For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.
中文原文
《三国演义》(The Romance of the Three Kingdoms)是中国一部著名的历史小说,写于十四世纪。这部文学作品以三国时期的历史为背景,描写了从公元二世纪下半叶到公元三世纪下半叶的魏、蜀、吴三国之间的战争。小说中刻画了近千个人物和无数的历史事件。这些人物和事件虽然大都基于真实的历史,但都不同程度地被浪漫化和戏剧化了。《三国演义》是一部公认的文学杰作。自面世以来,这部小说不断吸引着一代又一代的读者,并且对中国文化产生了广泛而持久的影响 。
参考译文
The Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a famous Chinese historical novel written in the 14th century. Set against the historical background of the Three Kingdoms period, the work describes the wars among the three states of Wei, Shu and Wu from the latter half of the 2nd century to the latter half of the 3rd century. Nearly a thousand characters and countless historical events are portrayed in the novel. Although these characters and events are mostly based on real history, they have been romanticized and dramatized to varying degrees. The Romance of the Three Kingdoms is an acknowledged literary masterpiece. Since its first appearance, the novel has continuously attracted generations of readers and has exerted a wide and lasting influence on Chinese culture.
逐句译法
1. 《三国演义》(The Romance of the Three Kingdoms)是中国一部著名的历史小说,写于十四世纪。
参考译法:The Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a famous Chinese historical novel written in the 14th century.
主干:小说=一部历史小说(主语策略:原句主语)中文已有明确主语"《三国演义》",核心动词是判断词"是",故主干为 The Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a famous historical novel,主语用题面给定译名,谓语用系动词 is,表语 a famous historical novel。依据 《三国演义》(The Romance of the Three Kingdoms)是中国一部著名的历史小说。
语法点:- 时态主句"是"回指全篇基调用一般现在时 is;"写于十四世纪"是已完成的过去动作,分词用过去分词 written 表被动且已完成,无需再写成 was written 起新句。 - 冠词"一部著名的历史小说"是泛指其中一部,用不定冠词 a,因 famous 以辅音音 /f/ 开头故用 a 不用 an:a famous historical novel。 - 序数词表达"十四世纪"是特指那个世纪,用定冠词加序数词:the 14th century。
降级处理:写作时间降级为定语"写于十四世纪"不是独立新句,而是补充说明这部小说何时写成,应降级为后置定语,用过去分词短语 written in the 14th century 挂在 novel 之后;"中国一部"中的"中国"译作前置形容词 Chinese 修饰 novel,不另起句。
参考译法:Set against the historical background of the Three Kingdoms period, the work describes the wars among the three states of Wei, Shu and Wu from the latter half of the 2nd century to the latter half of the 3rd century.
主干:作品描写了战争(主语策略:原句主语)主语"这部文学作品"为承上指代,可用 The work / This literary work;并列两个动作"以…为背景"和"描写了…战争",取最实的"描写"作谓语 describes,宾语 the wars。依据 描写了…魏、蜀、吴三国之间的战争。
语法点:- 时态"描写了"虽带"了",但指这部小说"一贯描写的内容"这一恒常事实,回指全篇基调用一般现在时 describes,不用过去时。 - 单复数"战争"指魏蜀吴之间多场战事,用复数 the wars;"三国"是三个政权,states 用复数。 - 介词搭配"以…为背景"用 set against (the background of);"之间"指三方多个之间用 among 而非 between;"从…到…"用 from…to…。 - 主谓一致主语 The work 第三人称单数,谓语 describes 加 -s。
降级处理:背景与时间跨度降级"以三国时期的历史为背景"降级为现在分词短语 Set against the historical background of the Three Kingdoms period 置于句首作状语;"从公元二世纪下半叶到公元三世纪下半叶"是修饰战争发生时段的成分,降级为 from the latter half of the 2nd century to the latter half of the 3rd century 作时间状语,紧跟 wars 之后;"魏、蜀、吴三国之间"用 among the three states of Wei, Shu and Wu 作定语。
3. 小说中刻画了近千个人物和无数的历史事件。
参考译法:Nearly a thousand characters and countless historical events are portrayed in the novel.
主干:人物与事件被刻画(主语策略:转被动)中文"小说中刻画了…"的施动者是作者,但句子重心在"被刻画的人物和事件",故转被动:以承受者 Nearly a thousand characters and countless historical events 作主语,谓语 are portrayed,地点状语 in the novel。依据 小说中刻画了近千个人物和无数的历史事件。
降级处理:简单句无需大改本句结构简单,转被动后即为"主语 + are portrayed + in the novel","近千个""无数的"分别作前置数量定语 nearly a thousand、countless,无需再降级从句。
4. 这些人物和事件虽然大都基于真实的历史,但都不同程度地被浪漫化和戏剧化了。
参考译法:Although these characters and events are mostly based on real history, they have been romanticized and dramatized to varying degrees.
主干:它们被浪漫化戏剧化(主语策略:原句主语)主语"这些人物和事件"承上,用 these characters and events;句子有"虽然…但…"让步转折,主信息在"但"后的"被浪漫化和戏剧化",故主干取被动 they have been romanticized and dramatized。依据 但都不同程度地被浪漫化和戏剧化了。
语法点:- 时态语态"被浪漫化和戏剧化了"含"了"表已完成且持续生效的状态,用现在完成时被动 have been romanticized and dramatized,比一般过去时更贴"成书时已加工、至今如此";让步从句"基于真实历史"是恒常事实,用一般现在时 are based on。 - 连词不叠用中文"虽然…但…"成对出现,英文只能留一个:用了 Although 就不再写 but,否则属语法硬伤。 - 主谓一致主语 they 为复数,完成时助动词用 have(have been),不用 has。
降级处理:让步从句加程度状语"虽然大都基于真实的历史"降级为 Although they are mostly based on real history 作让步从句置于句首;"不同程度地"作程度状语 to varying degrees 修饰被动动作;"浪漫化和戏剧化"两个并列过去分词 romanticized and dramatized 共用一个 have been。
5. 《三国演义》是一部公认的文学杰作。
参考译法:The Romance of the Three Kingdoms is an acknowledged literary masterpiece.
主干:小说是公认杰作(主语策略:原句主语)判断句,主语 The Romance of the Three Kingdoms(沿用统一译名)或代词 It,系动词 is,表语 an acknowledged literary masterpiece。依据 《三国演义》是一部公认的文学杰作。
参考译法:Since its first appearance, the novel has continuously attracted generations of readers and has exerted a wide and lasting influence on Chinese culture.
主干:小说吸引读者并产生影响(主语策略:原句主语)主语"这部小说"用 the novel;"并且"连接两个并列谓语,主干为 the novel has attracted … readers and (has) had … influence,两动作共用主语。依据 这部小说不断吸引着一代又一代的读者,并且对中国文化产生了广泛而持久的影响。
语法点:- 时态"自面世以来…不断…"是从过去持续到现在的动作,由 Since 触发现在完成时:has attracted、has had(或 has exerted),不可用一般过去时。 - 主谓一致主语 the novel 第三人称单数,完成时助动词用 has。 - 单复数"一代又一代"用复数 generations of readers,readers 复数。 - 介词搭配"对…产生影响"用 have/exert an influence on,"对中国文化"的"对"用 on,不用 to/for。
降级处理:时间状语前置并列谓语收尾"自面世以来"是时间状语,前置为 Since its publication / first appearance;"一代又一代的读者"译 generations of readers 作宾语;"广泛而持久的"作前置形容词 wide and lasting 修饰 influence;"对中国文化"用介词短语 on Chinese culture 收尾。
词汇与译名提示
三国演义原文已给定官方英译,直接沿用 The Romance of the Three Kingdoms,全篇统一,第二次出现可用代词 the novel / the work 承接,避免重复整名。依据:《三国演义》(The Romance of the Three Kingdoms) 括号内即题面给定译法,约定俗成,不得另译。
三国时期统一译作 the Three Kingdoms period,属约定俗成的历史时期译名。依据:以三国时期的历史为背景。
魏、蜀、吴三个政权统一音译为 Wei, Shu and Wu(首字母大写、作专有名词),不另加 the Kingdom of。依据:魏、蜀、吴三国之间的战争。
第3句承接:用代词避免重复书名第2句结尾是 the work、第3句又说 小说中刻画了,若再写一遍书名会冗赘,第3句已用 in the novel 承接、指代清楚,保持"the work / the novel / It"轮换指代同一部书,全篇不重复整名。
第4句承接:These 回指上句的人物与事件第4句 这些人物和事件 直接承接第3句刚提到的 characters and events,译文用 these characters and events(these 指示上文)自然衔接,无需重述"小说里的"。
第5、6句递进:杰作—影响顺成一气第5句说它是杰作、第6句说自面世以来的影响,二者是"地位—因而有持久影响"的自然递进;第6句以 Since its first appearance 开头,时间上承"成为杰作"之后,读来顺畅,无需额外关联词,但可保留 and 连接"吸引读者"与"产生影响"两个并列结果。