第一讲第一讲词义的选择词义的选择

Diction in translationDiction in translation I. Definition of “diction”I. Definition of “diction”

What is “diction”? By “diction” we mean What is “diction”? By “diction” we mean the proper choice of words and phrases the proper choice of words and phrases in the target language on the basis of in the target language on the basis of accurate comprehension of the source accurate comprehension of the source language text. language text.

总体说来，在英汉翻译中要真正准确地理解英语总体说来，在英汉翻译中要真正准确地理解英语词语的意义，往往要从以下四个方面入手：词语的意义，往往要从以下四个方面入手：（（ 11 ）根据上下文进行判断；（）根据上下文进行判断；（ 22 ）根据搭配来）根据搭配来进行判断；（进行判断；（ 33 ）根据语法形式来进行判断；）根据语法形式来进行判断；（（ 44 ）根据词在句中的词类来进行判断。）根据词在句中的词类来进行判断。

11 ． ． Distinguish the original meaninDistinguish the original meaning of an English word by means of cong of an English word by means of contexttext

This war is becoming the most important This war is becoming the most important storystory of of his generation. his generation.

It is quite another It is quite another storystory now.now. Some reporters who were not included in the sessiSome reporters who were not included in the sessi

ons broke the ons broke the storystory.. He’ll be very happy if that He’ll be very happy if that storystory holds up. holds up. The Rita Haywoth The Rita Haywoth storystory is one of the saddest. is one of the saddest. A young man came to Scott’s office with a A young man came to Scott’s office with a storystory.. Last December, the Post first reported that probes Last December, the Post first reported that probes

were being made in each of those cities, but officiwere being made in each of those cities, but officials refused to confirm the als refused to confirm the storystory. .

The The storystory about him became smaller and by and babout him became smaller and by and by faded out from the American TV.y faded out from the American TV.

Tell me the Tell me the storystory of what happened to you.of what happened to you. The The storystory of the opera was printed in the program.of the opera was printed in the program.

By the 13th century, printing had By the 13th century, printing had developeddeveloped further. further. By the first century the making of paper in some parts of the China had By the first century the making of paper in some parts of the China had

been well been well developeddeveloped and had been common.and had been common. As early as his second film, Chaplin had As early as his second film, Chaplin had developeddeveloped his own manner o his own manner o

f acting the one that was to become world famous. f acting the one that was to become world famous. While people in other countries in the world were trying to catch wild aWhile people in other countries in the world were trying to catch wild a

nimals and birds and were still collecting seeds and nuts, farmers in Chinimals and birds and were still collecting seeds and nuts, farmers in China werena were developingdeveloping the science of agriculture. the science of agriculture.

At the same time, another kind of paper was At the same time, another kind of paper was developeddeveloped, made from si, made from silk lk

It is believed that before writing was It is believed that before writing was developeddeveloped, people in China used , people in China used to keep records by putting a number of stones together to keep records by putting a number of stones together

Photographers return and the photos are quickly Photographers return and the photos are quickly developeddeveloped.. Some married people who are not satisfied with their family may resort tSome married people who are not satisfied with their family may resort t

o the Internet to o the Internet to developdevelop an extramarital affair. an extramarital affair. Chinese researchers have made a breakthrough in Chinese researchers have made a breakthrough in developingdeveloping new m new m

aterials for nickel-hydrogen batteries used in low temperatures, Xinhua aterials for nickel-hydrogen batteries used in low temperatures, Xinhua reportedreported..

And thirdly, computer games help And thirdly, computer games help developdevelop children’s interest in compchildren’s interest in computersuters. .

Although the country’s long-term strategy of Although the country’s long-term strategy of developingdeveloping tthe vast western region is still at an early stage, both the govehe vast western region is still at an early stage, both the government officials and economic experts are keen to discuss trnment officials and economic experts are keen to discuss the ways to narrow the economic gap between the west and the ways to narrow the economic gap between the west and the east. he east.

这场战争行将成为这一代人的最重大的这场战争行将成为这一代人的最重大的事件事件。。 现在的现在的情况情况完全不同了。完全不同了。 有些没有参加那次会议的记者把有些没有参加那次会议的记者把内情内情捅出去了。捅出去了。

如果这一如果这一说法说法当真，那他就太高兴了。当真，那他就太高兴了。 丽泰•海华丝的丽泰•海华丝的遭遇遭遇算最惨的了。算最惨的了。 一个年轻人来到斯科特的办公室一个年轻人来到斯科特的办公室报案报案。 。 去年去年 1212 月，《邮报》首先报道侦察工作已在月，《邮报》首先报道侦察工作已在

那些城市里进行，但官员们拒绝证实这条那些城市里进行，但官员们拒绝证实这条消息消息。。 对他的对他的报道报道越来越少了，不久他就从美国电视越来越少了，不久他就从美国电视

上销声匿迹了。上销声匿迹了。 告诉我发生在你身上的一切告诉我发生在你身上的一切事情事情。。 这曲戏的这曲戏的故事情节故事情节印在了节目单上。印在了节目单上。

2. 2. DistinguishDistinguish the original meaning othe original meaning of an English word by means of collocf an English word by means of collocationation

（根据搭配来确定词义（根据搭配来确定词义 ) )

a a fastfast car car thethe fast fast growth growth fastfast music music a a fastfast journey journey fastfast color color a a fastfast film film a a fastfast oven oven fastfast asleep asleep break one’s break one’s fastfast by drinking some milk by drinking some milk stick stick fastfast in the mud in the mud

速度很快速度很快的车 的车 迅速迅速发展发展 节奏快节奏快的音乐的音乐 行程紧凑行程紧凑的一次旅行的一次旅行 不易褪掉不易褪掉的颜色的颜色 快速快速感光胶卷感光胶卷 烤烤箱箱 熟熟睡的睡的 开开斋斋喝了点牛奶 喝了点牛奶 牢牢牢牢地陷在泥巴里地陷在泥巴里

delicatedelicate skin skin delicatedelicate porcelain porcelain delicatedelicate upbringing upbringing delicatedelicate health health delicatedelicate living living delicate stomachdelicate stomach delicatedelicate diplomatic question diplomatic question delicatedelicate difference difference delicatedelicate surgical operation surgical operation delicatedelicate ear for music ear for music delicatedelicate sense of smell sense of smell delicatedelicate touch touch delicatedelicate food food

It was a It was a good good dinner.dinner. He is a He is a goodgood chess player. chess player. She speaks She speaks goodgood English English.. I have done a I have done a goodgood day’s work. day’s work. It was a girl with It was a girl with goodgood manners. manners. The young brother wants to have the The young brother wants to have the

goodgood half of the bread. half of the bread. …………yet, as it sometimes happens that a yet, as it sometimes happens that a

person departs his life, who is really person departs his life, who is really deserving of the praises the stone deserving of the praises the stone cutter carves over his bones; who is a cutter carves over his bones; who is a goodgood Christian, a Christian, a good good parent, a parent, a goodgood child, a child, a goodgood wife or a wife or a good good husband. husband.

33 ．． Distinguish the original meaning oDistinguish the original meaning of an English word by means of syntaxf an English word by means of syntax

（从词的语法形式判断）（从词的语法形式判断）

agreement agreement 同意 同意 an agreement an agreement 协定协定 people people 人民 人民 a people a people 民族民族 hostility hostility 敌意 敌意 hostilities hostilities 战争战争 use use 使用 使用 uses uses 用途 用途

The reason? University medical schools The reason? University medical schools can onlycan only find places find places for half of those for half of those who apply?who apply?

No war has ever started with such a No war has ever started with such a victory for one side at the very victory for one side at the very beginning of thebeginning of the hostilities hostilities..

There is a definite link between There is a definite link between smoking and lung cancer. But this smoking and lung cancer. But this doesn’t make you too comfortable doesn’t make you too comfortable because you are in good because you are in good companycompany..

4. Distinguish4. Distinguish the original meaning othe original meaning of an English word by means of its parf an English word by means of its part of speech t of speech （根据词在句中的词类来进（根据词在句中的词类来进行判断）行判断）

I don’t I don’t likelike it when she tells me how to it when she tells me how to do things. do things.

From what you say, she soundsFrom what you say, she sounds like like the the right person for the job. right person for the job.

He went up to her all innocent, He went up to her all innocent, likelike, as , as if he’d done nothing.if he’d done nothing.

Running, swimming andRunning, swimming and likelike sports are sports are all her hobbies.all her hobbies.

Do you make bread Do you make bread likelike you make you make cakes? cakes?

Will we ever see the Will we ever see the likelike of Mozart of Mozart again?again?

With over 1.2 billion people, a united, a With over 1.2 billion people, a united, a prosperous China will prosperous China will dwarfdwarf her Asian her Asian neighbors.neighbors.

The union had very little The union had very little saysay in the new in the new pay agreement. pay agreement.

The pole-vaulter The pole-vaulter betteredbettered the world the world record by six inches. record by six inches.

II.II. Correspondence between Correspondence between English and Chinese at Word English and Chinese at Word LevelLevel

(1) Full correspondence or word-for-word co(1) Full correspondence or word-for-word correspondence in the target language (rrespondence in the target language ( 完全对完全对应应 ))

Proper nouns of places, names, organizatiProper nouns of places, names, organizations and so on, and technical terms are often ons and so on, and technical terms are often translated word-for-word or given full correstranslated word-for-word or given full correspondence in translation because their meanipondence in translation because their meanings are equivalent at every level. For examplngs are equivalent at every level. For example: e:

Marxism = Marxism = 马克思主义 马克思主义 aspirin = aspirin = 阿司匹阿司匹林林

the United Nations = the United Nations = 联合国 联合国 the Pacific Othe Pacific Ocean = cean = 太平洋太平洋

激光 激光 = laser = laser 白血病 白血病 = leukemia = leukemia

(2) One word with multiple equivalents of t(2) One word with multiple equivalents of the same meaning in the target language he same meaning in the target language （原文中的某个词语在译文当中有多种对应的词（原文中的某个词语在译文当中有多种对应的词语）语）

wife: wife: 妻子、爱人、夫人、太太、老婆、老伴、妻子、爱人、夫人、太太、老婆、老伴、媳妇、堂客、内人、贱内、拙荆媳妇、堂客、内人、贱内、拙荆

potato: potato: 马铃薯、洋芋、土豆、山药蛋马铃薯、洋芋、土豆、山药蛋 人人 : human being, man, people, person, hu: human being, man, people, person, hu

man, fellow, individual, soulman, fellow, individual, soul 犬：犬： dog, hound, spaniel, mastiff, pointer, sdog, hound, spaniel, mastiff, pointer, s

etter, retriever, terrier etter, retriever, terrier

III. “False equivalents” in III. “False equivalents” in translationtranslation

pull one’s legpull one’s leg eat one’s wordseat one’s words wash one’s hands of somethingwash one’s hands of something make one’s hair stand on endmake one’s hair stand on end get a kick out of something get a kick out of something child’s playchild’s play Lock the stable/barn door after the horse Lock the stable/barn door after the horse

is stolen.is stolen. Love me, love my dog.Love me, love my dog.