英语语言具有“形合”的特点,就是说,英语的句子无论多么复杂,都是通过一些语法手段和逻辑手段连接起来的“像“葡萄藤”一样的结构。于是,在理解英语句子的时候,理解并拆分句子的语法结构和逻辑结构就这也自然而然的成了我们解题的突破口。在考研翻译中的所有句子基本上都是结构复杂的长难句,所以理清句子结构层次就显得至关重要。在翻译句子之前,先通读全句,注意一边读一边拆分句子的语法结构。例如:Social science is that branch of intellectual enquiry which seeks to study humans and their endeavors in the same reasoned, orderly, systematic, and dispassioned manner that natural scientists use for the study of natural phenomena.
拆分句子:
1)句子的主干是:Social science is that branch of intellectual enquiry;
2)定语从句:which后面是一个定语从句,其先行词是social science;
3)方式状语:in the same reasoned, orderly, systematic, and dispassioned manner是方式状语。其中的reasoned, orderly, systematic, and dispassioned是并列定语,修饰manner;
4)定语从句:that natural scientists use for the study of natural phenomena是定语从句,其先行词是manner;
5)拆分后句子的总结构是:
Social science is that branch of intellectual enquiry(主干) which seeks to study humans and their endeavors(定语从句) in the same reasoned, orderly, systematic, and dispassioned manner(方式状语) that natural scientists use for the study of natural phenomena.(定语从句)
There was no snow, the leaves were gone from the trees, the grass was dead.
天未下雪,但叶落草枯(省译了from the trees)。
2、组合逻辑法
按照中文表达习惯和逻辑关系重新安排句子顺序,如定语和状语前置。
例如:Social science is that branch of intellectual enquiry which seeks to study humans and their endeavors in the same reasoned, orderly, systematic, and dispassioned manner that natural scientists use for the study of natural phenomena.
定语从句“which seeks to study humans and their endeavors……”较长,可以与前面的主句分开翻译:“in the same reasoned, orderly, systematic, and dispassioned manner”做状语,修饰“study”,翻译时可以放在study前面;定语从句“that natural scientists use for the study of natural phenomena”可以前置修饰“manner”。