在一些由中文翻译成的英语合同、广告和其他材料中容易见到到一些翻译错误,现仅举几个出现频率较高例子,试作剖析,谨供读者朋友参考。
1、由港澳国际投资公司投资海口电站工程因其建设速度和水平得到高度评价。
原译文:The Haikou Power Station Project invested by the Hongkong-Macau International Investment Co., Ltd. was highly appraised1 for its construction speed and quality.
注:投资某项工程应为invest in a project,在被动语态中不可以漏去前置词in。
应译为:The Haikou Power Station Project invested in(在某些状况下可用financed or funded)by the Hongkong-Macau International Investment Co., Ltd. was highly appraised for its construction speed and quality.
2、上海SFECO拥有5个控股子公司。
原译文:Shanghai SFECO Group has 5 share-holding companies.
注:share-holding company指控制或持有某公司股权股东公司。上述译文意思是5个公司持有Shanghai SFECO Group股份,换句话说,这5个公司是老子公司,因此显然不符合中文原意。
应译为:Shanghai SFECO Group is a holding company of 5 subsidiary companies. 或Shanghai SFECO Group holds shares of 5 subsidiary companies.
3、中国民生银行公司
原译文:China Minsheng Banking2 Corporation, Ltd.
注:corporation本身即为公司,等于limited company,英译中不需要再加Ltd。
应译为:China Minsheng Banking Corporation
4、项目中标之后,大家将立即开始前期筹备工作。
原译文:After the bid is awarded, we shall immediately start our advance-phase preparation.
注:项目中标应为accept a bid or award the contract。显然上述译文把两种表达法相混淆了。
应译为:After the bid is accepted , we shall immediately start our advance-phase preparation.
5、欢迎你参观大家买卖会
原译文:Welcome you to visit our fair!
注:译文中welcome是动词,因此此句是祈使句形式,省略主语为第二人称你(你们),而不是中文所含我(大家)之意。
应译为:We welcome you to visit our trade fair!
更简洁而地道译法是:Welcome to our trade fair!
6、我公司出口工业商品、化工商品、医药等。
原译文:Our company exports industrial products, chemicals, medicines and etc..
注:etc.等于and so on或and others,已含有and成分,上述译文不需要加上and一词。应译为:Our company exports industrial products, chemicals, medicines, etc..
7、大家将委托贵公司作为我公司在毛里求斯业务代理。
原译文:We hereby entrust3 your company to be our business agent in Mauritius.
注:entrust一词在作委托解时使用方法为entrust somebody with something or entrust something to somebody。
应译为:We hereby appoint your company to be our business agent in Mauritius.
8、本合同签订之后,签约双方中任何一方不能将合同内容泄露给第三方。
原译文:Any of the two parties can not pulge4 the contents of the contract to a third party after the conclusion of the contract.
注:双方中任何一方为either of the two parties,三方(或三方以上)中任何一适才用any of the parties,因本句为否定句,应译为:Neither of the two parties can pulge the contents of the contract to a third party after the conclusion of the contract.