conversion is not only an important means to translate words, but also a common substitute and translation skill for syntactic conversion.

To put it bluntly, it is to use other parts of speech in the translation to express the part of speech of a word in the original when necessary. This transformation will make the translation more flexible and convey the connotation of the original text more accurately, rather than sticking to the form of the original text. This part mainly starts from Chinese-English translation. Explain from four aspects.

1. Conversion of Chinese verbs

Chinese verbs are used much more frequently than English, because according to English syntax, due to the limitation of subject-predicate relationship, they are relatively simple.

Most sentences or clauses have only one predicate verb. Moreover, English can also be embodied by various parts of speech other than predicate verbs.

Verb meaning. Therefore, it is one of the common skills in translation to convert verbs in Chinese sentences into words of other parts of speech in English.

This book reflects the society of China in 1930s.

Translation: This book is a reflection of China society in the 1930s (transforming Chinese verbs into English nouns).

2. Conversion of Chinese nouns

Many verbs in English are derived from nouns, and adverbs and adjectives are transformed from nouns. In Chinese-English translation, Chinese

Nouns can often produce some changes, thus expressing the original text more succinctly and forcefully.

Exodus: They tried their best to help the sick and wounded.

They try their best to help patients and people in trouble (Chinese nouns are converted into English adverbs.

3. Evolution of Chinese adjectives

In Chinese-English translation, Chinese adjectives can often be translated into nouns or adverbs in English, and these nouns or adverbs are usually abstract.

The meaning of like, and often comes from some adjectives.

We find it difficult to solve this complicated problem.

We found differences in solving this complicated problem. Chinese adjectives are converted into English nouns.

4. Conversion of Chinese adverbs

Sometimes, for the needs of rhetoric and syntactic structure, adverbs in Chinese are often expressed by words of other parts of speech in English, which is also a common skill in translation.

Exodus: Independent thinking is absolutely necessary for learning.

Independent thinking is absolutely necessary in learning. Chinese adverbs are converted into English nouns.

X. integrated method

Some sentences are difficult to be translated well by a single translation method, and need to be comprehensively processed by several methods, and then rearranged according to time sequence, master-slave structure or logical relationship, that is, sentence reorganization.

Apart from serving the needs of native English speakers, English is also a language used to compile some important works in science, technology and other fields, which are not always compiled by native English speakers.

Although this sentence is very long, it actually only illustrates one question-what kind of language is English? As can be seen from the sentence, English has the following functions: serving native speakers; Used to compile works in science and other fields. Another feature of English is that when books in science and other fields are compiled, not all of them are taken by native English speakers. Of the two functions of English, this sentence highlights its second function, so we should pay attention to the reorganization of key points and sentence structure when translating this sentence.

Some parts can be used as modifiers. )

English is a language, and some important works in science, technology and other fields are created in this language, not always by native English speakers, but for native English speakers.

Examples of switching from English to Chinese:

The technical aspects or applications of knowledge are equally necessary and the most important for people, because they also help to define people and allow them to pursue a life more and more like people.

For people, knowledge and skills and their applications are equally important and crucial, because they also help to define human beings themselves and allow them to pursue an increasingly real life.

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