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虽然铝的强度远不及钢,但是当铝与少量的铜、锰和镁制成合金,并经过热处理后,其强度可以接近钢。
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以汉语为母语者诵读英语原句,咀嚼其逻辑内涵,玩味其层层解析,堪称享受。
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英语原句的主干同样很短:Aluminum…can be given a strength approaching that of steel。除了句子的主干,句子含两个从句:一是省略型的让步从句though (it is) much less strong than steel,二是省略型的条件从句when it is alloyed with small quantities of copper, manganese and magnesium, and (it is) subjected to heat treatment processes。两个状语从句,一前一后,不仅令结构匀称,而且层次递进,逻辑严密。特别值得一提的是,原句出现的一个代词that,显示了英语表达的缜密性,堪称“滴水不漏”。这个代词that,代的就是前面出现过的名词the strength。反观汉语译文,就没有将这个代词that译出。虽然还不至于造成读者的费解或误解,但是,这可看作流散和疏放的一种表现,经不起逻辑上的可比性原则之考验。根据可比性原则,只有strength才能和strength相比。
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又如:
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Each cylinder therefore is encased in a water jacket which forms part of a circuit, through which water is pumped continuously, and cooled by means of air drawn in from the outside atmosphere by large rotary fans, worked off the main crankshaft, or in the larger diesel-electric locomotives, by auxiliary motors.
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因而,每个气缸都围着一个水套,水套形成循环水路的一部分,由水泵驱动水在回路中不断地流动,并由大型旋转风扇从外部鼓入空气使水冷却。大型旋转风扇是由主曲轴带动的,而在大型电力传动内燃机车上则由辅助电动机来带动。
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本句同样展现了其逻辑的魅力。也许初读此句,会让读者略感艰涩,难得赅意,再读之下,眼前便会渐渐闪现另一景色,让读者进入佳境。本句的主干同样很短,Each cylinder therefore is encased in a water jacket,但是定语从句——以说明水套之作用:which forms part of a circuit——还没有完,另一个定语从句紧跟而来,通过一个含副词的关系代词(through which)修饰前一个定语从句的宾语part of a circuit,这个定语从句说明了水如何进入这个循环水路、如何被冷却的。在说明了如何被冷却的时候,又出现了一个新的名词,即large rotary fans(大型旋转风扇),为了说明这种风扇是如何被驱动的,进而说明大型旋转风扇在两种情况下的工作原理。上述句子的内涵是如此层层推演,如剥春笋:气缸→围着水套→循环水路之一部分→水流如何驱动→水流如何冷却→大型旋转风扇如何被驱动(两种情况)。
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逻辑层次分明,逻辑思维严密,逻辑表达有序!
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最值得一提的是,如此表述和推演,英语“毕其功于一役”,一气呵成,竟然完成于一句。词句的汉语译文,基本传递了原句的意思,表达也比较精彩,然而对比之下,可以觉察相应的汉语译文被拆零为六句。1∶6的比例,具体说明了英语和汉语在句法上的差异。这又令人想起语言学家们一个生动的譬喻:英语句子系“葡萄型”结构,葡萄主干很短,其上附结着丰硕的果实。而汉语句子则较短,一个短句接一个短句的往下叙述,逐步展开,信息内容像竹竿子一样一节一节地通下去,很少有叠床架屋的结构,因而常被称为“竹竿型”结构。
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在玩味和品味科技文章造句的美学特质之余,我们不能忘记除了定语从句的使用之外,英语介词功不可没。其中使用了介词(及其介词短语)多达八个。它们是:in, though, by means of, from, by, off, in, by。
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2.2 人性美
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如前所述,科技文章少用人称主语,而多用非人称主语。这种现象是由科技文章的本质决定的,科技文章非“以人为本”之作,无须动人描写,没有慷慨抒情,只求客观记录,只须冷静分析。科技文章多用非人称主语,又演绎出一个新问题,那就是为数不少的非人称主语后续的动词,不是一般非人称主语(inanimate subject)所常用的谓语动词,而是为人称主语(animate subject)所使用的动词,这些动词系表示感觉、意识、情感或动作之类的动词。于是,便出现了“非人称主语+人称主语所使用的动词谓语”的奇特现象。我们通常称如此构成的句式为“非人称主语句”(Impersonal Subject Sentence / Inanimate Subject Sentence),通常折射一定生命内涵或生命意义的动词被挪用到不具生命意义的主语(inanimate subject)之后,其搭配不可谓不新颖。折射生命内涵或生命意义的动词的使用,自然而然地给全句染上一层拟人(personification)的修饰色彩,让读者耳目一新。这点拟人色彩,不可小视,如大漠之绿洲,如旷野之大树,使本来显得有些单调乏味的科技文章着上烁烁亮色,增添勃勃生机。
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试比较:
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a. Later on in life the society puts strain on the man to compete, produce, and succeed; this also affects the survival rate. Another part of the problem of male mortality is the male hormone testosterone, which brings about a higher metabolic rate in most tissues, wearing them out faster.
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b. Later on in life man suffers from the strain of modern life to compete, produce, and succeed; this also affects the survival rate. Another part of the problem of male mortality is the male hormone testosterone, which brings about a higher metabolic rate in most tissues, wearing them out faster.
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而在以后的生活中,社会对男性施加了压力,促使他们参与竞争,辛勤劳作,争取胜利;这也影响了男性生存率。另一个问题是男性所分泌的睾丸激素,这一激素能加快大多数身体组织的新陈代谢速度,使它们加速衰亡。
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句a的the society puts strain on the man和句b的man suffer from the strain of modern life相比,前者的主语系非人称主语(the society),而后者的主语系人称主语(man),前者的谓语结构乃puts strain on the man。非人称主语句society puts strain on the man to compete, produce, and succeed新意拂面,与后者的man suffers from the strain of modern life相比,确实闪现人文亮色,增添人性美感。
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另如:
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a. Affirmative action and equal opportunity policies opened academic and employment doors for women. But the pill and power over the timing and frequency of pregnancies allowed women to walk through those doors, Luker said.
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b. Affirmative action and equal opportunity policies made it possible that the academic and employment doors had opened for women. But the pill and power over the timing and frequency of pregnancies made it possible again for women to walk through those doors, Luker said.
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(鼓励雇佣妇女的)积极的措施和机会均等的政策向妇女敞开了学业和就业的大门。但是避孕药及其能控制怀孕的时机和怀孕次数的能力才使得妇女能够步入这些大门,卢克说。
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有比较,才有鉴别。诵读句a,乃一种精神享受,人文亮色和人性美感再次闪现于字里行间。特别是其中的两个动词谓语,用得何等好啊:opened (academic and employment doors for women), allowed (women to walk through those doors)。句b的动词谓语乃made it possible和made it possible again,于是便不构成非人称主语句,虽然同样达意,却风采顿失!由此句可以看出,非人称主语句的关键在于其谓语动词。
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除了所谓人文亮色和人性美感之外,非人称主语句表达得简洁明快,也给我们另一种美感享受。比如,非人称主语句式可以用更简洁的形式表达科技英语中的各种逻辑关系,而将逻辑标记大量省略,轻而易举地变英语的形合句(Hypotaxis)为意合句(Parataxis)。如:
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1)非人称主语句“消化”了条件句:
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a. If we measure seismic travel time and amplitude, we can define the subsurface geometry and give estimates of the acoustic impedances related to rock velocities and densities.
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