英语科技文长句的特点及其后置定语类型分析

夏船 李俊峰

(1.吉林工商学院外国语学院,吉林长春 130062;2.长春房地(集团)有限责任公司,吉林长春 130000)

英语科技文长句的特点及其后置定语类型分析

夏船1李俊峰2

(1.吉林工商学院外国语学院,吉林长春 130062;2.长春房地(集团)有限责任公司,吉林长春 130000)

英语科技文作为一种特殊的文体,其内容和所涉及的领域的特殊性决定其自身体的文体特点,其中在语言使用方面最为突出的特点就是长句的频繁出现。同时长句中存在大量的后置定语,给长句的理解和翻译增加了复杂性。本文主要分析了长句的特点及长句中后置定语的四大类型。

英语 科技文 长句 特点 后置定语 类型

英语科技文作为一种特殊的文体,其内容和所涉及的领域的特殊性决定其自身体的文体特点。在语言使用方面涉及词汇的选择、词性的转换、被动句和非谓语动词的大量使用等,另外还有一个最为突出的特点就是长句在英语科技文中的频繁出现。同时长句中存在大量的后置定语,给长句的理解和翻译增加了复杂性,而了解长句中后置定语的类型是正确理解和翻译的前提。

1 英语科技文长句的特点

在英语科技文中,有一些句子多由并列成分、修饰限定成分构成,并且各成分间具有一定的逻辑和语法关系,语言结构层次错综复杂,被称作长句。在理解和翻译时首先要抓住句子的主干,如主语、谓语、宾语和状语等。其次要分清谓语动词和非谓语动词的区别,找出介词短语、插入语、同位语、从句等,并根据上下文找出同义词、明确代词指代意义、固定搭配和习惯用语等。

2 长句中后置定语的类型及翻译

后置定语在英语科技文中大量使用,在文中起到修饰限定的作用。主要有以下四种类型：

2.1 介词短语

This branch of methematics, which retained some of the original features of the method of exhaustion, received its biggest impetus in the 17th century, largely due to the efforts of Isaac Newton(1642-1727) and Gottfried Leibniz, and its development continued well into the 19th century before the subject was put on a firm mathematical basis by such men as Augustin-Louis Cauchy and Bernhard Riemann．

句中“due to the efforts of Isaac Newton(1642-1727) and Gottfried Leibniz”是介词短语作“This branch of methematics”的后置定语。

2.2 形容词和形容词短语

If a strain of bacteria grows at a rate proportional to the amount present and if the population doubles in one hour, by how much will it increase at the end of two hours？

“proportional to the amount” 是形容词短语作“rate” 的后置定语,“present” 是形容词作“amount” 的后置定语。

3 非谓语动词

3.1 现在分词

They were used to establish a calendar based on a lunar month consisting sometimes of twenty-nine and sometimes of thirty days．

“consisting sometimes of twenty-nine and sometimes of thirty days”是现在分词短语作“a lunar month”的后置定语。

3.2 过去分词

One day he met and befriended some Chinese students,in particular a young woman from Nanking named Lu Gweidjen,whose father had passed on to her his unusually profound knowledge of the history of chinese science．

“named Lu Gwei-djen”是过去分词短语作“a young woman”的后置定语。

3.3 不定式

It can be difficult to distinguish between chemotherapy and radiation therapy intended to control disease progression and the use of either modality purely to palliate symptoms．

“purely to palliate symptoms”是不定式短语作“the use”的后置定语。

3.4 定语从句

Topology starts from the sound premise that there are no rigid objects, that everything in the world is a little askew,and is further deformed when its position is altered．

“that there are no rigid objects”和“that everything in the world is a little askew and ……”是定语从句作后置定语,共同修饰先行词“premise”。

[1]郭燕.论科技英语文本中后置定语的翻译策略[D].上海交通大学,2010.

[2]冯欣.论科技英语中长句的翻译[D].湖南师范大学,2011.

夏船,女,汉族,1975年7月,吉林工商学院外国语学院副教授,研究方向:英语语言文学