长难句分析与翻译十大基本功

to social science historians. Traditional historians (or the former) view history as only the external and internal criticism of sources. Social science historians (or the latter) equate their activity with specific techniques. 这样表达的意思完全一样，但表达方式却很平淡、罗索。而从汉语的表达习惯来说，句子的修饰成分过多或过

长往往会造成喧宾夺主、语言含混。如本句可照字面直译。

【参考直译】它同样适用将历史仅仅看作是对历史材料来源的内部的和外部的批评的传统历

史学家，和把历史研究活动等同于具体研究方法的社会科学历史学家。

这样的译文较忠实于原文，但读者看起来却很费劲。我们可以按汉语的习惯表达调整为： 【参考译文】它同样适用于传统历史学家和社会科学历史学，传统历史学家（或前者）将历史仅仅看作是对历史材料来源的内部的和外部的批评；社会科学家历史学（或后者）把历史

研究活动等同于具体的研究方法。

Probably there is not one here who has not in the course of the day had occasion

to

set in motion a complex train of reasoning, of the very same kind, though differing

in

degree, as that which a scientific man goes through in tracing the causes of natural

phenomena.

【结构分析】本句结构较复杂。句中who has? had occasion to set in motion a complex train of reasoning 限定前面的one；而 in the course of the day （一整天）是插入语，set in motion a complex train of reasoning 有是倒装的，顺过来应该是set a complex train of reasoning in motion; 后面of the very same kind 是后置定语，修饰reasoning;而the?same 又与后面的as that 从句中的as连接，其中，that是替代词，指代前面的a complex train of reasoning （思考活动）；which 引导的定语从句修饰限定前面的替代词that；句中的though differing in degree是插入语，其中degree 是指\（思想活动）

复杂程度\。

【参考译文】大概这里不会有人一整天都没有机会进行一连串复杂的思考活动，这些思考活动与科学家在探索自然现象原因时所经历的思考活动，尽管复杂程度不同，但在类型上是完

全一样的。

\short\a leader of the new school contends, \scientific revolution, as we

call

it, was largely the improvement and invention and use of a series of instruments

that

expanded the reach of science in innumerable directions.\

【结构分析】that引导的定语从句限定前面的三个名词：improvement, invention 和use。特别要注意，of a series of instruments 是后置定语，不仅仅限定use,还要管到

improvement和invention。As we call it 是插入语。

【参考译文】新学派的一位领袖人物坚持说：\简言之，我们所称之的科学革命，主要是指一系列器具的改进，发明和使用，这些改进、发明和使用使科学发展的范围无所不及。 In office, figures, lists and information are compiled which tell the managers or

heads of the business what is happening in their shops or factories. 【结构分析】which指代前面的先行词figures, lists and information。可以将这个定语

从句改译成结果状语从句，译为\以便??.\

【参考译文】在办公室里，工作人员将各种数据、表格和信息加以汇编，以便让经理或主管

人员了解他们的商店或工厂目前正在发生的情况。

It was not until sixty years ago that a method of extracting aluminum ore was found

which could lead to a cheap large-scale process.

【结构分析】这是一个强调句型，其中，which引导的是定语从句，which指代前面的a method of extracting aluminum ore was found 这件事。也可以把这个定语从句译为结果状语从

句。

【参考译文】直到六十年前人们才找到并采铝矿的方法，从而使低成本、大规模冶炼金属铝

成为可能。 翻译长句难点

There is no agreement whether methodology refers to the concepts peculiar to historical work in general or to the research techniques appropriate to the various

branches of historical inquiry.

【结构分析】根据句子结构和语意分析，这个句子可分成5段：主句（There is no?.）+从句（whether?）+后置定语（peculiar to?）+选择性并列从句（or?.）+后置定语（appropriate to?.）。从语意上讲，主句讲的是结果，从句说的是细节。根据汉语的表

达习惯，译文的表达顺序正好与原文相反。

【参考译文】方法论是指一般的历史研究中特有的概念，还是指历史研究中各个具体领域适

用的研究方法，人们对此意见不一。

For example, they do not compensate for gross social inequality, and thus do not tell how able an underprivileged youngster might have been had he grown up under

more favorable circumstances.

【结构分析】这句话长达31个单词。从结构上讲，它是主句(they do not?)+并列谓语(and thus do not?)+宾语从句(how able an underprivileged youngster might?)+条件状语从句(had he?)；从语义上讲，它有四层意思：\不能?..因此?..不能会有多大的才干?..如果?.\ For example, they do not compensate for gross social inequality, / and thus do not tell / how able an underprivileged youngster might have been / had he grown up under

more favorable circumstances.

由于每一小段包含一个意群，切分后我们就可以试译为：

例如，它们不能弥补巨大的社会不公，因此不能说明一个物质条件差的年轻人会有多大才干，

如果他在较好的环境中长大。

上海道正认为这样的译文可以说已经很清楚，汉语也基本过得去，但仔细检查一下，我们仍然发现汉语表达中还有英语的影子，那就是表示条件\如果?.\

的表达习惯，因此上海道正建议可以调整为

【参考译文】例如,测试并不弥补明显的社会不公，因此它们不能说明一个物质条件差的年

轻人，如果在较好的环境下成长的话，会有多大的才干。

Television, it is often said, keeps one informed about current events, allows one to follow the latest developments in science and politics, and offers an endless

series of programs which are both instructive entertaining.

【结构分析】从句主语带有三个并列的谓语keeps?, allows?, and offers? 构成一个

三项并列结构，第二个三项中又各有一小的二项并列结构。

【参考译文】人们常说，电视使人们了解最近发生的大事， 使人跟上最新科学和政治的发

展，并向人们提供无终止的既有教育意义又有娱乐性的节目。

You have all heard it repeated that men of science work by means of induction and deduction, that by the help of these operations, they, in a sort of sense, manage to extract from Nature certain natural laws, and that out of these, by some special

skill of their own, they build up their theories.

【机构分析】如能看出此句所涉及的并列结构? that ?, that? , and that?, 即可以说解决了此句的关键疑难点。因此，遇到长句如能查看一下是否有并列结构很重要。 【参考译文】人们常说过，科学家使基于归纳法和演绎法工作，借助于这些方法，在某种意义上说，设法从自然界找出某些自然规律，然后根据这些规律，用他们自己特殊的技能逐步

建立起自己的理论。

From agreement on this general goal, we have, unfortunately, in the past proceeded

to disagreement on specific goals, and from there to total inaction. 【结构分析】本句在词序上是倒装，顺过来应为：\have, unfort5unately, in the past proceeded form agreement on this general goal to disagreement on specific goals and

from there to total inaction.\句中的there指agreement on general goal。 【参考译文】遗憾的是，在过去我们已经从总目标的一致发展到在目标上的分歧，并且从有

所作为到无所作为。

Just as all truck drivers and construction workers are no longer necessarily men,

all secretaries and receptionists are no longer automatically women. 【结构分析】这里句子结构实际上是Just as?., so?.., 译为\正如?..，??也一样\。从上述我们可以看出，翻译中的关键在于缩小两种语言的结构上的差距，如果能将差距缩小

到最小限度，那么翻译就小，这本身就证明了这点。

【参考译文】正如所有的卡车司机和建筑工人不一定都是男的，所有的秘书和接待员也不一

定都是女的。

Science moves forward, they say, not so much through the insights of great men of genius as because of more ordinary things like improved techniques and tools. 【结构分析】此句中的主要结构涉及not so much?as? 的固定表达，意为：\与其说? ?

不如说? ?\

【参考译文】一些新学派科学家说，科学的发展与其说起源于伟大天才的真知灼见不如说是

由于改进了的技术和工具等更为普通的事物。

Interest in historical methods has arisen less through external challenge to the validity of history as an intellectual discipline and more from internal quarrels

among historians themselves.

【结构分析】本句的结构是：Interest---has arisen less through---and more from--- 【参考译文】人们之所以关注历史研究的方法论，主要是因为史学界内部意见不一，其次是

因为外界并不认为历史是一门学问。

This will be particularly true since energy pinch will make it difficult to combine agriculture in the high-energy American fashion that makes it possible to combine

few farmers with high yields.

【结构分析】本句中，since引导的原因状语从句，其中，to combine agriculture---是will make的宾语，it是形式宾语；而to combine few---也是宾语，它作makes的宾语，

makes后面的it也是形式宾语。

【参考译文】这种困境是确定无疑的，因为能源的匮乏使农业无法以高能量消耗这种美国的

耕作方式继续下去，而这种耕作方式使投入极少数农民可获得高产成为可能。 It is not that the scales in the one case, and the balance in the other, differ in the principles of their construction or manner of working but that the latter is a much finer apparatus and of course much more accurate in its measurement than the

former.

【结构分析】本句结构复杂：从整体来看，这是一个 \的结构，译为\不是?而是?\根据上下文我们知道，在not后面的that从句中，scales 指代\面包师或屠夫使用的磅秤\，而balance指代\化学家使用的天平\。在but后面的that从句中，有一个比较级结构\， 其中，the latter指代balance，

而the former指代scales。

【参考译文】这并不是说面包师或买肉者所使用的磅秤和化学家所使用的天平在构造原理和工作方式上存在差别，而是说与前者相比，后者师一种更精密的装置，因而在计量上必然更

准确得多。 副词性从句译法

When censorship laws are relaxed, dishonest people are given a chance to produce

virtually anything in the name of \