英譯漢時(shí)，由于詞匯中包含著英漢兩個(gè)不同的民族的風(fēng)土人情和生活習(xí)慣，常常會(huì)遇到某些英語詞匯的意義很難處理，僅僅靠詞典上的釋義來選擇詞義是不夠的，甚至很難找到適當(dāng)?shù)臐h語詞義，如果采用直譯的方法，往往會(huì)使譯文晦澀難懂，不能準(zhǔn)確的表達(dá)原文得意思，甚至造成誤解。但是，如果在翻譯時(shí)，采取靈活的手段，根據(jù)上下文，從句子的語境和邏輯關(guān)系出發(fā)，根據(jù)詞的基本含義，進(jìn)一步考慮詞的內(nèi)涵意義，聯(lián)想意義，搭配意義，將意義加以引伸，把該詞所關(guān)聯(lián)的深層意義表達(dá)出來，就會(huì)使譯文流暢自然,達(dá)到翻譯的要求。

初學(xué)英語和翻譯的人常因受原文表層結(jié)構(gòu)的束縛,容易犯望文生義的毛病.有時(shí)碰到一個(gè)句子,發(fā)現(xiàn)里面并沒有什么生詞就滿以為自己已經(jīng)懂了,其實(shí)并不一定懂,在許多場(chǎng)合里,往往字面上認(rèn)為懂了的東西,不一定在意義上真正弄懂了.請(qǐng)看下面一個(gè)句子:"I will teach him to deceive others," he said.有學(xué)生把它譯成------他說,"我要教他去欺騙別人".這句譯文不但沒有確切表達(dá)原文的含義,而且把意思譯反了.根據(jù)原文意思我們可以用英文把他改寫成,"I will punish him so that he will not deceive others again," he said. 這樣,這句的正確譯文應(yīng)該是------他說,"我要教訓(xùn)他一頓,看他還敢不敢再騙人".

譯文的錯(cuò)誤是譯者簡(jiǎn)單地考慮單詞的字面意義,沒有深入地考慮原文本意,同時(shí)譯者忽視了每一個(gè)詞或詞組在特定的語言環(huán)境中有特定得意義,克服望文生義的有效方法是加強(qiáng)自己的語言修養(yǎng),特別在詞匯,語法,慣用法方面下工夫,另一方面,要細(xì)心,多琢磨,不要想當(dāng)然(特別是做翻譯的時(shí)候).

這里收集了幾種常用于引伸方面的例句,加以歸納,分析,并加上正確的譯文,以供讀者參考:

一:英語動(dòng)詞詞義的引伸

1. He showered her with kindness and words of praise until she consented to be his wife.
他向她大獻(xiàn)殷勤,百般贊美,直到她同意做他的妻子.

句中shower不能簡(jiǎn)單地譯作to rain in showers/ pour down in showers"下陣雨,陣雨般地落下",其真正引伸含義為to shower with praise "大獻(xiàn)殷勤,百般贊美"解.

[en2. Millet made a portrait of lady Chesterfield, which flattered her. [/en]

米勒給柴斯特菲爾德貴夫人畫了一副像,該像之美簡(jiǎn)直超過了她本人.

句中flatter在這里不作to praise too much"逢迎"解釋,而引伸含義為to make better looking than the reality"超過"解.

3. The explorers worked their way up the mountain.
勘測(cè)工作者十分艱難地慢慢爬上那座高山.

句中work one`s way up 是to make one`s (or its) way up to或to move slowly and with difficulty"艱難地移動(dòng)"之意解,已經(jīng)不含"to work"的含義.

二:英語名詞的引伸

1. She can speak Esperanto after a fashion.
她能說一點(diǎn)世界語.

句中after a fashion不能理解為come into fashion or be in fashion"追求時(shí)髦",即:不能譯成------她最求時(shí)髦,會(huì)世界語,而這里after a fashion作not very well or a little"略微地"解.

2.? Sometimes an informal program will be organized after the meal, with dances, songs, or short talks followed by a question period.
有時(shí)候,在飯后舉辦非正式的活動(dòng),如:舞會(huì),唱歌,或演討講座.

句中program 不可譯為 broadcast item(eg, a play, discussion or documentary) or plan of what is intended to be done"節(jié)目或計(jì)劃",根據(jù)上下文而應(yīng)該引伸為 activities"活動(dòng)"解.

3. If we want your two cents, we`ll ask for it.
如果我們需要你的意見,我們會(huì)向你征詢的.

句中cent 在這里已經(jīng)不是one 100th part of a US dollar"一美分"的含義,引伸之意為 opinions or advice"意見或建議"解.

三:形容詞詞義的引伸

1. His skills in use of colours was so great that some who viewed the paintings he created said that they were more true to life than life itself.
他運(yùn)用色彩的技巧如此嫻熟,有些看過他創(chuàng)作的油畫的人都說它們比真實(shí)的生命還要逼真.

句中g(shù)reat不能作of remarkable ability or quality"偉大的"解釋,根據(jù)語境應(yīng)該譯為skillful at"嫻熟的"解.

2. I can`t even talk about it, except to you, because anybody else would think I was yellow.
除你之外,這種事不能對(duì)別人說,因?yàn)閯e人會(huì)覺得我窩囊.

句中yellow形容詞,不可譯為 of the colour of ripe lemons, egg yolks or gold "黃色的",其聯(lián)想意義為cowardly"膽怯",故譯為"窩囊".

3. Conditions seem moderate by western standards, but compared with those existing in China a little over thirty years ago, the change is dramatic.
這些條件用西方的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)來衡量似乎很一般,但是如果和30年前中國(guó)條件相比,變化是出乎意料的.

句中dramatic愿意為of drama"戲劇的",在此引伸為unexpected"出乎意料的"解.

四: 介詞的引伸

1. The German invaded slaughtered the innocent civilians of the city to a man. Such atrocities were blamed throughout the world.
德國(guó)侵略者屠殺了該城的無辜平民,無一幸免.這樣的殘暴行為遭到了全世界人民的譴責(zé)。

句中to a man和 to the last man意思相同,作all without exception"毫無例外"解.

2. The doctor said to me , "That patient may die of cancer, for all I care."
醫(yī)生對(duì)我說"那病人可能會(huì)因得癌癥而死."

句中for all I care不作"無論怎樣"解,而作possibly"可能"解.

3. The engineer was taken ill with consumption. It was flour on the lungs, the doctor told him at the time.
這個(gè)工程師得了肺病,那是由于面粉對(duì)肺部的影響,當(dāng)時(shí)醫(yī)生對(duì)他這樣說的.

句中on引伸意義為effect"影響"解.

英譯漢翻譯中,詞義的引伸脫離不了詞匯所在的句子的語境,無論是具體化的翻譯,還是抽象化的翻譯,都是為了消除和降低語言差別給翻譯帶來的損失,使譯文產(chǎn)生與原文同樣的效果,因此,只有在長(zhǎng)期的翻譯實(shí)踐中摸索,才能達(dá)到較高的境界.