形合与意合Word格式文档下载.docx

1、可以毫不夸张地说，没有“意合”，就难有唐诗宋词的辉煌，就难有成语俗语的宝库，中国源远流长的文学风景也将为之逊色。二、汉语重意合，英语重形合 1两个似以联合关系配列的汉句，常隐含种种逻辑上的从属关系。两句间的逻辑关系并未因用连词而趋于模糊，省略连词，表示一气呵成，更显畅洁。恰成对照的是，并使用适当的连词而构成形合句。试比较：（1）隐含“条件”从句的汉语意合句与英语形合句 早知今日，何必当初？ If I had known it would come to this, I would have acted differently. “意合”为汉语的谚语成语的形式美添色不少，使之对偶工整，琅琅上口，

2、但是，汉语的意合句并不局限与约定俗成的固定句式。如：把小孩冻坏了，我们怎么向他的母亲交帐？ If the child catches a chill, what are we going to say to its mother? （2）隐含“时间”从句的汉语意合句与英语形合句 他老是见异思迁。/ He is always changing his mind the moment he sees something new. 他离乡背井十载，从未回去过。/ He has never been back to his birthplace since he left it ten years a

3、go.（3）隐含“结果”从句的汉语意合句与英语形合句他说得太快，我们不能理解他的意思。/ He spoke so rapidly that we could not clearly understand him. 天气寒冷，河水都结冰了。/ It was so cold that the river froze. （4） 隐含“原因”从句的汉语意合句与英语形合句 我只见到他的背影，认不清是谁。I could not make out who he was as I only saw his back.地面潮湿，一定下过雨了。It must have rained, since the grou

4、nd is wet.两个似以联合关系配列的汉句常可紧缩成一个单句，而英语则以形合句表达。话不投机半句多。/When the conversation gets disagreeable, to say one word more is a waste of breath. 2两个以联合关系配列的汉句也常是隐含种种逻辑关系的意合句，而其相应的英语表达却须根据其内涵关系择用不同的连词。连词的省略，往往会导致拙句，乃至病句。（1） 隐含“递进”关系的汉语意合句与英语形合句 汤姆干了这件事，干得非常成功。Tom did it, and did it very successfully. 他们战胜了自然

5、灾害，获得了丰收。They not only overcame the effects of the natural adversity but won a bumper harvest. （2） 隐含“转折”关系的汉语意合句与英语形合句 江山易改，本性难移。/It is easy to change rivers and mountains but hard to change a persons nature.他起初同意了，过后又反悔了。/At first he agreed, but later he backed out. （3） 隐含“对比”关系的汉语意合句与英语形合句 上海曾是冒险

6、家的乐园，劳动人民的苦海。Shanghai was once paradise for the adventurers but hell for the working people. 总之，前途是光明的，道路是曲折的。 / In a word, while the prospects are bright, the road has twists and turns. （4） 隐含“（动作）连续”关系的汉语意合句与英语形合句 他于1830年离校，去伦敦生活。/He left school in 1830, and went to live in London. 如果我们对汉语重意合，英语重形

7、合这一语言现象有了充分认识，那么，在汉译英中我们就会令译笔趋于自如，译文趋于洒脱。仅以sothat的译文为例，我们就不会老是将它译成：如此以至于。试读以下译文： Poverty was driving them. Together they presented so appealing a picture of honest necessity that even the clerk was affected. 译文：如今贫困真正逼迫她们。当时她母女俩那种贫困窘迫的情景是很动人的，那帐房也受感动了。This is something I admire so much, something I

8、find so profound, so beautiful, so piercing that I must make you understand and admire it too, even though you, through some inadvertence, have neglected to learn the language in which it is written. Let me show you how it goes. 这作品是多么深刻，美丽，扣人心弦，令我赞叹不已，恨不得能让你们大家一起享受，虽然你们不巧不懂原文无以欣赏原作。让我来告诉你们原作是怎么回事。Y

9、ou feel such a sense of exhilaration that you wouldnt exchange it for all the power and glory of the world. 你是那样的欢乐，使你对世界上的任何权利和荣誉视若敝帚。Its like landing from your plane on a great plateau in the mountains. Solitude, and an air so pure that it goes to your head like wine and you feel like a million do

10、llars. 就象乘一架飞机降落在巍峨的群山中的一片高原上。四周万籁俱寂，而且空气非常清新，象佳酿一样沁人心脾；自己感到象个百万富翁。以上四句译文值得细品，译笔不拘泥于原文表层结构的束缚，活泼轻巧，挥洒自如，可读可诵；如果将以上四句中的sothat一刀切地译成“如此以至于” 四、汉语形合句与意合句之异 所谓“重意合”，尽是汉语相对英语而言的一种句法倾向。汉语的连词也同样丰富多彩，其数量并不少于英语。其实，绝大部分的汉语意合句可以轻易地添加连词而成为形合句。那么，汉语的形合句与意合句的区别究竟何在呢？弄清这个问题对于汉译英而言具有不可小视的作用。1 就表情达意的功能而言，形合是明示，意合是隐含。

11、一般情况下，明示比隐含具有更加明显的强调意味。How could you, when you know that this might damage the apparatus?a.（形合）既然你知道这样会损坏仪器，你怎么能这样做呢？b.（意合）你知道这样会损坏仪器，你怎么能这样做呢？If you tell me all about it, I shall be able to decide. a.（形合）如果你把一切都告诉我，那么，我就能作出决定。b.（意合）你把一切都告诉我，我就能决定了。If winter comes, can spring be far behind?从以上译文a 与译

12、文b 的类比，我们可以窥见：译文a 取形合，遣词趋多，所含的强调意味则浓于取意合的译文b ，而后者或多或少地给人一种“轻描淡写”的感觉。2就语体着眼，形合见庄重，而意合就显得随便。a. He had been left alone for scarcely two minutes, and when we came back we found him in his armchair, peacefully gone to sleep - but forever. 让他一个人留在房里总共不过两分钟，当我们再进去的时候，便发现他在安乐椅上安静地睡着了- 但已经永远睡着了。此句选自恩格斯的Speec

13、h at the Graveside of Karl Marx，原文系庄重语体的悼词。汉译是宜取形合，将when译出，这样，在行文上求得与原文的吻合。若取意合，将when隐而不译，亦能达意，如：我们再进去，便发现。然而，掩卷慢咀，我们体会到：由于语体及语言风格上的差异，意合式的译文毕竟不能象形合式的译文那样淋漓酣畅地传递作者深沉而又凝滞的哀思。b. It was quite late when we got back, nearly seven oclock in the evening. 我们到家已经很晚，快下午七点了。原句摘自幽默小品故事How We Kept Mothers Day，故事

14、出自一个少年之口，行文诙谐活泼，充满生活气息。译文取意合，可谓恰倒好处。若译成：当我们回到家里的时候，时间已经很晚了，快到下午七点了。译文与原文在行文风格上的距离拉大，且有累赘呆滞之嫌。从上例可见，汉语重意合，意合确有其不可多得的长处，但是，具体情况得具体分析，译文该用形合式时还得用形合式。五、英语重形合，但也不乏“意合”手段 我们认为英语“重形合”，主要基于这样一个事实，即汉语的意合句往往需要译成形合句，否则将导致拙句，甚至语病。但是，我们不能由此而推断，英语非使用形合句不足以表达其内在的逻辑关系。实际上，英语的“意合”法也形形色色，风采多姿。当然，这里所说的“意合”法，并不涉及含有递进，转

15、折或对比等关系的并列句，而是指逻辑上含有从属关系的句式。英语的主要“意合”手段如下：1 非人称主语句 Poor acoustics spoilt the performance. = Because the acoustics was poor, the performance was spoilt.音响效果不好，演出大为逊色。The good tidings filled the whole nation with joy. = When the good tidings came, the whole nation was filled with joy.捷报传来，举国欢腾。2 祈使句 +

16、 and 此句式中的祈使句相当于一个clause ，言简意明，容易上口。Take a wider view, and you will see it differently. = If you take a wider view, you will see it differently. 眼光放远些，你就不会这样看了。3片语句 A fall in the pit, a gain in your wit. = When you have a fall into the pit, you had a gain in your wit. 吃一堑，长一智。First time stranger, se

17、cond time friends. = People are strangers when they meet for the first time; and good friends for the second time. 一回生，二回熟。4 定语从句 以隐含原因，让步，条件等表意功能的定语从句取代相应的状语从句，这种意合句使结构紧凑，行文练达。I shall pass by the next paragraph, which has nothing to do with the topic in hand. = I shall pass by the next paragraph, b

18、ecause it has下一段我不准备谈了，（因为）它与讨论问题无涉。He insisted on building another house, which he actually had no use for. = He insisted on building another house, though he actually 他坚持要再造一幢房屋，（虽然）实际上他并不需要。Why waste breath on them, who have turned such an unwilling ear? = Why waste breath on them, since they hav

19、e turned（既然）他们不愿意听，为何对他们白费口舌呢？He would be a shortsighted commander who merely manned his fortress and did not look beyond. =He would be a short-sighted commander, it he merely manned his fortress（如果）坚守城堡而不往远处看，那他就是一个目光短浅的指挥员。5 名词 若干英语名词在一定的语境中可取代让步，条件等从句，这是一种言简意赅的意合句。Beggars must not be choosers. =

20、Since he is a beggar, he must not be a chooser.（既然）（他是）要饭的，就必不回挑肥拣瘦。An inferior pilot in such a situation would inevitably have lost his head. = If the pilot has been an inferior one, he would inevitably have lost head in such a situation.（如果）换一个差一点的飞行员，遇到这种情况，就一定不知所措了。六、英语意合句的汉译问题 不要以为汉语重意合，就产生一种误解

21、，好象汉语不如英语那么讲究行文的coherence。其实，汉语的表达十分讲究启承转合。当我们对照阅读一些优秀的汉译时，我们便不难发现，许多英语的意合句被译成了汉语的形合句。请读以下英谚的英译：A little of everything and nothing at all. 如果什么事情都是浅尝辄止，终将一事无成。Admonish your friends in private, praise them in public. 在私底下要忠告你的朋友，而在公开场合则要表扬你的朋友。又如：He who imagines he can do without the world deceives h

22、imself much; but he who fancies the world cannot do without him is still more mistaken. 如果有人想象他可以不要旁人独自生活，他是深深地欺骗自己；但是，如果有人幻想旁人离了他不行，他就错得更厉害了。The stream of time, which is continually washing the dissoluble fabrics of other poets, passes without injury by the adamant of Shakespeare. 时间的溪流不断地冲洗别的作家的易融

23、化的织物，而在莎士比亚的合金织物前流过，却无法造成伤害。英语的意合句译成汉语的形合句，其原因除了达到强调，突出或语体等因素外，一个重要的原因是语言的表达习惯问题。笔者的观察认为，汉语重意合，似乎主要指一个复句内部主句与从句的关系；而在两个相对独立的句子之间，汉语倒比英语更讲究形合，更讲究婉承与明合。相对而言，似乎英语在这方面反而“重意合”了。如 Small children, who are vulnerable and easily scared, dream of frightening animals and monsters that chase and attack them. Te

24、enagers dream of romance and sex. 幼童弱小易受惊吓，便梦见骇人的动物追他们。而青少年则梦见风流韵事和性。（译文加入了“而”及“则”，语流顺畅，似更符合汉语的表达习惯。）Usually these dreams are set outdoors or in unfamiliar surroundings. Women dream more emotional one-on-one struggles with loved ones, usually in indoor settings. 这些梦通常以室外或陌生环境为其发生背景。而女性的梦则多以室内为背景，且多为

25、“一对一”的与所爱者发生的“情斗”。（译文加入了“而”及“且”，不仅符合汉语的表达习惯，而且，表情达意更趋淋漓生动。） These are not the best time for scientist. Funding for academic research had shrunk, and fewer than a third of those who received Ph.D.s in science and engineering between 1985 and 1989 were in tenure track position by 1993, according to a

26、new survey by the National Science Foundation. Meanwhile, the Ph.D. supply ballooned to 26,111 in 1994, up 21 percent from 1989. 现在不是科学家的最佳时期。学术研究基金大大削减。美国自然科学基金会的一项新的调查表明，1985到1989年获自然科学和工程学博士学位的人中，到1993年时只有三分之一的人谋到了预备终身教授的职位。与此同时，等待就业的博士人数1994年却已急剧上升到26211人，比1989年增加了21%。析：此段末的Meanwhile一词前后两句值得玩味，其

27、中含有比较，原文用了一个形象的动词ballooned，夸张中又寓强调。可以认为这种强调是通过意合实现的；其相应的汉语表达倒是加上了一个“却”字，变意合为形合，化隐为显；恰倒好处地传递了原文的内涵，而且，诵读译文，我们发现表达自然上口。总而言之，在一个复句内部，英语重形合，汉语则重意合；而在两个独立句之间，似乎汉语较之英语更重形合。在汉译英的过程中，若对前者认识不足，我们的译笔就会“亦步亦趋”而显得呆滞与死板；若对后者缺乏了解，同样，我们的译笔就回“照样画葫芦”而痛失它的圆润与自如。We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separatelyA: 如果我们不齐心协力,我们就会被绞死B: 我们必须团结一致，不然难逃一死。