慘不忍「讀」的湖南大學校園網英文簡介
筆者出於職業興趣,最近瀏覽了一些國家重點大學校園網中的英語簡介部分,發現不少大學的英語網頁中存在大量的中式英語問題,嚴重影響了學校形象。其中湖南大學的英文簡介更是稱得上「慘不忍『讀』」。你很難從中找到一個完全正確的句子,而且其中絕大部分錯誤都是最基本的英語語法問題。這裡僅以湖南大學英語簡介(General Information)中的第一段和第二段為例說明問題的嚴重性,希望引起湖南大學相關領導的注意,盡快請人重新翻譯。在這短短的兩段中,除了第二段最後一句差強人意外,其餘句子都存在這樣那樣的問題。
1. Hunan University is a key national university, whose history can trace back more than one thousand years to the Yuelu Academy.
問題:這句的短語 trace back用法不恰當。建議全句改為:Hunan University is a national key university, whose history can be traced back to Yuelu Academy established one thousand years ago.
2. It』s situated on the foot of the Yuelu Mountain, subjected to the lead ship of Education Ministry, and is checked and accepted by 「National 211 project」 of 「The Ninth Five Year Plan」, and also the key high school of learning of the Education Ministry and Hunan Province.
問題1:lead ship拼寫錯誤,應改為leadership,該詞一般與under搭配使用,構成短語under the leadership of;
問題2:high school是「中學」。湖南大學怎麼會是a high school of learning。順便一提的是,「高等教育」的英文表達是higher education,而不是high education。
問題3:「九五規劃」的英文表達是the Ninth Five-year Plan,而不是 the Ninth Five Year Plan。
問題4:這句話存在重複累贅現象,兩次提到湖南大學是教育部直屬高校,完全沒有必要。
問題5:is checked and accepted by 「National 211 project」 of 「The Ninth Five Year Plan」不符合英語表達習慣。
問題6:從意思上來說,這不是一個很好的英語句子。由於全句是由三個句子構成的並列句,語意重心不突出。
3. Hunan University traces its history to one of the four famous Academies: Yuelu Academy, founded in AD 976 in Song Dynasty.
問題1:AD 976不符合英語表達習慣。在英語中,AD應置於年份後面,而不是前面。
問題2:這句話與簡介的第一句話顯然重複。
4. In 1903 the system of the Yuelu Academy was changed and renamed Hunan High Learning.
問題1:這句話的主謂邏輯有問題。
問題2:「高等學堂」的英文翻譯不是high learning。
5. And in 1926 the school has named Hunan University.
問題:這句話應用被動語態,即And in 1926 the school was named Hunan University.
6. In 1936 it became one of the national university of the Education Ministry of the National Government.
問題1:university應改為複數形式universities。
問題2:把「國民政府」翻譯成the National Government不準確。
7. As for its education tradition of more than one thousand years the university is also called High Learning of Thousand Years.
問題1:as for不表示「原因」,應去掉as。
問題2:把「千年學府」翻譯成High Learning of Thousand Years不準確,且與前半部分重複。根據英文習慣,這句話不宜逐字死譯,可以變通為As an institution for higher education, the University has a history of about 1000 years.
8. During the years of South Song Dynasty when Confucius scholar Zhangshi was chairing the Academy, here formed the 「Huxang School」 famous in the Chinese history of Academics leaving behind a 「patriotic」 and 「pragmatic」 tradition.
問題1:「理學家」一般譯為rationalistic Confucian philosopher。
問題2:「南宋」應譯為the Southern Song Dynasty。由於讀者是外國人,對於南宋到底指哪段時期不清楚,應增添相關信心。建議把前半部分改為During the Southern Song Dynasty(1127-1279) when Zhangshi, rationalistic Confucian philosopher, acted as the chair of the Academy。
問題3:主句存在語法錯誤,根據中文版,建議譯為the 「Huxiang School」 developed here, well known for its legacy of patriotism and pragmatics.
9. From Yuelu Academy to Hunan University, its graduates made great contribution to the country and nation: Wang Fuzi, an excellent materialist thinker; Wei Yuan, the first man who appealed to learn from the west, a reformative enlightener; Zeng Goufang, the first to set up modern factories in China, Zuo Zongtang, the first to set up a navy in China, and defended and explored Xinjinang; Gou Gaosou, the first ambassador of China going abroad; Chai Er, leader of democratic revolution; Chai Hesheng, Deng Zhongxia, and Xie Jianzai, proletarian revolutionists; Zhang Fenjian, the first Chinese who get to Antarctica; and Ci Yuangui, designer of the Yinhe super-computer.
問題1:在Zeng Goufang, the first to set up modern factories in China和Zuo Zongtang, the first to set up a navy in China, and defended and explored Xinjinang之間應使用分號,而不是逗號。根據英語平行結構的特點,應把and defended and explored Xinjiang 改為who defended and explored Xinjiang。
問題2:應把Zhang Fenjian, the first Chinese who get to Antarctica部分的定語從句從一般現在時改為一般過去時。即使譯者想強調現在,按照英語主謂數一致的規則,謂語動詞也應加-s。
10. Mao Zetung, the founder of PRC, lived several times in Yuelu Academy, with several other patriots, dispute for the making of new nation.
問題1:該句存在語法錯誤,dispute for the making of new nation在句中充當什麼成分?
問題2:把「探索救國救民的真理」翻譯成dispute for the making of new nation顯然理解錯誤、用詞不當。
11. When the PRC is founded, the famous philosopher and educator Li Da was appointed president of Hunan University, and Chairman Mao inscribed the name of Hunan University for him.
問題1:時態呼應問題。從句為一般現在時,主句卻用一般過去時,前後不一致。按照句子意思,應把時間狀語從句改為一般過去時,即When the PRC was founded。
問題2:題寫校名顯然不是為了李達一人,因此後半部分的for him完全是畫蛇添足。
12. In 1953 during the days when adjustments for majors and departments for further development, the university was named Zhongnan College of Civil Engineering and Hunan Engineering College, and in 1959 it regained the name Hunan University.
問題:從句when adjustments for majors and departments for further development存在語法錯誤。
13. Since 1963 the university has been subjected to the management of National Mechanical Ministry, and in1998 it was adjusted to subjected directly to Educational Ministry.
問題1:該句前半部分使用現在完成時,按照英語時態特點,應理解為「自從1963年以來到現在,湖南大學一直隸屬國家機械工業部」,但後半句又說「1998年調整為教育部管轄」,顯然自相矛盾。
問題2:it was adjusted to subjected directly to Educational Ministry存在語法錯誤。
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