科技英語翻譯技巧(三)

在科技英語的文章中經常出現含有數詞的句子。由於英漢兩種語言的差異，我們要特別注意這類句子。下面分類介紹這類句型。在英語中，一般用基數詞代表分子，序數詞代表分母，除了分子是1的情況外，序數詞都要用複數。當分母是2和4時分別用half和quarter。有時分數還可用「分子+over+分母」表示。例如：One third:三分之一three fifths:五分之三a/one half:二分之一three quarters:四分之三two and three sevenths:二又七分之三two over three:三分之二另外，英語中…tenths,…hundredths,…thousandths,…millionths可分別表示零點…(0.……)，零點零……(0.0……)，零點零零……(0.00……)，零點零零零……(0.000……)。例如：One tenth of a gram 譯作：零點一克或0.1克A few hundredths of a gram 譯作：零點零幾克Several thousandths of a gram 譯作：零點零零幾克英語的「times」一詞，如果用在表示倍數增加的句型中，任何情況下，其含義都是一樣的，就是表示「乘」的關係。英語中表示倍數增加的常見句型如下：以上結構表達的概念一樣，均可譯成：……是……的N倍，或……比……多N-1倍。Aluminium has nearly 5 times the thermal conductivity of cast iron.This common high-alumina cement costs roughly three times as much as Portland.Line AB is five times longer than Line CD.Mercury weighs more than water by about 14 times.（2）…+double(treble/triple,quadruple)+…Double原意是「兩倍、雙倍」，可譯成：增加一倍，翻一番或是……的兩倍；Treble/triple原意是「三倍」，可譯成：增加兩倍或是……的三倍；Quadruple原意是「四倍」，可譯成：增加三倍或翻兩番。This country has doubled her annual output of steel in the past ten years.The city’s industrial production in 1998 trebled that of 1978.The growth rate of GNP per capita for China will be quadrupled by the year 2000.到2000年，中國人均國民生產總值增長率將翻兩番。（3）動詞increase等+(to)N times/fold動詞increase等+by a factor of N以上句型「times」含義都是一樣的，都是表示「乘」的關係，即表示增加到什麼程度，一般包括底數在內。可譯成：增加到N倍或增加了（N-1）倍。By comparison with 1997, the foreign trade turnover of that country in 1998 increased(to) 2.5 tie.和1997年相比，這個國家1998年的外貿總額增加了1.5倍。Total industrial output value increased more than fourfold in comparison with 1976.A temperature rise 100℃ increases the conductivity of a semiconductor by 50 times.In this case,its gain will be increased by a factor of 5.（4）…as much (many…) again as…譯成：是……的兩倍或比……多一倍。…half as much (many…) again as...譯成：是……的一倍半或比……多一半。Wheel A turns half as fast again as Wheel B.

在科技英語中，倍數的減少、分數百分數的增減的表達與漢語表達不盡相同。因此，翻譯時應該特別注意。英語「times」一次可用來表示倍數的減少，但需要注意的是，英語可以說「小/少幾倍」，而漢語不習慣這麼說，所以翻譯時只能用分數來表示。常見的句型如下：（1）A is N times smaller than BA is N times as small as BA is smaller than B by N times這三種表達方式的含義是相同的，譯成漢語應為「A是B的N分之一」或「A比B小N分之N-1」。This bridge is 3 times shorter than that one.這座橋的長度是那座橋的三分之一。或：這座橋比那座橋短三分之二。The steel beam is shorter than that one by 4 times.The power output of the machine is twice less than its input.動詞reduce等+ by a factor of N動詞reduce等+ N times + as much (many…) as這三種表達方式的含義是相同的，譯成漢語應為「減少到N分之一」或「減少了N分之N-1」。The flank walls would be subjected to roughly the same wind moments as the cross-walls , and the tensile wind stresses reduced by a factor of more than four.側牆承擔的風載彎矩與橫梁承擔的大致相等，風載引起的拉應力將減少四分之三或更多。According to the Department of Health, mortality rates from heart disease decreased three times from the 1960s to the 1990s.根據衛生部的報告，心臟病的死亡率從20世紀60年代至90年代下降了三分之二。（1）動詞increase，reduce等+（by）分數/百分數本句型後面的數詞為淨增加數，可直接譯成「增加（減少）幾分之幾」。Use of gross area for riveted design indirectly increases the design stress in riveted giders by as much as 15%.鉚接設計使用毛面積間接地使鉚接梁中的設計應力增大百分之十五。The introduction of new equipment in this factory has reduced the cost of production (by) one third.由於引進了新設備，這家工廠的生產成本降低了三分之一。（2）be +分數/百分數 + - er than…Be +分數/百分數 + over/up on/above…本句型後面的數詞為淨增加數，可直接譯成「增加（減少）幾分之幾」。The output value of agricultural output for this year was 8 percent higher than that for last year.The output value of chemical fertilize in the first quarter was 18percent above that of the same period in 1998.The output of strip steel in the factory last year was 24percent less than in 1999.（3）動詞increase，reduce等+（from）…to +分數/百分數本句型後面的數詞已包括底數，可直接譯成「增加（減少）到幾分之幾」。According to a new census report , from 1958 to 1992, women’s share of management jobs increased from 3 percent to 32 percent.根據一份新的調查報告，從1958年到1992年從事領導管理工作的婦女由3%上升到32%。By using this new process the loss of metal was reduced to 20%.