Lecture 5Conversion of part of speech
From today on, we’ll learn some main translation techniques.For example: Conversion of part of speech ; amplification; ommision; how to translate paive voice; how to translate nominal clause; how to translate long sentence; how to translate attributive clause, etc.What we’ll learn today is the first one, that is, Conversion of part of speech.
A word in one language belonging to a certain part of speech is not necearily to be turned into one of the same part of speech in another language.That means it may be translated into another part of speech in another language.For example: a noun, a perposition, an adjective,or an adverbial in one language may be translated into verb in another language; a verb, or an adjective may be translated into noun in another language.
As we have learned, English is a noun-dominated language, which means that the noun phase has a high frequency in usage.English sentences tend to be stative.While Chinese is a verb-dominated language.This is because the different way of thinking of the two nations.English speaking people are used to thinking in abstract concepts.Thus English speaking people often expre actions through abstract nouns.As these nouns imply some actions, there are hardly corresponding nouns in Chinese to match them.As a result, in translation many such nouns should be better turned into verbs.Therefore, in this chapter we’ll mainly focus on the noun-verb translation.
(1) Nouns that imply some action, especially those derived from their corresponding verbs are usually translated into Chinese verbs, (and their attributives naturally become adverbials 见E和H).For examples:
A) The maintenance of the existence of some rare animals has recently claimed world-wide attention.
Word-for-word translation of “maintenance of the existence of some rare animals” should be “某些稀有动物生存的保护”.It would sound very awkward.So the noun maintenance here should be translated into verb “保护”.The Chinese version of this sentence should be “保护某些稀有动物的生存，近来已引起了世界范围的广泛关注”。
B) My admiration for him grew more.我对他越来越敬佩
C) The proof of the pudding is in the eating.要想知道布丁的滋味，就要亲自尝一尝。
D) His acceptance of bribes led to his arrest.他因受贿而被捕。
E) The timely arrival of the police stopped the riot.警察及时赶到，制止了骚乱。 F) He regretted their failure to reach an agreement.他们未能达成协议，他感到遗憾。
G) He shook his head in feigned disbelief.他故意摇摇头，假装不相信。
H) His continual, unnatural watching of other’s movements aroused our suspicions.他老是鬼鬼祟祟地查看别人的行动，引起了我们的怀疑。
I) His decision could not be indefinitely postponed.他不能无限期地托延下去而 1
不作决定。
J) His exclusion from the tennis club hurt him very much.网球俱乐部拒绝接纳他，这使他很伤心。
K) In the evening after wash and his sit-down tea he went upstairs.晚上，他洗了洗，坐下来喝点茶，然后上楼。
L) Scientists are only beginning to understand why physical workouts can also provide a mental and emotional boost.科学家刚开始了解为什么锻炼身体也能增进智力，改善情绪。
M) The early spring of England is still full of climatic irregularity.英格兰初春的天气常常变幻莫测。
N) How much time would have to pa before he wasn’t her every other thought? 还要过多少时候她才会不再情不自禁地老想起他呢？
We can find that the logical subject (agent of action) of this type of noun is often a poeive case.However, the poeive may not always refer to the logical subject but sometimes to the logical object (patient of the action).For example:
More troops have been sent to your protection.已派更多的部队来保护你们。
(2)Nouns appearing in the “there be…” pattern and similar pattern showing existence can also be translated into Chinese verbs.For examples:
A) There was a sudden fall in temperature.气温突然下降。
B) There has been an outbreak of SARS in this community.这个小区爆发了非典。
C) There is a powerful social argument for a firmer standard of spoken English.社会上有许多人大力主张英语口语应该有一个严格的标准。
D) In such a case it is impoible for there to be any escape from exposure.在这种情况下，谁也不可能躲开不被暴露。
E) There were only sporadic attempts to answer such questions.只有零零星星几个人试着回答这样的问题。
(3) Nouns of –er form sometimes don’t have corresponding words in chinese.A proper way to transiate them is to turn then into verbs, and sure, their attributive modifiers are better turned into adverbials.
A) he is a heavy smoker.他抽烟很厉害。
B) he is a good listerner and they like to talk with him.他能倾听别人意见，因此他们喜欢和他聊天。
C) he is considered as a poor loser.人们认为他输不起。
D) what’s the matter? You’re all clock-watchers today.你们今天一直不停看钟，是怎么回事呀？
Native English speakers seem to prefer to use this kind of noun to describe a person, bur we chinese tend to use verbs.For examole, we often say 他学习很用功。However, in English, “he is a good student” is preferable to “he studies hard”.Therefore, we should adopt this pattern in C-E translation.For example: 她衣着时
髦。She is a sharp dreer；she is a fashionable dreer
(4) Apart from such “dynamic nouns”, which means nouns imply actions, very often some other nouns can also be turned into verbs, or with verbs added in English-Chinese translation in order to make more smooth and natural translation.For examples:
A) But reality makes things difficult.但是一接触现实，事情就难办了。
B) She considered housework demeaning and the care of children an added insult.她认为干家务活低人一等，带孩子更丢人。
C) After more than two centuries of wind and rain, the doors and windows were mouldering.经历了两百多年的风吹雨打，门窗都朽坏了。
D) Example is not the main thing in influencing.It is the only thing.以身作则不但是影响人的主要方法，而是唯一的方法。
E) She went and tapped at Liddy’s door, and after some labor awoke her.她敲了敲丽蒂的门，颇费了周折才把她叫醒。
F) To some extent it gets into the question of the chicken or the egg.在某种程度上说，这已成了先有鸡还是先有蛋的问题。
G) Your arm looks like a hospital job.Are you all right? 看上去你的胳膊好像动过手术。你有什么不舒服吗？
H) I’m a sight in the early morning—I admit it.我承认，我大清早这样做有点招摇过市。
I) Such actions would become good headlines tomorrow.如果采取这样的行动，一定会成为明天报纸的头条新闻。
J) The short cut would take us five hours to get there.(就是)抄近路我们（也要）五个小时才能到那里。
(5) nouns in some special idiomatic usage, such as “all +noun”、“have +a noun”, are always turned into verbs.
A) the girl was all smiles.姑娘笑逐颜开。
B)he is all eyes 她全神贯注地看着
C) life is by no means all pleasure 生活不仅仅是享乐
D) they took a final look at Iron Mike，still intact in the darkne 他们最后看了一眼铁麦克一眼——它依旧安然无恙地耸立在黑暗之中。
(5) nouns fernquently appear in English posters.Their counterparts in Chinese often use verbs.
A) No parking.禁止停车。
B) No photographing.禁止摄影。
C) No admittance except on busine.闲人免进。
D) Under construction.正在施工。
E) No money down.免付定金。
F) No hawkers.不准在此设摊兜售。
G) Satisfaction or your money back.包您满意，不满退款。
H) A drink on the house.本店免费提供饮料。
1.介词转译成动词。（prep.---v.）
(1)
(2)
(3) It is our goal that the people in the undeveloped areas will be finally poverty.
(4)
2.形容词转译成动词（adj.---v.）
(1) Integrity means you do what you do because it’s right错。
(2) Don’t be might have a better idea or who might even be smarter than you are.
(3)
3.副词转译为动词（adv.---v.）
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
