口譯講評(píng)Comments on Interpretation
1."Cities have lost disproportionate numbers of middle- and upper-income households who form the backbone of economically strong communities."此句較長,口譯時(shí)按漢語習(xí)慣,可以將它拆為轉(zhuǎn)折關(guān)系的復(fù)合句,譯為"而他們"。"disproportionate"原意是"不成比例的",這里實(shí)際就是"大量"的意思。
2."the loss of jobs and businesses to other, further out suburbs." 將名詞"loss"譯為動(dòng)詞"流失(到)",變短語為句子,使譯文更通順地道。"further out suburbs"意思是"更遠(yuǎn)的郊區(qū)"。
3."central cities remain the residence of 'choice' for low- and moderate-income families."
這句話既可按原文結(jié)構(gòu)譯為:"市中心仍是中低收入家庭的‘選擇’居住地",也可以改變?cè)?文的主謂語結(jié)構(gòu),譯為:"中低收入家庭仍然選擇居住在市中心"。
4."200 percent of the poverty level for a family of three is $27,000 a year"此句直譯為:"一個(gè)三口之家貧困標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的200%是一年2.7萬美元",不符合中文的表達(dá) 習(xí)慣,應(yīng)稍做變通,譯為"一個(gè)三口之家的貧困標(biāo)準(zhǔn)是一年1.35萬美元"。
5."Cities are not just home to too many poor families; they are also home to neighborhoods where poverty is concentrated."此句出現(xiàn)了兩個(gè)"home to"結(jié)構(gòu),為避免重復(fù),使譯文更漂亮,可以采用不同的漢語表達(dá)方 式,如"棲身之所"、"所在地"等。
6."concentrated poverty is principally an urban (and racial) phenomenon." "concentrated
poverty"直譯是"集中的貧困",不符合漢語表達(dá)習(xí)慣,譯為:"貧困的集中化"則更為合適。
7."Welfare reform is where the challenges of decentralizing opportunities and concentrating poverty come together."此句的難點(diǎn)在"where",可以調(diào)整原句結(jié)構(gòu),把主句變成短語做地點(diǎn)狀語,從句變?yōu)橹骶洌g為:"在福利改革中,機(jī)會(huì)分散和貧困集中這兩重挑戰(zhàn)碰到了一起"。
8."cities have a rising share of the welfare caseloads in their states, even as welfare rolls drop." "welfare caseloads"指"領(lǐng)福利金的個(gè)案數(shù)量","welfare rolls"是領(lǐng)福利金者的名單,這里實(shí)際 就是指"領(lǐng)福利金的人數(shù)"。
9."Many cities were once home to manufacturing industries that have decamped for the suburbs or other nations, ""decamp"意思是"撤營",為與之呼應(yīng),并準(zhǔn)確地傳達(dá)原文的神韻,可將"home"譯為"大本營",全句譯為:"許多城市一度是制造業(yè)的大本營,而今制造業(yè)遷往郊區(qū)甚至國外,"。
10."creating a drag on tax rolls, property values, and general neighborhood morale " "to create a drag on"原意是"拖延"、"使滯后"、"拖后腿",考慮到漢語的搭配,這里可譯為:"對(duì)造成了負(fù)面影響"。
11."deferred maintenance " 原意是"拖延的維修",口譯時(shí)可以正話反說,譯為"未及時(shí)維修"。
12."Philadelphia has 15 separate bureaucracies with some responsibility for disposing of urban land."這里關(guān)鍵要準(zhǔn)確理解和表達(dá)"some"這個(gè)詞的含義,它表示"不確定的一些"。結(jié)合上下文來
看,作者是要說,城市的各行政機(jī)構(gòu)和職能部門權(quán)利交叉、職責(zé)不清,所以可以譯為:"費(fèi)城就有15個(gè)不同的行政機(jī)構(gòu)多少有權(quán)處置城市土地"。
13."similar horror stories abound " "horror stories"不是"恐怖故事",這里指"可怕的事情"、"可怕的現(xiàn)象","abound"是"豐富"的意思,這里可譯為"很多",或"比比皆是"。
14."The hard fact of life " 可以意譯為:"明顯事實(shí)"或"明擺著的事實(shí)"。