translation test (2) (30 minutes)
directions: translate the following passage into english and write your version in the corresponding space in your answer booklet.
我总以为,在中国效率最高的会议要数学校召集的家长会。家长会完全符合“廉政建议”的要求,与会的家长绝不会像参加行业、单位的一些会议,先看看会议地点是不是设在风景旅游区,会后发不发纪念品之类,然后方决定是否参加。其他会议都难得准时,惟有家长会绝对正点召开。在家长会上,家长们个个全神贯注地倾听、记录,生怕漏掉一点内容。不少会议都可列入可开可不开之列,但对于学校和家长而言,家长会则是必不可少的。
分析:
① 我总以为,在中国效率最高的会议要数 ( 学校召集的 ) 家长会 。
译文: i always believe that the most efficient meeting in china is the parents’ meeting called by the school.
考点: “家长会”的翻译:“家长会”翻译成 the parents’meeting ,而不是 the parent’s meeting ,有人认为家长会一般只是一位家长参加,应用 parent 单数,不过这是专业表达方法。关于会议集锦请参考 1997 年 9 月试题中译英部分。
比较级的翻译:最高级:效率最高的 →most efficient
定语从句的翻译:前置法
② 家长会完全符合“廉政建议”的要求,与会的家长绝不会像参加 ( 行业 、单位的 ) 一些会议,先看看会议地点是不是设在风景旅游区,会后发不发纪念品之类,然后方决定是否参加。
译文: the parents’meeting is in full conformity/accordance with the requirements for the “building of an honest and clean government”. with respect to meetings organized by a certain trade or the unit where one works, the person wants to know whether the venue of a meeting is in a scenic area frequented by tourists and whether gifts or souvenir getword("souvenir"); s will be handed out after the meeting before he decides whether to go or not. but for the parents’ meeting, nobody will ever think of this.
考点: 专业名词的翻译:廉政建议 →building of an honest and clean government
转性译法: 发纪念品 →gifts or souvenirs will be handed out
省词译法:原文中“ 与会的家长”,不少的考生把它翻译成 the parents who attend the meeting ,其实翻了一个逻辑错误,因为后面提到“方决定是否参加”,说明参加不参加不一定,因此前面就不能讲“已经参加了”,所以“与会的家长”中“与会的”就不必翻译了。
换序译法:“与会的家长”置后翻译
③ 其他会议都难得准时,惟有家长会绝对正点召开。
译文: while other meetings are rarely convened on time, the parents’ meeting absolutely/invariably starts with punctuality.
考点: 正反译法:绝对 →invariably
convene getword("convene"); : summon (people) to come together; arrange (a meeting, etc) 召集;召开(会议)
④ 在家长会上,家长们个个全神贯注地倾听、记录,生怕漏掉一点内容。
译文 1 : at the parents’ meeting, every parent listens and takes notes with rapid attention lest he or she might miss anything.
译文 2 : at the parents’ meeting, every parent is devoted to/concentrated on listening and taking notes so as not to miss anything.
译文 3 : at the parents’ meeting, every parent is devoted to/concentrated on listening and taking notes for fear that he or she might miss anything.
考点: 转性译法: 副词 → 名词 全神贯注地 →attention
动词 → 连词 生怕 →lest
lest 的翻译: lest 是一个较正规的连词,可以翻译成“唯恐;以免;生怕”。
⑤ 不少会议都可列入可开可不开之列,但对于学校和家长而言,家长会则是必不可少的。
译文: for many things, it does not really matter whether they are to be held or not, but to the school and the parents, the parents’ meeting is absolutely necessary/indispensable.
考点: 正反译法:必不可少的 →necessary (正译)
→indispensable (反译)