第三节 减译法（省略法）
省略（omission）是指原文中有写词在译文中译不出来，因为译文中虽无其词而已有其意，或者在译文中是不言而喻的。换言之，省略是删去一些可有可无的，或者有了反而嫌累赘或违背译文语言习惯的词。但省略并不是把原文的某些思想内容删去。现从语法角度和修辞角度分别举例探讨省略法： A. 从语法角度来看 1. 省略代词
1.1省略作主语的人称代词
（1）根据汉语习惯，前句出现一个主语，后句如仍为同一主语，就不必重复出现。英语中通常都有主语，因此人称代词做主语往往多次出现，这种人称代词汉译时常常可以省略。 He was thin and haggard and he looked miserable. 他消瘦而憔悴，（……）看上去一副可怜相。
But it’s the way I am and try as I might; I haven’t been able to change it. 但我就是这个脾气，（……）虽然几经努力，（……）却未能改变过来.
（2）泛指的英语人称代词做主语时，即使是作第一个主语，译文中往往也可以省略。 We live and learn.
（……）活到老，学到老。 You can never tell. （……）很难说。
Everywhere you can find new types of men and object in New China. 新中国（……）处处可以看到新人，新事物。
Even as the doctor was recommending rest ,he knew that this in itself was not enough ,that one could never get real rest without a peaceful mind.
医生尽管建议休息，他也知道休息本身是不够的，如果心情不平静，（……）是休息不好的。 1.2 省略做宾语的代词
英语中有些作宾语的代词，不管前面是否有提到过，翻译时往往可以省略。 The more he tried to hide warts, the more he revealed them. 他越是要掩盖他的烂疮疤，就越是会暴露 （……）。 She laid her hand lightly on his arm as if to thank him for it. 她轻轻地把手放在他的胳膊上，好象表示感谢（……）。 1.3 省略物主代词
英语中的物主代词，汉译时往往可以省略，例如I wash my face in the morning, 要说“我早上洗脸”，而不必说“我早上洗我的脸”。
So the train came, he pinched his little sister lovingly, and put his great arms about his mother’s neck and then was away.
于是火车来了，他爱抚地捏了一下 （……）小妹妹，用（……）两条巨大的胳膊楼了一下（……）母亲的脖子，然后就走了。
She went, with her neat figure, and her sober womanly step, down the dark street.
他顺着黑暗的街道走去，显出（……）利落匀称的身材，迈着（……）端庄的女人的步子。 She felt the flowers were in her figures, on her lips, growing in her breast. 她觉得（……）手里和（……）唇上都是花儿，（……）胸中也生长着花儿。
He shrugged his shoulders, shook his head, cast up his eyes, but said nothing. 他耸耸（……）肩，摇摇（……）头，（……）两眼看天，一句话不说。
2. 省略非人称的或强势句中的it
it也是一种代词，但这里主要是讲它的两种特殊用法，即非人称用和强调用。英语中这样用的it，汉译时往往可以省略不译。 2.1 非人称it
Outside it was pitch dark and it was raining cats and dogs. 外面一团漆黑，大雨倾盆。
He glanced at his watch; it was 7:15. 他一看表，是七点一刻了。
It was just growing dark, as she shut the garden gate. 她关上园门时，已是暮色苍茫了。 2.2 强势用it
It was only then that I began to have doubts whether my story would ever be told. 只是在这个时候，我才开始怀疑，我的经历究竟能不能公诸于众呢！ It was with some difficulty that he found the way to his own house. 他费了不少劲才找到了回家的路。
Peter has always enjoyed claiming that it was he and not George, who was the first to reach the summit of the mountain.
彼得一直津津乐道的是，第一个到达山顶的实际上并不是乔治，而是他自己。
3. 省略连接词
汉语词语之间连接词用的不多，其上下逻辑关系常常是暗含的，由词语的次寻来表示。英语则不然，连接词用的比较多。因此，英译汉时在很多情况下可不必把连接词译出来。 3.1省略并列连接词
He looked gloomy and troubled. 他看上去有些忧愁不安。
Despite the privation, and the mounting toll of dead and wounded, however, morale remained intact, and people still smile in the street.
尽管供应不足，伤亡增加，然而士气并未受到影响。街上，人们照常脸有笑容。
He considered it (National Security Council) too large and bulky and thus leaky, too many people who talked too much.
他认为国家安全委员会机构太庞大，人多嘴杂，容易泄密。
Your son or your father or your wife or your cousin or your best friend or your boss or your secretary might be an informer for Hayrick’s organization.
你的儿子，你的父亲，你的妻子，你的表亲，你的好友，你的上司，你的秘书，都可能是海得里希的组织的告密者。 3.2 省略从属连接词
（1）省略表示原因的连词
英语因果句中一般用连接次表示原因，而汉语则往往通过词序先后来表示因果关系，“因”在前，“果”在后。因此，英译汉时往往可以把原文中这种连接词省掉不译。 We knew spring was coming as (because) we had seen a robin. 我们看见了一直知更鸟，知道春天快要到了。
He declined to amplify on the President’s statement, since he had not read the text. 他没有看到总统讲话的文本，不愿意加以发挥。 Because the departure was not easy, we made it brief. 告别这件事难受得很，我们就作的简短一些。
表示条件的连接此if，一般译为“假如”、“如果”等，但在日常口语体或文言文结构中，往往可以省略不译。
If winter comes, can spring be far behind? 冬天来了。春天还会远吗？
If I had known it, I would not have joined in it. 早知如此，我就不参加了。
If a spot turned hot, we’d overfly it frequently.
哪个地方乱子激化了，我们就频频飞临该地上空。
“You’ve got to be careful of these Eastern lawyers. If you are not careful, they’ll take you and turn you inside out.”
“对这些东部的律师可得提防。一不小心，他们就会抓着你那你整得够戗！” 3.3 省略表示时间的连接词
表示时间关系的when和as等，汉译时一般用“当……时”，或仅用“时”。但如汉语时间先后次序明显，为了简略起见，“当……时”或“时”往往可以省略。
John rose gloomily as the train stopped, for he was thinking of his ailing mother. 火车停了，约翰郁郁地站了起来，因为他想起了病中的母亲。
When at last he stood upon the bluff, he turned to his little sister and looked upon her sorrowfully. 最后他站到了悬崖上，转过身来，忧郁地看这他的妹妹。
He stood there, handsome, reserved----somehow those four stars visible even when he was in civvies.
他站在那里，漂亮而矜持，他穿着便服，然而他那上将的四颗星似乎隐约可见。
At long last, on June 6, 1944, after the European war was basically decided Hitler licked, the allies launched their long-delayed western front.
一九四四年六月六日，欧洲战局基本已见分晓，希特勒败局已定，盟军才终于迟迟开辟了西线战场。
4. 省略冠词
英语有冠词，汉语没有冠词，因此，英译汉时往往可将冠词省略。 A teacher should have patience in his work. 当教员的应当有耐心。（省略表示类别的不定冠词A） The horse is a useful animal. 马是有益的动物。（省略表示类别的定冠词The）
英译汉时，省略原文中的冠词是一般情况。但在某些场合，冠词却不能省略，例如： He left without saying a word. 他一句话不说就走了。（不定冠词a或an指“一”时，不能省） Egbert said he was getting a dollar a mile.
埃格伯特说，他（开车）每开一英里就赚一块钱。（不定冠词a或an指“每一”时，不能省） The children are of an age. 这些孩子都是同岁的。（不定冠词a或an指“一”时，不能省） The onlookers saw the little party climb ashore.
看的人只见那一小队人怕上岸去。（定冠词the强调“这”、“那”时也不宜省）
5. 省略前置词
一般说来，表示时间和地点的英语前置词，译成汉语如出现在句首，大都可以省略，出现在句尾大都不省略。 5.1省略表示时间的前置词
The People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949. 一九四九年中华人民共和国成立。
比较：中华人民共和国成立于一九四九年。（前置词译成汉语在句首时可以省略，在句尾就没有省略）
In July, 1956, Egypt had seized the Suez Canal. 一九五六年七月，埃及占领了苏伊士运河。（英语前置词in译成汉语因在句首，可以省略） The mother sub was cruising near Wake Island on December 2 when we heard hostilities were to begin December 7.
十二月二日我们的母艇正在威克岛附近巡航，这时我们听说战争要在十二月七日打起来。 5.2省略表示地点的前置词
Smoking is prohibited in public place. 公共场所不准吸烟。
Now complaints are heard in all parts of that country.该过各地目前怨声载道。 Rumors have already spread along the street and lanes. 大街小巷早就传遍了各种流言蜚语。
B. 从修辞角度来看
1. 英语句子中有些短语重复出现，英译汉时可按情况做适当省略。
University applicants who had worked at a job would receive preference over those who had not. 报考大学的人，有工作经验的优先录取。
如果不做省略，译成“报考大学的人，有工作经验的，比没有工作经验的，优先录取”，就显得罗嗦。
Instead of one old woman knocking me about and starving me, everybody of all knocked me about and starved me.
那时打我并且使我挨饿的不只是一个老太婆，而是老老少少各式各样的人。
如果翻译成“那时不是一个老太婆打我并且使我挨饿，而是老老少少各式各样的人大我并且使我哎饿”，就不够精练。
2. 根据汉语习惯，译文中可以省略一些可有可无的词。
They could be adapted to the waging of people’s war of liberation but were rather useless in an anti-people’s war.
它们（这些著述）可以用之于人民的解放战争，但对反对人民的战争是无用的。 此句如果译成“……可以用之于进行人民的解放战争……”就嫌累赘，省去“进行”，反觉自然。 In twelve Yan’an years the Chinese Communists had fitted themselves to the land, the rhythm of its seasons, the mood of its peasants.
十二年的延安岁月，中国共产党人已经适应了当地的风土和季节，也适应了农民的气质。 这里如把the rhythm of its seasons译成季节的“循环”就不符汉语的搭配关系，省去“循环”无损原意。
There was still the faith that ordinary men are greater than the power of nature or the mechanisms
of man’s hands and will master them all in the end. 仍然具有这种信念，普通的人要比自然的力量或人类造出来的机器更伟大，而且最终会控制它们。
这里，the mechanisms of man’s hands 不必译为“人类的手造出来的机器”。 5）There was no snow, the leaves were gone from the trees, the grass was dead. 天未下雪，但叶落草枯。
如果不省略而译成“……树叶从树上落下来，草也枯死了”，就远不如“……叶落草枯”简明洗练。
第三节 减译法
