Difference between Languages 语言对比

Difference between Languages语言对比 By 陈烽

1. 汉英语言类型对比 • 2. 汉英语义对比 • 3. 汉英句法对比 • 4. 汉英语体风格对比 • 5. 汉英语篇衔接对比 • 6. 汉英修辞对比

1. 语言类型对比 • 汉语Analytic • 语法关系主要不是通过词本身的形态来表达，而是通过虚词、词序等手段来表达。 • 英语Synthetic • 主要通过词本身的形态变化来表达语法意义。

Few follow the advice of Isabella Beeton, the greatest British cook in the 19th century, who decreed in an early edition of her book that “a good meal, if enjoyed and digested, gives the support necessary for the morning’s work.” • 十九世纪英国烹饪大师伊莎贝拉•比顿曾在其著作的一个早期版本里说过：“受用一顿美餐，能使整个上午工作精力充沛。”这番高见，现在很少有人领教了。 • When he has taken his exercise and is drinking his tea or his beer, and lighting his pipe…（George Santayana, The Weather in His Soul） • 在他运动之余品茶或喝酒，并点着烟斗时……

我本来是一个谦虚谨慎、人见人爱的孩子，是水产学院将我弄得这么人见人嫌。我本来是一个谦虚谨慎、人见人爱的孩子，是水产学院将我弄得这么人见人嫌。 • I was a modest, good-humored boy; it is DLFU that has made me insufferable. • 仿佛为探寻什么而来，然而，我永远不能寻见什么了，除非我也睡在花床的下面，土地连接着土地，在那里面或许还有一种温暖的爱的交流？（缪崇群：《花床》） • I seem to have come here in search of something, but I will never be able to find anything, except hoping that someday I will go and sleep underneath a flower bed where the land is one in which there is an interflow of warmth and love.

分析型与综合型 • 1.1 意合与形合（Parataxis & Hypotaxis） • 1.2 具体与抽象（Concrete & Abstract） • 1.3 动态与静态（Dynamic & Static）

1.1 意合与形合（Parataxis & Hypotaxis） • 汉语：词语或语句间的连接主要凭借语义或语句间的逻辑关系来实现。 • 英语：词语或语句间的连接主要依仗连接词或语言形态手段来实现。

她们正打架，不巧被我撞见了。 • I happened to be present when they were having a fight. • 好不容易才说服她照我的想法办。 • With some difficulty I brought her round to my way of thinking. • 只见那个理发师俯下身，听小姑娘说，她要什么发式。 • Leaning down to hear the little girl, the barber listened to her about the style she wanted.

酒不醉人人自醉。 • It is not that the wine intoxicates the drinker but that the drinker gets himself drunk. • It is not the wine that intoxicates the drinker but the drinker who gets himself drunk • 对人太苛求，没有什么道理，自己也容易失望。 • You have little cause to make excessive demands from others and make yourself disappointed in return.

1.2 具体与抽象（Concrete & Abstract） • 汉语：表达上倾向于具体 • 英语：表达上倾向于抽象

他绝望了，正在此时，他见到远方的 帆影，有了绝处逢生的希望。 • He gave up all the hope when the appearance of a distant sail raised his hope of rescue. • 越来越多的老人发现儿孙们对于流行乐表现出日益浓厚的兴趣，他们也渐渐接受了这个事实。 • Its seems that there is a growing acceptance by the old generation of their children and their grandchildren’s increasing interest in pop music.

他通晓多种不常使用的外国语，这使我们感到惊讶。他通晓多种不常使用的外国语，这使我们感到惊讶。 • His familiarity with many rarely used languages surprised us all. • 男性不愿退休，因为他们觉得退休会失去很多东西，其实主要是失去赚钱的机会，而不是出于对工作的依恋之情。 • Reluctance among men to retire was associated with anticipated deprivations, of money rather than of attachment to work. • 他想远走高飞，免得心烦。 • He sought the distraction of distance.

1.3 动态与静态（Dynamic & Static） • 汉语表达上趋向于动态 • 英语则更具有静态特征

我倒了一杯茶给他喝。 • I offered him a cup of tea. • 他拿着枪，绕着屋子巡走。 • He walked around the house with a gun. • 游行的人拿着鲜花和彩旗在街道上行进。 • The people paraded in the street, flowers and banners in their hands. • 实现理想境界要靠辛勤劳动。 • To translate ideals into reality needs hard work. • 解决问题的最好办法是进行调查研究。 • The best way to solve the problem is to conduct investigations.

2. 语义对比 • 大量对应词语是汉英翻译的语言基础 • 自然环境、思维方式、社会历史、文化传统的不同，导致不对应 • 词语的空缺（无对应） • 词义的差别（部分对应）

山 hill, mountain 鸡 hen,chick, rooster 青 green, blue 借 lend,borrow 兔 hare, rabbit 鼠 mouse, rat 你，您 you 江，河 river 父，母 pare 兄，弟 brother 嫁，娶 marry 叔，伯 uncle 部分对应现象

可译度障碍 • 我属兔。 • I was born in the Chinese lunar year of the rabbit. • 舅舅从桌上把花瓶拿去了。 • Mother's brother has taken the vase away from the table.

语义的再现 • 2.1 指称意义referential meaning： • 词语、句子和篇章反映的客观世界。 • 2.2 言内意义linguistic meaning ： • 词语成分之间、句子成分之间和篇章之间的关系所反映的意义。 • 2.3 语用意义pragmatic meaning ： • 语言符号与使用者的关系，是语言符号对人产生的影响，包括联想意义，蕴含意义和象征意义。

2.1 指称意义 • 知之为知之，不知为不知，是知也。（孔子《论语》） • When you know a thing, to hold that you know it, and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it—this is knowledge.（James Legge译） • 南京的风俗：但凡新媳妇进门，三日就要到厨下收拾一样菜，发个利市。这菜一定是鱼，取“富贵有余”的意思。（吴敬梓《儒林外史》） • The custom in Nanjing is for all brides to invite good luck by going to the kitchen on the third day and cooking a fish, which stands for fortune.（杨宪益、戴乃迭译）

2.2 言内意义 • 彩云红雨暗长门，翡翠枝余萼绿痕。（郝经《落花》） • As rainbow clouds o’er(over) darkened door, red petals shower, on jadeite branch is left the trace of fallen flower. （许渊冲译） • 接收竟成了劫搜。 • Taking-over turns out to be loot-taking.（李定坤《汉英辞格对比与翻译》）

2.3 语用意义 • 当下贾母一一指与黛玉：“这是你大舅母，这是你二舅母，这是你先珠大哥的媳妇珠大嫂子。”（曹雪芹《红楼梦》） • …（Lady Dowager）the mother of Jia She and Jia Zheng, who now introduced the family one by one. “This,” she said, “is your elder uncle’s wife. This is your second uncle’s wife. This is the wife of your late Cousin Zhu.” (杨宪益、戴乃迭译） • Grandmother Jia now introduced those present. “This is your elder uncle’s wife, Aunt Xing. This is your Uncle Zheng’s wife, Aunt Wang. This is Li Wan, the wife of your Cousin Zhu, who died.”（David Hawkes译）

除了我这间房，大院里还有二十多间房呢。一共住着多少家子，谁说得清？住两间房的就不多，又搭上今儿个搬来，明儿个又搬走。我没那么好的记性。大家见面，招呼声“吃了吗？”透着和气。（老舍《柳家大院》）除了我这间房，大院里还有二十多间房呢。一共住着多少家子，谁说得清？住两间房的就不多，又搭上今儿个搬来，明儿个又搬走。我没那么好的记性。大家见面，招呼声“吃了吗？”透着和气。（老舍《柳家大院》） • Besides the room we occupy, there are twenty more rooms in the same compound. How many families live there, only God knows. Those who occupy two rooms are very few. Besides, they are always on the go (moving in today and moving out tomorrow). I haven’t got such a good memory as to remember all that. When people meet, they pass the time of the day with each other, just to show their good neighborly feelings.（张谷若译）

翻译思路 • 通过各种手段对译入语（英语）的词义加以补充或限定 • 增减，阐释，借用，音译 • 翻译时以整体意义为重，灵活变通,不拘泥于字面的对应 • 词类的转换

贾母笑骂道：“小蹄子们，还不快搀起来，只站着笑。”贾母笑骂道：“小蹄子们，还不快搀起来，只站着笑。” • Yang:“You wretches!” scolded the Lady Dowager. “Help her up. Don’t just stand there laughing.” • Hawkes:“Little monsters!” she said. “Don’t just stand there laughing. Help her up.”

林黛玉回头见是宝玉， 待要不理他，听他说 “只说一句话，从此撂开手”，这话里有文章，少不得站住说道： “有一句话，请说来。 ”宝玉笑道：“两句话，说了你听不听？” 黛玉听说，回头就走。宝玉在后面叹道：“既有今日，何必当初！”林黛玉听见这话，由不得站住，回头道：“当初怎么样？今日怎么样？”

Yang：Daiyu glanced round and would have ignored him, but was curious to hear this “one word”, thinking there must be something in it. She came to a halt.“Out with it.” Baoyu smiled. “Would you listen if I said two words?” he asked. At once she walked away. Baoyu, close behind her, sighed. “Why are things so different now from in the past?” Against her will she stopped once more and turned her head. “What do you mean by ‘now’ and ‘the past’?” • Hawkes：Daiyu had turned back to see who it was. When she saw that it was Baoyu still, she was going to ignore him again; but hearing him say that he only wanted to ask her one question, she told him that he might do so. Baoyu could not resist teasing her a little.“How about two questions? Would you wait for two?” Daiyu set her face forwards and began walking on again. Baoyu sighed.“If it has to be like this now,”he said, as if to himself,“it’s a pity it was ever like it was in the beginning.”Daiyu’s curiosity got the better of her. She stopped walking and turned once more towards him.“Like what in the beginning?”She asked.“And like what now?”

中国有12亿多人口，陆地自然资源人均占有量低于世界平均水平。中国有12亿多人口，陆地自然资源人均占有量低于世界平均水平。 • China has a population of more than 1.2 billion, and its natural land resources per capita are lower than the world's average. • 1998年是联合国确定的国际海洋年，中国政府愿借此机会介绍中国海洋事业的发展情况。 • The year 1998 has been designated by the United Nations as International Ocean Year, and on this occasion the Chinese Government would like to introduce the progress of China's work in this particular field to the world.

她不满地走了。 • She went away with dissatisfaction. • She went away dissatisfied. • 前门驱虎，后门进狼。 • Fend off one danger only to fall prey to another. • 他对她的行为有些怀疑。 • He was suspicious of her behavior. • Her behavior aroused his suspicion. • He suspected her behavior.

Practice • 我们对这件事当然有发言权。(matter) • Of course we have a say in this matter. • 真是想不到的事！(！) • What a surprise! • 这本新书的出版是今年文化界的大事。(event ) • The new book was the cultural event of the year. • 各族人民的代表共聚一堂，商讨国家大事。(affair) • Representatives from different nationalities gather to discuss affairs of the state.

这绝不是轻而易举的事。(job) • It's certainly no easy job. • 关心学生是教师份内的事。(duty) • It's the teacher's duty to be concerned about the students. • 我已把事讲清楚了。(case) • I'v already put the case clear. • 我可以举出好几件事来证明。(instance) • I can cite quite a few instances to illustrate it. • 这不是开玩笑的事儿。(joke) • This is no joke.

3. 句法对比 • 汉语：语义型或意合型，句子的根据在语义，重内在的逻辑关系 • 无主语的句子和无动词的句子比比皆是 • 英语：语法型或形合型，句子的根据在语法，重外在的形式连接 • 句子的主语和动词不可或缺 • 连接词（connective word）的使用远远多于汉语

正在热闹哄哄的时节，只见那 后台里，又出来一位姑娘，（。）年纪约十八九岁，装束与前一个毫无分别，（。）瓜子脸儿，白净面皮，（。）相貌不过中人之姿，（。）只觉得秀而不媚，清而不寒。（刘鹗《老残游记》） • Amidst the feverish bustling, there appeared on the stage a girl about eighteen or nineteen years old, dressed up just like the former. Her face was shaped like melon-seed. Her beauty was above the average woman-charming but not coquettish, and a clarity of complexion but not coldness.

主要差异 • 3.1 句子基本成分对比 • 3.2 “话题-说明”结构与“主语-谓语”结构 • 3.3 “板块”式结构与“多枝共干”结构 • 3.4 “左分支”结构与“右分支”结构 • 3.5 人称与物称：汉英拟人法对比 • 3.6 汉英平行结构对比 • 3.7 汉英重量趋势对比

3.1句子基本成分对比 • 英语的五种基本句型 • SV • SVO • SVOO • SVOC • SVC

这个姑娘很漂亮。[主语+形容词谓语] • That girl is very pretty. [SVC] • 老舍是北京人。[主语+名词谓语] • Lao She was from Beijing. [SVC] • 这花儿是白的。[主语+判断谓语] • The flower is white.[SVC] • 水库是1958年修建的。[主语+判断谓语] • The reservoir was built in 1958. [SV(passive)]

他打破了杯子。[主语+谓语+宾语] • He broke the glass.[SVO] • 李先生教我们地理。[主语+谓语+宾语+宾语] • Mr. Li teaches us geography.[SVOO] • 他要我投寄这封信。[主语+谓语+宾/主语+谓语(兼语式)] • He asked me to post the letter.[SVOC] • 天上挂着一轮明月。[ (处所)+谓语+宾语（存现句）] • A bright round moon hangs in the sky.[SV]

S与V在英语中不可缺少，即使充当主语或谓语无实际意义，也须加上以满足语法形式的要求S与V在英语中不可缺少，即使充当主语或谓语无实际意义，也须加上以满足语法形式的要求 • 叶子黄了。 • The leaves turned brown. • 看样子要变天了。 • It seems the weather is changing. • 当时我在北京。 • I was in Beijing at the time. • ——是谁呀？——是我。 • ——Who is it? ——It's me. • 不行！ • It won't do!

3.2 “话题-说明”结构与“主语-谓语”结构 • 汉语句子的“话题”与“说明”结构 • “话题”是说明的对象，总是放在句子开头处。如果语言环境或上下文能暗示话题，也可能省略不提。 • “说明”部分位于话题之后，对话题进行说明、解释或质疑。 • “说明”部分与“话题”部分不存在一致关系。“说明”可以是一个名词或动词，也可以是一连串的名词短语或连动结构，还可以由形容词及各种词组充当，对结尾没有限制，可长可短，视语义而定。 • 汉语的连谓句典型地反映出话题的后面一长串说明的特点（因为凡与话题有关的内容都可放在后面对其进行说明） • 英语句子结构：一个主语和一个谓语相一致

有个叫毛满珠的哑巴姑娘， 翻过几重山来找王斌，痛苦地做着各种手势，要求得到帮助。 • There was a dumb girl called Mao Manzhu, who traveled over ranges of mountains to come to Wang Bin. With various painful gestures, she begged for Wang's help. • 他五岁时候，生了一场伤寒，变成了聋子。 • He became deaf at five after an attack of typhoid fever.

老拴正在专心走路，忽然吃了一惊，远远地看见一条丁字街，明明白白横着。他便退了几步，寻到一家关着门的铺子，蹩进檐下，靠门停住了。（鲁迅《药》）老拴正在专心走路，忽然吃了一惊，远远地看见一条丁字街，明明白白横着。他便退了几步，寻到一家关着门的铺子，蹩进檐下，靠门停住了。（鲁迅《药》） • Absorbed in his walking, Old Shuan was startled when he saw the crossroad lying distantly ahead of him. He walked back a few steps to stand under the eaves of a shop in front of its closed door.

3.3 “板块”式结构与“多枝共干”结构 • 板块”式结构（“竹节”式结构）：汉语的“意合”特点使句子的内部成分常常一一罗列，呈现并排式结构，外形上没有主从之分，层面之间没有明显的逻辑标记。 • 英语的“多枝共干”型：英语句子的“主谓结构”为句子主干，其他成分则通过各种连带附加关系附着在这条主干上，犹如树枝与树干的关系。

话说天下大势，分久必合， 合久必分。 • They say the momentum of history was ever thus: the empire, long divided, must unite; long united, must divide. • 陈水扁进行挑衅活动，制造紧张局势，必须马上停止。 • He must stop all his provocations at once, which create tensions.

跑得了和尚跑不了庙。 • The monk may run away, but the temple won's run with him. • 你死了我去当和尚。 • If you died, I would go and become a monk. • 他不去我去。 • I would like to go if he wouldn't go. • 他不去我也去。 • I'd go there even if he wouldn't go with me. • 他不去我才去。 • I'd go there only if he won't.

知人知面不知心。 • One can know a man's face, but not his heart. • 人穷志短。 • When a man is poor his ambition is not far-reaching. • Poverty stifles ambition. • 人穷志不短。 • Though one is poor, he has high aspirations. • 人有脸，树有皮。 • The face is as important to a man as the bark to a tree. • 人不犯我，我不犯人。 • We will not attack unless we are attacked.

3.4 “左分支”结构与“右分支”结构 • 思维模式差异： • 中国人的思维模式基本上是首先考虑事物的环境和外围因素，然后考虑具体事物或中心事件。 • 西方人的思维模式正相反，首先考虑中心事物，然后才加上外围因素。

思维方式差异在句子结构上的表现 • 汉语“左分支”结构（“狮子头”形状） • 状语总放在谓语或句子主体前边 • 定语无论长短，都置于中心词之前 • 状语部分长，主谓部分短； • 主语部分长，谓语部分短； • 修饰成分长，中心成分短。 • 英语“右分支”结构（“孔雀”形状） • 多数定语成分（除单词外）都置于中心词之后 • 多数状语也置于主干成分之后 • 重视末端重量，有时使用形式主语

村东头的王大妈来了，受坏人欺骗的村民们也来了。村东头的王大妈来了，受坏人欺骗的村民们也来了。 • There came Aunt Wang who dwelt at the eastern end of the village, and also came the villagers who had been deceived. • 去年他为了完成一个项目在实验室用计算机努力地干了十个月。 • He worked hard with a computer in the lab for ten months in order to complete a project last year.

3.5 人称与物称：汉英拟人法对比 • 一种（思潮）以陈独秀为代表，认为…… • This view, represented by Chen Duxiu, was that … • 我们的事业从胜利走向胜利。 • We have won one victory after another for our cause.

金陵回春，古城新生，昔日饱尝的屈辱和灾难，至此如同梦魇终被摆脱。人民在自己的土地上辛勤劳作，把古城南京装扮得面貌一新。特别是近十几年来，改革开放又给这座美丽的名城注入了新的活力，崭新的工业……都使这个具有古都特色的现代都市焕发出勃勃英姿。金陵回春，古城新生，昔日饱尝的屈辱和灾难，至此如同梦魇终被摆脱。人民在自己的土地上辛勤劳作，把古城南京装扮得面貌一新。特别是近十几年来，改革开放又给这座美丽的名城注入了新的活力，崭新的工业……都使这个具有古都特色的现代都市焕发出勃勃英姿。 • Balmy spring winds returned to bring new life to this historic city. The nightmarish sufferings and humiliations of the past were left behind once and for all. The citizens of Nanjing have been working hard to give this age-old town a new appearance. Especially for the past ten years or more, the country’s reform and opening-up policy has infused new vigor into this beautiful and famous city. Newly built industries, … all these and more added charm and vitality to this modern metropolis, which retains the ambiance and features of an ancient capital.

3.6 汉英平行结构对比 • 汉语平行结构： “整句”中的句式结构。 • 整句：结构相同或相似，字数大致相等，整齐地排列在一起的一组句子。 • 整句形式：对偶、排比、反复 • Parallelism：英语话语组织的一种重要形式 • 既是语法问题又是修辞问题 • 不仅局限于句子层面，还包括篇章层面

Difference between Languages 语言对比