第二章 倒裝句
英語句子通常有兩種語序,一種是自然語序(Natural Order),又稱正裝語序,另一種便是本章要介紹的倒裝語序(Inverted Order)。
從形式上分,倒裝有兩種：全部倒裝(Full Inversion)和部分倒裝(Partial Inversion)。謂語動(dòng)詞全部位于主語之前的稱作全部倒裝,例如：In front of me stood a boy. (我面前站著一個(gè)男孩。)只將謂語動(dòng)詞的一部分(通常是助動(dòng)詞或情態(tài)動(dòng)詞)放在主語之前的稱作部分倒裝,例如：Only in this way can we do it better. (只有這樣,我們才能做得更好一些。)從使用目的區(qū)分,倒裝也有兩種情況,即語法倒裝(Grammatical Inversion)和修辭倒裝(Rhetorical Inversion)。語法倒裝是由于語法規(guī)則的要求而必須進(jìn)行的倒裝,例如：Who called me just now?(剛才誰打電話給我?)修辭倒裝是出于修辭的需要而把正常語序轉(zhuǎn)為倒裝語序,例如：Out rushed the children.(孩子們沖了出去。)H·Fowler歸納倒裝的原因有九種,即疑問、命令、驚嘆、假設(shè)、平衡、銜接、點(diǎn)題(signpost)、否定和韻律(metrical)。這并不完全,還應(yīng)加上強(qiáng)調(diào)和為使描寫更加生動(dòng)兩種。在英語中,倒裝句俯拾即是,用得非常普遍,但漢語卻很少用,所以在翻譯倒裝句時(shí),仍應(yīng)按原文詞序翻譯,并照顧漢語的習(xí)慣,以保持譯文句子結(jié)構(gòu)流暢、勻稱。本章只列舉在閱讀文章中常遇到的倒裝現(xiàn)象,以使考生熟悉英語和漢語在語序上的差異。
1. Jack London poured into his writings all the pain of his life, the fierce hatred of the bourgeoisie that it had produced in him, and the conviction it had brought to him that the world could be made a better place to live in if the exploited would rise up and take the management of society out of the hands of the exploiters.
第一層： Jack London 主 poured 謂 into his writings 狀 all the pain 賓 of his life, 定 the fierce hatred 賓 of the bourgeoisie 定 that it had produced in him , 定語從句1 and 連 the conviction 賓 it had brought to him 定語從句2 that the world could be made a better place to live in if the exploited would rise 同位語從句 up and take the management of society out of the hands of the exploiters .
第二層： (定語從句1) that 引 it 主 had produced 謂 in him 狀
(定語從句2) it 主 had brought to 謂 him 間賓
(同位語從句) that 引 the world 主 could be made 謂 a better place 賓 to live in 定 if the exploited would rise up and take the man- 狀語從句 agement of society out of the hands of the exploiters.
第三層： (狀語從句) if 引 the exploited 主 would rise up 謂 and 連 take 謂 the management 賓 of society 定 out of the hands of the exploiters 狀
要點(diǎn) 本句為倒裝句。如果賓語較長或賓語結(jié)構(gòu)比較復(fù)雜,往往將賓語后置,采用倒裝語序,以使句子保持平衡。本句的賓語由三個(gè)并列的名詞構(gòu)成,且第二和第三個(gè)名詞后又帶有限定性定語從句,故采用倒裝語序,將動(dòng)詞"poured"的賓語放在狀語"into his writings"之后。"all the pain...","the fierce hatred..."和"the conviction..."是"poured"的三個(gè)并列的賓語；其中,第一個(gè)that引導(dǎo)的定語從句修飾"hatred","it had brought to him"修飾"conviction",在該定語從句中其關(guān)系代詞作賓語而被省略；第二個(gè)that從句則是"conviction"的同位語從句。
譯文 杰克·倫敦在作品中傾注了他一生中所遭受過的一切痛苦,傾訴了這種痛苦在他心中產(chǎn)生的對(duì)資產(chǎn)階級(jí)的刻骨仇恨以及由此產(chǎn)生的這樣的信念：如果被剝削者起來反抗,從剝削者手中奪回社會(huì)管理權(quán),那么世界就會(huì)變成一個(gè)人人有好日子過的地方。
2. Along with them goes social mobility, ambition to rise in the urban world, a main factor in bringing down the births in Europe in the nineteenth century.
分 析： Along with them 狀 goes 謂 social 定 mobility, 主 ambition 主 to rise in the 定 urban world, a main factor 同位語 in bringing down the births in Europe in the nineteenth century. 定
要點(diǎn) 這是一個(gè)完全倒裝句,主語是social mobility...century,謂語動(dòng)詞是goes。ambition to rise in the urban world 是對(duì) social mobility的進(jìn)一步說明。a main factor在意思上相當(dāng)于which is a main factor in...century,修飾 ambition to ...world。本句可按原文順序翻譯。
譯文 伴隨他們而來的是社會(huì)的流動(dòng)性, 人們強(qiáng)烈地希望在城市里發(fā)展,這是19世紀(jì)歐洲出生率下降的主要因素。
3. For example, they do not compensate for gross social inequality, and thus do not tell how able an underprivileged youngster might have been had he grown up under more favorable circumstances.
要點(diǎn) 句中had he grown up ... 是虛擬條件中省略if的倒裝結(jié)構(gòu)。翻譯時(shí),要把if的含義譯出。主句為并列謂語"... compensate ... , and ... tell"結(jié)構(gòu)。句中how引導(dǎo)賓語從句。虛擬條件句為賓語從句的狀語。根據(jù)漢語的表達(dá)習(xí)慣,條件狀語常前置。
譯文 例如,它們并不彌補(bǔ)明顯的社會(huì)不公； 因此,它們說明不了一個(gè)物質(zhì)條件差的年輕人,如果在較好的環(huán)境下成長,會(huì)有多大的才干。
4. So involved with their computers do the children become that leaders at summer computer camps often have to force them to break for sports and games.
要點(diǎn) 本句的基本結(jié)構(gòu)是the children become so involved with their computers that...。因?yàn)榘裺o involved with their computers 放在了句首,所以句子必須倒裝。因?yàn)樵摼涞膭?dòng)詞是become,所以用do來幫助倒裝。翻譯時(shí)宜用正裝語序。
譯文 參加計(jì)算機(jī)夏令營的孩子們對(duì)計(jì)算機(jī)如此著迷,以至夏令營的負(fù)責(zé)人常常不得不強(qiáng)迫他們停下來參加體育運(yùn)動(dòng)或做游戲。
5. As the Internet becomes more and more commercialized, it is in the interest of business to universalize access - after all, the more people online, the more potential customers there are.
要點(diǎn) 破折號(hào)后面的部分是用來解釋句子主句的,在結(jié)構(gòu)上是部分倒裝句,屬"（從句）the＋比較級(jí)...,（主句） the ＋比較級(jí)"句型,這樣的句子一般主謂不倒裝。翻譯時(shí)可用正裝。universalize:使普遍化；使通用化。
譯文 隨著國際互聯(lián)網(wǎng)越來越商業(yè)化,普及上網(wǎng)會(huì)對(duì)商家有利, 因?yàn)樯暇W(wǎng)的人越多,潛在的顧客數(shù)量就越多。
6. Only after studies provided evidence of the harmful effects of such programs has it been possible to modify TV programming policies.
要點(diǎn) only是加強(qiáng)語氣的詞語,位于句首時(shí),主謂語要倒裝。這樣的句子一般可按原文順序翻譯。has it been ...是主句,正裝應(yīng)是it has been...。
譯文 只有大量調(diào)研提供出證據(jù)表明此類節(jié)目產(chǎn)生不良影響后,電視節(jié)目審查政策才有可能改變。
7. Unpopular as red has been in the past at the moment it is a favorite hair style.
要點(diǎn) 這是一個(gè)主從復(fù)合句,主句是at the moment it is a favorite hair style。在讓步狀語從句中,作為表語的unpopular 放在 as前面位于句首,構(gòu)成部分倒裝。形容詞＋as從句在意思上等于although...,一般翻譯成"雖然…"。注意這個(gè)形容詞不能放在動(dòng)詞后面,否則整個(gè)句子意思不同。
譯文 雖然過去紅色不受歡迎,眼下紅色染發(fā)劑卻備受青睞。
8. Lonely was seeing his daughter only twice a week since the divorce.
要點(diǎn) 這是一個(gè)完全倒裝句,主語是seeing his daughter...divorce。翻譯時(shí)可正裝。
譯文 他只是覺得離婚后每周只能看女兒兩次讓他感到孤獨(dú)。
9. So perilous was this one that he was the only security officer on the site.
要點(diǎn) 該句的原結(jié)構(gòu)是this one was so perilous that...,因?yàn)榘?so perilous 放在句首,所以句子要主謂倒裝。翻譯時(shí)可正裝。
譯文 做現(xiàn)場惟一的保安官員,這差使還真有點(diǎn)危險(xiǎn)。
10. In front of me stood the essential tools of the intelligence officer's trade - a desk, two telephones, one scrambled（改變頻率使不被竊聽） for outside calls, and to one side a large green metal safe with an oversized combination lock on the front.
要點(diǎn) 這是一個(gè)并列句,由and連接。第一個(gè)分句中破折號(hào)前面是一個(gè)完全倒裝句,主語是 the essential tools of the intelligence officer's trade。破折號(hào)后面的部分是用來解釋trade。One scrambled for outside calls 等于one of which was scrambled for outside calls。第二個(gè)分句也是一個(gè)完全倒裝句,只是在 to one side后面省去了動(dòng)詞stood。該句可按原文語序翻譯,第二個(gè)分句中省去的動(dòng)詞應(yīng)翻譯出來。
譯文 展現(xiàn)在我面前的是情報(bào)官員這一行的基本用具--一張寫字臺(tái)、兩部電話,其中一部是變頻加密外線電話,在我旁邊是一個(gè)大型的綠色金屬保險(xiǎn)柜,其正面有一把特大號(hào)復(fù)合密碼鎖。
