9.3 名词性从句的翻译
主语从句、宾词从句、表语从句、同位语从句在复合句中起到名词的作用，这四种从句合称为名词性从句。引导名词性从句的主要是关系代词（which， what， whatever， whoever）、关系副词（where， why， when）和连接词（that， whether， if）。翻译这类从句时，大多数可按原文的句
序译成对应的汉语，但也还有一些其他处理方法。
9.3.1 主语从句
（1）由what， whatever， whoever， whether， when， where， how， why 等引导的主语从句翻译时一般可按原文顺序翻译。
例58.When we can begin the expedition is still a question.
译文 我们何时才能开始这次考察仍然是悬而未决。
例59.Whether an organism is a plant or an animal sometimes taxes the brain of a biologist.
译文 一种生物究竟是植物还是动物，有时使生物学家颇伤脑筋。
（2）含有 it 作形式主语的主语从句，翻译时视情况可将主语从句前译或后译。
主语从句前译：
例60.It does not matter， for this discussion， what the temperature of the tank is， or even what is in the tank.
译文 这个箱子的温度是多少，甚至该箱内有什么对这样的讨论都无关紧要。
例61.It was tragic that nuclear fission was first developed for the production of atomic bombs.
译文 核裂变首先被用来制造原子弹，这一点是很可悲的。
主语从句后译：
例62.It is strange that she didn’t attend the meeting.
译文 真奇怪，她竟然没有参加会议。
例63.It should be realized that magnetic forces and electric forces are not the same.
9.3.2 宾语从句
（1）用 that， what， how， when， which， why， whether， if 等引起的宾语从句，翻译成汉语的时候，一般不需要改变它在原句中的顺序。
例64.He has informed me when they are to discuss my proposal.
译文 他已经通知我他们将在什么时候谈论我的建议。
例65.Pure science considers how life has developed into the plants and animals we see on earth today.
译文 理论科学研究的是生命怎样演变成我们今天在地球上看到的植物和动物。
（2）用 it 作形式宾语的复合句，翻译时that 引导的宾语从句一般可按原文顺序翻译，it 不译出来。
例66.I made it clear to them that they must hand in their papers before 10 o’clock in the morning.
译文 我向他们讲清楚了的，他们必须在上午十点前交卷。
但有时在译文中也可将 that 引导的宾语从句前译。
例67.We consider it absolutely necessary that we should open our door to the outside world.
译文 打开国门，实行开放，我们认为这是绝对必要的。
例68.I owe it to you that I can go to college.
译文 我能上大学全靠你。
9.3.3 表语从句
表语从句位于主句的联系动词后面，充当主句主语的表语，由 that， what， why， how， when， where， whether等引导。一般来讲，可以按照原来语序翻译，先主句，后从句。
例69.The result of invention of steam engine was that human power was replaced by mechanical power.
例70.Man must early have realized that one outstanding difference between himself and the other animals was that he walked on two legs， the others on four.
译文 人类一定早就知道，人和其他动物的一个显著区别就是人用两条腿行走，而动物用四条腿行走。
9.3.4 同位语从句
同位语从句在句子中进一步说明前面某一名词的内容，将这一名词的含义具体化，常用 that 或 whether 来引导。一般情况下，可以直接按照原句的顺序译出便可，可以译为汉语里的同位语形式，增加“这”、“这样一个”、“就是”、“即”等，用破折号或冒号表示也可以。
例71.But this does not in any way alter the fact that they are now， from a practical point of view， irrational.
译文 但这却丝毫改变不了这样一个事实，即从实用的观点来看，他们今天仍是不合理的。
例72.We have reached the conclusion that practice is the criterion for testing truth.
译文 我们已经得出这样的结论：实践是检验真理的标准。
例73.Not long ago， the scientists made an exciting discovery that this waste material could be turned into plastics.
译文 不久前，科学家们获得一个令人振奋的发现——可以把这种废物变成塑料。
由于同位语从句和定语从句非常接近，可以译成“……的”这种定语式的句式。
例74.The rumor that he was arrested was unfounded.
译文 关于他被捕的传闻是没有根据的。
例75.The theory that diseases are caused by bacteria was advanced by Pasteur， a French chemist.
译文 细菌致病的理论是法国化学家巴斯德提出来的。
本章探讨了英语三大从句的翻译方法。在翻译实践中主要涉及到的就是语序调整的问题。不管是顺序翻译、变序翻译还是转换翻译，都旨在力求符合汉语的语言习惯和语感，避免或尽量减少翻译腔的出现。当句子比较长的时候，这点尤为重要。
练习
一、比较下列每组两个句子意义上的差别并翻译：
1.a. The food which wasn’t in the fridge all went off.
b. The food， which wasn’t in the fridge， all went off.
2.a. Cindy was delighted when she opened the present that was from her grandmother.
b. Cindy was delighted when she opened the present， which was from her grandmother.
3.a. The teacher pointed to the maps that were hanging on the rear wall of the classroom.
b. The teacher pointed to the maps， which were hanging on the rear wall of the classroom.
二、翻译下列句子，注意定语从句的译法：
1.A man who doesn’t try to learn from others cannot hope to achieve much.
2.Hydrogen， which is the lightest element， has only one electron.
3.He is a Northerner， as you can perceive from his accent.
4.Scientists say the planet is already on the road toward climate changes that could disrupt the global economy and endanger life.
5.Plastics is made from water which is a natural resource inexhaustible and available everywhere， coal which can be mined through automatic and mechanical processes at less cost and lime which can be obtained from the calcinations of limestone widely present in nature.
6.Finally another material is painted onto the stones which will protect them from water forever.
7.At San Francisco the Pacific plate which is moving towards the northwest meets the North American plate.
8.You can imagine how useful this is， particularly in countries like China and Japan， which use written characters not letters.
9.There is a man downstairs who wants to see you.
10.All the raw materials will be transported to the production base where they will be processed.
三、翻译下列句子，注意状语从句的译法：
1.Please take an umbrella in case it rains.
2.We left in such a hurry that we forgot to lock the door.
3.It was two hours before Jane knew her son was drowned in the river.
4.The crops failed because the season was dry.
5.Just as all living things need air， water and sunlight， so plants need them.
6.Scientists are working hard to quicken the pace at which artificial intelligence is improving so that computers can do even more work for human beings.
7.Please make a mark where you have any doubts or questions.
8.Where there is a pressure， there is a resistance.
9.If life there was full of hardships， it was also full of joy and excitement.
10.While one finds company in himself and his pursuits， he cannot feel old， no matter what his years may be.
四、翻译下列句子，注意名词性从句的译法：
1.It is not surprising that among scientists there are differences of opinion.
2.It cannot be denied that energy cannot be destroyed； it can only be changed into other forms.
3.I told him that because of the last condition， I’d have to turn it down.
4.He made it quite clear that he preferred to study English.
5.Scientists have paid particular attention to what kind of building stands up best in an earthquake.
6.At the present time the accepted theory is that all matter consists of very small particles called atoms.
7.This is when I really got to know the United States.
8.But it ignores the fact that it may rain tomorrow.
9.I should like to say to you one important thing， you should go slow in this matter.
10.We know the fact that bodies possess weight.
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