英译汉时,有时候某个词或者某个短语在字典上找不到合适的意思时,应根据上下文活用词义。如果死扣语法生译硬译,必然使译文晦涩难以达意。这事应该在弄通原文准确的含义之后,灵活处理。如:stationary waves are distinct from the progressive where in the waves move across the body of the water——as if we had dropped a pebble in the dish of water.朱波与前进波不同,在后一种情况下,水波向四周传去——就像我们曾向盘中投下一块卵石时的情景一样。这事一个比较长的英语句子。译文做到长句短译。
顺译法
当叙述的食物是按时间或逻辑顺序排列,与汉语表达方式基本一致时,翻译时常采用顺译法。例如:Moving around the uncleus are extremely tiny particls,called electrons,which revolve around the nucleus in much the same way as the nine plantes do around the sun.围绕这原子核运动的是一些极其微小的粒子,称为电子,这些电子围绕着原子核旋转,正像九大行星围绕着太阳旋转一样。
逆译法
当英语长句的顺序与汉语表达方式不一致时,翻译时常常使用转换,颠倒,改变部分或者完全改变词序的逆译法。例如:It may be ecnomically sound,in the long run,to subsidize their initial production,even at prices above the projected marked for natural hydrocarbon fluids,in order to accelerat the deducation of dependence on oil imports.从长远的观点来看,资助开发气体等燃料,既使价格高于自然碳氢化合液的市场价格,但为了加快减少对进口石油的依赖,这在经济上可能还是合算的。