英语长句的特点

11.1　英语长句的特点

11.1.1　结构错综复杂

英语长句句子结构错综复杂，盘根错节，脉络难找。简单句、并列句、复合句纵横交错，从句套从句，短语套短语。

例1.It was originally surmised that different bodies fell to the ground at rates proportional to their respective weights， but towards the end 16th century， Galileo contended that the rate of fall was the same for all bodies—provided gravity were the only force acting—and he attributed the slower rate of fall observed on the case of a light body to the resistance of the air， which exerted a relatively greater effect on a light body than on a heavy body of the same size and shape.

这个句子首先是个由but引导的并列句，主句是It was originally surmised…， but …Galileo contended…and he attributed…。but之前的句子中有一个主语从句，but之后的句子中，谓语动词contended后是that引导的宾语从句，其中还包含一个虚拟条件状语从句。名词短语the resistance of the air后面又是一个定语从句。可以说是词中有句，句中有词，句中有句。

译文　原先人们曾猜测，不同的物体落到地面上的速度是与各自的重量成正比的。但是到了十六世纪末，伽利略坚决主张，若重力是唯一的作用力，则所有物体的降落速度都是相同的，他还认为，人们观察到的轻物体降落速度较慢是由于空气的阻力引起的，因为空气阻力对轻物体的影响要比同样大小同样形状的重物体的影响大得多。

例2.Just as Darwin discovered the law of development of organic nature， so Marx discovered the law of development of human history: the simple fact， hitherto concealed by an overgrowth of ideology， that mankind must first of all eat， drink， have shelter and clothing， before it can pursue politics， science， art， religion， etc.； that therefore the production of the immediate material means of subsistence and consequently the degree of economic development attained by a given people or during a given epoch form the foundation upon which the state institutions， the legal conceptions， art， and even the ideas on religion， of the people concerned have been evolved， and in the light of which they must， therefore， be explained， instead of vice versa， as had hitherto been the case.

这是一个多达126个单词的主从复合句。主句是Marx discovered the law of development of human history。主句前有一个由just as引导的方式状语从句，主句后有一个名词短语the simple fact作the law of development of human history的同位语。the simple fact后跟有一个过去分词短语hitherto concealed by an overgrowth of ideology作原因状语。名词短语the simple fact同时连接两个分别由that引导的并列同位语从句（1）that mankind must first of all eat， drink， have shelter and clothing和（2）that…form the foundation。在第一个同位语从句中有一个由before引导的时间状语从句；在第二个同位语从句中有两个由upon which和in the light of which引导的定于从句修饰the foundation。在第二个定于从句之后又跟有一个介词短语instead of vice versa作状语，这个状语之后又接一个由as引导的定语从句。

译文　正像达尔文发现有机界的规律一样，马克思发现了人类历史的发展规律，即历来被繁茂芜杂的意识形态所掩盖着的一个简单事实：人们首先必须吃、喝、住、穿，然后才能从事政治、科学、艺术、宗教等活动；所以，直接的物质生活资料的生产和一个民族或一个时代的一定的经济发展程度，便构成为基础，人们的国家制度、法律的概念、艺术以至宗教概念，就是从这个基础上发展起来的，因而，也必须由这个基础来解释，而不像过去那样做得正好相反。

11.1.2　并列复合穿插

并列成分穿插纵横，连环套接，难解难分。有并列主语、并列谓语、并列宾语、并列定语、并列状语等。有时状语连状语、定语连定语，并列迭出，中间又穿插各种短语：介词短语、分词短语、不定式短语等。有的用来补充说明，有的用来丰富内容，有的用来壮声增色，渲染气氛。

例3.And he knew how ashamed he would have been if his girl friend had known his mother and the kind of place in which he was born， and the kind of people among whom he was born.

这是一个主从复合句。主句he knew带了一个由how引导的宾语从句。宾语从句套接一个if引导的条件状语从句，条件状语从句带有三个并列宾语his mother，the kind of place和the kind of people。第二和第三个宾语又分别连接上了由in which和among whom引导的定语从句。

译文　他生活在这类人中间，出生在这样的地方，又有这样的母亲，这一切要是让女朋友知道了的话，他明白会有多么丢人。

例4.The construction of such a satellite is now believed to be quite realizable，its realization being supported with all the achievements of contemporary science， which have brought into being not only materials capable of withstanding severe stresses involved and high temperatures developed，but new technological processes as well.

第一个逗号之前是这个句子的主句，主句后有一个独立主格结构，其中含有一个which引导的定语从句修饰all the achievements of contemporary science。定语从句中not only...but结构引导出谓语动词have brought into being的两个并列宾语materials和new technological processes。

译文　现代科学的一切成就不仅提供了能够承受高温高压的材料，而且也提供了新的工艺过程。依靠现代科学的这些成就，我们相信完全可以制造出这样的人造卫星。

11.1.3　语序变化难辨

一些长句打破习惯的框架结构，语序发生变化，把有的句子成分倒装置前，以达到强调的目的。

例5.Among the great questions of the last decades of the 20th century and most of the 21st will be how long the Sino-Soviet split lasts， how permanent the new U.S.-China relationship will be， how far along the paths of pragmatism the Chinese will go in order to develop their immense economic potential， what sort of world view the Chinese leaders will hold and what sort of world role they will play.

这是一个主系表倒装的复合句。Among the great questions of the last decades of the 20th century and most of the 21st是表语，倒装居于句首，主语是五个名词性从句，分别由三个how和两个what引导。

译文　20世纪末和21世纪大部分时间内的重大问题有：中苏分裂状况要持续多久，新的美中关系有多大程度的持久性，中国人为发挥他们巨大的经济潜力在务实主义的道路上要走多远，中国领导人对世界的观点如何以及他们在世界事务中将起什么作用。

例6.A few stars are known which are hardly bigger than the earth， but the majority are so large that hundred of thousands of earths could be packed inside each and leave room to spare； here and there we come upon a giant star large enough to contain millions of millions of earths.

这是一个并列主从复合句，语序略有不同。第一个主句的主语是A few stars，其后有一个which引导的定语从句修饰主语，但谓语动词are known放在了先行词和定语从句中间，这叫分离定语从句。第二个主句the majority are包含了一个so…that引导的结果状语从句。here and there we…为并列句。

译文　我们所知道的比地球大不了多少的星球虽然也有几个，但绝大多数的星球是如此之大，一个星球竟能容纳成千上万个地球还绰绰有余；我们到处都能碰见大得足以容纳千千万万个地球的巨星。

11.1.4　同位插入省略混杂

无论是简单句、并列句还是复合句，句中加上同位语、插入语、省略句或独立成分等后，句子就会显得冗长，难以捉摸。要根据语法关系、逻辑关系、主次关系，层层剥离，才能理解和翻译。

例7.The first elected Russian President， the man who declared what once was the world’s largest nation， the Soviet Union， extinct， Boris Yeltsin resigned on December 31， 1999 after eight years in power.

主句是The first elected Russian President…resigned…。the man和Boris Yeltsin都是主句主语The first elected Russian President的同位语。the man后who引导的定语从句中又带有一个what引导的宾语从句，宾语从句中的表语the world’s largest nation又带有一个同位语 the Soviet Union，extinct是形容词作the Soviet Union的补足语。

译文　作为俄罗斯第一位民选总统，作为宣告世界上最大的国家苏联解体的一代巨人，叱咤俄罗斯政坛八年的叶利钦于20世纪最后一天宣布辞职。

例8.Many a woman， some of the Highest in the Land， have had a Trouble in their time； and why should you Trumpet yours when others don’t Trumpet theirs?

分号前后是两个并列句。前一个句子中，some of the Highest in the Land是插入成分。后一个句子跟一个when引导的状语从句。

译文　遇到负心汉的妇女甚多，其中且有本地最富贵之人家，人家不张扬，你因何张扬？