四、增减译法

四、增减译法

语言作为文化的一部分代代相传。汉英两种语言在其发展过程中都蕴含着各自丰富的文化信息，文化特征和文化背景。因此，口译的成功与否在很大程度上取决于译员对双方文化和社会背景的理解和熟知程度。口译中，遇到涉及交际双方社会和文化背景知识时，译员要根据听众的具体情况，加以必要的解释或补充说明，以提高口译效果, 这就是增译。比如，在口译以下英语词语和句子时最好加以补充说明。

the two Houses of American government 美国政府参、众两院

The Golden State 金山州——美国加州

Paradise of the Pacific 太平洋上的天堂——美国夏威夷州

The Sunshine State 阳光州——美国佛罗里达州

The Big Apple 大苹果——美国纽约市

The Motor City 汽车城——美国底特律市

The Film Capital of the World 世界影都——美国好莱坞

Broadway in Manhattan 曼哈顿的百老汇——美国纽约曼哈顿区的一条大街，以有名的

剧院著称

Wall Street in New York 华尔街——美国纽约市的一街道名，以金融业聚集而著称。

“General Sherman” in Sequoia National Park 谢尔曼将军——美国加州红杉国家公园中一棵最高，树龄最长的巨杉树。

the two Houses of British government 英国政府上、下两院

Shadow Cabinet 英国政府的影子内阁，即在野党内阁

Speakers’ Corner 英国伦敦海德公园的讲演者之角，人们在这里可以发表任何内容的演说。

Soapbox orators 肥皂箱上的演说家——指讲演者之角那些站在自带肥皂箱之类的东西

上发表演说的人

Democracy on the Soapbox 肥皂箱上的民主——指站在肥皂箱上发表的自由演说

Downing Street 唐宁街——英国伦敦首相官邸和政府主要部门所在地，即英国政府

Fleet Street 舰队街——英国伦敦一街道名，以报业集中而著称，指伦敦新闻界，伦敦报业

Lombard Street 伦巴第街——伦敦金融中心，现指英国金融界、金融市场

同样，在我们的对外宣传和旅游的汉英口译中，译员要充分考虑中外文化差异和多数外国人对中国社会和文化并不熟悉这一事实，汉译英时要根据听众的具体情况，对一些外国人不熟悉和难以理解的汉语常用术语，尤其是一些政治术语和有特定文化内涵的词语，进行必要的解释或说明。比如，我们非常熟悉的“人大”、“政协”、“四个现代化”、“双百方针”、“希望工程”等，如果只按字面直译，恐怕多数外国人不理解。但如果采用增译法，加上必要的解释或背景说明，外国人就好懂多了。

人大　the National People’s Congress, China’s highest legislative body

政协 the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, China's top advisory and supervisory body

四个现代化 the four modernizations; that is the modernization of agriculture, industry, national defense, and science and technology

双百方针 the principle of letting a hundred flowers blossom and a hundred schools of thought contend in academic activities, art and literature sphere

希望工程 Project Hope, a project aiming at assisting school dropouts in poverty-stricken areas by raising funds from all social organizations and individuals at home and abroad.

改革开放以后出现了很多有特定含义的汉语新词语。如果只按字面直译，不加解释和说明，外国人很难理解，甚至会产生严重误解。比如，如果把“五讲、四美、三热爱”不加解释，只按字面直译为“five stresses，four beauties and three loves” 外国人很可能理解为“．．．四个美人，三个情人” 之类的意思，因而感到莫名其妙。为了避免误解，比较准确地表达原意，这个短语的英译应加以解释和补充，译成“five stresses，four points of beauty and three aspects of love；that is stress on decorum，manners，hygiene，discipline，and morals；beauty of the mind，language，behavior and the environment；love of the motherland，socialism and the Communist Party.”这样效果就好多了。以下词语的英译都是采用增译法：

“两个文明”一起抓　to place equal emphasis on both material advancement and ethical progress

“三个代表” Three represents----The Communist Party of China always represents the requirement of the development trend of China’s advanced productive forces, the orientation of China’s advanced culture, and the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the Chinese people.

培养“四有公民”to train people to be citizens with high ideas, moral integrity, a good education and strong sense of discipline

对干部进行“三讲”教育 to educate the cadres on the importance of study, raising political awareness and ensuring honesty and integrity.

抓大放小 to invigorate large enterprises while relaxing control over small ones; to focus on the restructuring of major enterprises and leave minor ones to fend for themselves

安居工程 housing project for low-income urban residents

“五个一工程” the Five-one Program/ Project ( one good book, one good play, one good film, one good TV drama, and one or several creative and persuasive/convincing articles)

在对外介绍中国历史文化的口译中，常常会遇到一些我们中国人非常熟悉的有关重大历史事件，历史人物、典故、民风、民俗方面的汉译英。对不熟悉中国历史文化的外国人来说，适当的解释或补充说明非常重要。这样可以帮助外国人了解中国历史，文化和社会，提高对外宣传效果。以下词语的英语都稍加了补充说明，外国人听了容易理解。

改革开放以来 since the implementation of reform and open policy in 1979

建国以来 since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949

五四运动 the May Fourth Movement, a great anti-imperialist, anti-feudal, political and cultural movement which took place on May fourth, 1919

炎黄子孙 the descendants /offspring of Yandi and Huangdi, the two earliest chiefs of the Chinese nation and all the Chinese people are descendants of Yandi and Huangdi

秦始皇 Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China who unified China in 220 BC

白居易 Bai Juyi, a famous Chinese poet of Tang Dynasty in the 8th century

春节 Spring Festival, the traditional Chinese New Year, which falls on the first day of the first month according to the Chinese lunar calendar.

中秋节 the Mid-autumn Festival, a traditional festival of family reunion, which falls on fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month.

龙舟节 the Dragon Boat Festival which falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. It is a festival to commemorate Qu Yuan, the great poet and patriotic figure of the State of Chu during the Warring State period.

泼水节 Water-Sprinkling Festival, a big festival for the Dai Nationality to wish everyone happiness by splashing water to each other

口译，不论是英译汉还是汉译英都应以语言简洁明快、通俗易懂为佳。因此，译员要在不损害原意的情况下，尽量减去不必要的词语和重复，这就是减译。汉译英时，尽量避免使用过分中国化而外国人不懂的词语和冗长复杂的句子。比如，在参观导游，风景名胜介绍时，有人常常喜欢使用很多修饰语，详细描述景色或引经据典，介绍中国历史文化。如果译员不看对象，按原话逐字不漏地翻译，结果往往是画蛇添足，外国人迷惑不解，很快失去了听的兴趣。这一类的口译，一定要从实际出发，避免重复，简化情节。英语力求简单明了，使外国人一听就懂。也只有这样，才能引起他们的兴趣，收到良好的效果。

口译中，有时需要通过增加或删减词语, 达到最好的修辞效果。例如：

The private colleges vary greatly in standard and reputation, from the world-famous, and select to the cranky and the obscure.

私立院校的水平与声誉彼此相差甚远,从举世闻名, 出类拔萃到动荡不稳或默默无闻。

此句的汉译增加了词语,特别是恰当地运用了汉语的四字格的修辞手段，译文生动多了。

China has a great tradition. It has huge resources. It has enormous strength of will and spirit.

中国有伟大的传统，丰富的资源，巨大的意志力和精神力量。

此句的汉译删去了两个重复的 “ It has…”, 汉语既简练又流畅。