朱志君
湖南省长沙市宁乡市双江口镇双江口中学 410601
摘要: 增词法是英汉翻译中最常见的翻译方法,指在正确理解原文的基础上在译文中增加必要的词语,目的是使译文准确无误,合乎译文习惯, 并实现忠实地体现作者的思想。翻译的原则是“忠实”、“通顺”,它是有一定规律可循的, 基本上可以在语法、语义、逻辑、修辞等几方面得到体现, 本文试图探讨增词的原因、目的、策略、原则和具体应用, 主要对它的应用实例进行归纳总结。
关键词: 增词法 语法需要 语义需要 逻辑需要 修辞需要
Amplification is a common translation technique in English-Chinese translation. It means supplying or adding necessary words in translation, so as to make the version correct, clear and smooth. The principles of amplification are “faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance”, so we can’t optionally add words. Instead, we are supposed to add some words that hide in original version. Amplification is commonly applied for the service of grammar, semantic, logic and rhetoric.
1. The Necessity of Amplification
1.1 The Difference of Language Feature between English and Chinese
English is “Synthetic Language”, while Chinese is “Analytic Language”. That is to say, English is featured with systematic grammar and morphological changes to express tenses, passive or hidden logical relationship; Chinese applies function words to analysis internal grammatical structure.
1.2 The Difference Concept of Language Balance between English and Chinese
In English, excessive repetition of the same concept is redundant, so English applies circuitous expression or omission to avoid this phenomenon. In contrast, Chinese decorates with repetitive rhythmicity, so amplification is widely used in English-Chinese translation.
2. Major applications and functions of amplification
Generally speaking, amplification is commonly applied for the service of grammar, semantic, logic and rhetoric.
2.1 Amplification for the Service of Target Language’s Grammar Request
2.1.1 Adding Plural Sighs
Countable noun in English has singular and plural sighs, while they don’t exist in Chinese, so we should add plural sighs to convey the meaning. When we do translation from Chinese into English, we can add quantifiers, overlapping word, numerals to express plural concept to make the version more smooth and complete.
Eg.The first electronic computers went into operation in 1945.
第一批电子计算机于1945 年投入使用。
Flowers bloom all over the yard.
朵朵鲜花绽放在庭院里。
2.1.2 Adding Tense Words
English verb tense is reflected by conjugation(write, wrote)and auxiliary(will write, have written),while there has no quits manifestation in Chinese, so we must add tense words, such as“正在,过去,了,曾经,已经,一直,将要,会,能”.
Eg.The old man had taught the boy to fish and the boy loved him.
那位老人已经教会了孩子捕鱼,所以孩子很爱他。
2.1.3 Adding Quantifier
There isn’t quantifier in English, so we should add proper quantifier according to context when we translate Chinese into English.
Eg.She bought an electronic iron and two quilts.
她买了一个电熨斗和两床被子。
2.1.4 Adding Elliptical Part
2.1.4.1Adding Elliptical Part in Answer Sentence and Structure of Coordination
Eg.Do you like sport Yes, I do.
你喜欢体育运动吗？是的, 我喜欢体育运动。
Man must use natural science to understand, conquer and change nature.
人们要用自然科学来了解自然、征服自然和改造自然。
2.1.4.2 Adding the Concrete Meaning of Pronoun in Sentence
In English, we usually use pronoun to replace the repetition part, such as “it, that, those, do, do so, so, neither, nor, as”. In contrast, we should repeat the concrete meaning of pronoun in sentence to make the meaning clear when translating English into Chinese.
Eg.He is very tall. So are his brothers.
他很高,他的兄弟们也很高。
2.2 Semantic Amplification
It means adding the implied but not obvious expressed words in the original version to make the target version clear.
2.2.1 Adding Noun
2.2.1.1 Adding Noun after Abstract Noun
Some abstract noun are derived from verb and adjective, we should add appropriate noun behind it to make the target version conform to the standard and accurate.
Eg.They wanted to ease the tension in the Middle East.
他们试图缓解中东的紧张局势。
The power is strong enough to shatter complacency. 这种力量大得足以打破自满情绪。
2.2.1.2 Adding Noun after Intransitive Verb
When we use intransitive verb, the object is actually hidden in the sentence, we’d better express it out when we translate English to Chinese.
Eg.She could knit when she was seven.
她七岁就会织毛衣。
2.2.1.3 Adding Noun before/after Adjective
We should add the proper noun before/after adjective to make the meaning more clear, the sentence more logic and coherent.
Eg.This typewriter is indeed cheap and fine.
这部打字机真是价廉物美。
Atomic cells are very small and very light, as compared to ordinary dry ones.
原子电池和普通干电池相比,体积小,重量轻。
2.2.2 Adding Verb
According to the context, we need to add a certain verb before/after noun to make the version more natural simon-pure and complete.
Eg.He dismissed the meeting without a closing speech.
他没有致闭幕辞就宣布结束会议。
2.2.3 Adding Adjective or Adverb
We are supposed to add appropriate adjective or adverb in some occasion according to the context to make the version more accurate.
Eg.The crowds melted away.人群渐渐散
2.2.4 Adding Summarizing Words
When there has several Paratactic composition in the sentence, we can do some inductive complement or add appropriate numerals and corresponding category words(如“个,者,种,方面,领域”等)to make the version concise and coherent.
Eg.The frequency, wave length and speed of sound are closely related.
声音的频率、波长和速度三者是密切相关的。
Great changes have taken place in industry, agriculture and education in China.
中国在工业、农业和教育等方面都发生了巨大的变化。
2.2.5 Adding Subject before Predicate
When we translate the passive sentence into Chinese active sentence, we should add subject(“人们、我们、大家、有人”等)before the predicate.
Eg.All matter is known to possess weight. 大家都知道,所有物质都具有重量。
3. Amplification for the Service of Target Language’s Logic Request
Compared to Chinese, English is a more formal language. English emphasize hypotaxis, while Chinese emphasize parataxis. English sentence has rigorous logic relationship, while Chinese are free. So in Chinese-English translation, it is a logical necessity, often require properly supplementing some words to make the implied meaning more coherent, clearer and conform to the standard. Sometimes the English version doesn’t express the logical words, but we can judge the underlying logical relationship according to the context, such as hypothesis, concession, causal relationships, subjunctive mood, and etc. We should properly supplement some words to make the meaning clear and complete.
Eg.Air pressure decreases with altitude.
大气压随着海拔升高而下降
Suppose the preparatory work shouldn’t be completed.
假设准备工作完成不了,那可怎么办？--- Hypothesis
Being a kind - hearted man, he is ready to help others.
由于他是个好心人,他总是乐于助人。--- Causal relationships
Be the shape of a body complicated, it is possible to find out its volume.
不论物体的形状如何复杂,总可以求出它的体积。---concessional relationships
Had you followed the doctor’s advice, you would be all right now.
如果你听了医生的话,你现在都好了。--- Subjunctive mood
4. Amplification for the Service of Target Language’s Logic Request
4.1 Adding Some Described Word, Tone Auxiliary, Generalization Words
In order to make the version more graceful, free, lively and vivid, sometimes, we need to add some described word, tone auxiliary, generalization words.
Eg. “Some six or eight men” returned Montcalm, with much apparent indifference…“.
那也只不过六千到八千人罢了，”蒙卡姆显然满不在乎地说，??
4.2 Adding Some Words of Overlap, Four Word Phrase, Dual and Other Rhetoric
In the use of amplification, sometimes, we can add some words of overlap, four word phrases, dual and other rhetoric to enhancement language appeal and expressing effect, making it more accurate, bright and vivid.
Eg.These drills want sharpening. 这些钻头需要磨一磨。
There has been too much publicity about the case. 那件案子已搞得满城风雨,人人皆知。
4.3 In English, sometimes, we avoid repetition or omit some vocabulary to achieve rhyme, antithesis and other rhetorical effect, but Chinese is beautified with repetition and parallelism. In translation, we should add some words according to knowledge or context to achieve a certain intention, improve the quality of translation.
Eg.Older, wiser, calmer.
人愈老，智愈高，心愈平。
He hated failure; he had conquered it all his life, risen above it, and despised it in others.
他厌恶失败。在他这一生中，他曾经战胜失败，超越失败，并鄙视他人的失败。
4.4 The Application of Amplification in English Proverb
English proverb originates from life and reflection life. It condenses English national wisdom and essence. English proverb is concise, plain funny, vividly reveals profound life philosophy, reflect the inner national style, so it is regarded as the essence of western culture. In translation, we can’t translate it literally; otherwise, it will incur many jokes. Amplification plays a very important role in English proverb translation.
Eg.Time flies．
光阴似箭．
Time undermines us.
光阴催人老。
5. Conclusion
To some extent, amplification will improve our translation abilities, but there is something we should bear in mind. Firstly, we should use amplification moderately and appropriately. That is to say, we can only increase words that don’t exist but hide in the original version.Secondly,amplification isn’t the ultimate purpose.Instead,what really matters in translation is how to break the bondage of language forms in the original version, how to use your own nation's thinking mode to express the original thinking content.
Bibliography
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