以上的這些例子告訴我們,如果定語很短的話,我們可以把他象漢語一樣放在中心詞的前面。但是,有的時候,如果定語太長,讀起來就不符和漢語的習慣,因此,往往要后置,重復先行詞,這就是下面要提到的定語從句的 “后置” 問題,例如:
2.后置:
a. Misers are often lonely and obscure men whose wealth is revealed only after their death.
吝嗇鬼經常是看起來年很孤單、不為人所主意,可他們的財富只有等到他們死了以后才 暴露出來。
3.“綜合性”的翻譯法。
綜合性”的翻譯就是,翻譯時不需要關系詞,其中的關系完全靠上下文的意思來表現出來,例如:
a.This is the place where the accident occurred.
這就是發生交通事故的地方。
b.The person who delivered the letter to him is his neighbor.
他的鄰居把信交給了他。
c. There is a big oak tree that stands just in front of the village.
村子前面有棵大象樹
d.Most of our patients welcomed another human being with whom they could talk openly, honestly, and frankly about their trouble.
大多數病人想找人坦率、誠實地傾訴他們的苦衷。
非限制性定語從句:
1.前置:
a. We need a chairman, in whom everyone has confidence
我們需要一個人人都信賴的主席。
b.The worldly well-known actor , who had been ill for two years, meet thunderstorm applause when reappeared on the stage.
那個病了很多年的著名演員,一上臺觀眾就報以雷鳴般的掌聲。
c. Piccaso, whose works inspired many artists, lived until he was a ripe old age.
畢加索的作品曾鼓勵了很多人,后來年紀很大時,作品也日趨成熟。
2.后置:
a.He deposits a little sum of money in the bank, by which means he hopes to deal with any potential emergency easily.
我們每個月都在銀行里存一些錢,這樣,碰到有任何危機時,我們就可以應付了。
b. A table has four legs, one of which is broken.
桌子有四條腿,其中的一條腿是壞的。
c. Living in the central Australian desert has its problems, of which obtaining water is not the least.
生活在澳大利亞中部有很多問題,其中取水還不算最艱苦的。
d.He decided to resign, which is the best thing he could do under the circumstances.
他決定辭職,而這是他目前所能做的最好的事。
e.He is late for class today, as is often the case.
他今天遲到了,而這是經常的事。