讨论翻译策略之前，需要先了解中英文的语序，英文中的定语一般后置，翻译为中文时定语一般要前置。

 

中文语序：主语+废话（定语、状语、补语和插入语）+最重要成分

英文语序：主语+最重要成分+废话（定语、状语、补语和插入语）

 

其中，“中心词+定语1+定语2+定语3+...定语N”，定语1修饰中心词，定语N修饰定语N-1，叫“循环套用”定语从句。

 

根据定语长度，

如定语1+定语2=定语3，就把前两者放在一起翻译。

如定语1=定语2+定语3，就把后两者放在一起翻译。

 

“循环套用”定语从句的三种译法：

 

1. 前置译法：将定语从句完全置于被修饰词之前，在定语从句后加“的”。

 

如

Prior to the twentieth century, women in novels were stereotypes of lacking any features that made them unique individuals and were also subject to numerous restrictions imposed by the male-dominated culture.

20世纪以前，小说中的妇女都是这样一种模式，她们缺少了让其成为独立个体的一些特征，她们还要屈服于男性主导的文化强加给她们的种种束缚。

 

分析

Prior to the twentieth century, ①women in novels were stereotypes ②of lacking any features ③that made them unique individuals and ④were also subject to numerous restrictions ⑤imposed by the male-dominated culture.

 

 

2. 后置译法：将定语从句完全置于被修饰词之后，翻译关系词。

 

如：

Behaviorists suggest that the child who is raised in an environment where there are many stimuli which develop his or her capacity for appropriate response will experience greater intellectual development.

行为主义者认为，一个孩子如果生长在有很多刺激的环境里，而这些刺激促进了其适当反应能力的发展，那么这个孩子就会有着更大的知识发展。

 

分析：

Behaviorists suggest that the child ①who is raised in an environment ②where there are many stimuli ③which develop his or her capacity for appropriate response will experience greater intellectual development.

 

此句，定语①和定语②一起翻译，定语②比定语①短，定语②放在定语①前面，翻译顺序变成了②①③。

 

3. 句首译法：将定语从句完全置于整个句子之前，调整全句语序

 

Aluminum remained unknown until the nineteenth century, because nowhere in nature is it found free, owing to its always being combined with other elements, most commonly with oxygen, for which it has a strong affinity.

铝因为通常来说和其他元素相结合，最通常的就是和氧结合，因为它有很强的亲和力，所以在自然界找不到游离态的铝，直到19世纪才为人类所发现。

 

分析

①Aluminum remained unknown until the nineteenth century, ②because nowhere in nature is it found free, ③owing to its always being combined with other elements, ④most commonly with oxygen, ⑤for which it has a strong affinity.

 

整个句子是一个主句①，后面有一个从句②（原因状语从句），后面又有一个原因状语从句的从句③，再后面是一个同位语④，最后还有一个定语从句⑤来修饰同位语的中心名词。

 

 

 

参考

《十二天突破英汉翻译》（笔译篇）武峰