2018年考研英语翻译|2018考研英语翻译之定语从句：前置or后置？（二）

定语从句后置的条件：结构复杂，信息量大。从某种程度上来说，简单或复杂是因人而异的。这里有一个量化原则：通常，定语从句的长度为5个单词以上或者超过整个句子的1/3，可以视为结构复杂。这样的定语从句，翻译的时候往往后置。后置之后怎么办呢？可以重复先行词或者用一个字“这”。我们看一下考研英语真题例句。

　　Whorf came to believe in a sort of linguistic determinism which, in its strongest form, states that language imprisons the mind, and that the grammatical patterns in a language can produce far-reaching consequences for the culture of a society. (2004-65)

　　which states that language imprisons the mind, and that the grammatical patterns in a language can produce far-reaching consequences for the culture of a society这个定语从句结构复杂，信息量大，应该后置。which指代的是a sort of linguistic determinism“某种语言决定论”。后置之后可以重复先行词“该语言决定论或该理论”。补充一下，in its strongest form为插入语“最极端的形式”；that..., and that...为并列结构，两个并列的宾语从句，都是states的内容；imprison“禁锢”；far-reaching“影响深远的”；produce far-reaching consequences表示“产生深远影响”。整句话的译文就是：沃尔夫逐渐相信某种语言决定论，该理论最极端的形式声称，语言禁锢了思想，语言的语法结构可以对一个社会的文化产生深远影响。

　　The Greeks assumed that the structure of language had some connection with the process of thought, which took root in Europe long before people realized how diverse languages could be. (2004-61)

　　which took root in Europe long before people realized how diverse languages could be为非限定性定语从句，which指代that the structure of language had some connection with the process of thought，即“这种观点”。Greeks“希腊人”。整句话的译文就是：希腊人认为，语言结构和思维过程有某种联系，这种观点早在人们意识到语言的多样性之前就已经在欧洲扎根。

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