典型例题14 The monkey’s most extraordinary accomplishment was learning to operate a tractor.By the age of nine,the monkey had learned to solo on the vehicle.(R,Quirk)
典型例题16 You have all heard it repeated that men of science work by means of induction and deduction,that by the help of these operations,they,in a sort of sense,manage to extract from Natrue certain natural laws,and that out of these,by some special skill of their own,they build up their theories(1993年第73题)。
“men of science”显然是“scientists”的另外一种说法,在1993年的英译汉文章中,作者还使用了“a man of science”,“a scientific man”之类的表达法,掌握了英语变化表达的特点,就能很轻松地把它们都译成“科学家”。
14、就具体和抽象性而言,英语和汉语有何不同?
典型例题17
disintegration土崩瓦解
ardent loyalty赤胆忠心
total exhaustion精疲力尽
farsightedness远见卓识
careful consideration深思熟虑
perfect harmony水乳交融
feed on fancies画饼充饥
with great eagerness如饥似渴
lack of perseverance三天打鱼,两天晒网
await with great anxiety望穿秋水
make a little contribution添砖加瓦
on the verge of destruction危在旦夕
从上面的例子不难看出,英语表达往往比较抽象,汉语表达则比较具体。我们再看一个翻译:
典型例题18 Until such time as mankind has the sense to lower its population to the point where the planet can provide a comfortable support for all,people will have to accept more“unnatural food.”(1991年第74题)