书城社会科学应用翻译研究
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第9章 译品类型(3)

[分析]原作分为四段,编译稿仅一段,主题明确,重点突出,其主旨是介绍湿地的类型和特点。从编译文可以看出,原作的宏观语篇结构,即思维逻辑的发展顺序,得以保存。此编译文的具体操作过程为:首先确定主题,即湿地介绍;然后摘取与主题最为密切的内容,即湿地的类型与特点;为了准确地说明沼泽的特点,译者还运用了合并法,将第三段首句的前半部分合并到第二段的首句,这是合句法,而原作四段并作一段,这是合段法。另外,为了行文流畅,译者在编译文中增加了“例如”一词,这是增添。

3.5译要

译要是以翻译为手段对原文作摘要,即从原文中抽出主题内容,以简练的译入语写成摘要,而不是就已有的摘要来译出摘要。国际标准ISO 214-76对“文摘”一词的解释为an abbreviated accurate representation of the contents of a document without added interpreta- tion or criticism(对原文献内容准确扼要的表述,不加以解释或评论)。

译要长短不一,短者十余字,长者一般不超过原文的三分之一。其与选译之最大的不同是必须要把关键词和核心内容译出,如论文摘要则包括试验研究的目的、范围、方法、手段、步骤、结论等可能涉及的方面。译法上可摘取原文照译,也可适当改变其句子结构或段落安排,增加连接性词语等。

作为译要的一种,文摘是一种能脱离正文而单独成文的语篇。文摘以固定的格式排出,除题头和摘要之外,还包括文摘编号、作者姓名、作者单位、通信地址、文章出处、原文文种等,有的在文末署有文摘作者的姓名,以示负责。

文摘是了解科学技术成就的捷径,是打开科技宝库的一把钥匙。目前,世界上专业性文摘杂志数以千计,有助于科研人员从浩瀚的文献资料中博采百家,去粗取精,及时地了解本专业文献的现状。“科学家文摘,对全世界发表的科技着作,可了解80%以上,不借助文所能了解的不超过6%。”除了一些定期的文摘杂志外,在信息工程中还要翻译人员根据实际需要自做文摘。文摘按对原文的压缩程度可分为三类。

3.5.1指示性文摘

指示性文摘(indicative abstract)是对标题的扩大或是对标题的补充说明,只要简明地译出论题的涉及范围、研究目的、研究方向、主要结果或主要原理等即可。例如:

中国防范金融危机的果断行动

1998年6月21日,中国人民银行决定关闭海南发展银行,并委托中国工商银行托管海南发展银行的债权债务。从6月30日起,中国工商银行海南分行对原海南发展银行境内居民储蓄存款和境外债务实行登记兑付。截止7月27日,已兑付应付总额的78%,其中77%转存中国工商银行。目前,每天兑付量已从开始头几天的3亿多元人民币回落到2~3千万元人民币,整个兑付是在平静的状态中进行的。目前,中国工商银行海南省分行正在对机构和企业存款者的债权登记确认。中国工商银行决定,这部分债权的偿还办法待结束对原海南发展银行的债务清算后另行公告。尽管还没有正式公布这部分的存款总量,但估计可能要高于居民存款。对原海南发展银行的清算要在几个月后才会有结果,很多机构和企业存款者都有些担心他们的存款能否兑付,也有乐观者认为:本金和正常利息的兑付是没有问题的。

50年来,中国政府首次关闭一家银行,特别时值亚洲金融危机,这引起了国内外的关注。从6月21日海南发展银行被关闭至今一个多月的情况说明,采取及时果断的关闭决定,不但没有引起经济社会的风险和矛盾,而且表现出了中央银行不回避矛盾和问题,敢于大胆整顿金融机构,积极主动防范和化解金融风险。

The Hainan Development Bank is the first bank in China to close down in 50 years.It has attracted world-wide attention,especially because of Asia’s severe financial crisis.

以上文摘短短两句,只译出原文的核心内容和由此引起的影响。

3.5.2资料性文摘

资料性文摘(informative abstract)是译出原文提供的主要情境和基本事实,或译出原文讨论的主题范围、研究对象(装置、流程、工艺、材料、病况等)、原理、试验研究的手段、方法、结果和结论,并译出主要数据、公式和图表。资料性文摘相对较长(按原文长度的比例而言),一般情况下,读者不看原文,即可从文摘中获得主要资料。例如:

Hormones Could Curb Broken Hips in Women

By Oliver Gillie,Medical Editor

Women who have passed through the menopause should consider taking extra female hormones to prevent bone fractures,the Royal College of Physicians said yesterday.

Its advice follows a two-fold increase in hip fractures in oldpeople over the past 20 years.The increase is probably the result of changes in lifestyle,particularly a decline in the amount of exercise people take.

More than 46,000 people a year suffer hip fractures in England and Wales and about a quarter die as a result.Many more never regain full mobility.The hospital costs are about £160 a year,the college says in a new report.

Women are most vulnerable after the age of 50 because calcium lost from bones more rapidly when female hormones decline after the menopause.Hip fractures are most common in older women:almost 60 percent occur in women over 75.

Middle-aged women vary in the amount of calcium lost from their bones;one third suffer heavy losses,making them much more vulnerable to fractures.These women may be detected by screening methods which involve shining a light beam through the wrist,but this method is not widely available.

Dr.John Kanis,reader in human metabolism at Sheffield Univer- sity,said,“Female hormones help to prevent loss of calcium from bones.After the menopause some female hormone is still produced in body fat but thin women produce very little female hormone and so they should have hormone replacement therapy[extra female hormones].

“Women who have their ovaries removed surgically and women who have a premature menopause[while they are in their early 40s or younger]should have hormone replacement therapy because they start losing calcium from their bones earlier.

“Heavy smokers and heavy drinkers should also have hormonere- placement therapy because they produce less female hormone- naturally.”

However,medical opinion differs on the therapy.Sir Raymond- Hoffenberg,president of the college,said,“It is advisable for all women over 50 to have hormone replacement therapy,except for certain women who should not take it because there is an increased risk of breast cancer if close relatives have had the disease.”

However,loss of calcium can also be prevented by taking exercise and eating foods rich in calcium(best sources:milk and milk products,canned fish eaten with bones,dark-green leafy vegetables).

Fractured Neck of Femur: Prevention and Management.Royal College of Physicians,11 St.Andrews Place,London,NW14E.

英国皇家医学院建议绝经后的妇女应考虑额外摄取雌性激素以预防骨折。过去20年,老年人髋部骨折病例增加两倍。在英格兰和威尔士两地,每年有46 000多人患髋部骨折,其中约1/4因此丧生,有更多人活动功能受阻。50岁以上妇女易致髋部骨折,因为绝经后雌性激素水平下降,骨内钙质迅速损耗。其中,75岁以上妇女的病例约占60%。在如何治疗方面,医学家意见有分歧。

文摘提供病因、病况及预治方法,并摘录主要数据。

3.5.3资料-指示性文摘

资料-指示性文摘(informative-indicative abstract)是资料性和指示性兼容的文摘。这类文摘占整文的比例介于上述两种文摘之间。由于文摘长度受限制或者文献类型关系,要求对文献中的基本内容作较为详细的指导性介绍,而对其他部分则作指示性的表述。例如下列已从原文(略)摘出的文摘及其译文:

Production-Oriented Structural Design of Large Ships

Design of ships such as a 240,000 dwt tanker and a 150,000 dwt OBO carrier to facilitate economic production without loss of ship efficiency involves simplification,standardization,minimum weld lengths,and the selection of hull components and assemblies with ease of production and assembly in view.Considerations oftransport,storage,assembly,erection,prefabrication and fitting out at an early stage are discussed.

面向生产的大型船舶结构设计

载重24万吨的油船及载重15万吨的OBO货船等大型船舶的设计,既要节约生产成本又不能降低船舶效率。此设计要结构简单化、标准化,焊接长度尽可能短,选择船壳部件与装配方法要便于生产与总装。本文还讨论了运输、存贮、总装、装配、预制件以及早期安装等问题。

本文摘第一部分对设计原则作了指示性交代,然后再对涉及的具体要求作了概括性说明。