8.减词法Omission.ppt

Omission is a technique opposite to amplification. It is true that a translator has no right to subtract any meaning from the original work. But it does not follow that he should refrain from omitting any words at all in translation. Look at the following example: When the visitors left, Einstein made no reference to the meeting. 客人离开后，爱因斯坦对这次会议只字未提。 The train moved away so lowly that butterflies blew in and out the windows. 火车开得非常缓慢，蝴蝶从窗口飞进又飞出。 He reads the words of the poem. 他朗读起这首诗中的词来。 The sun is setting down beyond the western hill. 日落西山。 One must make painstaking efforts before one can succeed in mastering a foreign language. 要掌握一门外语非下苦功不可。 A comparison between the two versions shows that many of the “redundant” English words have been omitted in the Chinese translation. Therefore, a manipulation of the technique “omission” is always called for in E-C translation. Omission is a technique opposite to amplification. Generally speaking, omission in English-Chinese is used to achieve the effect of succinctness, especially in the cases of English pronouns and functional words such as the pronouns, articles, prepositions and conjunctions, etc. e.g. : A book is useful. 书（是）有用（的）。 The earth goes around the sun. 地球绕太阳转。 On Sundays we have no school. 礼拜天我们不上课。 He has been abroad so long, he feels rather out of it here. He doesn’t seem able to find anyone in common with. 译文一：他在国外住了那么久，他在这里有点不习惯。他好像找不到一个人能和他说到一起。 译文二：他在国外住久了，在这里有点不习惯，好像跟谁都说不到一块儿。 It was Louisa who insisted that he should be sent to St. Paul’s and she always had him out here for his Christmas vacation. 译文一：路易莎坚持他应该被送到圣保罗教堂，她总是把他领出来过他的圣诞节。 译文二：路易莎非把他送到圣保罗教堂不可，可总是把他接出来过圣诞节。 “What are you plans now?” “I’ve got a job of work to finish here and then I shall go back to America.” 译文一：你现在作何打算？ 我有一件工作要在这里完成，然后，我回美国去。 译文二：现在打算如何？ 在这儿把事办完，然后回美国去。 We have 366 days in the leap year. 闰年有366天。 United, we stand; divided, we fail. 合则存，分则亡。 You can never tell.