七 主从：用分词短语
《译海一粟：汉英翻译九百例》七 主从：用分词短语,页面无弹窗的全文阅读!
说起来英语就是奇妙，动词后面加一个小尾巴-ing，就可以变成分词。它既可以表示动词的含义，又不占动词的位置，可以在较低的层次上发挥作用，汉语中许多用动词的地方都可用分词处理，以体现英语句子结构层次分明的特点。不信请看下面这几个例子。
例1
他们又故意的高声嚷道：“你一定又偷了人家的东西了！”孔乙己睁大眼睛说，“你怎么这样凭空污人清白……”（孔乙己）
Someone else would call out, in deliberately loud tones:
"You must have been stealing again!"
"Why ruin a man's good name groundlessly?" he would ask, opening his eyes wide.
例2
可惜他又有一样坏脾气，便是好喝懒做。坐不到几天，便连人和书籍纸张笔砚，一齐失踪。如是几次，叫他钞书的人也没有了。孔乙己没有法，便免不了偶然做些偷窃的事。（孔乙己）
Unfortunately he had failings: he liked drinking and was lazy. So after a few days he would invariably disappear, taking books, paper, brushes and inkstone with him. After this had happened several times, nobody wanted to employ him as a copyist again. Then there was no alternative for him but to take to occasional pilfering.
例3
觉新：回到乡下，每天干些什么呢？（家194）
Juexin: What will you do back in the countryside?
梅芬：乡下没有什么事情。夜晚睡不着呢，躺着等天亮；天亮起来了，就坐着等天黑。
Plum: Nothing much to do there. At night I lie awake, waiting for the dawn; in the day I sit, waiting for the dark.
例4
克明：前街的当铺已经叫乱兵抢了。现在沿街地打门闯户要进来。（家174）
Keming: The pawnshop out front has already been looted by the disbanded soldiers. Now they are coming along the street, forcing every door.
这四个例子，原文都有两个动作连得很紧，可以说是同时发生，如“睁大眼睛说”、“躺着等天亮”。译文用主句表现其中的一个动作，另一个动作用分词短语来表现。
例5
淑贞：好大的雪呀，外面才好看呢！这不是杜鹃吗？怎么下着大雪，杜鹃还叫？（家324）
Shuzhen: It's snowing outside. So beautiful. Isn't that the cuckoo? Why is it calling in the snow?
刘四姐：这是那个佃户的小孙子学的。
Liu: That's the grandson of the tenant peasant, imitating the cuckoo.
例6
瑞珏：你也拄着棍儿，整天唠唠叨叨，变成个颠三倒四的老头子。（家182）
Jade: And you will be a doddering garrulous old man, leaning on a stick.
此二例，译文主句用“是”动词，后面用分词短语作补充说明。
例7
我们只能在干中学，在实践中摸索。（DⅢ258-259）
We can only learn from practice, feeling our way as we go.(253)
例8
我们党的十一届三中全会的基本精神是解放思想，独立思考，从自己的实际出发来制定政策。（DⅢ260）
The basic principle set forth at the Third Plenary Session of The Eleventh Central Committee of our Party was that we must emancipate our minds and think independently, formulating policies in light of our own realities. (255)
例9
农业要有全面规划，首先要增产粮食。（DⅢ22）
There should be a comprehensive plan for agricultural production, giving priority to increasing the output of grain. (32)
例10
可惜我们有些人根本不懂什么叫可行性研究，把可行性研究搞成了“可‘批’性研究”，造成许多不应有的损失。（L173）
Regrettably, some people don't really understand the true meaning of feasibility studies, approaching them as "studies of how to get authorization for a project" instead. This has caused many avoidable losses. (173)
例11
必须一切从实际出发，不能把目标定得不切实际，也不能把时间定得太短。（DⅢ224）
In everything we do we must proceed from reality, seeing to it that our targets are realistic and that enough time is allowed to fulfil them. (222)
例12
凡是妨碍稳定的就要对付，不能让步，不能迁就。（DⅢ286）
We must counter any forces that threaten stability, not yielding to them or even making any concessions. (279)
以上六例，原文前半句比较概括，指明方向，或提出话题，后半句比较具体，说明要做什么，怎样做法，或不能怎样做。遇到这样的句子，译文就以前半句作主句，后面就用分词短语了。
例13
陈姨太：可你那些叔叔一个个都忙得要死，又是查账、又是清点东西，就没一个人关心老太爷。（家314）
Chen: But your uncles were all so busy, going over the accounts, making inventories, no one is really concerned about the Old Master.
这句译文比较紧凑，用在舞台上是可以的。两个分词短语之间没有加and, 这可以理解为后面还想说点什么具体的事情，但没说出来，话锋就转了。从no one开始，可以另起一句。不过此处断没断句，观众是听不出来的。
例14
觉慧：最末一件，你现在该把大嫂送到医院生养，你不能再听陈姨太他们的摆弄，为着死人，害了活人。你开始就不该答应把嫂嫂送到城外，这个可怕地方来。（家310）
Juehui: Lastly, you should send your wife to a modern hospital. You can't allow this to go on, letting people like the concubine manipulate your lives and sacrificing the living for the dead. You shouldn't have agreed to send her to this awful place to begin with.
觉新：太晚了！
Juexin: Too late now.
例15
建设一个国家，不要把自己置于封闭状态和孤立地位。要重视广泛的国际交往，同什么人都可以打交道，在打交道的过程中趋利避害。（DⅢ260）
A country that wants to develop must not keep its doors closed or isolate itself. It must maintain extensive international contacts with all kinds of people, absorbing what is useful and rejecting what is harmful. (255)
此处译者巧妙地将“利”和“害”译成两个从句，这比译成两个名词更为顺畅。
例16
有的党政机关设了许多公司，把国家拨的经费拿去做生意，以权谋私，化公为私。还有其他的种种不正之风，对于这些，群众很不满意。我们要提醒人们，尤其是共产党员们，不能这样做。（DⅢ112）
Some Party and government departments have established companies, doing business with funds allocated by the state, abusing power for personal gain and appropriating public property for private use. And there are other kinds of dishonest practices that the masses are indignant about. We should remind people, especially Party members, that it is wrong to do these things. (117)
此处“不正之风”译作dishonest practices, 指一些具体做法。英语practice 一词这样用也是常见的。
例17
这事到了现在，还是时时记起。我因此也时时熬了苦痛，努力的要想到我自己。几年来的文治武力，在我早如幼小时候所读过的“子曰诗云”一般，背不上半句了。独有这一件小事，却总是浮在我眼前，有时反更分明，教我惭愧，催我自新，并且增长我的勇气和希望。（一件小事）
Even now, this remains fresh in my memory. It often causes me distress, and makes me try to think about myself. The military and political affairs of those years I have forgotten as completely as the classics I read in my childhood. Yet this incident keeps coming back to me, often more vivid than in actual life, teaching me shame, urging me to reform, and giving me fresh courage and hope.
这是一篇短文的最后一段。有了前半段的铺垫，最后一句译文连用三个分词短语，表现出强大的感召力，催人奋进。
以上五例也都是先笼统，后具体。译文以前半句为主句，后半句用分词短语。只是这一组例子比上一组例子更复杂了，每一例都有两个或三个分词短语。
例18
陈姨太： 是这样，老太爷，几个月前不是闹兵变么？克定就在那时候把她的首饰都骗去了。说是为她，为淑贞做了生意。可是啊，他就把首饰换了，在外面租间小房子啦。（家252）
Chen: It's like this, Old Master, you remember the mutiny of the army a few months ago? On that occasion, Keding cheated her of her jewels, saying that he would invest them for her and Shuzhen. Actually, he had them sold and rented a lovenest away from home.
此例十分巧妙，原文有两句话，先说骗去了首饰，再说怎样骗的。译文用了一个saying，就把两句的内容连在一起了。这样译，比较紧凑，而这在舞台上是很重要的。
例19
中国正在深化改革，为今后的发展创造更好的条件。（DⅢ268）
China is deepening its reform, trying to create more favourable conditions for future development. (263)
例20
我们提出要搞建设，搞改革，争取比较快的发展。（DⅢ255）
We have decided to engage in development and reform, striving for fairly rapid growth. (251)
例21
从历史上讲，你们荣家在发展我国民族工业上是有功的，对中华民族做出了贡献。（DⅢ161）
Historically speaking, your Rong family has performed meritorious service in helping to develop China's industry, thus making contributions to the nation. (164)
例22
到2002年底，已有14所大学来珠海办学或建立科技园区，带动了一大批高新技术企业的落户和发展。（L144）
Fourteen universities had opened schools or hi-tech parks in Zhuhai by the end of 2002, attracting large numbers of hitech enterprises to set up shop. (142)
例23
教育是公益事业，但也有其产业属性。发展教育不但可以培养更多人才，也可以带动与教育相关产业的发展，拉动投资、消费和经济的增长。（L126）
Education is a public-interest undertaking, but it has its business attributes too. Developing education can not only produce more useful professionals, it can also bring along the development of relevant industries, boosting investment, consumption and economic growth. (121)
以上五例，原文都有并列谓语，而译文都是先出主句，后面用分词短语。若再仔细一看，便可发现前两例分词短语表达的是主句所要达到的目的，而后三例分词短语表达的是主句所产生的结果。
例24
这次会议通过的制定“七五”计划的建议，方针政策是正确的，确定的目标是切合实际的，是一个好文件。（DⅢ142-143）
The Proposal for the Seventh Five-Year Plan, which has been adopted by this conference, is a good document setting forth correct principles and policies and realistic targets. (145)
此例原文主语部分后面有三个并列谓语，前两个谓语是对主语某个侧面的具体评论，第三个谓语是对主语的综合评论。译文以综合评论作主句，将两个具体评论合在一起，放在后面，用分词短语来表现。不过这样一来，setting引导的短语就不是修饰主语the proposal，而是直接修饰它前面的document了。
例25
因为在中国建设社会主义这样的事，马克思的本本上找不出来，列宁的本本上也找不出来，每个国家都有自己的情况，各自的经历也不同，所以要独立思考。（DⅢ260）
None of the works of Karl Marx or of Lenin offers a guide for building socialism in China, and conditions differ from one country to another, each having its own unique experience. So we have to think for ourselves. (255)
原文用“因为”引出四个原因，用“所以”引出结果。译文将第四个原因译作each having…， 这叫独立结构，这样译是为了行文的方便。最后表达结果的话独立成句，这样译比较有力。
例26
2001年我来杨凌时，看到速生杨树即使到了很寒冷的12月份叶子仍然很绿，还冒新芽，这在北方是少见的。（L208）
When I visited Yangling in December 2001, it was in the dead of winter, but the leaves of a local strain of fast-growing poplars were still very green and still sprouting, forming a winter scene rarely seen in the north. (211)
原句中的最后一个短句概括了前面看到的景象，译文用分词短语，其作用是一样的。
例27
八百美元对经济发达国家来说不算什么，但对中国来说，这是雄心壮志。它意味着到本世纪末，我国的国民生产总值达到一万亿美元。（DⅢ57）
Eight hundred dollars is nothing to developed countries, but it is an ambitious target for China, meaning a GNP of $1 trillion at the end of the century. (67)
此例原文是两句话，译文用了一个分词，就把两句连成一句了。在英语里，meaning起这样的作用是再方便不过了。
例28
一改革就调动了农民的积极性，然后我们又把农村改革的经验运用到城市，进行城市经济体制改革。（DⅢ255-256）
Once the reform was instituted, the peasants became motivated. Then we turned to restructuring the urban economy, applying what we had learned from reform in the countryside. (251)
例29
农村改革的成功增加了我们的信心，我们把农村改革的经验运用到城市，进行以城市为重点的全面经济体制改革。（DⅢ238-239）
Our success in rural reform increased our confidence, and, applying the experience we had gained in the countryside, we began a reform of the entire economic structure, focused on the cities. (236)
此二例是作者在不同场合说的两句话，内容差不多，都提到“把农村改革的经验运用到城市”，译文也都用了分词短语。不同之处是一个将分词短语放在主句之前，一个将分词短语放在主句之后。由此看来，这种说明运作方法的分词短语放在主句前面或后面都是可以的。
下面我们看几个将分词短语用在主句之前的例子。
例30
我参加共产党几十年了，如果从一九二二年算起，我在共产主义旗帜下已经工作了六十多年。（DⅢ271）
I have been a member of the Communist Party for several decades. Counting from 1922 when I joined the Party, I have been working under the banner of communism for more than 60 years. (266)
例31
我们对近十年的发展是比较满意的，现在看来，这十年搞对头了。（DⅢ260）
We are pleased with our development over the past ten years. Looking back, I think we have been doing the correct thing. (255)
例32
瑞珏：我知道我说的是空话。不过，我看你这个样子，我真恨不得把什么都给了你。只要你能快活一点，他——他也能快活一点。（家202）
Jade: I know how empty my words sound. But, seeing you like this, I would give everything I have to you, if that could make you happier, and, —and make him happier.
梅芬：不！
Plum: No!
例33
风全住了，路上还很静。我走着，一面想，几乎怕敢想到我自己。以前的事姑且搁起，这一大把铜元又是什么意思？奖他么？我还能裁判车夫么？我不能回答自己。（一件小事）
The wind had dropped completely, but the road was still quiet. I walked along thinking, but I was almost afraid to turn my thoughts on myself. Setting aside what had happened earlier, what had I meant by that handful of coppers? Was it a reward? Who was I to judge the rickshaw man? I could not answer myself.
这四个例子，译文都在主句之前用了分词短语，头两个例子还为此断了句。若看一下分词短语的作用，第一例是回算年代，第二例是回顾，第三例是看眼前的情况，第四例是划定范围。这四个分词短语，除了都放在主句之前，还有一个共同的特点，就是确定一个看问题的角度，引出下文。这大概就是为什么这种分词短语一定要放在主句之前的道理吧。
例34
当代青年科技、教育工作者都接受了系统而良好的教育。他们朝气蓬勃，风华正茂，正处于创造力的高峰期，蕴含着科技创新的巨大潜力。（L163）
The young scientists, engineers and educators of our times have received fine and systematic education. Brimming with energy, in the prime of their youth, they are at the crest of their creativity and imbued with tremendous potential for innovation in science and technology. (161)
例35
孔乙己一到店，所有喝酒的人便都看着他笑，有的叫道，“孔乙己，你脸上又添上新伤疤了！”他不回答，对柜里说，“温两碗酒，要一碟茴香豆。”便排出九文大钱。（孔乙己）
Whenever he came into the shop, everyone would look at him and chuckle. And someone would call out:
"Kung I-chi! There are some fresh scars on your face!"
Ignoring this remark, Kung would come to the counter to order two bowls of heated wine and a dish of peas flavoured with aniseed. For this he produced nine coppers.
例36
孔乙己自己知道不能和他们谈天，便只好向孩子说话。有一回对我说道，“你读过书么？”我略略点一点头，他说，“读过书，……我便考你一考。茴香豆的茴字，怎样写的？”我想，讨饭一样的人，也配考我么？便回过脸去，不再理会。（孔乙己）
Knowing it was no use talking to them, Kung would chat to us children. Once he asked me:
"Have you had any schooling?"
When I nodded, he said, "Well then, I'll test you. How do you write the character hui in hui-xiang (aniseed-Translator) peas?”
I thought, "I'm not going to be tested by a beggar!" So I turned away and ignored him.
例37
我便对他说，“没有什么的。走你的罢！”
车夫毫不理会，——或者并没有听到，——却放下车子，扶那老女人慢慢起来，搀着臂膊立定，问伊说：
“你怎么啦？”
“我摔坏了。”
我想，我眼见你慢慢倒地，怎么会摔坏呢，装腔作势罢了，这真可憎恶。（一件小事）
"It's all right," I said. "Go on."
He paid no attention, however—perhaps he had not heard—for he set down the shafts, and gently helped the old woman to get up. Supporting her by one arm, he asked:
"Are you all right?"
"I'm hurt."
I had seen how slowly she fell, and was sure she could not be hurt. She must be pretending, which was disgusting.
这四个例子也都用了分词短语，放在主句之前。第一例分词短语说明的是主语的外表，第二、三例说明其内心，第四例说的是稍前所做之事。这种分词短语最好放在句子开头，有时也可以放在主语后边，但放在整个主句后面就不行了。
从收集例子的情况看，现在分词用得多，过去分词用得少。以上各例都说明现在分词的用法。下面看一下过去分词使用的情况。
例38
我从此便整天的站在柜台里，专管我的职务。（孔乙己）
Thenceforward I stood all day behind the counter, fully engaged with my duties.
此例原文，一个主语带两个并列谓语，第一个谓语说的是确定工作地点，是主要动作，第二个谓语说的是具体干什么，是次要的。因此译文把主要动作放在主句里，把次要动作用分词短语来表达。关于译文中的engaged一词，它在形式上是过去分词，但词典都标为形容词，意思相当于busy。不论属何词类，它在这里的作用是一样的。
例39
孩子吃完豆，仍然不散，眼睛都望着碟子。孔乙己着了慌，伸开五指将碟子罩住，弯腰下去说道，“不多了，我已经不多了。”直起身又看一看豆，自己摇头说，“不多不多！多乎哉？不多也。”于是这一群孩子都在笑声里走散了。（孔乙己）
After eating the peas, the children would still hang round, their eyes on the dish. Flustered, he would cover the dish with his hand and, bending forward from the waist, would say: "There isn't much. I haven't much as it is." Then straightening up to look at the peas again, he would shake his head. "Not much! Verily, not much forsooth!" Then the children would scamper off, with shouts of laughter.
译文第二句用了flustered一词，虽然词典标为形容词，我还是认为它用在这里，是一个过去分词，说明主语he的感受。和上一例的区别在于它用在了主句之前。另外本例还用了after eating the peas, bending forward, straightening up等分词短语，值得注意。
例40
孔乙己是站着喝酒而穿长衫的唯一的人。他身材很高大；青白脸色，皱纹间时常夹些伤痕；一部乱蓬蓬的花白的胡子。（孔乙己）
Kung was the only long-gowned customer to drink his wine standing. He was a big man, strangely pallid, with scars that often showed among the wrinkles of his face. He had a large, unkempt beard, streaked with white.
这一例用了分词短语，streaked with white, 表示出现了一缕缕白胡子。不过这个分词短语不是和主语挂钩，而是直接与前面紧挨着的宾语beard挂钩了。
下面再看一组例子，都是从“故乡”一文中选出来的。
例41
我冒了严寒，回到相隔二千余里，别了二十余年的故乡去。
Braving the bitter cold, I travelled more than seven hundred miles back to the old home I had left over twenty years before.
例42
第二日清早晨我到了我家的门口了。瓦楞上许多枯草的断茎当风抖着，正在说明这老屋难免易主的原因。
At dawn on the second day I reached the gateway of my home. Broken stems of withered grass on the roof, trembling in the wind, made very clear the reason why this old house could not avoid changing hands.
例43
我的母亲很高兴，但也藏着许多凄凉的神情，教我坐下，歇息，喝茶，且不谈搬家的事。宏儿没有见过我，远远的对面站着只是看。
Though mother was delighted, she was also trying to hide a certain feeling of sadness. She told me to sit down and rest and have some tea, letting the removal wait for the time being. Hung-erh, who had never seen me before, stood watching me at a distance.
例44
他正在厨房里，紫色的圆脸，头戴一顶小毡帽，颈上套一个明晃晃的银项圈，这可见他的父亲十分爱他，怕他死去，所以在神佛面前许下愿心，用圈子将他套住了。
He was standing in the kitchen. He had a round, crimson face and wore a small felt cap on his head and a gleaming silver necklet round his neck, showing that his father doted on him and, fearing he might die, had made a pledge with the gods and buddhas, using the necklet as a talisman.
例45
我们那时候不知道谈些什么，只记得闰土很高兴，说是上城之后，见了许多没有见过的东西。
I don't know what we talked of then, but I remember that Jun-tu was in high spirits, saying that since he had come to town he had seen many new things.
例46
可惜正月过去了，闰土须回家里去，我急得大哭，他也躲到厨房里，哭着不肯出门，但终于被他父亲带走了。
Unfortunately, a month after New Year Jun-tu had to go home. I burst into tears and he took refuge in the kitchen, crying and refusing to come out, until finally his father carried him off.
例47
母亲站起身，出去了。门外有几个女人的声音，我便招宏儿走近面前，和他闲话：问他可会写字，可愿意出门。
Mother stood up and went out. The voices of several women could be heard outside. I called Hung-erh to me and started talking to him, asking him whether he could write, and whether he would be glad to leave.
例48
“忘了？这真是贵人眼高……”
“那有这事……我……”我惶恐着，站起来说。
"You had forgotten? Naturally I am beneath your notice…."
"Certainly not…I…" I answered nervously, getting to my feet.
例49
我知道无话可说了，便闭了口，默默的站着。
“阿呀阿呀，真是愈有钱，便愈是一毫不肯放松，愈是一毫不肯放松，便愈有钱……”圆规一面愤愤的回转身，一面絮絮的说，慢慢向外走，顺便将我母亲的一副手套塞在裤腰里，出去了。
Knowing there was nothing I could say, I remained silent.
"Come now, really, the more money people have the more miserly they get, and the more miserly they are the more money they get…" remarked the Compass, turning indignantly away and walking slowly off, casually picking up a pair of mother's gloves and stuffing them into her pocket as she went out.
例50
他站住了，脸上现出欢喜和凄凉的神情；动着嘴唇，却没有作声。他的态度终于恭敬起来了，分明的叫道：
“老爷！……”
He stood there, mixed joy and sadness showing on his face. His lips moved, but not a sound did he utter. Finally, assuming a respectful attitude, he said clearly:
"Master!…"
例51
他出去了；母亲和我都叹息他的景况：多子，饥荒，苛税，兵，匪，官，绅，都苦得他像一个木偶人了。母亲对我说，凡是不必搬走的东西，尽可以送他，可以听他自己去拣择。
After he had gone out, mother and I both shook our heads over his hard life: many children, famines, taxes, soldiers, bandits, officials and landed gentry, all had squeezed him as dry as a mummy. Mother said that we should offer him all the things we were not going to take away, letting him choose for himself.
例52
我们的船向前走，两岸的青山在黄昏中，都装成了深黛颜色，连着退向船后梢去。
As we set off, in the dusk, the green mountains on either side of the river became deep blue, receding towards the stern of the boat.
例53
宏儿和我靠着船窗，同看外面模糊的风景，他忽然问道：
“大伯！我们什么时候回来？”
Hung-erh and I, leaning against the cabin window, were looking out together at the indistinct scene outside, when suddenly he asked:
"Uncle, when shall we go back?"
例54
老屋离我愈远了；故乡的山水也都渐渐远离了我，但我却并不感到怎样的留恋。我只觉得我四面有看不见的高墙，将我隔成孤身，使我非常气闷，那西瓜地上的银项圈的小英雄的影像，我本来十分清楚，现在却忽地模糊了，又使我非常的悲哀。
I was leaving the old house farther and farther behind, while the hills and rivers of my old home were also receding gradually ever farther in the distance. But I felt no regret. I only felt that all round me was an invisible high wall, cutting me off from my fellows, and this depressed me thoroughly. The vision of that small hero with the silver necklet among the watermelons had formerly been as clear as day, but now it suddenly blurred, adding to my depression.
例55
母亲和宏儿都睡着了。
我躺着，听船底潺潺的水声，知道我在走我的路。
Mother and Hung-erh fell asleep.
I lay down, listening to the water rippling beneath the boat, and knew that I was going my way.
以上十数例取自“故乡”一文，是按其在原文出现的顺序排列的。我曾试着从中找出一点规律性的东西，只看到，原文若连用几个动词，主要的动作用谓语动词来译，次要的就译成分词了。我还看到，如有对话，则用谓语动词引出直接引语，而心理描写和配合的动作都可译成分词短语。但也不尽然，所以谈不上规律。翻译本来就是一门艺术，重在灵活与创造，它不是科学，没有一定之规，恐怕只能跟着感觉走。不过英语有分词这种词形变化，许多动作靠分词体现出各种不同的层次，这一点是汉语动词所不及的，是不是值得我们注意呀？