Since the reform and opening-up over 40 years ago, the Chinese government has attached increasing importance to higher education, which has now entered a stage of steady development. Today, the total number of college students has reached nearly 47 million, ranking first in the world. With the rapid development of China's economy and the steady improvement of people's living standards, more and more people are eager to receive higher education. Meanwhile, the number of colleges and universities in China and the disciplines they offer continue to increase, student enrollment rises year by year, and teaching quality is constantly improving, creating opportunities for more young people to receive such education.
逐句译法
1. 改革开放40多年以来,中国政府对高等教育越来越重视,高等教育已经进入稳步发展阶段。
参考译法:Since the reform and opening-up over 40 years ago, the Chinese government has attached increasing importance to higher education, which has now entered a stage of steady development.
主干:政府 重视 + 高教 进入阶段(两个主干)(主语策略:原句主语)这句中文其实含两个并列分句,各立一套主谓。第一套主语取 中国政府→the Chinese government,谓语「重视」用 attach importance to / pay more attention to;第二套主语取 高等教育→higher education,谓语「进入阶段」用 has entered a stage。两句用分号连接,可拆成两句或用 and 并列。
语法点:- 时态「中国政府越来越重视」是延续至今的现状,回指全篇基调用一般现在时 attaches increasing importance;「已经进入稳步发展阶段」含「已经」、强调对现在的结果,偏离用现在完成时 has entered。 - 搭配「重视」用动词短语 attach importance to sth / pay attention to sth,介词 to 不能丢;"importance" 前用 increasing 表「越来越」。 - 冠词higher education 作不可数抽象名词,泛指时不加冠词、不加 s;a steady development stage 中 stage 可数、首次提及用不定冠词 a。
降级处理:时间状语前置 + 程度副词译「越来越」改革开放40多年以来 是时间状语,降级成介词短语 "Since the reform and opening-up over 40 years ago" 置于句首;越来越重视 的「越来越」用 "increasingly" 或 "more and more" 修饰,不要照字面写成 "more and more important"(重视是动词不是形容词)。两个分句信息独立,宜拆成两句而非 and 硬接。
2. 高校学生总数已接近4,700万人,位居世界第一。
参考译法:The total number of college students has reached nearly 47 million, ranking first in the world.
主干:学生总数 接近 4700万(主干)(主语策略:原句主语)主语取 高校学生总数→The total number of college students,谓语「接近」用 has reached / is approaching / has neared,宾语是数字 47 million。位居世界第一 是对这个数字的补充评价,不另立主语,降级处理挂到主干上。
语法点:- 时态「已接近」含「已」、是累积到现在的结果,用现在完成时 has reached / has neared;若理解为持续逼近的现状,用一般现在时 is approaching 亦可,但全句须自洽。 - 数字表达「4,700万」译成 47 million,million 在这里不加 s(前面有具体数字时 million 用单数);不要写成 4700 万的直译 "4700 thousand" 这类中式数字。 - 主谓一致主语中心词是 The total number(单数),谓语用第三人称单数 has / is,不要被后面的 students 带成复数。
降级处理:「位居世界第一」降级成非谓语/独立小句位居世界第一 是对前面数字的追加说明,不要照中文用 and 平接成 "...and ranks first",更地道的是降级成现在分词短语 "ranking first in the world" 作伴随状语,或用 which 定语从句 "which ranks first in the world"。这样主次分明,避免两个谓语并列的流水感。
3. 随着我国经济的快速发展,人民生活水平不断提高,越来越多的人渴望接受高等教育。
参考译法:With the rapid development of China's economy and the steady improvement of people's living standards, more and more people are eager to receive higher education.
主干:越来越多的人 渴望 接受高教(主干)(主语策略:原句主语)这句的落脚点、即真正的主干是最后一段:主语取 越来越多的人→more and more people / an increasing number of people,谓语「渴望」用 desire / are eager,宾语是「接受高等教育」to receive higher education。前面两段「经济发展」「生活水平提高」都是铺垫背景,降级处理。
语法点:- 时态全句讲普遍现状趋势,回指基调用一般现在时:people desire / are eager to receive。 - 搭配「渴望接受高等教育」用 be eager / desire to receive (gain / have access to) higher education;「接受教育」地道说法是 receive education,不要写成 accept education。 - 名词化With 短语里把动词转成名词:发展→development、提高→improvement / rise,介词 of 连接(the development of the economy / the improvement of living standards)。
降级处理:「随着…发展」降级 With 短语,「生活水平提高」降级伴随随着我国经济的快速发展 降级成 "With the rapid development of China's economy" 介词短语作状语置于句首;人民生活水平不断提高 是伴随结果,可并入 With 短语("and the steady improvement of people's living standards")或处理成独立小句,但不宜与主干平起平坐用三个 and 平铺。主干只保留「越来越多的人渴望接受高教」。
参考译法:The number of colleges and universities in China and the disciplines they offer continue to increase, and student enrollment rises year by year while teaching quality is constantly improving, creating opportunities for more young people to receive higher education.
语法点:- 时态全句讲持续进行的现状,回指基调用一般现在时;「持续/不断/逐年」可配现在进行时强调进行中(is constantly improving)或一般现在时(continue to increase)。 - 单复数「数量和学科专业」是两样东西,作主语谓语用复数 continue(the number ... and the disciplines ... continue);opportunities 为更多年轻人提供的机会不止一个,用复数。 - 搭配「招生人数」用 enrollment / the number of students enrolled;「逐年上升」用 rises year by year / increases annually;「创造机会」用 create / provide opportunities for sb to do sth。
降级处理:前三段并列谓语,末句降级 creating 短语数量和学科专业持续增加→...continue to increase;招生人数逐年上升→enrollment rises year by year;教学质量也在不断改进→teaching quality is constantly improving——三段为避免一句过长,可拆成两句。为更多年轻人创造了接受高等教育的机会 是总结果,降级成现在分词短语 "creating opportunities for more young people to receive higher education" 挂在主句末,不再另起 and + 谓语。
词汇与译名提示
改革开放改革开放 是有约定俗成官方译名的文化负载词,统一译作 "reform and opening-up"(或 "the reform and opening-up"),不要逐字直译成 "reform and open the door"。全篇只用这一种译法。
高等教育高等教育 反复出现,统一译作 "higher education"(不可数,不加冠词、不加 s),避免一会儿 higher education、一会儿 high education 或 college education 来回换。
高校高校 即「高等院校/大学」,统一译作 "colleges and universities"(或简洁用 "universities")。后文 我国高校的数量 的「高校」沿用同一译法,保持前后一致。