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英汉对比--Part II 补充阅读--第二页
(英汉语言宏观结构区别特征) |
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三、后续性与前置性 不同的民族具有不同的思路,往往也就有不同的语言结构外壳。汉语中定语不论长短,一般都置于名词之前。状语也通常前置,这是与汉民族具有前置性的思维方式密切相关的。而英语中的定语往往是较短的前置,较长的后置 ( 包含定语从句 ) 。状语大多也后置,这也是由于他们具有后续性思维习惯所决定的,因为结构长了,往往另成一条思路,置于后面加以补充处理。因此,从汉语的习惯看,英语的修饰语好象是倒立着的,而英国人看汉语的句序也很别扭,这都是民族思路的差异在语言表达形式上的不同反映。我们应充分考虑到这种差异,按语言各自特征进行表达,方可顺应语言规律,提高语言修养。如: This is the man who had a talk with her at the office at four o'clock yesterday afternoon .译成汉语时常将后续性的修饰语转换成前置性的表达方式才合乎习惯:这就是昨天下午四点钟在办公室与她谈话的那个人。又例: Human facial expressions differ from those of animals in the degree to which they can deliberately controlled and modified . ( 人类面部表情与动物不同之处在于它们能被有意识地控制和修改的程度。 ) 英语句子状语位置非常灵活,句首,句中,句末皆可,但究竟置于何处则与语义侧重、文章衔接、个人风格等因素有关,如: There isn't such a word as far as I know .也可将 as far as I know 置于句首,以示强调,但译成汉语时要前置:就我所知,英语里并没有这样一个词。 另外,英语中常常有一些插在句中或句末的话语,如: I think , if you like , you see , it is said , I'm afraid , if you would please 等,这些词语也往往是后续才想起来的,在说完主要内容后附加上的短语,而汉语这样的意思多在句首,如: Have a walk with me after supper , if you like!( 如你愿意的话,晚饭后和我散散步。 ) Just fill in this form if you would please . ( 请你填上这表。 ) 英汉两语言的结构顺序还有很多不同之处,如英语是先地点后时间,而汉语是先时间后地点,如: I bought it in Shanghai last year . ( 这是我去年在上海买的。 ) 至于时序与句序问题,先大后小问题,分别参见第四、五点。 四、正三角与倒三角 英语在成分配列时,往往按照先短后长的规律组句 ( 即 End-weight) ,也就是头轻脚重,象正三角形 ( △ ) ,这也是英语句子倒装主要原因之一。如: ·Gone forever are the days when We Chinese people depended on foreign oils . ·There are stolen quite a number of very valuable jewels . (stolen 原应置于句后,但其结构较短,故前置。 ) ·Before them lay miles of miles of beautiful plain with lots of wild animals among the grass . 形式主语 it 可以代替不定式、动名词、主语从句等置于句首,而将真正的主语 ( 逻辑主语 ) 后置,也是为了考虑句子平衡。使之符合正三角形结构,如: ·It is important to study English as well as science and technology for the four modernizations of our country . ·It is not yet known whether they will send any delegation to attend the conference which is to be held next month in Hawaii . it 也可用来代替较长的宾语,这就出现了句型: V+it+ 宾补 + 宾语 ( 较长 ) ,如: ·We found it impossible to get everything ready by the time when they would arrive here . 另外,动宾结构的分隔和分隔定语从句也是这个原因,如: ·He found to our great joy that his old friend William Royal was still alive . ·The time has come when ordinary people can use electronic computers both in the office and at home . 而汉语则无此特征,而且往往采取头重脚轻的倒三角 (V) 结构,上面一句可译为:普通人在办公室和家庭里使用电子计算机的时代已经到来。 另外,汉语中在几个时间单位或地点单位配列时,总是从大到小排,符合头重脚轻的倒三角 (V) 规律;而英语中则正好反过来,由小到大,符合头轻脚重的正三角 ( △ ) 规律。如; The train started back to London at eight o'clock on the morning of July 4 . ( 七月四日上午八点钟火车开始返回伦敦。 ) He went to stay in the country for a day or two every month last year . ( 他去年每月到乡下去住一、二天。 ) She lives at 34 Broadway , New York , U.S.A . ( 她住在美国纽约百老汇大街 34 号。 ) 当时间状语与地点状语共现时,英语中时间状语在后,而汉语中时间状语在前,如: I met him by chance at the theatre the other day . ( 我是几天前在剧院碰巧见到他的。 ) 但如果地点状语过长于时间状语,则采取头轻脚重式结构: 1 was born in 1955 in a small village near the capital city of Shandong Province 。 当然,如果有些小单位如果是后来想起来的,也可后置,这就是后续性思维。 He arrived yesterday afternoon , at about five o'clock . |
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