Old people in Thiengoly say they can remember when there were so many trees that you couldn’t see the sky. Now, miles of reddish

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问题    Old people in Thiengoly say they can remember when there were so many trees that you couldn’t see the sky. Now, miles of reddish-brown sand surround this village in northwestern Senegal, dotted with occasional bushes and trees. Dried animal dung is scattered everywhere, but hardly any dried grass is.
   Overgrazing and climate change are the major causes of the Sahara’s advance, said Gilles Boetsch, an anthropologist who directs a team of French scientists working with Senegalese researchers in the region. "The local Peul people are herders, often nomadic. But the pressure of the herds on the land has become too great," Mr. Boetsch said in an interview. "The vegetation can’t regenerate itself."
   Since 2008, however, Senegal has been fighting back against the encroaching desert. Each year it planted some 2 million seedling trees along a 545-kilometer, or 340-mile, ribbon of land that is the country’s segment of a major pan-African regeneration project, the Great Green Wall. First proposed in 2005, the program links Senegal and 10 other Saharan states in an alliance to plant a 15-kilometer-wide, 7,100-kilometer-long green belt to fend off the desert. While many countries have yet to start on their section of the barrier, Senegal has taken the lead, with the creation of a national agency for the Great Green Wall.
   "This semi-arid region is becoming less and less habitable. We want to make it possible for people to continue to live here," Colonel Pap Sarr, the agency’s technical director, said in an interview. Colonel Sarr has forged working alliances between Senegalese researchers and the French team headed by Mr. Boetsch, in fields as varied as soil microbiology, ecology, medicine and anthropology. "In Senegal we hope to experiment with different ways of doing things that will benefit the other countries as they become more active," the colonel said. Each year since 2008, from May to June, about 400 people are employed in eight nurseries, choosing and germinating seeds and tending the seedlings until they are ready for planting. In August, 1,000 people are mobilized to plant out rows of seedlings, about 2 million plants, allowing them a full two months of the rainy season to take root before the long, dry season sets in.
   After their first dry season, the saplings look dead, brown twigs sticking out of holes in the ground, but 80 percent survive. Six years on, trees planted in 2008 are up to 3 meters, or 10 feet, tall. So far, 30,000 hectares, or about 75,000 acres, have been planted, including 4,000 hectares this summer.
   There are already discernible impacts on the microclimate, said Jean-Luc Peiry, a physical geography professor at the Universite Pascal in Clermont-Ferrand, France, who has placed 30 sensors to record temperatures around some tree seedlings. "Preliminary results show that clumps of four to eight small trees can have an important impact on temperature," Professor Peiry said in an interview. "The transpiration of the trees creates a microclimate that moderates daily temperature extremes." "The trees also have an important role in slowing the soil erosion caused by the wind, reducing the dust, and acting like a large doormat, halting the sand-laden winds from the Sahara," he added. Wildlife is responding to the changes. "Migratory birds are reappearing," Mr. Boetsch said.
   The project uses eight groundwater pumping stations built in 1954, before Senegal achieved its independence from France in 1960. The pumps fill giant basins that provide water for animals, tree nurseries and gardens where fruits and vegetables are grown.

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答案 希格利村(Thiengoly)的老人们对当年这里树木遮天蔽目的景象记忆犹新。现在,千里赤地围困着这个塞内加尔西北部的小村庄,灌木、树丛稀疏可见,动物干粪四处散落,但枯草却难觅踪迹。 人类学家吉勒斯-伯特斯(Gilles Boetsch)认为,过度放牧和气候变化是造成撒哈拉沙漠扩张的主要原因。目前,他正带领一个法国科学家团队与塞内加尔研究人员在这一地区共同研究通力合作。他在接受采访时说:“当地的珀尔人(Peul)都是牧民,常常居无定所。但牲畜给土地带来的超负荷压力令植被难以再生。” 不过,自2008年以来,塞内加尔一直致力于抗击沙漠侵蚀。每年,他们在545公里(约340英里)长的条形地带栽种约200万株树苗,该地带是泛非洲再生项目“绿色长城”在塞内加尔境内的地段。此项目于2005年首次提出,旨在联合塞内加尔与其他10个撒哈拉国家共同构建一条宽15公里、长7100公里的绿化带,以阻止沙漠的侵袭。当许多国家尚未开始启动各自的防护林带工程时,塞内加尔已率先行动,为实施“绿色长城”项目设立了专门的国家机构。 该机构技术主任佩普-萨阿(Pap Sarr)上校接受采访时称:“这片半干旱地区越来越不宜居。我们想让人们在这里居住成为一种可能。”萨阿上校己促成塞内加尔研究人员与伯特斯先生(Boetsch)负责的法国科学家小组,在土地微生物学、生态学、医学和人类学等诸多领域的合作。上校称:“我们希望当其他国家都积极行动起来时,塞内加尔所尝试的各种治理方式会同时让他们受益。”自2008年起,每年五、六月份,约有400人受雇在八个苗圃干活,他们选种、育种、育苗,直到苗熟待种。八月份,该项目动员1000人栽种约200万株树苗,这样可以保证它们在漫长的旱季到来之前,有足足两个月的时间在雨季扎根。 第一个旱季过后,树苗看上去像是枯死了,褐色的嫩枝从地面树坑里冒出来,但80%的树苗都存活了下来。六年后,这些2008年栽种的树苗已长到了3米(约10英尺)高。截至目前,植树面积己达3万公顷(约7.5万英亩),其中包括今夏栽种的4000公顷。 该项目对微气候的影响已经开始显现。来自法国克莱蒙费朗市(Clermont-Ferrand)帕斯卡尔大学(Pascal)的自然地理学教授让-卢克-佩里(Jean-Luc Peiry)放置了30个传感器来记录树苗周围的气温变化。“初步结果显示,四至八棵小树形成的树丛会对其周围的温度产生重大影响。”佩里教授在一次采访时称,“树木的水分蒸发可以形成一个调节每日温差的微气候。”“同时,这些树木还可以减缓大风引起的水土流失、降尘、并充当地垫以阻挡来自撒哈拉沙漠的沙尘。”他补充说道。野生动物也得益于这些变化,伯特斯先生说:“候鸟正不断回归。” 1960年塞内加尔脱离法国取得独立。而早在1954年,该项目便已建造了八个地下水泵站并投入使用。这些水泵将水源注入巨大的盆地,以滋养动物、灌溉苗圃、浇灌果园和菜地。

解析 1.Old people in Thiengoly say they can remember when there were so many trees that you couldn’t see the sky.希格利村(Thiengoly)的老人们对当年这里树木遮天蔽日的景象记忆犹新。
  分析  语言措辞类
  本句中的when there were so many trees that you couldn’t see the sky中的so…that…,表达了句子间的因果关系,但如果直译成“……记得这里因为有很多树木,所以看不到天空”,则显得呆板哕唆。因此,考虑到英语以形制意,汉语以意驭形的特点,此处可采取省译法,剔除英语原句中繁复的句型结构,将其简化至trees…couldn’t see the sky,并用四字成语“遮天蔽日”来表达句中核心意象,恰如其分。另外,根据上下文,they can remember中潜含着“仍然”的语气,因此可译成“记忆犹新”,从而呼应了老人们对过去的美好印象。
2.Dried animal dung is scattered everywhere,but hardly any dried grass is.动物干粪四处散落,但枯草却难觅踪迹。
  分析  句子结构类
  本句中,but hardly any dried grass is省略了scattered everywhere,其句子结构与前半句相似,但意思却形成对比,翻译时不仅要把省略部分表达出来,还要避免重复,因此可译成“难觅踪迹”。但需要注意的是,有时为强调或突出修辞色彩,翻译时重复则是必要甚至是必须的,如:Everything passes,even regret.一切都会过去,甚至悔恨也会成为过去。英语省略句的翻译方法有很多,前提是要对省略的具体结构和内容进行分析斟酌,方能达旨怡情。
3.Overgrazing and climate change are the major causes of the Sahara’s advance,said Gilles Boetsch,an anthropologist who directs a team of French scientists working with Senegalese researchers in the region.人类学家吉勒斯-伯特斯(Gilles Boetsch)认为,过度放牧和气候变化是造成撒哈拉沙漠扩张的主要原因。目前,他正带领一个法国科学家团队与塞内加尔研究人员,在这一地区共同研究通力合作。
  分析  句子结构类、语言措辞类
  本句中,who引导的定语从句较长,可采取断句译法,将句子拆分成两部分,从而避免汉语译文过于冗长繁复,意思拗口难懂。另外,句中advance一般意为“前进,发展”,而此处根据上下文,可判知其指的应该是沙漠化的发展进程,因此可意译为“扩张”,这样更符合汉语表达习惯。
4.The local Peul people are herders,often nomadic.当地的珀尔人(Peul)都是牧民,常常居无定所。
  分析  词性转换类
  本句中,nomadic意为“游牧的,流浪的”,其前面省略了系动词are。如果按照形容词词性直译成“常常游牧的、流浪的”,显得较为拗口生硬,而转译成动词短语“居无定所”或“过着游牧生活”,则更符合汉语表达习惯。
5.Since 2008,however,Senegal has been fighting back against the encroaching desert.不过,自2008年以来,塞内加尔一直致力于抗击沙漠侵蚀。
  分析  词性转换类
  本句中,根据上下文可判知沙漠扩张或沙漠化已成为该地区严重问题,如果译成“……一直致力于抗击侵蚀的沙漠”,语义稍显不通且不能突出“侵蚀”这个语义重点,因此可采取词性转换译法,将形容词转译为名词,凸显句中主要信息“抗击……侵蚀”,更符合上下文语境。
6.After their first dry season,the saplings look dead,brown twigs sticking out of holes in the ground,but 80 percent survive.第一个旱季过后,树苗看上去像是枯死了,褐色的嫩枝从地面树坑里冒出来,但80%的树苗都存活了下来。
  分析    句子结构类
  本句中,brown twigs sticking out of holes in the ground虽是独立主格结构作伴随状语,但在此处可直接译成独立的并列句,从而使句子结构清晰,语义明了。另外,根据上下文和连词but,此处可采取增译法,在80%后面增加主语“树苗”和“都”,来凸显主语及加强语气。
7.Six years on,trees planted in 2008 are up to 3 meters,or 10 feet,tall.So far,30,000 hectares,or about 75,000 acres,have been planted,including 4,000 hectares this summer.六年后,这些2008年栽种的树苗已长到了3米(约10英尺)高。截至目前,植树面积已达3万公顷(约7.5万英亩),其中包括今夏栽种的4000公顷。
  分析  语言措辞类
本句涉及各种数字和单位,作为翻译中的重要信息,这一部分容易出错,因此千万不可掉以轻心,尤其是feet(英尺)、hectare(公顷)、acre(英亩)这类英制单位,需要牢记其英汉含义,不可混淆弄错。另外,本句中的or 10 feet,or about 75,000acres,统一使用括号加注,可避免视觉和概念上的混淆。
8.There are already discernible impacts on the microclimate,said Jean-Luc Peiry,a physical geography professor at the Université Pascal in Clermont-Ferrand,France,who has placed 30 sensors to record temperatures around some tree seedlings.该项目对微气候的影响已经开始显现。来自法国克莱蒙费朗市(Clermont-Ferrand)帕斯卡尔大学(Pascal)的自然地理学教授让-卢克-佩里(Jean-Luc Peiry),放置了30个传感器来记录树苗周围的气温变化。
  分析  句子结构类、专有名词类
本句中,Jean-Luc Peiry的修饰部分比较长,翻译时可压缩减译,只提取其核心信息“……教授”“放置传感器……”,从而使译文简洁明了,重点突出。另外,microclimate一般译为“微气候,小气候”,指的是森林、城市、洞穴等局部地区的气候。
9.“The trees also have an important role in slowing the soil erosion caused by the wind,reducing the dust,and acting like a large doormat,halting the sand-laden winds from the Sahara,”he added.“同时,这些树木还可以减缓大风引起的水土流失、降尘、并充当地垫以阻挡来自撒哈拉沙漠的沙尘。”他补充说道。
  分析  句子结构类
  本句在翻译时首先需要先明确其结构;介词in后面有三个动名词slowing,reducing和acting,它们是have an important role in doing sth.中,介宾结构的并列成分,而最后的halting则是现在分词短语作状语,用以补充说明a large doormat的作用。翻译时,只需明确各部分间的主从关系,尤其将“减缓水土流失”“降尘”“充当地垫”这三个并列信息整齐翻译出来,然后再添加其他次要信息即可,同时还要力求贴近汉语简洁明快的表达习惯。
10.The pumps fill giant basins that provide water for animals,tree nurseries and gardens where fruits and vegetables are grown.这些水泵将水源注入巨大的盆地,以滋养动物、灌溉苗圃、浇灌果园和菜地。
  分析  句子结构类
本句中,provide water for后面出现了三个并列名词animals,tree nurseries和gardens。这种“多枝共干结构”在英语表达中非常典型,一个动词往往可以同多个名词搭配,词的黏合力和搭配能力很强。对于此类结构,翻译时需根据上下文选择相应动词以搭配不同的名词,从而避免语义重复,并增强语句的层次感。比如,该句如果译为“……为动物供水、为苗圃供水、为种有水果蔬菜的花园供水”,就会显得乏味呆板,没有美感,而译为“滋养动物、灌溉苗圃、浇灌果园和菜地”不仅符合汉语搭配习惯,还彰显了汉语表达的动态审美张力。另外,where引导的定语从句,可采取合并译法,即把先行词和定语从句的信息融合到一起:种植水果的garden可译成果园,种植蔬菜的则译成菜地,从而使汉语意合的译法更加活泛形象。
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