科技文章翻译.docVIP

科技文章因为其用词严肃,造句严谨枯燥,所以大家认为科技文章的翻译,就要追求/词对词,句对句0的对等翻译[1](P223)。这些看法有些误解。事实上,科技文章的遣词也讲究文采,造句也应具有美学特质。本文欲从翻译遣词的方法以及造句中的美学追求来讨论科技文章的翻译。一、科技文章的遣词科技文章的遣词也可以生动活泼,细究之下,似有三类:借、转、破。它们给可能单调的行文平添几分亮色,使科技文章的沉滞之风,为之一扫,于是阅读便成为享受,翻译也充满兴趣。[2](P77)现举例说明:(1) The furthest we have been is the Moon. If we want to travel into deep space, beyond our backyard, the Solar System, we.ll need a new breed of spacecraft.译文:我们人类迄今所到过的最远的地方是月球。要想穿越地球的后院)))太阳系,进入外层空间,我们需要一种新型的宇宙飞船。[2](P77)(2) Space is the most hostile environment we will ev-er explore. Even a single five-hour spacewalk requires months of training, and a vast technical backup to keep it safe.译文:太空是人类探索所进入的最恶劣的环境。即便是一趟5小时的太空行走,也需要数月的强化训练,以及庞大的技术支持来确保其安全。(3) Down here on earth we are protected by the at-mosphere and by our planet.s magnetic field (磁场),but in space long haul astronauts suffer gradual but irrevers-ible radiation sickness unless they are carefully shielded.译文:在地球上,我们受到大气层及地球磁场的保护,而在太空中,长时间逗留的宇航员会逐渐患上无法根治的辐射病,除非他们全身都能保护得滴水不漏。遣词分析:例(1)中deep space,乃/借0来的专业术语。Deep + space一旦成为航天术语,便不能从普通词汇的视角去解释,应译作/外层空间0。例(2)中的hostile(本义:充满敌意的)文学色彩浓厚,它又体现了/转0字,其转义之一是:unfavorable to health and life (不利于健康及生活的)。另如:a hostile climate/恶劣气候。因此翻译the most hostile environment中的hostile,却不能/守0其本义,而必须以其转义译之。当然,科技英语中体现/转0的意境的词汇,翻译时到底如何处理,是译其本义,还是译其转义,要视汉语的表达习惯而定,语言的奥妙与魅力,也许就在于此。而例(3)中/long haul0的使用,充分体现了科技文章遣词的第三类:/破0。5美国传统词典6对/longhaul0释义为:/informal: a long period of time0。词典添加这个informal不可小视,科技文章使用如此informal的词组,很明显属于打/破0常规。/破0在科技文章多为向下破格,孰料,本段出现了向上/破格0的例子。Gradual but ir-reversible radiation sickness中的irreversible便是一例。很多词典对其的注释是/不能取消的,不能改变的(律)0。这个/律0告诉我们, irreversible本来是一个法律术语,属庄重语体。从正式语体遣词到庄重语体遣词,应是向上o compete, produce, and succeed; this also affects thesurvival rate. Another part of the problem of male morta-lity is the male hormone testosterone, which brings about ahigher metabolic rate in most tissues, wearing them outfaster.(2) Later on in life man suffer from the strain of modern life to compete, produce, and succeed; this also affects the survival r