如果一个句子中,同样的信息被提及两次或两次以上,在翻译时要尽量避免重复表达。例如:“中华民族在漫长的历史发展中形成的独具特色的文化传统,深深影响了古代中国,也深深影响着当代中国。”翻译这句话时,为了避免重复,我们可以用替代词“do”进行翻译,可译为:The distinct cultural tradition of the Chinese nation that developed in the long course of history has exerted a strong influence on contemporary China,just as it did on the ancient Chiona.
再比如,“农村改革需要三年时间才能有结果,城市的改革则需要五年甚至更长的时间,才能有结果:”It took three years for rural reform to show results and it will take five years even longer for urban reform to do so.
如果汉语复句中的两个字句的意思是相对的,转折的,译成英语时,可用替代词vice versa,the other way round等短语来表达。例如:“为了推动中美关系的发展,中国需要进一步了解美国,美国也需要进一步了解中国。”译文:To promote the development of China-U.S. relations, China needs to know the United States better and vice versa.
有时还可以用意思相近的词代替重复提到的信息。例如:“繁荣发展哲学社会科学,推进学科体系、学术观点、科研方法创新,鼓励哲学社会科学界为党和人民事业发挥思想库作用,推动我国哲学社会科学优秀成果和优秀人才走向世界。”
译文:We will develop philosophy and social sciences,promoting innovation in academic disciplines,academic viewpoints and research methods.We encourage people working in these fields to serve as a think tank for the cause of the Party and the people,and we will introduce related outstanding achievements and distinguished scholars to the world arena.
除此之外,我们还可以使用一些总结性的词汇,替代重复提到的信息,使译文更加简洁。例如:“整顿和规范市场经济秩序,要标本兼治,重在治本。”
译文:To regulate and standardize the market economic order,efforts shall be made in seeking both temporary and permanent solutions with focus on the latter.
另外,一些组织,机构,团体或会议的名称在首次出现时,我们用全名,在文章的其他部分,则可以采用缩写形式,以避免太多重复。