例一:Robert Fulton once wrote, "The mechanic should sit down among levers, screws, wedges, wheels, etc. ,like a poet among the letters of the alphabet , considering them as an exhibition of his thoughts, in which a new arrangement transmits a new idea. "
【句子主干】
Robert Fulton once wrote, “The mechanic should sit down…, like a …, considering them as…, in which a…”
例二:Such large, impersonal manipulation of capital and industry greatly increased the numbers and importance of shareholders as a class , an element in national life representing irresponsible wealth detached from the land and the duties of the landowners; and almost equally detached from the responsible management of business.
【句子主干】
Such large, impersonal manipulation of capital and industry greatly increased …shareholders as a class, (which was) an element…
例三:This trend began during the Second World War, when several governments came to the conclusion that the specific demands that a government wants to make of its scientific establishment cannot generally be foreseen in detail.
逆序法即倒置法。有些英语长句的表达次序与汉语习惯不同,甚至语序完全相反,这就必须从原文的后面译起,逆着原文的顺序翻译。例如:“There was little hope of continuing my inquiries after dark to any useful purpose in a neighborhood that was strange to me.”该句可分为三部分①“There was little hope”;②“continuing my inquiries after dark to any useful purpose”;③“in a neighborhood that was strange to me.”前两层表结果,第三层表原因。这句英语长句的叙述层次与汉语逻辑相反,因此要打破原句的结构,按照汉语造句的规律重新加以安排。译为,这一带我不熟悉,天黑以后继续进行调查,取得结果的希望不大。
有些英语长句的主句与从句或主句与修饰语间的关系并不十分密切,为使意思连贯,可把长句中的从句或短语化为句子分开来叙述,有时还可适当增加词语。例如:“He became deaf at five after an attack of typhoid fever.”该句有两个介词短语,代表两层意思。因此,按照分译法,打破原句的结构翻译成:他五岁的时候,生了一场伤寒病,变成了聋子。
4综合法
另有一些英语长句用前三种翻译方法翻译时都有困难,需要用综合法。即或按时间先后,或按逻辑先后,或按逻辑顺序,有顺有逆地进行综合处理。例如:“The phenomenon describes the way in which light physically scatters when it passes through particles in the earth’s atmosphere that are1/10 in diameter of the color of the light.”该句可以分解为四个部分①“The phenomenon describes the way”;②“in which light physically scatters”;③“when it passes through particles in the earth‘s atmosphere”;④“that are1/10in diameter of the color of the light.”其中,第一、二和三、四部分之间是修饰与被修饰的关系。用综合法来处理这个句子,即合译前三部分,第四部分用分译法,这样译出来的句子就非常符合汉语的表达习惯。译为,这种现象说明了光线通过地球大气微粒时的物理散射方式。大气微粒的直径为有色光直径的十分之一。