1、插入结构的翻译插入结构是在一个句子中某两个句子成分之间,如主谓,谓宾,定语和受定语等之间插入一个从句、短语或单词,以对原来句子所表达的内容进行补充、添加、限定和说明。插入成分最明显的标志是用逗号与主句隔开,可以位于句首、句中或者句尾。但有时由于多种句子成分的存在,句子中会使用多个逗号、分号,从而导致插入成分不易一眼看出,以致出现理解错误。 在翻译成汉语时,位于句首的插入语,一般可以保持在原文中的语序不变,置于句首即可。不过,在许多情况下,需要对英语原文句子的顺序作必要的调整,使译文符合汉语习惯。插入结构的成分可以是副词、形容词短语、介词短语、不定式短语、分词短语或者主谓结构,翻译时需要根据具体
2、情况进行灵活掌握。一、副词插入语 在句子中,作为插入语的副词可以放在句首、句中或者句末。常用作插入语的副词有indeed(的确),surely(无疑),however(然而),obviously(显然),frankly(坦率地说),naturally(自然地),luckily / happily for sb. (算某人幸运), fortunately (幸好), strangely (奇怪), honestly (老实说), briefly (简单地说)等。因为副词一般在句中充当状语,所以翻译成汉语时,无论副词插入语在英语句子中的位置如何,一般可以将副词插入语提前至句首位置,充当状语。 例如
3、:Frankly, the answer to this puzzle is very simple.老实说,这个难题的解答倒十分简单。We do believe, though, that all aspects of a product should be designed before they are built.不过,我们确信一个产品的方方面面都必须先设计再构建。Dont worry; well get the lost money back somehow.别着急;无论如何,我们都会找回丢失的钱。二、形容词短语作插入语 在英语中,作插入结构的形容词短语可以位于句首或句中,并且有逗号
4、与主句分开。常见的形容词有strange (奇怪的),sure enough (果然),worse still (更糟糕的是),even better (更好的),strange to say (说也奇怪),needless to say (不用说),most important of all (最为重要的)等。翻译时,将形容词短语译成状语。例如:Sure enough, enemy planes came again the next day. 果然,敌机第二天又来了。Air as well as sunlight be, needless to say, indispensable to
5、our daily life.不必说, 空气像阳光一样,是我们日常生活所不可缺少的。She fell nearly 100 feet; but, strange to say, the fall did not kill her.她从近百英尺的高处跌下,但是说来奇怪,竟然没有摔死。三、介词短语作插入语 在英语中,作插入结构的介词短语可以位于句首或句中。常用作插入语的介词短语有in a few words / in sum / in short (简而言之),on the contrary (相反),in other words (换句话说), in a sense (在某种意义上), in g
6、eneral(一般说来), in my view (在我看来),in conclusion (总之),in summary (概括地说),in fact (事实上),in addition (此外),of course (当然),to my joy / delight / satisfaction (使我欣慰 / 高兴 / 满意的是),at first (首先),for instance / example (例如),as a matter of fact (事实上),all in all(总而言之)等。翻译时,一般将介词短语置于主句之前,承前作状语,修饰全句。例如:Your performa
7、nce in the driving test didnt reach the required standard in other words, you failed. 你在驾驶执照考试中的表现没有达到要求的标准。换句话说,你没有通过。Helen was kinder to her youngest son than to the others, which, of course, made the others envy him.与其他的孩子相比,海伦更疼爱最小的儿子。当然,这就会引起其他孩子的嫉妒。As a matter of fact, Ive never been there bef
8、ore.事实上,我从未到过那儿。四、不定式短语作插入语 不定式短语作插入结构时,可以位于句首、句中或句末,用于对整个句子进行解释。常见的作插入语的不定式短语有:to be frank(说句实话),to tell you the truth(老实对你说),to be sure(可以肯定地说),so to speak(可以这样说),to begin with(首先),to start with(首先),to be more exact(更确切地说),to sum up(总之,概括地说),to put it briefly(简单来说),to put it in another way(换句话说),t
9、o make a long story short(长话短说),to say the least of it(至少可以这样说),to conclude(总之,最后),to be specific(具体来说),to be precise(准确地说),to speak frankly(坦白地说)等。翻译的时候,一般将不定式短语置于句首,充当状语,修饰整个句子。例如:To sum up, success results from hard work.总之,成功来自于努力。To be precise, the train leaves at nine past eleven. 确切地说,火车十一点零九
10、分开。The new procedures have been officially christened, so to speak.可以说,新措施已经正式实施了。五、分词短语作插入语 在英语中,作插入结构的分词短语(包括现在分词短语和过去分词短语)一般位于句首或句末,修饰整个句子。这样的分词短语主要有:taking account of(考虑到),taking all things into consideration(从整体来看),taking as an example(以为例),talking of(谈到),speaking of(提到),strictly speaking(严格地说)
11、,considering(考虑到),all things considered(从整体来看),allowing for(考虑到),generally speaking(一般来说),judging from(根据来判断),putting it another way(换句话说),roughly speaking(大体来说)等等。翻译成汉语时,分词短语一般需要置于所修饰的句子最前面,充当状语,修饰全句。例如:Taking Tibet as an example, there are more than 1,700 temples and monasteries with more than 46,
12、000 professional clergy.以西藏为例,现有寺庙1,700多所,全职僧人4.6万多人。The price is no excessive, taking account of the high production cost.考虑到高昂的生产成本,这个价钱不能算高。Strictly speaking, hes not qualified for the job.严格来说,他没有资格做这份工作。六、分句作插入语 在英语中,充当插入语的分句一般位于句子中间或结尾。常用的作插入语的分句有:I think (我认为),do you suggest / suppose (你建议/猜测
13、),I hope (我希望),Im afraid (恐怕),whats more (而且),whats worse (更糟糕的是),you see (你知道),I am sure (我可以肯定地说),I wonder (我不知道), that is (也就是说),it seems (看来是),as I see it (照我看来),what is important (重要的是),believe it or not (信不信由你)等。翻译成汉语时,分句结构一般需要前移至句首,限定整个句子。例如:It is so nice to hear from her. Believe it or not, we last met more than thirty years ago.能收到她的来信真是太好了。信不信由你,我们上一次见面是在三十年前了。She has set a new record, that is, the sales of her latest book have reached 50 million.她创造了新的纪录,也就是说,她的新书的销量达到了5,000万册。How do you suggest we go to Beijing for our holidays?你觉得我们应该怎么前往北京度假4