英语表示倍数增减或倍数对比的句型多种多样,其中有 一些(如下文中的句型⑵、⑸、⑹、⑻、⑿ 等)很容易译错,其主要原因在于:英汉两语在表述或对比倍数方面存在着语言与思维差异。现将常用的英语倍数句型及其正确译法归纳如下:
倍数增加
(一)A is n times as great (long, much, ...) as B. ⑴
A is n times greater (longer, more, ...) than B. ⑵
A is n times the size (length, amount, ...) of B. ⑶
以上三句都应译为:A的大小(长度、数量、……)是B的n倍,或A比B大(长、多、……)n-1倍。
eg: This book is three times as long as that one. / three times longer than that one. / three times the length of that one.
这本书的篇幅是那本书的3倍(即比那本书长两倍)。
注:当相比的对象B很明显时,than (as, of) B 常被省去。
(二)increase to n times ⑷
increase n times / n-fold ⑸
increase by n times ⑹
increase by a factor of n ⑺
以上四句均应译为:增加到n倍,或增加n-1倍。
eg: The production of integrated circuits has been increased to three times as compared with last year.
集成电路的产量比去年增加了两倍。
eg: The output of chemical fertilizer has been raised five times as against 1986.
化肥产量比1986年增加了4倍。
eg: That can increase metabolic rates by two or three times.
那可使代谢率提高到原来的2倍或3倍(即提高1倍或2倍)。
eg: The drain voltage has been increased by a factor of four.
漏电压增加了3倍(即增加到原来的4倍)。
注:在这类句型中increase常被raise、grow、go/step up、multiply 等词所替代。
(三)There is a n-fold increase / growth... ⑻
应译为:增加n-1倍,或增至n倍。
这个句型还有其它一些形式:
eg: A record high increase in value of four times was reported.
据报道,价值破记录地增长了3倍。
(四)double(增加1倍)、treble(增加2倍)、quadruple(增加3倍)⑼
eg: The efficiency of the machines has been more than trebled or quadrupled.
这些机器的效率已提高了2倍或3倍多。
(五)此外,英语中还有一种用again而不用倍数词来比较倍数的方法,如:
A is as much (large, long, ...) again as B. = A is twice as much (large, long, ...) as B. ⑽
应译为:A比B多(大、长、……)1倍。
A is half as much (large, long, ...) again as B. = A is one and a half times as much (large, long, ...) as B. ⑾
应译为:A比B多(大、长、……)一半,即A是B的一倍半。
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