英语表示倍数增减或倍数对比的句型多种多样,其中有 一些(如下文中的句型②、⑤、⑥、⑧、(12) 等, 见圈码)很容易译错——其主要原因在于:英汉两语在 `kVy1WiY
表述或对比倍数方面存在着语言与思维差异。现将常 用的英语倍数句型及其正确译法归纳如下: (.m0hN!~u
倍数增加
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一、 A is n times as great(long,much,…)as B.(①)A is n times greater (longer, ~*- eL.
more,…)than B.(②)A is n times the size (length, amount,…)of q*mNVBy
B.(③)以上三句都应译为;A的大小(长度,数量,……)是B的n倍[或A比B大(长,多,……)n-1倍]. a~9U{)@F
Eg. This book is three times as long as (three times longer than,three lBgf
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times the length of )that one. bQrH8)
这本书的篇幅是那本书的3倍(即长两倍)。 0}PW<lU-
注:当相比的对象B很明显时,than(as,of)B常被省去。 i~M CY.F
二、increase to n times(④) B'lWs;
increase n times/n-fold(⑤) @F+4
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increase by n times(⑥) [C,<Q
increase by a factor of n(⑦) &Op, ?\
以上四式均应译为:增加到n倍(或:增加n-1倍)。 bT|a]b:
Eg. The production of integrated circuits has been increased to three times wbyY?tH
as compared with last year. 8&IsZPq%l
The output of chemical fertilizer has been raised five times as against #Ne<=ayS
l986.化肥产量比1986年增加了4倍。 SWNi@
That can increase metabolic rates by two or three times. sbjAZzrX2i
那可使代谢率提高到原来的2倍或3倍(即提高1倍或2倍)。 q?nXhUD
The drain voltage has been increased by a factor of four. %FDi7Rx
漏电压增加了3借(即增加到原来的4倍)。 lF2im5nZ?
注:在这类句型中increase常被raise,grow,go/step up,multiply等词所替代。 C\ZL*,%}
三、There is a n-fold increase/growth…(⑧)应译为:增加n-倍(或增至n倍)。这个句型还有其它一些形式: m.iCGX
Eg. A record high increase in value of four times was reported. o8-BTq8
据报道,价值破记录地增长了3倍。 =!w5%|r.
四、double (增加1倍),treble(增加2倍),quadruple(增加3倍)。(⑨)Eg. The efficiency of the D^baXp8
machines has been more than trebled or quadrupled.这些机器的效率已提高了2倍或3倍多。 :2pd2 S
五、此外,英语中还有一种用again而不用倍数词来比较倍数的方法,如: <Bn^+u \
A is as much (large,long,…)again as B.(=A is twice as much CC0@RU
(large,long,…)as B.(⑩)应译为:A比B多(大,长,……)1倍。 X/
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A is half as much (large, 1ong,…)again as B. y>Zvos e
【=A is one a half times as much (large, 1ong,…)as 6}='/d-[
B.】(11)应译为:A比B多(大,长……)一半(即A是B的一倍半)。 w,bILv)