第11章　核心句分析：克服句法障碍的有效手段

核心句分析的基础，是对相关背景和知识的透彻理解。通过核心句分析，可以迫使译者查找资料或更加细致地阅读原文，在更深的层次理解原文。

一、核心句种类

奈达认为英语中所有的句子都可以分解为以下7种结构的核心句：

·John ran quickly.

·John hit Bill.

·John gives Bill a ball.

·John is in the house.

·John is sick.

·John is a boy.

·John is my father.

二、核心句分析

核心句分析的实质是找到“谁做了什么”。进行核心句分析时，我们通常需要先找到“动作”。在英语中，动作可能由一个动词表示，也可能由名词化动词(nominalization)。找到动作后，再根据逻辑关系、百科知识或常识，找到这个动作的发出者。例：

Our lack of knowledge about local conditions precluded determination of committee action effectiveness in fund allocation to those areas in greatest need of assistance.

按表层结构翻译为：

由于对当地情况缺乏了解，无法确定在向最需要援助地区提供资金时，委员会行动的有效性。

核心句分析：

·We did not know local conditions

·We could not determine sth

·(Committee)allocated fund to areas effectively

·Some areas needed assistance most

根据各句之间存在的关系，“翻译”为简明易懂的英语：

Because we knew nothing about local conditions, we could not determine how effectively the committee had allocated funds to areas that most needed assistance.

翻译为：

由于我们不了解当地情况，无法确定委员会是否有效地向最需援助的地区提供了资金。

三、核心句分析在汉译英中的应用

英语提倡简单句。作为译者，我们虽然不能苛求作者都使用简单句、短句，但我们可以运用一些技术手段，使译文更加简明易懂。翻译时，按照逻辑关系，对原文进行重组。

1．翻译复杂句

结构复杂的句子，不容易一下子翻译出来，如果对其进行分解，可以变得较为容易。例：

保险人应保障被保险人由于货物遭受机器设备运输保险内所承保的风险造成工程中断或延误所引起的还本付息及固定成本的赔偿。(合同)

这句话结构非常复杂，难以一下子翻译出来。我们可以先对它进行核心句分析：

·(如果)货物遭受机器设备运输保险内所承保的风险

If its goods are exposed to risks covered by machinery and equipment transportation insurance

·(如果)机器设备运输保险内所承保的风险造成工程中断或延误

If risks covered by machinery and equipment transportation insurance cause disruption or delay of the project

·(如果)工程中断或延误引起(被保险人)还本付息及固定成本(损失)

If the disruption or delay of the project cause losses related to debt service and fixed costs

·(保险人)应赔偿被保险人还本付息及固定成本损失

The insurer must compensate the insured for its losses related to debt service and fixed costs

通过分析发现原文少了“损失”，翻译时应当补上。在此基础上进行翻译：

译文l：

The insurer must compensate the insured for its losses related to debt service and fixed costs if:

a)its goods are exposed to risks covered by machinery and equipment transportation insurance;

b)the risks result in disruption or delay of the project; and

c)the disruption or delay result in losses related to debt service and fixed costs.

这个句子虽然仍然是一个长句，但结构简化了许多，每一个分句都不长，而且在外观上显得清楚明了。如果你愿意，可以把以上翻译变为结构复杂的句子，像原文一样，但这样做不一定可取：

译文2：

The insurer must compensate the insured for losses related to debt service and fixed costs incurred by the insured when the aroject is disrupted or delayed as a result of its goods being exposed to risks covered by the machinery and equipment transportation insurance.

2．翻译长句

长句翻译时经常需要断句。断句实际就是一种核心句分析和重新组合。例：

第二，中国现有的外交战略是建立在国际社会基本承认各国的独立自主权为基础的，但以美国为首的西方国家在人权问题尤其是科索沃问题上采取新干涉主义的立场，这不仅是对中国主张和坚持的以不干涉内政为核心的建立国际政治新秩序构成了威胁，而且也对中国按自己主张解决国内问题的原则形成了潜在的威胁。

首先把长句拆分为短句，并按照事务发展的顺序排列：

·第二，中国现有的外交战略是建立在独立自主权基础上的China’s current strategy is based on the principle of independence of all nations.

·国际社会基本承认各国的独立自主权The principle has been generally recognized in the international community.(使用被动语态是为了与上文衔接)

·中国主张和坚持建立以不干涉内政为核心的国际政治新秩序China calls for the establishment of a new international political order based on non-intervention in the internal affairs of any country.

·中国坚持按自己的主张解决国内问题的原则China asserts that each country should handle its own domestic affaks as it sees fit.

·但以美国为首的西方国家在人权问题尤其是科索沃问题上采取新干涉主义的立场对中国的主张／原则构成了威胁。But these principles are being challenged by the ne0—interventionist approach to human rights issues that has been adopted by Western nations following the lead of the United States, as exemplified in the Kosovo case.(使用被动语态是为了与上文衔接)

适当调整后变为：

The second pillar of China’s current strategy is the principle of independence of all nations, which has been generally recognized in the international community. China proposes that a new intemational political order be established based on non-intervention in the internal affairs of any country, and asserts that each country should handle its own domestic affairs as it sees fit. These principles are challenged, however, by the neo-interventionist approach to human rights issues, led by the United States and adopted by Western nations, as exemplified in the Kosovo case.

3．翻译主题句

汉语往往先用介词短语(关于、对于、至于等)提出问题，然后再加以阐述。英语中虽然也有类似结构，但用得不多。翻译时，多数情况下需要把汉语的主题句变为英语普通句子。可以通过简单的核心句分析，摆脱汉语结构的束缚。例：

(1) 对献血者，发给营养补助费和副食品票证，职工献血当日算公休，照发工资；农村社员照记工分。

Blood donors were given nutrition allowances and coupons to obtain meat, poultry and eggs. Donors did not have to work on donation day: workers were paid as usual and farmers received credits for a day’s work.

(2) 至于世界经济暂时的不景气，中国民航业有着充足的信心去克服。

Our civil aviation industry is confident that we can overcome the global economic slowdown.

不过，少数情况下汉语的主题句仍须译为英语主题句。例如：

此后，一些有影响的学者和学术机构的量化研究反映：被调查人自认有婚外(含婚前)性交行为的，在上海刘达临教授1988年全国非随机抽样调查中占6%左右(20000多个样本)；在中国社会科学院李银河教授1991年北京夫妻抽样调查中占3．7%(500个样本)；在中国人民大学潘绥铭教授1991年滚雪球式调查中占11%(1279个样本)；在……

Later, quantitative studies by some authoritative scholars and academic institutions showed that to the question of “whether you had engaed in extra-marital(including pre-marital)sexual relations”, about 6%of the respondents(more than 20,000 surveyed)answered “yes” in the 1988 national non-random sampling survey conducted by Professor Liu Dalin of Shanghai; 3．7%(500 couples surveyed)answered “yes” in the 1991 sample survey of Beijing’s married couples conducted by Professor Li Yinhe of China Academy of Social Sciences (CASS); and ll%(1,279 surveyed)answered “yes” in the 1991 snowballing survey conducted by Professor Pan Suiming of Renmin University of China…