(一)时间状语从句的翻译
1译成与汉语完全对应的表示时间的状语
例:When they approached Trenton, lights were still burning in many of the houses and Christ mas parties were still going on.
当他们逼近屈兰敦时,许多房子里仍然灯火通明,圣诞晚会还未结束。
由于英汉语言表达的习惯差异,通常汉语的状语从句位于句首,而英语的状语从句可前可后,以后为多。汉语是一种意合的语言,汉语句子较少使用关联词。
2.翻译成固定(常规)句型
一般像由hardly (scarcely)…. when (before)… no sooner… than… as soon as … the moment(the instant )… just as…等短语连词引导的时间状语从句翻译成汉语时,主句与从句通常要互换,常常译成包含“刚(一)……就……”这种结构的句子。同样,包含该结构的汉语句子亦应翻译成英语中相对应的固定句式。
例:计算机刚一启动,就发现有病毒。
Hardly had the computer started working when viruses were found.
As soon as she heard the news, she fainted.
3译成并列分句
例:I was going home when I met Mary.
我正要回家,就在这个时候,我碰到了玛丽。
4转译为其他状语从句
英语状语从句有时它们的深层意义互相渗透,可以互相替换,需要转译。有些时间状语从句虽然形式上是由表示时间的引导词(如
when, before, until等)引导,但根据句子逻辑意义来判断,应灵活翻译成表因果关系的从句,或者翻译为表条件的状语从句或表目的的状语从句。
When winds blow particles against a large rock for a long time, the softer layers of the rock are slowly worn away.
由于风把砂粒刮起来,碰撞大岩石,久而久之,较松软的岩石层就被慢慢地磨损。(---表原因的偏句)