在学术英语写作或翻译中,有五个语言问题需要注意。
第一,避免使用缩略语。
类似于“don’t”、“can’t”和“won’t”等词不可使用缩略语,必须使用完整形式“do not”、“cannot”和“will not”。
第二,避免使用口语词汇。
口语词汇有时候无法体现学术文本的精确性,也不够正式。
如:退休是大多数人迟早要面对的。Retirement is something most of us must face sooner or later.这句话的翻译比较口语化,在学术文本中,应使用相对正式的表达:Retirement is inevitable.
第三,避免使用省略语。
省略语如“and so forth”、“and so on”和“etc.”等尽量少用甚至不用,尽量将句子意思表达完整。
例1:护士必须考虑患者在过敏、药物使用和医疗条件等因素影响下的饮食需要。
译文1:Nurses must take into consideration patients' dietary needs resulting from allergies, medication, medical conditions and so on.
译文2:Nurses must take into consideration patients' dietary needs resulting from allergies, medication and medical conditions.
例2:公共交通工具包括在公路、航空和水路上使用的公共运输工具。
译文1:Public transport includes vehicles for public use on the roads, airways, waterways etc.
译文2:Public transport includes vehicles for public use, such as buses, trains and aeroplanes.
第四,避免使用修辞性问句。
在中文翻译为英文时,应该尽量将修辞性的问句转换为陈述句。
例1:工业用地导致大量环境污染,那么为什么我们还要使用呢?
译文1:Industrial sites cause vast amounts of environmental pollution, so why do we still use them?
译文2:The question surrounding the continued use of industrial sites, given their vast pollution production, still remains.
例2:什么是团队?团队可以是一个人,但常常会发展成很多人。
译文1:What is a team? A team can be one person but will usually end up including many more.
译文2:A team can include one person but usually involves many more.
例3:但问题是,“设计学校模式”可以为制定策略提供切实的解决方案吗?
译文1:The question is, however, does the "Design School Model" provide a practical solution to the problem of how to formulate strategy?
译文2:It is questionable whether the "Design School Model" provides a practical solution to the problem of strategy formulation.
第五,避免将副词置于句首或句尾。
在学术性文体中,副词应置于动词词组之间,而不是放在句首或句尾。
例1:那么解决方案就可以被丢弃了。
译文1:Then the solution can be discarded.
译文2:The solution can then be discarded.
例2:血液被慢慢抽了出来。
译文1:The blood is withdrawn slowly.
译文2:The blood is slowly withdrawn.