1、口译教程(基础篇)英语倍数句型及翻译英语表示倍数增减或倍数对比的句型多种多样,其中有 一些(如下文中的句型②、⑤、⑥、⑧ 等, 见圈码)很容易译错——其主要原因在于:英汉两语在表述或对比倍数方面存在着语言与思维差异。现将常 用的英语倍数句型及其正确译法归纳如下: 倍数增加(一) A is n times as great(long,much,…)as B.(①) A is n times greater (longer, more,…)than B.(②) A is n times the size (length, amount
2、,…)of B.(③) 以上三句都应译为;A的大小(长度,数量,……)是B的n倍[或A比B大(长,多,……)n-1倍]. e.g.This book is three times as long as (three times longer than/three times the length of)that one. 这本书的篇幅是那本书的3倍(即长两倍)。 注:当相比的对象B很明显时,than(as,of)B常被省去。 (二)increase to n times(④) increase n times/n-fold(⑤)
3、increase by n times(⑥) increase by a factor of n(⑦) 以上四式均应译为:增加到n倍(或:增加n-1倍)。 e.g.The production of integrated circuits has been increased to three times as compared with last year. 集成电路的产量比去年增加了两倍。 e.g.The output of chemical fertilizer has been raised five times as a
4、gainst l986. 化肥产量比1986年增加了4倍。 e.g.That can increase metabolic rates by two or three times. 那可使代谢率提高到原来的2倍或3倍(即提高1倍或2倍)。 e.g.The drain voltage has been increased by a factor of four. 漏电压增加了3借(即增加到原来的4倍)。 注:在这类句型中increase常被raise,grow,go/step up,multiply等词所替代。 (三)There i
5、s a n-fold increase/growth…(⑧) 应译为:增加n-倍(或增至n倍)。这个句型还有其它一些形式: e.g.A record high increase in value of four times was reported. 据报道,价值破记录地增长了3倍。 (四)double (增加1倍),treble(增加2倍),quadruple(增加3倍)。(⑨) e.g.The efficiency of the machines has been more than trebled or quadrupled
6、. 这些机器的效率已提高了2倍或3倍多。 (五)此外,英语中还有一种用again而不用倍数词来比较倍数的方法,如: A is as much (large,long,…)again as B.(= A is twice as much (large,long,…)as B.(⑩) 应译为:A比B多(大,长,……)1倍。 A is half as much (large, 1ong,…)again as B. (= A is one and a half times as much (large, 1ong,…)as B.)(11)
7、 应译为:A比B多(大,长……)一半(即A是B的一倍半)。倍数减少(一)a is n times as small (light,slow,…)as b.(12) a is n times smaller (lighter, slower,…) than b.(13) 以上两句均应译为:a的大小(重量,速度,……)是b的1/n[或a比b小(轻,慢,……)(n-1)/n]。 e.g.The hydrogen atom is near1y l6 times as light as the oxygen atom. 氢原子的重量约为氧原
8、子的1/16(即比氧原子约轻15/16)。 e.g.This sort of membrane is twice thinner than ordinary paper. 这种薄膜比普通纸张要薄一半(即是普通纸厚度的1/2)。 注:当相比的对象b很