A Course of Translation
from Chinese into English
Chapter 3
Translation of Sentences
3.5 特殊句型
．工作再仔细也不过分。
One can never be too careful in one's work.
．我们的英文老师不是别人，正是刘先生。
Our English teacher is none other than Mr. Liu.
1．公园对于都市正如肺对于人的身体一样。
a. Park to the city is just the same as lung to man.
b. Park's importance to city is just the same as the lung's
importance to body.
c. Parks are to the city as (what) lungs are to the body.
我们离不开空气，犹如鱼离不开水。
a. We cannot live without air, just as the fish cannot live
without water.
b. Air is so important to us, and so is water is to fish.
c. Air is to us what water is to fish.
3.5 特殊句型
读书对于思想，好比运动对于身体一样。
Reading is to mind what exercise is to the body.
智力对于思想，犹如视力对于身体一样。
Intellect is to the mind what sight is to the body.
(1) “删繁就简”?
2．你可以想象得出，成千上万的影迷的那些表示敬慕和恳
求的信件一定把她弄得应接不暇。
It doesn't take too much stretch of the imagination to
realize that she is now besieged with adoring and pleading
notes from thousands of fans.
你可以想象得出，要做这么大的一笔买卖，她是怎样的忙碌。
It doesn't take too much stretch of the imagination to
realize how busy she is with such a large business.
3.5 特殊句型
你可以想象得出，生活在那样一个荒野之地是何等艰难！
It doesn't take too much stretch of the imagination to
realize how difficult it would be to live in a wild place like
that.
3．这还不是他同一位女人认真相守的时候。
This wouldn't be the best time for him to get seriously
involved with a woman.
这还不是他向老板透露这个消息的时候。
This wouldn't be the best time for them to disclose the
news to the boss.
这还不是她开始她的舞蹈生涯的时候。
This wouldn't be the best time for her to start her dancing
career.
3.5 特殊句型
这还不是这家公司开始推销它的产品的时候。
This wouldn't be the best time for the company to start the
promotion campaign.
4．有些人仍然希望在其他公司找到新的工作，而另一些人
则转而去学校教书甚至干上了蓝领工人的体力活儿。
Some have continued to cling to the hope of a new job in
some other corporation, and others have turned to
teaching or even to blue-collar jobs.
有些女孩仍然寄望于嫁给企业界大亨或是有足够金钱让她们
过舒服日子的人，而另外一些人则已经转向低收入的教员或
者工厂的工人。
Some girls have continued to cling to the hope of marrying
a business tycoon or people who have enough money to
make them comfortable, and others have turned to poorlypaid school teachers or even to factory workers.
3.5 特殊句型
有些病人仍然抱着能进入著名的大医院接受治疗的希望，而
另一些人已经求救于私人医生，甚至是街头庸医了。
Some patients have continued to cling to the hope of
getting treatment in major and famous hospitals, and
others have turned to private doctors or even to some
street peddles.
(2) 英语句常多名词
5．越来越多的丈夫接受了妻子参加工作的事实。
There is a growing acceptance by the husband of the
wife's employment.
越来越多的家长接受了孩子们社会化以及参加各种各样的社
会活动的事实。
There is a growing acceptance by the parents of their
children's socialization and participation in various social
activities.
3.5 特殊句型
越来越多的老师接受了学生大校外打工的事实。
There is a growing acceptance by teachers of the students'
taking a part-time job outside the classrooms.
似乎越来越多的老人接受了子孙们对音乐、迪斯科舞和爵士
音乐所表现出的日益浓厚的兴趣的这个事实。
It seems that there is a growing acceptance by the old
generation of their children and their grandchildren's
increasing interest in such forms of music, and disco jazz.
6．西部各州居民的结婚的年龄一般较小，而越年轻的人通
常也就容易离婚。
Residents of western states tend to marry younger, and
younger people are generally more divorce-prone.
人们一致认为，驾驶员若有饮酒习惯则通常容易出交通事故。
It is generally agreed that drivers who are in the habit of
drinking are usually more accident-prone.
3.5 特殊句型
喜食甜食和油腻食品的人比那些不喜食甜食和油腻食品的人
容易肥胖。
Those who like eating sweet or oily food are more fatprone than those who eat less sweet and hot food.
新近的调查表明，离异家庭的孩子一般说来更容易染上疾病。
Children from broken families, according to a recent
research, are generally more disease-prone.
据报载，离异家庭的孩子一般说来更容易犯罪。
According to a newspaper, children from divorced parents
are generally more crime-prone.
7．在该国，有越来越多的社会大众已经意识到他们法律系
统中存在的具有强大势力的偏见和歧视行为。
A great public awareness exists about the prevailing
prejudices and discriminatory practices in the legal system.
3.5 特殊句型
越来越多的社会大众意识到了在住房和教育方面存在的普遍
性问题。
A great public awareness exists about the prevailing
problems of housing and education.
越来越多的社会大众意识到了政府无法在现在的市场上消灭
假冒伪劣商品。
A great public awareness exists about the government's
inability to wipe the shoddy goods out of the existing
markets.
越来越多的社会大众意识到了政府欲改变现行政策的企图。
A great public awareness exists about the government's
attempts to change the policy.
越来越多的社会大众意识到越演越烈的吸毒现象。
A great public awareness exists about drug-taking which is
spreading with a prevailing force.
3.5 特殊句型
(3) 文笔诙谐、活泼多趣。
8．无人喜欢失望，但是，失望却是经常发生的事情。
Disappointments are unwelcome, but regular visitors to
everyone's life.
感冒无人喜欢，却常常不能幸免。
Colds are unwelcome, but regular visitors to everyone's life.
沮丧和寂寞令人讨厌，却无人能拒之门外。
Fatigue and illnesses are unwelcome, but regular visitors
to everyone's life.
挫折，无人爱之，却是人生的家常便饭。
Setbacks are unwelcome, but regular visitors to everyone's
life.
3.5 特殊句型
9．在追求这一目标的过程中，他想尽了一切办法。
He left no stone unturned in pursuit of this aim.
为了让女儿Sally能够赶上班里的其他同学，她的母亲已经竭
尽全力。
Sally's mother left no stone unturned in helping her
daughter catch up with the rest of the class.
为了让班级里最贫困的学生迎头赶上，老师想尽了一切办法。
The teacher left no stone unturned in enabling the poorest
students to catch up with the rest of the class.
经理为了改变公司在销售方面的局面，用尽一切办法，最后
终于获得了成功。
The manager left no stone unturned in changing his
company's sales situation and he finally succeed.
3.5 特殊句型
10．卡尔荣格在他对科学的兴趣和对哲学的酷爱之间很难作
出选择。
Carl Jung was torn between his interest in science and his
strong philosophical bent.
在合资企业工作收入较高，但是缺乏稳定性，在国营企业工
作相对收入较低，但是具有较高的稳定性，艾丽斯因此陷入
了两难境地。
Alice was torn between a job in a joint venture with a
higher pay but with less stability and a job in a state-run
enterprise with relatively a lower pay but a higher degree of
stability.
马克既对社会学感兴趣，又酷爱音乐舞蹈，他很难作出选择。
Mark was torn between his interest in sociology and his
strong love for music and dance.
3.5 特殊句型
面对两种选择，大多数的人往往举棋不定。
Facing two choices, most people will find themselves torn
between them.
他告诉我，一个女孩很聪明，但是相貌平平，另一个女孩长
得漂亮，却知识匮乏。
He told me that he was torn between a girl of intelligence
with a plain look and a pretty girl who had had little
education.
折射英语表达特色，与汉语原句在结构上不相吻合的英语
句型如万花筒般、是永远也讲不完的，况且，在何种情况下，
用哪一种句型，也无定论。
下面，换一视角，对汉译英有用的句型作两方面的分析。
3.5 特殊句型
主语领先句可替换成其他成分开头
1. 同位语领先句(Appositive-First Sentence)
11．护林员是一位森林防火专家，他对露营者讲述了在森林
中的安全问题。
An expert in forest fire control, the forest ranger talked to
the campers about safety in the woods.
．一切东西，从铁、空气到水，都是由原子构成的。
Iron, air and water, everything is made up of atoms.
．鲨鱼有流线型的体形，又是海里的嗜血者，具有非同寻常
的嗅觉。
Streamlined swimmers and blood hounds of the sea,
sharks are equipped with an extraordinary sense of smell.
3.5 特殊句型
2. 状语领先句 (Adverbial-First Sentence)
有些评注性状语(Disjunct) 与连接性状语(Conjunct)通常
即置于句首。如：
12．我个人认为，他不会见你。
Personally, I don't think he'll interview you.
．坦率而言，我对此已经感到乏味。
Very frankly, I'm tired of it.
．在一方面，你不想表现得过于咄咄逼人，而另一方面，你
也不应该表现怯弱。
On the one hand, you don't want to be too aggressive. On
the other hand, you shouldn't be too timid.
3.5 特殊句型
但英语中不少句子可将其非状语成分转换成状语，且前置：
13．屋子又黑又空荡荡的，和我记忆中的模样大不一样了。
(Being) Dark and empty, the house looked very different
from the way I remembered it.
．孔子研究人们的行为，得到了许多关于人的本性的知识。
Studying people's actions, Confucius learned a lot about
human nature.
．他们作深呼吸，然后潜入水中。
Taking a deep breath, they dived into the water.
．我们置身无能的境地，只能眼巴巴地看着半年的食物被毁
了。
Helpless, we watched half a year's food destroyed before
our eyes.
3.5 特殊句型
14．成熟之后，这些苹果是很甜的。
Ripe (=when ripe), these apples are very sweet.
．这场比赛真奇怪，比赛的结果竟然会那样！
Curious, the game should turn out that way.
．他们一手持鞭，另一手持缰绳，逼迫马匹快奔。
Whip in one hand and reins in the other, they urged the
horses on in jolly spirits.
3.5 特殊句型
3. 表语领先句(Predicative-First Sentence)
15．在农民的日常生活中，无线电台的气象报告是极为重要
的。
Very important in the farmers' life is the radio weather
report.
．你做的汤真鲜美。
Delicious your soup tastes.
．我所能做的一切就是给他发一个电报。
To send him a telegram was all I could do.
3.5 特殊句型
4. 宾语领先句 (Object-First Sentence)
16．在现代哲学中，你会发现这种晦涩朦胧太多。
This sort of obscurity you find too often in modern
philosophers.
．你可以把硬币存在壁橱架子上的小罐里。
Coins you can store in small jars on the closet shelf.
．我们把这一切归于党。
To the party we owe all this.
．我想请你 帮一个忙。
A favor of you I'd like to ask.
．我没有给你任何肯定的许诺。
Nothing definite did I promise him.
3.5 特殊句型
5. 同源宾语(Cognate Object)
17．他轻蔑地一笑。
A contemptuous smile he smiled.
6. 谓语领先句(Predicate-First Sentence)
18．在这个问题上存在着不同的意见。
There exist different opinions on this question.
．架子上有两只瓶子和一只烟灰缸。
There are two bottles and an ash-tray on the shelf.
．老妇人姗姗来迟。
Here comes the old lady at last.
．箭飞向天空。
Up went the arrow into the air.
3.5 特殊句型
．一个温柔的声音在门口问道：“我能进来吗？”
"May I come in?" asked a soft voice at the door.
．附上我刚拍的几张照片。
Enclosed are some pictures I have just taken.
．旧社会那黑暗的日子一去不返了。
Gone forever are the dark days of the old society.
．他从来没有过那样的经验。
Never had he had any experience like that.
．在经过一场艰苦的斗争后，目标方才达到。
Only after a bitter struggle was the aim achieved.
．他曾经许多次给我忠告。
Many a time has he given me good advice.
3.5 特殊句型
．在下午的最后一刻，她的希望、勇气和力量都消失了。
With the last hours of the afternoon went her hopes, her
courage and her strength.
句子开头方式的若干原则
1. 生动原则
．火箭飞向天空。
Up went the rocket into the air.
．喷气飞机在空中疾飞。
Through the air hurtled a jet-plane.
3.5 特殊句型
2. 衔接原则
．许多金属都研发了防腐功能。不锈钢是其中之一。
Various metals have been developed to resist corrosion.
Among them are the stainless steels.
．一声吼叫之后，一只老虎从矮树丛中跳将出来。
Following the roar, out rushed a tiger from among the
bushes.
．手执红旗，黑人工人在行进，他们的旗帜上写着：我们要
饭吃。
Holding red banners, the black workers marched along. On
the banners were words: "We want bread."
3.5 特殊句型
3. 强调原则
．我不会写诗，让我写篇文章代替吧。
Write a poem I cannot; let me write an essay instead.
．肯定是热极了。
Terribly hot it certainly was.
．辟果提一言不发。
Not a single word did Peggotty speak.
．我们每天一起去散步。
Every day did we go for a walk together.
3.5 特殊句型
4. 尾重原则
．把自己的生命贡献给全人类的解放事业的人是幸福的。
Happy is he who dedicates his life to the emancipation of
all mankind.
．叮当的响声、给人安抚的哞哞叫声、一声异响的间歇从山
谷传来。
From the valley came a tinkling sound, a soothing moo, the
lull of alien voices.
．他从年幼时起，就珍爱书籍。
Books, he had treasured from the earliest period of his life.
3.5 特殊句型
5. 平衡原则
英语句子，特别是两个彼此关联的句子，常以平衡为美。
匀称中展现对比；平衡中寓含辩证。
．他没有给约翰什么东西，而他却给了乔治10先令。
John he gave nothing, but George he gave 10 shillings.
．乔可能有点傻，但他不是贼。
Fool Joe may be, but thief he is not.
．团结，我们站起来；分裂，我们倒下去！
United, we stand; divided, we fall.
．怀特先生油炸两条小鱼。他用其中一条喂猫，另一条他自
己吃。
Mr. White fried two small pieces of fish. One of these he
fed to his cat. The other he ate himself.