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题目

第一题

In physics, one approach takes this impulse for unification to its extreme, and seeks a theory of everything-a single generative equation for all we see.

意群划分

  1. In physics, one approach takes this impulse for unification to its extreme

  2. and seeks a theory of everything

  3. a single generative equation for all we see.

意群一：

In physics, one approach takes this impulse for unification to its extreme

生难词：

  • physics n. 物理学

  • approach n. 方法、方式

  • impulse n. 冲动；刺激；脉冲

  • unification n. 统一

    • 延伸： unify v. （使）统一；（使）成一体

​

翻译要点：

  • one approach 中的 one 是泛指，有一种方法
  • take … to its extreme

关键部分：

In physics, one approach takes this impulse for unification to its extreme

直译：这种统一的冲动

调整后：这种追求统一的冲动

这里的介词for做impulse的定语，要翻译的话需要把定语前置

抽象名词的翻译：介词前，冠词后的名词（the/an/a + 名词 + 介词）

  1. 由动词衍生来的名词，翻译为动词
  2. 没有动词词根，增加一个动词

意群整译：

In physics, one approach takes this impulse for unification to its extreme

在物理学中，有一种方法把这种追求统一的冲动推向了极端

意群二：

and seeks a theory of everything

这里的theory算是抽象名词（介词前冠词后），沿用前面的翻译方式，抽象名词前增加动词：可以解释。不然直译为试图寻找一个一切的理论，不太通顺。

翻译要点：

  • seek (to try to obtain or achieve sth)，从这个英文含义中可以看出seek有试图寻找的内涵，故译作试图寻找
  • Theory of Everything (ToE): 万物理论/万有理论，这是一个专有名词

意群整译：

and seeks a theory of everything

试图寻找可以解释一切的理论

或直接按专有名词翻译为：试图寻找一种万有理论

意群三：

a single generative equation for all we see

生难词：

  • generative adj. 有生产力的；能生产的；生成的
    • 衍生：generate v. 产生；引起
  • equation n. 方程式；等式

​

翻译要点：

  • generative equation：生成等式，可以理解为“元”方程。

关键部分：

a single generative equation for all we see

译作：我们看到的一切

核心词是all，后面是省略连词的定语从句，这个定语从句很短，所以在翻译时可以前置

a single generative equation for all we see

这里的for作为介词怎么翻译呢？

可以翻作解释/涵盖/概括

介词的译法：

  1. 方位副词：on the table 在桌子上
  2. 转译动词：英语中的介词常隐含动作概念
    • eg. this gift is for you 这个礼物是送给你的

意群整译：

a single generative equation for all we see

顺译：用一个生成等式来概括我们看到的一切

定语前置后：一个能概括我们看到的一切的生成等式

意群重组：

这里没什么需要调整的，直接拼接就行：

In physics, one approach takes this impulse for unification to its extreme, and seeks a theory of everything-a single generative equation for all we see.

在物理学中，有一种方法把这种追求统一的冲动推向了极端，试图寻找一种万有理论——一个能概括我们看到的一切的生成等式

第二题

Here, Darwinism seems to offer justification ,for if all humans share common origins ,it seems reasonable to suppose that cultural diversity could also be traced to more constrained beginnings.

意群划分

  1. Here, Darwinism seems to offer justification
  2. for it all humans share common origins
  3. it seems reasonable to suppose
  4. that cultural diversity could also be traced to more constrained beginnings

意群一：

Here, Darwinism seems to offer justification

生难词：

  • Darwinism n. 达尔文主义、达尔文学说
  • justification n. 正当理由，辩护
    • 衍：justify v. 证明… 正确，对…做出解释
  • 补充：-ism后缀：
    1. 表示学说、主义：capitalism
    2. 表示政治运动，宗教信仰：Buddhism 佛教
    3. 表示态度，行为：criticism 批评，heroism 英雄气概

翻译要点：

  • here ：这里，可以引申至在这一点上/在社科领域
  • justification：正当理由，可以引申指做出了证明，提供了依据

关键部分：

Here, Darwinism seems to offer justification

直接翻译不太符合中文习惯，在保持原义不变的基础上，这里可以译作做出证明，提供依据

意群整译：

Here, Darwinism seems to offer justification

直译：这里，达尔文主义似乎提供了正当理由

调整：在这一点上，达尔文主义似乎做出了证明

意群二

for if all humans share common origins

生难词：

  • for conj. 因为/由于
  • share 有相同的感情（或想法、经历等）
  • common adj.
    1. 共同的 share a common intersest
    2. 常见的；普遍的 a common name
    3. 普通的；平凡的 the common people

意群整译：

for if all humans share common origins

因为，如果全人类都有共同的起源

意群三

it seems reasonable to suppose

翻译要点：

it + is/seems + adj. + to do sth/that 从句

这设计到形式主语的翻译：

  1. it 不需要翻译，真正的主语在于后面的从句或不定式

  2. 两种翻译方法：

    1. 按照英语语序翻译：先翻译系表，再译to do/that

    2. 先翻译to do/that ，再翻译adj.（系表结构） 译作 做什么，是什么样的

意群整译：

it seems reasonable to suppose

似乎有理由认为

认为…， 似乎是合理的

意群四

that cultural diversity could also be traced to more constrained beginnings

生难词：

  • Diversity n. 多样性；差异
    • diverse adj. 多种多样的，不同的
    • diversify v. 使多样化
  • trace v. 追踪；追溯
  • constrained adj. 受限制的；受约束的
    • constrain v. 限制；迫使
  • constraint n. 约束；限制；强迫

翻译要点：

  • be traced to ：这里的被动结构直接忽视，翻译为追溯至

被动结构的翻译：核心原则为尽量不用“被”

  1. 用其他词替换“被”：遭到；受到；为…所；是由… 的；得以
  2. 固定搭配
  3. 被动变主动，可根据语境补充主义
  4. 有被不用被（忽略大法）

意群整译：

that cultural diversity could also be traced to more constrained beginnings

文化多样性也可以追溯到更有限的源头

意群重组：

这里需要注意中文关联词成对出现：如果…那么…

Here, Darwinism seems to offer justification ,for if all humans share common origins ,it seems reasonable to suppose that cultural diversity could also be traced to more constrained beginnings.

在这一点上，达尔文主义似乎做出了证明，因为如果全人类都有共同的起源，那么似乎有理由认为文化多样性也可以追溯到更有限的源头

第三题

To filter out what is unique from what is shared might enable us to understand how complex cultural behavior arose and what guides it in evolutionary or cognitive terms

意群划分

to filter out …… from…. 的不定式作主语

and 连接从句的两个部分

  1. To filter out what is unique from what is shared
  2. might enable us to understand
  3. how complex cultural behavior arose
  4. and what guides it in evolutionary or cognitive terms

意群一

To filter out what is unique from what is shared

生难词：

  • filter v. 过滤；筛选
    • filter out A from B，从B中过滤/筛选/剔除出A
  • unique adj. 独特的；独一无二的
  • share v. 分享；分担；共有 n. 份额，股份

翻译要点：

  • what 引导的宾语从句，这里因为从句很短所以可以译作抽象名词短语

名词性从句 what = the thing that

  1. 从句很短，那么就把整句话译为抽象名词短语
    • what is possible 可能的东西，也就是可能性
    • what is unique 独有的东西，也就是独特特征/独特性
    • what is shared 共有的东西，也就是共有特征/共性
  2. 从句比较复杂，那么就把what译作名词

意群整译：

To filter out what is unique from what is shared

从共有特征中过滤掉独有特征

意群二

might enable us to understand

意群整译：

might enable us to understand

或许能让我们理解

意群三

how complex cultural behavior arose

生难词：

  • arise v. 出现；（由）产生

翻译要点：

  • how引导的从句

how引导的从句：

  1. 表“方式”：How + 主语 + 谓语动词 ， 翻译为“如何”

    how complex cultural behavior arose 复杂的文化行为是如何产生的

  2. 表“程度”：How + 形容词/副词^2 + 主语 + 动词，翻译为“多么”

    how complex cultural behavior is 文化行为多么复杂

意群整译：

how complex cultural behavior arose

复杂的文化行为是如何产生的

意群四

and what guides it in evolutionary or cognitive terms

生难词：

  • in … term / in terms of 就… 而言；在…方面

翻译要点：

  • what从句太长了，不可能翻译成一个名词，所以可以用方法二，把what翻译成名词

what翻译成什么就可以，但是调整一下翻译成何种因素

代词it ：代之的是前面的complex cultural behavior（这种行为）

调整语序：in… terms是状语，需要把它前置

意群整译：

and what guides it in evolutionary or cognitive terms

在进化或认知方面，是何种因素引导了这种行为

意群重组

主语过长可以把主语断开，单独成句，然后后面补充上代词，让成分更加完整

To filter out what is unique from what is shared might enable us to understand how complex cultural behavior arose and what guides it in evolutionary or cognitive terms

从共有特征中过滤掉独有特征，这或许能让我们理解复杂的文化行为是如何产生的，以及在进化或认知方面，是何种因素引导了这种行为。

第四题：最难的一句

The second, by Joshua Greenberg, takes a more empirical approach to universality, identifying traits (particularly in word order) shared by many languages, which are considered to represent biases that result from cognitive constraints.

意群划分

  1. The second, by Joshua Greenberg, takes a more empirical approach to universality
  2. identifying traits (particularly in word order) shared by many languages
  3. which are considered to represent biases
  4. that result from cognitive constraints

第一个为主句

第二个为现在分词短语

第三四个为which引导的定语从句，其中第四句为that引导的定语从句

意群一

The second, by Joshua Greenberg, takes a more empirical approach to universality

生难词：

  • empirical adj. 经验主义的；以实验（或经验）为依据的
    • 反：theoretical adj. 理论上的
  • approach n. 方式；方法
  • universality n. 普遍性
    • Universal n. 普遍的；全世界的

翻译要点：

  • the second，直接翻译是第二个，但是意义不完整，需要往前回溯，就是前面的 two previous attempts和the most famous of these efforts

  • Joshua 人名的翻译

  • by 通常是动作的发出者，这里可以理解为由…做出

  • 主语单独成句，补充代词指代

  • 介词to 转译为动词，译作研究

  • 增加范围词：识别英文中隐含但中文需要显化的范围信息

    • universality需要翻译为语言的普遍性

意群整译：

The second, by Joshua Greenberg, takes a more empirical approach to universality

第二知名的尝试由约书亚·格林伯格做出，他采用了一种更加经验主义的方法来研究语言的普遍性

意群二

identifying traits (particularly in word order) shared by many languages

生难词：

  • particularly adv. 特别；尤其；格外

翻译要点：

  • 调整语序：定语前置，两个定语谁在前谁在后？

意群整译：

identifying traits (particularly in word order) shared by many languages

识别了很多语言共有（特别在词序方面）的特征

意群三

which are considered to represent biases

生难词：

  • represent v. 代表
  • bias n. 偏见，偏向；倾向（tendency）

翻译要点：

  • 被动结构的翻译：如上，但是直接译为被视作

  • 定语从句的翻译：这里用后置译法

定语从句的翻译：

  1. 从句较短（小于8词）：前置译法——放在被修饰词之前，译为 …的
  2. 从句较长（大于8词）：后置译法——主从句分开翻译，从句重复先行词

意群整译：

which are considered to represent biases

那些特征被视作代表了倾向

意群四

that result from cognitive constraints

生难词：

  • result from v. 由…引起；源于

翻译要点：

  • 这里也是一个定语从句，使用前置译法，然后整句放在biases前面

意群整译：

that result from cognitive constraints

由认知限制产生的

意群重组

The second, by Joshua Greenberg, takes a more empirical approach to universality, identifying traits (particularly in word order) shared by many languages, which are considered to represent biases that result from cognitive constraints.

第二知名的尝试由约书亚·格林伯格做出，他采用了一种更加经验主义的方法来研究语言的普遍性，识别了很多语言共有（特别在词序方面）的特征，那些特征被视作代表了由认知限制产生的倾向

第五题

Chomsky’s grammar should show patterns of language change that are independent of the family tree or the pathway tracked through it，whereas Greenbergian universality predicts strong co-dependencies between particular types of word-order relations.

意群划分

  1. Chomsky’s grammar should show patterns of language change
  2. that are independent of the family tree or the pathway tracked through it
  3. whereas Greenbergian universality predicts strong co-dependencies between particular types of word-order relations

第一句为主句，第二句为that定语从句，第三句是whereas引导的从句

意群一

Chomsky’s grammar should show patterns of language change

乔姆斯基的语法应该表明语言变化的模式

翻译要点：

  • of结构 ： A of B ，翻译为 B 的 A

意群二

that are independent of the family tree or the pathway tracked through it

这些模式不受语言谱系或谱系内部演变路径的影响

生难词：

  • be independent of 独立于；不受…的影响

  • pathway n. 路径；途径

  • track v. 追踪；跟踪

翻译要点：

  • family tree 其实是家谱；族谱，这里理解为语言谱系

  • the pathway tracked through it

though有穿过的感觉，tracked为定语需要前置

直译：在语系谱系内追踪的路径

调整：贯穿谱系的路径/谱系内部的演变路径

  • 定语从句，这里用后置译法，重复先行词

意群三

whereas Greenbergian universality predicts strong co-dependencies between particular types of word-order relations

而格林伯格的普遍性理论预测了在特定类型的词序关系间存在很强的互依性

生难词：

  • whereas conj. 然而（用以比较或对比两个事实）

  • -ian 后缀：构成名词和形容词

    • Brazilian 巴西人
    • shakespearian 莎士比亚的

翻译要点：

  1. universality 普遍性理论；co-dependencies 相互依赖性

增加范畴词

  • 范畴词是汉语特有的表达习惯，没有实际意义，只是用来归类或概括某一个属性、状态或行为，使抽象概念具像化
  • 英文原文没有对应词，但是中文需要补充才能符合表达习惯
  • 常见范畴词：水平、方式、方法、情况、问题、方面
  • 例如：Unemployment is worsening. 失业情况正在恶化
  1. of 结构：particular types of … 特定类型的

type of 是一个固定搭配，类型的

  1. 调整语序：between定语前置
  2. 增加动词：补充一个存在，不然单独说关系这个不符合中文表达

意群重组

Chomsky’s grammar should show patterns of language change that are independent of the family tree or the pathway tracked through it，whereas Greenbergian universality predicts strong co-dependencies between particular types of word-order relations.

乔姆斯基的语法应该表明语言变化的模式，这些模式不受语言谱系或谱系内部演变路径的影响；而格林伯格的普遍性理论预测了在特定类型的词序关系间存在很强的互依性

2. 原文

从中国教育在线上扒的文章，原文中错误特别多，注意鉴别

Since the days of Aristotle, a search for universal principles has characterized the scientific enterprise. In some ways, this quest for commonalities defines science. Newton’s laws of motion and Darwinian evolution each bind a host of different phenomena into a single explicatory frame work.^1

In physics, one approach takes this impulse for unification to its extreme, and seeks a theory of everything—a single generative equation for all we see.It is becoming less clear, however, that such a theory would be a simplification, given the dimensions and universes that it might entail, nonetheless, unification of sorts remains a major goal.

This tendency in the natural sciences has long been evident in the social sciences too. Here, Darwinism seems to offer justification for if all humans share common origins it seems reasonable to suppose that cultural diversity could also be traced to more constrained beginnings. Just as the bewildering variety of human courtship rituals might all be considered forms of sexual selection, perhaps the world’s languages, music, social and religious customs and even history are governed by universal features. To filter out what is unique from what is shared might enable us to understand how complex cultural behavior arose and what guides it in evolutionary or cognitive terms.

That, at least, is the hope. But a comparative study of linguistic traits published online today supplies a reality check. Russell Gray at the University of Auckland and his colleagues consider the evolution of grammars in the light of two previous attempts to find universality in language.

The most famous of these efforts was initiated by Noam Chomsky, who suggested that humans are born with an innate language-acquisition capacity that dictates a universal grammar. A few generative rules are then sufficient to unfold the entire fundamental structure of a language, which is why children can learn it so quickly.

The second, by Joshua Greenberg, takes a more empirical approach to universality identifying traits (particularly in word order) shared by many language which are considered to represent biases that result from cognitive constraints

Gray and his colleagues have put them to the test by examining four family trees that between them represent more than 2,000 languages.Chomsky’s grammar should show patterns of language change that are independent of the family tree or the pathway tracked through it，whereas Greenbergian universality predicts strong co-dependencies between particular types of word-order relations. Neither of these patterns is borne out by the analysis, suggesting that the structures of the languages are lire age-specific and not governed by universals