青岛滨海学院精品课程
英语精品课程
孙敏副教授
第十二章 科技文献的翻译
第一节
第二节
第三节
词汇特点及英译
句法特点及英译
文体特点及英译
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第十二章 科技文献的翻译
科技文献是对科技理论、科研过程、科研成果及其推广应用的陈述，
其特点是用词准确、语言明了、行文简洁、表达客观、条理清楚、内
容确切。科技作品翻译要注意尽量符合这些持点，力求准确、清楚、
通顺。本章将从词汇、句法和文体三个方面，简要介绍科技文献的特
点及其英译处理。
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第一节 词汇特点及英译

科技文献中通常会出现大量的专业术语。作品越专，专业术语用的
也就越多。因此，翻译此类文献，首先必须弄懂文章的科技内容，然
后准确通顺地用英文表达。
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 一、专业术语翻译


专业术语因专业而异。翻译时，首先要熟悉专业知识，根据所译材料的不
同学科和不同专业领域，仔细分析上下文，然后选择正确、符合专业要求的词
汇。拿不准时，要勤查专业英文资料、词典、互联网，或请教他人，以求得确
切的译文。例如：

 1．高清晰度电视
 High-definition television (HDTV)
 2．一艘吃水5米的 a ship of 5m draught
 3．温室效应 the greenhouse effect
 4．遗传工程生物品种 genetically-engineered organisms
 5. 克隆技术 cloning technology
 6．纳米技术nanometer technology


翻译这类词汇切不可望文生义，而应根据其所在学科领域和所处的上下文
认真分析，搞清真实含义、选择恰当的英语对应词。再如：

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 1．如蓄电池的电平降低过甚，电话机随即自动断路。

The telephone turns off by itself if the level of power in
the battery falls too low.
 2．直线被称作是一维的。
 A line is said to have one dimension.
 3. 大气中臭氧层保护地球免受太阳的有害辐射。
 Ozone in the atmosphere protects the earth from harmful
radiation from the sun.
 4. 到2050年左右，土壤中细菌的碳释放量有可能大于林木的吸收量，
地球会加速变暖。
 Around 2050, the amount of carbon released from the soil by
bacteria would be greater than the amount soaked up by
trees, and global warming would be accelerated.
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 二、非专业词汇的翻译

 科技文献中除了专业术语外，还有大量的非专业化的常用词汇。在翻
译中常会遇到一些词或词组，无法直接搬用辞典中的释义。在此情况
下，就要在弄清原文词义的基础上，根据上下文的逻辑关系和英语的
搭配习惯，对词义加以引申，使译文准确、简明，符合该学科专业的
表达习惯。常采用的译法有如下几种：
 1．按照英语的搭配习惯引申词义：
 （1）人类对于自然界的变化规律始终怀有巨大的兴趣。
 Man has always had a great interest in how nature works.
 （2）古希腊文明社会使用过七种金属：金、银、铜、铁、锡、铅和
水银。

The classical Greek civilization knew of seven metals:
gold, silver, copper, iron, tin, lead and mercury.

说明：英文中，civilization不能与use搭配，故我们把汉语的“使
用过”译成英文的“knew of”。
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 （3）全息图像一定要直接透过底片才能观看。因此，底片的尺寸使同时观看
的人数受到限制。

The holographic image must be viewed by looking directly
through the film. Consequently, the size of the film limits the size
of the audience that may view it at one time.

说明：汉语中“人数”是指复数，但英语中“audience”一词不能与
“number”搭配，故译成“the size of the audience”，同时与上文“the
size of the film”相呼应。
 2．省略原文中的一些重复用词
 （1）按照传统说法，化学已逐步发展成了四大分支：有机化学、无机化学、
物理化学和分析化学。

Traditionally, chemistry has evolved into four provinces: organic,
inorganic, physical and analytical chemistry.
 （2）材料首先发生弹性变形，然后发生塑性变形。

The material will deform at first elastically and then plastically.
 （3）这些气体在达到蒸发温度或接近蒸发温度时迅速释出。
 These gases are normally released rapidly at or near evaporation
temperatures.
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 3. 用表示动作意义的英语名词来表示诸如“现象、作用、方法、方式、
过程、原理、情况”等概念。

 （1）我们不可能预见到每一件可能发生的事件。

We cannot foresee every possible happening.
 （2）必须克服技术资料不足的现象。

The lack of technical data must be overcome.
 （3）这种微波的传播原理要用方程来解释。

The propagation of such microwaves will be explained in
terms of equations.
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翻译实践












翻译下列个句：
1． 悬浮液是一种混合物，如果让它静止，它就会发生分离。
Suspension is a mixture that will separate if left to stand.
2. 每个神经元都长出分支，与多达15万个其他的神经元相通。
Each neuron branches out to communicate with as many as
150,000 other neurons.
3. 伪造者用一台光学扫描器把正式文件变成数字图像，存放在计算机的储存器
中。The forger uses an optical scanner to turn a legitimate
document into a digital image stored in the computer’s memory.
4. 从电子装置到个人用计算机，无不装有微型集成电路片。
Minute chips run everything from electronic devices to personal
computers.
5.放射性沉降物中含有非天然的重元素和同位素。
The fallout contained heavy elements and isotopes not found in
nature.
6. 虽然按百分比来讲节省燃油是很少的，但从金钱的角度来看，意义是重大的。
The savings in fuel efficiency, although small in terms of percentage
terms, are significant in money terms.
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 7. 这些图片显示出不同区域有不同密度。
 These pictures represented areas of different densities.
 8. 流沙的运动与太阳上的自然爆炸及证券价值起伏不定等现象均存在
共性。
 There are similarities among movements of flowing sand,
natural explosions on the sun and the changing value of the
stock market.
 9. 这种新技术仍处于发展初期。
 This new technique is still in its infancy.
 10. 每秒运行5英里的火箭，历时7个月才能抵达太阳。而以音速飞行
的飞机需要14年才能完成这一行程。
 A rocket moving at 5 miles per second would arrive at the
sun in seven months, while an airplane flying with the
velocity of sound would require 14 years for the trip.
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第二节 句法特点及英译
 与科技汉语相比，科技英语在句法上有物称多于人称、受事多于施事
等显著特点。此外，汉英科技文章不同的句法结构也决定了句子成分
及句子结构转换的必然性。本节将主要讨论科技文献汉译英中物称与
人称的处理问题，以及句子成分或句子结构的转换问题。


一、物称与人称的英译处理


人称即以有生命物体（包括人）作主语，物称指以无生命物体作主
语。科技英语重物称的特点主要体现在名词化结构和被动语态的广泛
应用上。下面分别举例说明：


1．名词化结构的应用


科技英语中名词化结构指主导名词后附加介词短语或非限定动词的
结构。名词化结构行文简洁，表达客观，内容确切，负载信息量大，
便于写作修辞。而这些特点正是科技文体所要求的。充分认识这一点，
对科技翻译大有稗益。请看例句：
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 （1）电视通过无线电波发射和接受活动物体的图象。

Television is the transmission and reception of images of
moving objects by radio waves.

 （2）在物体上作用另一个力，可以改变物体的运动方向。

The direction of motion can be changed by the action of
another force on a body.
 （3）气体通过被冷却物体的速度决定热传递的速度。

The velocity of gas passing over the object to be cooled
determines the rate of heat transferred to the objects.
 2．被动语态的运用

根据科技英语广泛使用被动语态的特点，汉译英时可相应地把一些
汉语主动句变成英语被动句。例如：

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 （1）自动生产线工作正常。

The automatic production line is found in proper operation.
 （2）自从采用数控以来，生产率大大提高了。

Since numerical control was applied to machine tools, the
productivity has been raised greatly.
 （3）它只是星际空间的一块岩体，受火星引力作用而被吸引住，并沿着轨道
环绕火星运动。

It is a space rock captured and now held in orbit by the gravity
force of Mars.


此外，汉语无主句以及以“我们、人们、大家、一切”作主语的句子，也
往往被译作英语被动语态。例如：
 （1）大家都知道，人体能产生微弱的磁场。

Weak magnetic fields are known to come from the human
body.
 （2）我们知道，卡路里是指食物供给身体的热量的单位。

Calorie is known to be a measure of the heat energy of food
given to the human body.
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 （3）我们将理论设想与模拟实验结果进行比较，发现该理论设想完全
可以应用于电力系统。

The theoretical prediction was compared with the results
from the simulated tests and was found to be applicable to
power system.
 （4）在进行某些地下核试验以后的几周后，可以记录到大量微弱的
余震。

After some underground nuclear tests, large numbers of
tiny aftershocks can be recorded during the next few weeks.
 （5）为了取代那些燃料，应较多地利用太阳能与风能来提供电力、
热能和运输的动力。

In place of these fuels, more sun and wind power should
be used to provide electricity, heat, and transportation power.
 （6）利用发电机，能够将机械能再转变成电能。

The mechanical energy can be changed back into
electrical energy by a generator.
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 其次，汉语中常以主动形式表示被动意义。此时，也应利
用过去分词等手段将其转换成英语被动形式。例如：
 （1）举起的物体具有势能。

Lifted bodies have potential energy.
 （2）试验结果表明多数人工制造的同位素都具有放射性。

The results obtained suggested that most
isotopes produced artificially are radioactive.
 （3）铝用得越来越多。

More and more aluminum is being used.
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 二、句子成分以及句子结构转换

由于汉语句子结构不同，科技汉语翻译中句子成分或句子结构的转换已成
为重要的翻译技巧。
 1．句子成分转换

即将原文中的某一句法成分转换成英语中的其它成分，以符合英语表达习
惯。例如：
 （1）新型液晶的特点是工作温度范围宽，工作电压低和可靠性高。

The new liquid crystals feature wide working temperature
range, low operation voltage and high reliability.

（主语“特点”译成谓语“feature”）
 （2）随着大规模集成电路的出现，电子工业在1960年代取得了巨大的进展。

The 1960s saw the great advance in electronics industry with
the emergence of the large-scale integrated circuits.

（状语“在1960年代”译成主语“The l960s”）
 （3）当今世界科学技术正在迅速发展。

The modern world is experiencing rapid development of
science and technology.

（谓语“发展”译成宾语“development”）
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 2．句子结构转换

句子结构转换主要指简单句与复合句间的转换。一般说来，汉泽英
中简单句变为复合句的情况更常见。

首先，科技英语重名词性结构的特点，要求汉译英时应酌情运用英
语名词从句。例如：
 （1）这一系列的推理，就是逻辑学家所说的三段法。
 That train of reasoning is what logicians call a syllogism.
 （2）大和小是相对的。
 What is large and what is small is relative.
 （3）使斯蒂芬特别感兴趣的是奇点。这是广义相对论所预言的一种
怪物。

What particularly interested Stephen was singularities,
strange beasts predicted by general relativity.
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 其次，还可以利用英语定语从句、状语从句符汉语简单句转换成英语
复合句，从而使意义更加准确，语言更加简洁、规范。例如：
 （1）光以直线传播是众所周知的事情。
 It is a well-known fact that light travels in straight lines.
 （2）涡轮机驱动发电机发电。
 The turbine drives the dynamos which generate the
electricity.
 （3）电能通过输电线送到需要的地方。

Through power lines, electric power goes where it is
needed.
 （4）冬眠动物保存能量的习性胜过不冬眠的动物。

Animals that hibernate practice energy conservation to a
greater extent than those that do not.
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再次，语序变化也是句子结构转换的一种形式。例如：
（1）后来，微型计算机发展起来了。
Then came the development of the micro-computer.
（2）这样管中就产生了或多或少的稳定的水流。
There is produced in this way a more or less steady stream
of water through the pipe.

 （3）激光光束可以聚集到一个很小的小点上。但是，小点越小，越难
精确地聚集。只有在激光装置中装有计算器，才能获得高的精度。

Laser beam can be focused on a very tiny spot. But the
smaller the spot, the more difficult it is to be precise in
focusing. It is only by the incorporation of a computing
machine into a laser device that high precision can be
achieved.
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汉语复合句转换成英语筒单句的情况较少，需要译者灵活处理。举例
如下：
（1）由于粒子的数目众多，其运动就显得杂乱无章。
The very number of the constituent particles makes
their motion appear to be somewhat random.
（2）因为在工业上很有用，合金显得很重要。
Alloys are important for their wide use in industry.
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翻译实践
 将下列句子译成英语，注意练习本节所讨论的内容：
 1. 犀牛角可用于制造药物和刀柄，需求量很大。
 Rhinoceros horns are in great demand for use in medicines
and as tops for knives.
 2. 当失聪儿童对着计算机讲话 ，信号灯随即对话语清晰与否不断作出
不同反应。
 When a deaf child speaks into the computer, the light would
show the difference between words spoken clearly and words
spoken unclearly.
 3. 1990年系自有空气温度记录以来，气温高于任何一年的年份。
 The year 1990 experiences temperatures higher than in any
year since people began keeping records of temperatures.
 4. 第二个方面，所有社会成员都使用科学家们在其工作中使用的特殊
思维方法和工作方法。The second aspect is the application by
all members of society of the special methods of thought and
action that scientists use in their work.
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 5. 网络114 China.com (或. net) 即将开通，使电话号码查询工作更
为方便快捷。
 Website 114 China.com (or.net) will soon be open, and make
looking up telephone number easier and faster.
 6. 用激光发射电视也获得了成功。
 Television has been successfully sent by laser, too.
 7.从污水获得饮用水，对许多人来说，是一种在心理上难以接受的观
念。
 The idea of obtaining potable water from waster-water is a
psychologically difficult one for many people to accept.
 8.有时候，通讯会受太阳黑子的严重干扰。
 Sometimes the communications would be seriously disturbed
by solar spots.
 应选种能适应现有土壤的农作物。
 9. Crops should be chosen that can survive existing soil
conditions.
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 10. 自1985年10月成功地回收了第十七颗人造卫星以来，
我们一直准备将我方发射人造卫星业务推向国际技术市场。
我方最先进的“长征3号”三节火箭，长度为43米，具有
1.4吨重的载体送入远距离地球静止轨道的有效载荷能力。
 Since the successful recovery of the 17th satellite
in October, 1985, we have been ready to place our
satellite-launching service on the international
technology market. Our Long March-2 Rocket, 32meter-long, two-stage, can carry a two-ton
satellite into orbits near Earth. Our most advanced
rocket, the three-stage Long March-3,43-meterlong, has a payload capability of 1.4 tons for loads
to be put into long-distance geostationary orbits.
 IV. Theory Studying:
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第三节 文体特点及英译
 科技文献常见的文体，一为论述文体，二为应用文体，本节将着重讨
论这两种文体的特点及英译处理。


一、论述文体


科技文献论述文体属书面语，严谨朴实，论证有理有据，意思清楚、
明白、准确，逻辑性和连贯性较强，翻译时、首先应搞清原文的词义，
对原文进行语法、专业和逻辑分析，透彻理解原文，然后根据英语的
表达习惯组织译文，力求语言规范，内容确切，形式及风格与原文一
致。

按照以上要求，请将下面短文译成英语，然后讨论、讲评译文。
（见参考译文I——41）


专家们说可以用多种方式使反应堆更安全。选择新厂址必须始终慎
之又慎；专家们必须小心掌握核工厂的兴建和设备的质量，反应堆的
工作也必须受到政府机构派出的专家而不是建厂的私营公用事业公司
的监督。工作人员必须很好地学习如何操纵反应堆，并接受如何处理
故障的训练。

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 二、应用文体

 科技作品应用文种类繁多。较为常见的有科普类应用文及指示说明类
应用文。


1．科普类应用文
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科普类应用文一般融知识性、趣味性于一体，用词灵活，词句带有
一定的感情色彩，翻译时应体现出科普文章的这些文体持点。
 请认真阅读下面短文，并将其译成英语：
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 科学家们相继发现，大量减少食量的动物寿命长的多。限食试验以老
鼠为观察对象。在专门配制的饲料中，卡路里含量占通常供应的65％
左右。供试验用老鼠如不限食在36个月之后很少仍能存活。但采用低
热量饮食即可活55个月。同时以低热量饮食饲养的鼠群几乎不患肾脏
或心脏疾病，且能较持久地保持其智能与活力。
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 Scientists are finding strong evidence that animals who eat
much less live far longer. The experiments involved
laboratory mice. There was 65 percent of the usual number
of calories in the special diet. Laboratory mice on normal
diets rarely live past thirty-six months, but the mice on
reduced calorie diets lived to fifty-five months. Also mice fed
fewer calories almost never developed kidney or heart
disease, and kept their intelligence and energy longer.
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2．指示说明类应用文
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指示说明类应用文一般精练、简短，多用祈使句，行文按先后顺序
平铺直叙。译文也应严谨朴实，注意弄清各操作步骤的先后顺序，以
免出错。对原文中的图、表、格、式等，译时不得任意删改。
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翻译实践
实践一
实践二
www.themegallery.com
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一．口译下列句子：
1．按2ndF OFF键切断电源。
Turn the power off by pressing 2ndF OFF.
2．取出后盖上的四颗螺丝，然后移去后差。
Remove the 4 screws of the back and remove the back cover.
3．取出耗尽的电池。
Remove the used batteries.
4．装入两节新电池。
Install two new batteries.
5．重新装上后盖和螺丝。
Replace the back cover and screws.
6．按机器后盖上的RESET复位开关。
Press the RESET switch located on the back of the calculator.
7．确认显示屏出现如下图的显示，然后按ON／C键。如果未出现下图所示的
显示，应取出电油重新安装，然后再次检查显示屏显示内容。
 Make sure that the display appears as shown below and then press
ON/C. If the display does not appear as shown, remove the
batteries, reinstall them and check the display once again.
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 二、把下面的短文译成英语：
 超级材料时代
 1. 石器时代，铁器时代，所有的时代都以材料来命名，那么如何来称
呼未来的几十年呢？名称的选择颇为棘手。想想看吧：由透明的塑料
薄膜制成的高保真扬声器；按一下开关就改变颜色的挡风玻璃；永不
生锈、在公路上行驶不留车印的汽车‘与骨骼结合的人工髋关节。材
料科学正在涌现出崭新而是用的发现，居首位的是可使电子学彻底变
革的超导陶瓷。但是超导体只是画面的一部分’从房屋和汽车到炊锅
和假牙，世界有朝一日将由各种不同的超导材料构成。就像遗传工程
和计算机科学塑造了近日的世界，奇异的塑料、玻璃和陶瓷必将塑造
出未来的世界
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 1. The Age of Superstuff
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The Stone Age. The Iron Age. Entire epochs have been
named for materials. So what to call the decades ahead? The
choice will be tough. Consider: high-fidelity loudspeakers
made of transparent plastic film. Windshields that tint with
the flip of a switch. Cars that never rust－running on
highways without potholes. Replacement hip joints that meld
with natural bone. Materials science is bursting with new,
practical discoveries, led by superconducting ceramics that
may revolutionize electronics. But superconductors are just
part of the pictures; from houses and cars to cook pots and
artificial teeth, the world will someday be made of different
stuff. Exotic plastics, glass and ceramics will shape the future
just as surely as have genetic engineering and computer
science.
www.themegallery.com
 2. 互联网
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国际互联网最初是美国国防部建立的一个试验性网络，现在涵盖了
世界范围内的2000多万台计算机，估计每年还要增加50万台。它提供
电子邮件、数以千计的简报式新闻以及各种数据库服务。你可以用电
子邮件把问候语与电视图像、声音、数据等压缩在一起。更重要的是，
它通过大量信息量的数据交换促进人们之间的合作。人们已经进行了
在互联网现场传输声音和图像的实验。互联网的庞大规模使它有望成
为信息高速公路的主干线。但为了支持越来越多的用户和多媒体应用，
必须增加频带宽度，这是信息高速公路的核心技术问题。
www.themegallery.com
 Internet
 Internet, originally established as an experimental network
for the U.S. Defense Department, now spans more than 20
million computers worldwide, with an estimated 500,000
increase every year. It offers electronic mail, thousands of
bulletin board-type news-groups and a variety of database
services. The electronic mail allows you to encapsulate your
greeting with video images and sound as well as data. More
importantly, it enhances collaborative working through an
information-rich exchange of data. Experiments on
transmitting live audio and video over the Internet have also
been conducted. The sheer size of the Internet makes it a
candidate for the backbone of the Information Superhighway.
But in order to support the growing number of users and the
multimedia applications, the available bandwidth will have to
increase dramatically, which is the technical problem at the
core of the Information Superhighway.
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