翻译训练：比较结构的翻译技巧
英语中的比较句式建构庞大，复杂多变，往往差之毫厘，谬以千里。它包括比较级，强化式比较，否定式比较，选择式比较， 递增或递减式比较。
一、比较级(comparative degree)
在比较级中，有超越、相等、差逊三个级别。
1. 超越 (superiority)
（1）better than: 胜过，优于
Doing is better than saying.（百说不如一做。）
(2)more than + 从句。多余，超过
She has talked more than what is necessary.(她说了一些多余的话)
（3）“than +关系代词”的从句。 再 …… 不过。
He is a scholar than whom no man ever will be more honest.
（他是个再诚实不过的学者了。）
（4）superior to ：占优势，比……胜一筹。
He is superior to his elder brother.(他比他哥哥强)
2. 相等 (equality)
(1) as … as. 如……一样。
As busy as a bee. ( 忙得不可开交)
(2) as well as 。 既 …… 又， 和……一样。
Pompey, as well as Caesar, was a great man.
(像恺撒一样，庞培也是一位伟人。)
(3) the same as…. 像……一样。
The same as the past. (一如从前。) EnglishCN.com)
(4) such/ so…as. 像……一样。
Such a great poet as Homer was proficient not just in literature but also in history .
(像荷马那样的诗人，不仅要精通文学，还要精通历史。)
(5) no sooner than.. 一……就（几乎同时，夸张用法）。
No sooner said than done.(说到做到。)
(6) No more than. 就像，不优于。
You’re no more capable of speaking French than I am.
（你我都不会说日语。）
(7) No less than. 就像，不次于。
Technology is no less important than market.
(技术和市场同样重要。)
(8) 否定代词+more than (else than, other than) 。 than是介词， 只不过……而已。
This is no other than myself.
（这人就是我。）
3.差逊 (inferiority)
(1) inferior to. 比……差，逊于……
She in to some degree inferior to him in literary.
（她比他在文学上稍逊风骚。）
(2) less than.. 少于，不到
It rains less in Jinan than in Hangzhou.
（济南的降雨比杭州少。）
（3）“差逊”中的形容词或副词可以转换成反义词，再按“超越”的路子来翻译，这在翻译中叫做“词义的转换”。(conversion of acceptation)
The sky started to grow lighter and the shadow in the little town less dark..
（天色渐渐发白，小镇里的阴影处也慢慢亮了起来。）
二、递增或递减( comparison of progressive and retrogressive degree)
1．最……最……。最高级……最高级。
He is the best general who makes the fewest mistakes.
（犯错最少的将军就是最好的将军。）
The cheapest is always the dearest.
（最便宜的东西往往是最贵的）
The sweetest grapes hang highest.
(最甜的葡萄长在最高的地方。)
2．From+原级+to+比较级。越……越……。
From bad to worse.（越来越糟）
3. as well as. 不仅……， 也……。（强调在前）
She can speak Japanese as well as English.
（她不仅能说英语，还能说日语）
4. all the more……。 反而更……。
She has all the more reason..
（她反而更有理。）
5. ever +现在分词。
He is ever perfecting in his professional work..
（他在业务上精益求精。）
6．More and more ， ever more……， growing……，increasingly, on the increase. 越来越…… ， 与日俱增。。
He becomes more and more irritated by her selfish behavior.
(他对她的自私的行为越来越恼火)
He seems ever more nervous during the job interview.
（他在招聘面试中似乎越来越紧张。）
He expressed his growing indifference to her.
（他对她越来越冷淡。）
Increasingly important, popular(越来越重要、普及)
7． more than .不仅……；而且有余。
The reservoir can more than make up for the shortage of rainfall.
（水库里的水不仅可补雨水之缺，还绰绰有余。）
8．more……, less……. 越……反而更……
More haste, less speed. （欲速不达。）
9. None the more: not at all. 毫无，毫不。
After hearing her lecture on computers I’m none the wiser. 来源：
（听了她关于计算机的讲座，我毫无收获。）
11. no less than . 不但……， 而且……。
He is no less apt at dance than language .
（他不仅善于学习语言，而且善于舞蹈）
12. only +谓语+比较级. only the +比较级。译作：反而更加……。
Rains only make the oriental cherries more beautiful than ever.
（雨后樱花更妩媚。）
His will is only the stronger after the failure.
(他愈挫愈奋。)
13. The more……，the more……. The sooner, the better. The more, the better.
The more one has，the more one wants.（越富越贪。）
14．逆势递增句
借“递增”的形式表示“递减”的意思，与汉语不同。如：
Increasingly unpopular.( 越来越不得人心。)
15． 隐型递增句
指没有递增的形式，有递增的寓意，可借意译彰显其真实含义。
Still waters run deep.（静流水深，大智若愚）
Old but vigorous（老当益壮） EnglishCN.com)
You can’t praise him too much.（怎么表扬他也不过分。）
16．词义转换法，翻译递减级。
The vernal breeze rejuvenates the willows; all creatures grow less and less dead.
（春风又绿江南岸）
三．强势比较结构
1． far ,much, considerable, appreciably, lots, a lot, a good deal, a great deal +比较级。译作：远比……得多，远胜于……。
In a sense, translation is considerably more difficult than composition.
（在某种意义上，翻译比写作要难）
2. more +比较级。译作：越……，越……。
The more admonished, the more worse. （越劝越醉）
3. more +本该加er的原级。
This is a more sounder resolution.（这是一个合理的解决方案。）
4. more than + 原级。分外，荣幸。
You do me more than proud.（我不胜荣幸。）
5. most +最高级。
The peonies of Heze is the finest in the world.
（曹州牡丹甲天下。）
6. no +比较级。译作：一点儿也没有……。
The situations in Iraq become no better.
（伊拉克的形势一点儿也没好转。）
7. still (even) +比较级。译作：更加……，倍加……。
The Chinese flowering crabapple looks still even more charming against the green leaves.
（在绿叶的映衬下，海棠花显得更加娇艳。）
8. still less(=much less) 。译作：更不用说……。
She was too shy to speak to his neighbors, still less speak to the whole class.
（她胆小的都不敢和街坊说话，更不用说面对全班发言了。）
9. 本不该加est的原级+ est 。译作：极其……。
Sino-American relations belong to the complicatedest bilateral relations.
（中美关系是最为复杂的一对双边关系。）
10. 主语+as …… as+相同主语。译作：不仅……，而且……。
She’s as successful an actress as she is a singer.
(她当演员和当歌手一样成功。)
11. 强化最高级的词或词组。
By far(the best)译作：与其说……，不如说……。
12. 颠倒语序式强势比较句。
As talented in diplomacy as Bismarck was Metternich .
（俾斯麦和梅特涅一样很有外交手腕）
13. 隐型强势比较句。如：second to none 。译作：比……毫不逊色。
Chinese garden architecture is second to none in artistic style.
(中国的园林建筑在艺术风格上不比任何别的国家差。)
四．否定式比较结构
1．比较级+名词+than +被比较的名词，较级+ of +名词+than +被比较的名词，more likely than，rather a …… than a…… 。译作：与其说……，不如说……。
It sounds more a lyric than a song.
( 它与其说是歌词，不如说是一首抒情诗。)
He is more of a strategist than of a tactician.
（他与其说是个战术家，不如说是个战略家。）
She is more likely his fiancee than his girlfriend.
(与其说她是他的女友，，不如说是他的未婚妻。)
He is rather a poet than a calligrapher.
（他与其说是个书法家，不如说是个诗人。）
2．比较级+名词+than +名词。译作：空有……，而无……。
More praise than pudding.
(口惠而实不至)
3．比较级+介词+than +介词。译作：有……，而无……。
More of word than of deed.
（光说不做）
4．比较级+分词+than +分词。译作：没有……，倒是……。
The child was more frightened than hurt.
（孩子没有受伤，倒是受了些惊吓。）
5．比较级+ than +原级。译作：有余……不足……。
He seems more cautious than decisive.
(他显得谨慎有余，而果断不足。)
6．定词+than (介词)。 译作：并不。
She is no more plentiful than him in learning.
（她并不比他有学问。）
7．more than +不定式。译作：虽然……，还不至于……。 EnglishCN.com)
I’m wiser than to believe him.
(我还没傻到相信他的地步。)
8 .more than +动词。译作：毫不……。
The teacher more than hinted at his flaws.
(老师毫不讳言指出了他的毛病。)
9．译作：与其说……，不如说……。
10． more than +名词。译作：非……所能……。
More than words can describe.
(非语言所能形容。)
11．隐型否定比较句
(1).too……。译作： 太……（必须）……。
Three years are too long. I doesn’t want to be a postgraduate.
（三年时间太长了，我不想读研究生。）
(2). too……to。译作：过于……，以至于不……。
You are too young to go to school.
（你太小了还不能上学。）
(3).none too, not over-(构成合成形容词)。译作：并不太……。
None too disappointed.
（并不失望）
not over-hopeful about it.
（不抱希望）
五．选择性比较结构
1. had better/best。译作：最好……，还是……的好。
You’d better look before you leap.（你最好三思后行。）
2. would rather…… than。译作：与其……，不如……；宁……，不……。
Would rather break than bend.（宁为玉碎，不为瓦全）
3. better to …… rather than。译作：不如……。
Better to have a bird in hand than the ten in the air.（十鸟在走，不如一鸟在手。）
4. prefer to …… rather than。译作：宁……，不……。
Prefer to die rather than surrender.(宁死不屈)
5. prefer ……to(above, before) 。译作：宁……，不……。
Prefer death than surrender.(宁死不屈) |
