Unit 11  （2004年）

The relation of language and mind has interested philosophers for many centuries.（61）The Greeks assumed that the structure of language had some connection with the process of thought which took root in Europe long before people realized how diverse language could be.

　　Only recently did linguists begin the serious study of languages that were very different from their own. Two anthropologists—linguists，Franz Boas and Edward   Sapir，were pioneers in describing many native languages of North and South America during the first half of the twentieth century.

　　（62）We are obliged to them because some of these languages have since vanished，as the people who spoke them died out or became assimilated and lost their native languages. Other linguists in the earlier part of this century，however，who were less eager to deal with bizarre data from “exotic” language，were not always so grateful.（63）The newly described languages were often so strikingly different from the well studied languages of Europe and Southeast Asia that some scholars even accused Boas and Sapir of fabricating their data. Native American languages are indeed different，so much so in fact that Navajo could be used by the US military as a code during World War Ⅱto sand secret messages.

Sapir’s pupil，Benjamin Lee Whorf，continued the study of American Indian languages.（64）Being interested in the relationship of the language and thought，Whorf developed the idea that the structure of the language determines the structure of habitual thought in a society. He reasoned that because it is easier to formulate certain concepts and not others in a given language，the speakers of that language think along one track and not along another.（65）Whorf came to believe in a sort of linguistic determinism which，in its strongest from，states that language imprisons the mind，and that the grammatical patterns in a language can produce far-reaching consequences for the culture of a society. Later，this idea became to be known as the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis，but this term is somewhat inappropriate. Although both Sapir and Whorf emphasized the diversity of languages，Sapir himself never explicitly supported the notion of linguistic determinism.

Unit 11   翻译题解：

61） The Greeks assumed that the structure of language had some connection with the process of thought, which took root in Europe long before people realized how diverse language could be.

句子分析：

这是一个带宾语从句，定语从句的复合句，其框架结构分析如下：

主句的主、谓结构：The Greeks assumed that 希腊人假定

宾语从句：the structure of language had some connection with the process of thought语言结构与思想的过程之间有某种联系

定语从句：which took root in Europe（这种想法）扎根于欧洲

时间状语从句：long before people realized how diverse language could be早在人们意识到语言会有多么的不同之前

翻译技巧:

此句可以采用层层剥茧的方法，先抓住整个句子的结构，然后再考虑具体的措词问题。在理清了上述结构之后，还需注意下面几个词语的处理：

assumed 假定；认为；以为

the process of thought思想的过程；思维过程

took root生根；在…扎下了根

很多人不能正确理解这个动词词组的意思，有的译成了“起源于…..”，“在…….出现了”，有的译成了“在….占统治地位”，都是不可接受的翻译。

long before 早在…之前；“在…之前早就…”

考生的错误在于不能辨别long before所限定的时间顺序，有译成“在扎根欧洲很长时间之前”，“不久的将来人们就意识到…”， 也有译成“很久以前人们就意识到…”。另外, 不要与before long（不久，不久以后）相混淆

diverse “丰富；差异性；多样性；千差万别”
多数人犯错是因为不认识该词意思，凭印象根据拼写类似词而译成“相反；倒转；转换”。

how diverse 多么的不同；多么的千差万别

could be 可能会是（can 过去式）

完整的译文：

希腊人认为，语言结构与思维的过程之间存在着某种联系。这种想法，早在人们意识到语言会有多么千差万别之前在欧洲就已经根深蒂固了。

（62） We are obliged to them because some of these languages have since vanished, as the peoples who spoke them died out or became assimilated and lost their native languages.

句子分析：

这是一个带原因状语从句、定语从句的复合句，其框架结构分析如下：

主句的主、谓、宾结构：We are obliged to them 我们感激他们

原因状语从句：because some of these languages have since vanished因为自此这些语言中的一部分消失了

定语从句：as the peoples who spoke them die d out or became assimilated and lost their native languages 因为讲它们的人灭亡了或同化了，并且丧失了自己的语言

翻译技巧:

此句的结构并不难掌握，主要是准确表达其中的下面几个措辞：

1）be obliged to感激，感谢某人
极少有人能译对这个词组，多数人根据oblige的常用意思译为“被迫”，“有义务”，都不符原文。这里提醒考生，同样的拼写可能有多种不同的含义。许多人片面追求词汇量，以为达到5000千、6000千词汇就没问题了。其实，词汇的问题比较复杂，除了拼写、基本含义，还有搭配、用法、多重含义等。这些是用词汇表、小字典进行强记所无法解决的。

2）have since vanished从那以后就消失了，不复存在了；此处的since 表示 “从此以后”之意；

since 在这句中是副词，一般人只掌握了其作为连词和介词的用法，而本句since后面只有单词vanished，是谓语的一部分，这难倒了许多人，有的译为“自从消失以后”，有的则译为“自从他们绝种后”，都不正确。可见，词汇的学习除了注意词义，还要留心词性。

die out 灭绝，完全的灭亡（cease living completely; become extinct）；不宜译作 “死亡，消失”。

完整的译文：：

我们之所以感激他们，是因为从此以后，这些语言中的一部分消失了，因为讲这些语言的人要么灭绝了，要么被同化了，因而丧失了自己的语言。

（63） The newly described languages were often so strikingly different from the well studied languages of Europe and Southeast Asia that some scholars even accused Boas and Sapir of fabricating their data.　

句子分析：

这是一个带有结果状语从句的系表结构，主句系表结构的框架为：

The …languages were so different from.. that …各种语言是如此的不同，以至于……

结果状语：some scholars even accused Boas and Sapir of fabricating their data.一些学者甚至指责Boas 和Sapir编造了他们的资料

定语：The newly described languages 这些新近被描述的语言

介词from 的宾语：the well studied languages of Europe and Southeast Asia 经过充分研究的欧洲和东南亚的语言

翻译技巧:

翻译此句的关键在于掌握结构原文的so ... that …（如此…以至于）结构；措词表达上，应当注意accused sb. of sth. （指责／谴责某人作了某事），fabricating（捏造, 伪造, 虚构），以及The newly described（这些新近被描述的），strikingly different（显著的不同），the well studied languages（经过充分研究的各种语言）的准确译法。

此句难点有三处：
1）  strikingly different 差别显著
许多人不理解strikingly，要么不译，要么错译为“严格不同”，“完全差别”。
2）  so…that （如此…） 以至于
由于so…that间隔长，有的考生看不道这一句法结构，错把that后的从句当作South Asia的定语，译文语义混乱。
3） fabricating 编造
这个词许多人不认识，错译为 “构造”，“修饰”，“弄错”或“修改”。

完整的译文：：

这些新近被描述的各种语言与经过充分研究的欧洲和东南亚的语言是如此的显著的不同，以至于一些学者甚至指责Boas 和Sapir编造了他们的资料。

（64） Being interested in the relationship of language and thought, Whorf developed the idea that the structure of language determines the structure of habitual thought in a society.

句子分析：

这是一个由现在分词短语引起的带同位语从句的复合句。

主句的主、谓、宾结构为：Whorf developed the idea Whorf 逐渐形成了这种见解

同位语从句：（the idea）that the structure of language determines the structure of habitual thought in a society 在一个社会里，语言的结构决定习惯思想的结构

现在分词短语：Being interested in the relationship of language and thought（他）对语言与思维的关系感兴趣

翻译技巧:

本句在五题中相对较容易，不少人得了满分。being interested in …应译作一个句子，即 “Whorf对语思维的关系很感兴趣”， Developed the idea 出错稍多，有译成“发明了一种认识”，也有译成“发展了一个注意”，都不恰当，而是“形成观点”，主要是汉语表达要恰当； habitual thought 应译作 “习惯（性）思维”，而不宜译作 “思考、思想”。同位语结构可考虑用冒号提示性方法来处理。

完整的译文：：

Whorf对语言与思维的关系很感兴趣，他逐渐形成了这样一种观念：在一个社会里，语言的结构决定了习惯思维的结构。

（65） Whorf came to believe in a sort of linguistic determinism which, in its strongest form, states that language imprisons the mind, and that the grammatical patterns in a language can produce far-reaching consequences for the culture of a society.　　

句子分析：

这是一个带宾语从句，定语从句的复合句，其框架结构分析如下：

主句的主、谓结构：Whorf came to believe in a sort of linguistic determinism Whorf逐渐相信某种语言决定论

定语从句：（带两个并列宾语从句）which, …states that, …and that..这一论点宣称，……而且宣称……

并列宾语从句1：language imprisons the mind in 语言将思想禁锢其中

并列宾语从句2：the grammatical patterns in a language can produce far-reaching consequences for the culture of a society 语言的语法模式可以对某一社会文化产生深远的影响。

插入成分：in its strongest form以自己最强烈的形式

翻译技巧:

此句是5个试题中最难的一句。一是结构复杂，句中有句，一环套一环；二是一些词语不宜直译，如：come to believe 开始相信；都需要按汉语表达习惯在措辞上进行调整，才能翻译出正确的意思。

1）a sort of 某种
典型的错译是“一系列”。某些类似汉语量词的表达需要考生给予足够重视。

2） linguistic determinism语言决定论
linguistic意思是“语言的，语言学的”，determinism的后缀表示“…论，…主义”，但许多人没能掌握这一构词知识。

3） in its strongest form其极端说法是;在其最强烈的形式下
很多人没能根据本句的语境理解，而是照字面意思译为“它的最强烈的形式；它的最有力的形式”，这都不符合要求。

4） imprison the mind禁锢思维
考生出错是由于没找到表达imprison的恰当汉语，译为“关闭思维；囚禁头脑”。imprison把……关在监狱中，囚禁；

5） far-reaching 深远的; 伸得很远的；
这是个合成词，许多人没掌握，只能根据字面猜测：“远不可及的”，“远远到达的”等等， 这些都不正确。

完整的译文：

Whorf逐渐接受了某种语言决定论的观点；这种观点的极端说法是：语言禁锢了思想，语言的语法模式可以对某种社会文化产生深远的影响。