一、英譯中時倍數(shù)減少如何翻譯
1、“減少了N–1/N"
2、“減少到1/N”或“是(原來)的1/N”
英語中表示倍數(shù)減小的句型可歸納為以下幾種。
(一)decrease by N times
decrease N times
decrease by a factor of N
(decrease為表承減少意義的動詞,下同)
這三個句型表示的意義一樣,均應譯為“減少了N–1/N”或“減少到1/N”。例如:
1)Since the introduction of the new technique the switching time of the transistor has been shortened three times.
采用這項新工藝后,晶體管的開關時間縮短了三分之二。
2)When the voltage is stepped up by 10 times,the strength of the current is stepped-down by 10 times,so that the power remains the same.
當電壓升高到10倍時,電流強度降低到1/10,因此功率保持不變。
3)The water level in winter falls by a factor of three as against the average level.
冬季,水位比平均水位下降三分之二。
4)When the signal has increased by 10 times the gain may have been reduced by 8 times.
如果信號增大9倍,增益就可能降低7/8。
5)The automatic assembly line can shorten ten times the assembling period.
自動裝配線可把裝配工期縮短到原來的1/10。
(二)N times 弱比較級 (than)
N times as 表示差、少意義的形容詞原級 as
這兩個句型的意義一樣,可譯為“比……N-1/N”或“是…1/N”。例如:
6)The plastic casing is three times lighter than the steel one.
這種塑料殼比鋼殼輕三分之二(或:這種塑料殼的重量是鋼殼的三分之一)。
二、英語倍數(shù)翻譯常見錯誤
1、A是B的N倍大/長…(或者A比B大/長…N-1倍)
一般有以下兩種英語表達方法:
(1)A is N times as large/long(形容詞/副詞原形)as B.Eg:Asia is four times as large as Europe.
(2)A is N times larger/longer(形容詞/副詞比較級)than B.Eg:Asia is four times larger than Europe.
(3)A is N times the size/length(形容詞/副詞的名詞形式)of B.Eg:Asia is four times the size of Europe.
以上三句例句的中文翻譯均為:亞洲是歐洲的四倍大,或者亞洲比歐洲大三倍。
2、by和to
(1)動詞 by 倍數(shù)/百分數(shù)/數(shù)詞
Eg:The production of grain has been increased by four times this year.
今年糧食產(chǎn)量增加了四倍。
(2)動詞 to 數(shù)詞
Eg:Last year profits rose to$201 million.
去年利潤增長到2億零100萬美元。
3、by a factor of
詞組by a factor of在《朗文雙解》中的解釋為"if something increases or decreases by a factor of N,it increases or decreases by N times."以N倍的系數(shù)增加或減少。