英语的同位语从句是用以解释说明前面某一名词的内容的,也就是将这一名词的含义具体化,其地位和此名词是同等的。从句常用that或whether来引导。同位语从句常用来说明fact, theory, sense, question, conclusion, news, experience, evidence, proof, condition, law, conjecture, doubt等词的具体含义。
翻译此类从句时,一般有两种处理方法:一种把从句译成一个独立的句子,并在其前加即…,这…等词,或在从句所修饰的名词之后加冒号或破折号;二是用的字把从句放在它所修饰的词之前。如:
Furthermore, it is obvious that the strength of a country's economy is directly bound up with the efficiency of its agriculture and industry, and that this in turn rests upon the efforts of scientists and technologists of all kinds.(2000年)
结构分析:句子的框架是Furthermore, it is obvious that…, and that….这是典型的句型It+is+obvious+that clause. It是形式主语,真正的主语是由连词and连接的两个并列的主语从句:A.that the strength is…bound with…, B.and that this…rests upon the efforts….第一个主语从句中的词组be bound up with是与…有关联之意;在第二个主语从句中,代词this指代前文的the efficiency of its agriculture and industry,译为效率的提高。
参考译文:再者,显而易见的是一个国家的经济实力与其工农业生产效率密切相关,而效率的提高则又有赖于各种科技人员的努力。
There is no agreement whether methodology refers to the concepts peculiar to historical work in general or to the research techniques appropriate to the various branches of historical inquiry.(1999年)
结构分析:句子的框架是There is no agreement whether…or….主句是There is no agreement,agreement后面紧跟了由whether引导的同位语从句作同位语;在同位语从句中,谓语动词短语refers to跟了两个由连词or连接的并列宾语:A.the concepts peculiar to historical work in general; B.the research techniques appropriate to the various branches of historical inquiry.在第一个宾语中,形容词词组peculiar to historical work和介词词组in general作后置定语修饰the concepts;在第二个宾语中同样有形容词词组appropriate to…of historical inquiry作后置定语修饰the research techniques.
参考译文:所谓方法论是指一般的历史研究中的特有概念,还是指历史探究中各个具体领域适用的研究手段,人们对此意见不一。