2018/8/9 10:18:00
听许昌翻译公司讲科技论文汉译英的点滴体会
听许昌翻译公司讲科技论文汉译英的点滴体会
由于国际交流的需要,我国的科技论文往往要译成外文。译者必须持严谨的态度,首先弄懂论文的科技内容,然后准确、通顺地用外文表达,应此需要付出艰巨的劳动。下面就三个问题谈谈笔者在科技论文汉译英的实践中的一些体会。
一、专门术语的翻译
专门术语是根据学科的不同而异的。为了正确翻译专门术语,译者必须熟悉专业知识,勤查专业英文资料和词典,以求得确切的译名。例如:
1.原文:在无模型的情况下进行试验。
译文:The test is carried out without patterns.
说明:本句中的"模型"也称为"模样",是用木材、金属等材料制成的铸件原型,故应译成pattern.
2.原文:随着吃砂量减少,狭缝处的平均硬度急剧下降。
译文:With the decrease in the mould thickness, the average hardness of the narrow seam is decreased intensely.
说明:"吃砂量"是指砂型从型腔表面到砂箱内壁、顶面或底面的距离,应译成mould thickness,决不能逐词死译成the amount of the swallowed,犹如船只吃水量应译成draught,而不说the capacity of absorbing the water.
3.原文:湿砂造型紧实的特点
译文:the characteristics of impaction and compaction for green sand
说明:"湿砂"是指含自由水的型砂,应译成green sand,而不能译成wet sand,正如浇灌后尚未干透的混凝土称作green comcrete,而不能译成not completely dried concrete.
有些专门术语是作者创造的新词或通俗行话。这些词往往无对应的英语术语,翻译时须按上下文弄清其意义,明确地表达出来。例如:
4.原文:当填砂高度较小或模型复杂、铸型深凹比相对较大时,适当设置排气塞。
译文:When the height of the filled sand is comparatively small or the pattern is complex and the ratio of the pattern height to the size of the narrow side of the mould is comparatively large, it is necessary to set vent plugs.
说明:"深凹比"指的是"模样高与狭边尺寸之比"。
二、词的增补与省略
汉英两种语言由于用词造句的规律不同,故在表达同一思想内容时,有时需要在英译文中增补一些中文原文中没有的词语或省略一些从译文角度来看是多余的词语,才能使译文更符合英语的表达习惯,更切合愿意。例如:
5.原文:利用气流冲击试验机进行造型工艺试验,使用的型砂为南昌柴油机厂高压造型用砂。
译文:When the moulding technological test is carried out on the air impulse test moulding machine, the moulding sand employed is the sand used by Nanchang Diesel Factory for high-pressure moulding.
说明:译文中增加连词when及介词by和for,使语意明确,合乎英语表达方式。
6.原文:The noise made by this mechanism is low, which conforms to The National Noise Standards of Workers' Working Places for Newly-Constructed, Expanded and Reconstructed Industrials Enterprises.
说明:译文中增加made by,把原文中装置所发出的噪音的含义表示出来。增加关联词which,引出非限制性定语从句,以明确"装置噪音低"与符合国家标准 的逻辑关系。
7.原文:真正实砂耗气量是很小的,所以气流冲击实砂可减少压缩空气的消耗,收到节能的效果。
译文:The real air consumption for compacting the sand is low; therefore, the process of sand-impulsing and compacting by air flow may decrease the consumption of compressed air, which results in energy economy.
说明:增加the process of表示这个"工作法"所产生的效果。增加which的理由同前例。
三、长句处理
科技论文中长句较多,译成英语时,除有些地方须增补一些连词、介词或关联词外,一般仍可保持长句形式。但有的长句中说明语太长,为了便于理解,可按层次拆译成几个短句。例如:
8.原文:因此,气流通道面积大,所以该机构有助于提高气流冲击实砂时的压力梯度,从而提高实砂效果。
译文:Therefore, the area of air-flow passage is larger, so that the mechanism helps increase the pressure gradient during the impact of air flow against the sand, thus increasing the effect of sand-compacting.
说明:长句译成长句,语序基本相同。
9.原文:因此,关于阀的开启有效行程应当是指气包压力开始下降(即气箱压力明显上升)的A∣ 点到气包压力开始趋于平稳的B∣ 点阀所经历的行程。
译文:Therefore, the effective stroke of the valve during opening should be the distance the air valve travels from point A∣ to point B∣. At point A∣ the pressure in the air tank begins to fall (that is, the pressure in the clearance of the upper part of the flask begins to rise obviously). At point B∣ the pressure in the air tank begins to be steady.
说明:长句分译成三个短句,使之主次分明,句意清晰。
10.原文:本工艺具有造型速度快,生产效率高,工艺性能优良,综合经济效益高,劳动条件好等优点,引起世界铸造工作者的关注。
译文:This technology has the advantages of great moulding speed, high production efficiency, fine technological performances, excellent overall economic results and good labour conditions, excellent overall economic results and good labour conditions. Therefore, it has been taken notice of by foundry businesses all over all over the world.
说明:将长句译成两个短句。后面单成一句,说明前句的效果,更加突出。