科技英语的特点与翻译

任何作品均有特定的文体，原文的文体不同，翻译方法也随之而异。试观察下列几个片断的原文及其译文

"It appears that you've got the offer of a very good job."

"A wonderful job."

"Are you going to take it?"

"I don't think so."

"Why not?'

"I don't want to."

"听说有个很好的工作要你去干。"

"挺好的工作"。

"打算干吗？"

"不。"

"为什么不干？"

"不想干"。

摘自《刀锋》（The Razor's Edge ）

这是小说中的一段对说，属于口语文体。其特点是：用词自由，句法结构简单，短句与省略句多，自然朴素，生活气息浓厚。在译文中进一步体现汉语口语的特点，省去主语"你"、"我"；将英语的一个句子I don't think so.干脆译成一个字"不"，显得简洁有力。 She was of a helpless, fleshy build, with a frank, open countenance and an innocent, diffident manner. Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.

那妇人生着一副绵软多肉的体格，一张坦率开诚的面容，一种天真羞怯的神气。一双大落落的柔顺眼睛，里边隐藏着无穷的心事，只有那些对于凄惶无告的穷苦人面目作过同情观察的人才看得出来。

摘自（珍妮姑娘）（Jennie Gerhardt）,傅东华译.上面五十一个词的片断,就运用了十个形容词,占五分之一。"and in then dwelt such a shadow of distress"是非常优美生动的文学语言，译文保持了一风格。

MONTREAL-Clark Johns accomplished a spectacular debut for his NHL career tonight, the first score launching a four -point first period out burst, to lead the Johnson City High Hats to a 6:4 victory over the Montreal Teals and their eighth consecutive game without a loss.

[蒙特利尔电]在全国手球联赛中克拉克约翰斯今晚初试锋芒，引起轰动。上半场领先四分，首开记录。克拉克发挥中坚作用，约翰逊市高帽队终以6:4击败蒙特利尔市小鸭队，创造了连胜八场未负一场的战绩。

这是属于应用文的新闻文体，其特点是简明扼要，短小精悍，结构紧凑，笔锋犀利。上述这则电讯只有一个句子，却把一场球赛描绘得淋漓尽致，富于吸引力。

The range of a voltmeter may be extended by means of a series resistor called a multiplier as shown in Fig.2.The full-scale reading of the meter alone may be 15volts.With the multiplier 250volts may be required to move the pointer to full-scale, 135 volts across the multiplier and 15volts across the meter.

从上述的一段科技文章，不难看出其文体与修辞手段与前面列举的文艺小说，新闻报道等迥然不同。科技文体崇尚严谨周密，概念准确，逻辑性强，行文简练，重点突出，句式严整，少有变化，常用前置性陈述，即在句中将主要信息尽量前置，通过主语传递主要信息。科技文章文体的特点是：清晰、准确、精练、严密。那末，科技文章的语言结构特色在翻译过程中如何处理，这是进行英汉科技翻译时需要探讨的问题。现分述如下：

一、大量使用名词化结构

《当代英语语法》（A Grammar of Contemporary）在论述科技英语时提出，大量使用名词化结构（Nominalization）是科技英语的特点之一。因为科技文体要求行文简洁、表达客观、内容确切、信息量大、强调存在的事实。而非某一行为。

Archimedes first discovered the principle of displacement of water by solid bodies.

阿基米德最先发展固体排水的原理。

句中of displacement of water by solid bodies 系名词化结构，一方面简化了同位语从句，另一方强调displacement 这一事实。

The rotation of the earth on its own axis causes the change from day to night.

地球绕轴自转，引起昼夜的变化。

名词化结构the rotation of the earth on its own axis 使复合句简化成简单句，而且使表达的概念更加确切严密。

If you use firebricks round the walls of the boiler, the heat loss, can be considerably reduced.

炉壁采用耐火砖可大大降低热耗。

科技英语所表述的是客观规律，因之要尽量避免使用第一、二人称；此外，要使主要的信息置于句首。

Television is the transmission and reception of images of moving objects by radio waves.

电视通过无线电波发射和接受活动物体的图象。

名词化结构the transmission and reception of images of moving objects by radio waves 强调客观事实，而"谓语动词则着重其发射和接受的能力。

二、广泛使用被动语句

根据英国利兹大学John Swales 的统计，科技英语中的谓语至少三分之一是被动态。这是因为科技文章侧重叙事推理，强调客观准确。第一、二人称使用过多，会造成主观臆断的印象。因此尽量使用第三人称叙述，采用被动语态，例如：Attention must be paid to the working temperature of the machine.应当注意机器的工作温度。而很少说：You must pay attention to the working temperature of the machine .你们必须注意机器的工作温度。此外，如前所述，科技文章将主要信息前置，放在主语部份。这也是广泛使用被动态的主要原因。试观察并比较下列两段短文的主语。

We can store electrical energy in two metal plates separated by an insulating medium. We call such a device a capacitor, or a condenser, and its ability to store electrical energy capacitance .It is measured in farads.

电能可储存在由一绝缘介质隔开的两块金属极板内。这样的装置称之为电容器，其储存电能的能力称为电容。电容的测量单位是法拉。

这一段短文中各句的主语分别为：

Electrical energy

Such a device

Its ability to store electrical energy

It (Capacitance )

它们都包含了较多的信息，并且处于句首的位置，非常醒目。四个主语完全不同，避免了单调重复，前后连贯，自然流畅。足见被动结构可收简洁客观之效。

三、非限定动词。

如前所述，科技文章要求行文简练，结构紧凑，为此，往往使用分词短语代替定语从句或状语从句；使用分词独立结构代替状语从句或并列分句；使用不定式短语代替各种从句；介词十动名词短语代替定语从句或状语从句。这样可缩短句子，又比较醒目。试比较下列各组句子。

A direct current is a current flowing always in the same direction.

直流电是一种总是沿同一方向流动的电流。

Radiating from the earth, heat causes air currents to rise.

热量由地球辐射出来时，使得气流上升。

A body can more uniformly and in a straight line,there being no cause to change that motion.

如果没有改变物体运动的原因，那么物体将作匀速直线运动。

Vibrating objects produce sound waves ,each vibration producing one sound wave.

振动着的物体产生声波，每一次振动产生一个声波。

In communications, the problem of electronics is how to convey information from one place to another.

在通讯系统中，电子学要解决的问题是如何把信息从一个地方传递到另一个地方。

Materials to be used for structural purposes are chosen so as to behave elastically in the environmental conditions.

结构材料的选择应使其在外界条件中保持其弹性。

There are different ways of changing energy from one form into another.

将能量从一种形式转变成另一种形式有各种不同的方法。

In making the radio waves correspond to each sound in turn, messages are carried from a broadcasting station to a receiving set.

使无线电波依次对每一个声音作出相应变化时，信息就由广播电台传递到接收机。

四、后置定语

大量使用后置定语也是科技文章的特点之一。常见的结构不以下五种：

1、介词短语

The forces due to friction are called frictional forces.

由于摩擦而产生的力称之为摩擦力。

A call for paper is now being issued .

征集论文的通知现正陆续发出。

2、形容词及形容词短语。

In this factory the only fuel available is coal.

该厂唯一可用的燃料是煤。

In radiation, thermal energy is transformed into radiant energy ,similar in nature to light.

热能在辐射时，转换成性质与光相似的辐射能。

3、副词

The air outside pressed the side in .

外面的空气将桶壁压得凹进去了。

The force upward equals the force downward so that the balloon stays at the level.

向上的力与向下的力相等，所以气球就保持在这一高度。

4、单个分词，但仍保持校强的动词意义。

The results obtained must be cheeked .

获得的结果必须加以校核

The heat produced is equal to the electrical energy wasted.

产生的热量等于浪费了的电能。

5、定语从句

During construction, problems often arise which require design changes.

在施工过程中，常会出现需要改变设计的问题。

The molecules exert forces upon each other, which depend upon the distance between them.

分子相互间都存在着力的作用，该力的大小取决于它们之间的距离。

Very wonderful changes in matter take place before our eyes every day to which we pay little attention.

(定语从句to which we pay little attention 修饰的是changes,这是一种分隔定语从句。)

我们几乎没有注意的很奇异的物质变化每天都在眼前发生。

To make an atomic bomb we have to use uranium 235, in which all the atoms are available for fission.

制造原子弹，我们必须用铀235，因为轴的所有原子都会裂变。

五、常用句型

科技文章中经常使用若干特定的句型，从而形成科技文体区别于其他文体的标志。例如It---that---结构句型；被动态结构句型；结构句型，分词短语结构句型，省略句结构句型等。举例如下：

It is evident that a well lubricated bearing turns more easily than a dry one.

显然，润滑好的轴承，比不润滑的轴承容易转动。

It seems that these two branches of science are mutually dependent and interacting.

看来这两个科学分支是相互依存，相互作用的。

It has been proved that induced voltage causes a current to flow in opposition to the force producing it.

已经证明，感应电压使电流的方向与产生电流的磁场力方向相反。

It was not until the 19th century that heat was considered as a form of energy.

直到十九世纪人们才认识到热是能量的一种形式。

Computers may be classified as analog and digital.

计算机可分为模拟计算机和数字计算机两种。

The switching time of the new-type transistor is shortened three times.

新型晶体管的开关时间缩短了三分之二。（或---缩短为三分之一。）

This steel alloy is believed to be the best available here .

人们认为这种合金钢是这里能提供的最好的合金钢。

Electromagnetic waves travel at the same speed as light.

电磁波传送的速度和光速相同。

Microcomputers are very small in size ,as is shown in Fig.5.

如图5所示，微型计算机体积很小。

In water sound travels nearly five times as fast as in air.

声音在水中的传播速度几乎是在空气中传播速度的五倍。

Compared with hydrogen, oxygen is nearly 16 times as heavy.

氧与氢比较，重量大约是它的十六倍。

The resistance being very high, the current in the circuit was low.

由于电阻很大，电路中通过的电流就小。

Ice keeps the same temperature while melting.

冰在溶化时，其温度保持不变。

An object, once in motion, will keep on moving because of its inertia.

物体一旦运动，就会因惯性而持续运动。

All substances, whether gaseous, liquid or solid ,are made of atoms .

一切物质，不论是气态、液态，还是固态，都由原子组成。

六、长句

为了表述一个复杂概念，使之逻辑严密，结构紧凑，科技文章中往往出现许多长句。有的长句多达七八个词，以下即是一例。

The efforts that have been made to explain optical phenomena by means of the hypothesis of a medium having the same physical character as an elastic solid body led, in the first instance, to the understanding of a concrete example of a medium which can transmit transverse vibrations, and at a later stage to the definite conclusion that there is no luminiferous medium having the physical character assumed in the hypothesis.

为了解释光学现象，人们曾试图假定有一种具有与弹性固体相同的物理性质的介质。这种子尝试的结果，最初曾使人们了解到一种能传输横向振动的具有上述假定所以认为的那种物理性质的发光介质。

七、复合词与缩略词

大量使用复合词与缩略词是科技文章的特点之一，复合词从过去的双词组合发展到多词组合；缩略词趋向于任意构词，例如某一篇论文的作者可以就仅在该文中使用的术语组成缩略词，这给翻译工作带来一定的困难。例如：

full-enclosed 全封闭的（双词合成形容词）

feed-back反馈（双词合成名词）

work-harden 加工硬化（双词合成词）

criss-cross交叉着（双词合成副词）

on-and-off-the-road路面越野两用的（多词合成形容词）

anti-armoured-fighting-vehicle-missile反装甲车导弹（多词合成名词）

radiophotography无线电传真（无连字符复合词）

colorimeter色度计（无连字符复合词）

maths (mathematics)数学（裁减式缩略词）

lab (laboratory)实验室

ft (foot/feet)英尺

cpd (compound)化合物

FM(frequency modulation)调频（用首字母组成的缩略词）

P.S.I. (pounds per square inch)磅/英寸

SCR(silicon controlled rectifier )可控硅整流器

TELESAT(telecommunications satellite )通信卫星（混成法构成的缩略词）

根据上述的科技文章的物占，在翻译过程中就要注意各种不同的翻译技巧与方法。例如被动态的译法、长句的处理方法、倍数的译法等等。