Unit 4 Amplification in Translation

 

Amplification, also called addition, means supplying necessary words in our translation on the basis of accurate comprehension of the original.

 

ⅠAmplification in English-Chinese Translation

1. Lexical Amplification（从词汇上考虑的增词）

由于中英文语言差异，翻译时常常要根据意义的需要，在相关词汇后加上适当的词，使直通顺自然，符合中文表达习惯。

1. 1 增加动词

Examples:

1) She felt the flowers were in her fingers, on her lips, growing in her breast.

                                      

2) The quarrels of friends are the opportunities of foes.                               

3) Marco quickly learned that language and custom of the Chinese.                     

1. 2 增加名词

1) 在抽象名词后面增加名词

persuasion                     preparation           

resolution                      backwardness           

tension                          arrogance           

madness                        antagonism         

patriotism                     romance         

Fault-finding                        Jealousy         

We have made some achievements, and we must guard against complacency.

                              

2) 在具体名词后面增加名词

当具体名词表达某种抽象概念时

He　allowed　the　father to be overruled by the judge，and declared his own son guilty.

                              

在具体名词后面增加名词

Many great writers were not appreciated fully while they were alive.

                              

3) 在形容词前面增加名词

Examples:

a           “It is really nice and cheap. You will regret for not buying it later.”

b           Tess is queer.                              

4) 在不及物动词后面增加名词

英语中的某些动词在用作不及物动词的时候，虽然后面并没有带宾语，但宾语实际上是隐含在动词后面的。所以在翻译成汉语时，往往要把隐含的宾语翻译出来。

Examples:

a           Day after day he came to his work—sweeping, scrubbing, and cleaning.

                              

b           I could knit when I was seven.                              

c           Wash before meal.                              

1. 3 增加概括词

翻译的时候却往往可以加入“两人”、“双方”、“等”、“等等”、“凡此种种”等概括词，同时省略掉英语中的连接词。

Examples:

a           The advantages of the hall are bright, spacious, fashionable and without echo.

                              

b           The Americans and Japanese conducted a completely secret exchange of message.

                              

1. 4 增加副词

有些动词根据原文的上下文可以增加适当的副词，以确切表示原意。

Examples:

a           As he sat down and began talking, words poured out.                            

b           The crowds melted away.                             

1. 5增加量词

英语中数词与可数名词往往可以直接连用，不用加量词，翻译时需要增加量词。

A computer                                     a tractor

An apartment                                  a full moon

A red sun rose slowly from the calm sea.                              

英语中有些动词或者动作名词，翻译时需要增加一些表示行为、动作量的动量词。

Examples:

a           He gave her a sly look.                              

b          Please come in and take a look.                              

1. 6增加表达复数的词Adding Words to Convey the Concept of Plurality

增加重叠词表示复数

Examples:

a           Flowers bloom all over the yard.                       

b           Newsmen went flying off to Iraq to get the latest news.                

c           There were rows of houses which he ad never seen before.                

增加数词或其他词

Examples:

a           The lion is the king of animals.                

b           Note that the words “sense” and “sensitivity” are different.                

1.7 增加表达时间的词：

英语动词随时态的变化而变化，而汉语动词没有词形的变化，但有时为了表达的需要和准确性，需要增加一些表示时间的词如：曾，曾经，已经，过了，了，那时，此时，当时，在，正在, 着，将，将要，就要，就会，便等。

强调某种时间概念

She came to the school in 1998. She had taught English in two schools.               

强调时间上的对比

a           Whereas Kissinger had once needed Nixon as a channel to power, Nixon now needed Kissinger to help him remain in power.                                

b           I knew it quite well as I know it now.                                

2.   Syntactical Amplification   (从句法结构上考虑的增词)

2.1. 增补原文中省略的动词

a           Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. (Francis Bacon)读书足以怡情，足以博采，足以长才

                         

b          Association with the good can only produce good; with the wicked, evil.

                         

2. 2增补原文比较句中的省略部分

a           This is true of nations as it is of individuals.                             

b          Better be wise by the defeat of others than by your own.

                                       

2.3 增补原文回答句中的省略部分

a           Is this your wallet? Yes, it is.                             

b          Don’t you want Mr. Smith to be your tutor? Yes, of course I do.

                                   

2.4 增补表示逻辑关系的词语

a           The strongest man cannot alter the law of nature.                             

b           I am in charge of the depot, only I. People will hold me responsible but not you.

                             

c   Suppose the preparatory work should not be completed.                              

3. Cultural Amplification  (从文化上考虑的增词)

3. 1增加比喻的喻意

a           Every family is said to have at least one skeleton in the cupboard.                   

b          Advice and correction roll off him like water off a duck’s back.                    

3.2增加背景信息

a           The United States has now set up a loneliness industry.                           

b           The blond boy quickly crossed himself.                             

4. Rhetorical Amplification  （从修辞上考虑）

在英译汉时，增加一些恰当的语气助词可以更好地表达英语原文的含义和修辞色彩。

4.1 增加一些恰当的语气助词可以更好地表达英语原文的含义和修辞色彩。

a           Don’t take it seriously. It’s only a joke.                             

b           As for her, she did not love her from the very beginning.                             

c           That shop has been moved for ages, don’t you know?                            

4.2  增加四字词组，四字对偶词组或叠词

为了使译文更加生动通顺，译者也可以增加无损原意的四字词组，四字对偶词组和叠词。

a           But there had been too much publicity about my case.                           

b           In spite of her crippled hip, the basement was spotless.                           

 

Ⅱ. Amplification in Chinese –English Translation

1.       Adding Necessary Pronouns

Examples:

a)         大作收到，十分高兴。                            

b)        没有调查研究就没有发言权。                            

c)         又要马儿跑得快，又要马儿不吃草，简直可笑!                            

2. Adding Necessary Articles

汉语里没有冠词，因此，汉译英时往往需要增补必要的冠词。

我们对问题要做全面的分析，才能解决得妥当。                            

Ⅲ Exercises forCET-4

a           Specialists in intercultural studies says that it is not easy to __________(适应不同文化中的生活).

b           Since my childhood I have found that ____________ (没有什么比读书对我更有吸引力).

c           The victim _______________(本来会有机会活下来) if he had been taken to hospital in time.

d           Some psychologists claim that people ____________ (出门在外时可能会感到孤独).

e           The nation’s population continues to rise _______________  (以每年1200万人的速度).