Lesson 8 A famous monastery 内容解析

Lesson 8 A famous monastery

1. The great St. Bernard pass connects Switzerland to Italy. At 2,473 meters, it is the highest mountain pass in Europe.

the great St. Bernard pass 圣伯纳德大山口.

Switzerland 瑞士.

mountain pass 山口.

译: 圣伯纳德大山口连接瑞士和意大利. 海拔2473米, 它是欧洲最高的山口.

2. The famous monastery of St. Bernard, which was founded in the eleventh century, lies about a mile away. For hundreds of years, St. Bernard dogs have saved the lives of travelers crossing the dangerous pass.

the famous monastery of St. Bernard 著名的圣伯纳德修道院.

which was founded in the eleventh century 为定语从句, 修饰 the famous monastery of St. Bernard.

... lies about a mile away 坐落于大约1英里远的地方.

for hundreds of years 几百年来.

crossing the dangerous pass 为 travelers 的定语.

the lives of travelers 旅游者的性命. 

travelers crossing the dangerous pass 跨越这道险要的山口的旅游者.

the lives of travelers crossing the dangerous pass 跨越这道险要的山口的旅游者的性命.

译: 著名的圣伯纳德修道院修建于11世纪, 就坐落在离山口大约1英里远的地方. 几百年来, 圣伯纳德修道院的驯养的狗狗们拯救了许多跨越这道险要的山口的旅游者的性命.

3. These friendly dogs, which were first brought from Asia, were used as watchdogs even in Roman Times. Now that a tunnel has been built through the mountains, the pass is less dangerous.

which were first brought from Asia 为定语从句, 修饰 these friendly dogs.

watchdog 看门狗.

even in Roman Times 早在罗马时代. (even 表语气加强)

now that 引导原因状语从句, 意为"如今由于......".

tunnel 隧道.

a tunnel has been built through the mountains 在山里开挖了隧道.

译: 这些狗狗最先从亚洲引进, 待人友好, 早在罗马时代就给人当作看门狗了. 如今由于在山里开挖了隧道, 翻越山口已不再那么危险.

4. But each year, the dogs are still sent out into the snow whenever a traveler is in difficulty. Despite the new tunnel, there are still a few people who rashly attempt to cross the pass on foot.

whenever a traveler is in difficulty 为时间状语从句, whenever 较 when 语气更强. 

The dogs are still sent out into the snow whenever a traveler is in difficulty. 这句话表面意思是"一有旅游者遇到困难, 狗狗们就要被派到雪地里去". 结合语境, 狗狗们被派到雪地里去是为了帮助遇到困难的旅游者, 所以这句话完整的意思是"狗狗们仍然要被派到雪地里去帮助那些遇到困难的旅游者". (从英文到中文的翻译不能只依表面意思, 还要结合语境, 进行适当地增加和删除)

despite the new tunnel 为句子的状语, 意为"尽管修建了隧道".

a few people 些许人.

few people 几乎没有人.

rashly 莽撞地, 冒失地.

attempt to do ... 企图......, 尝试......

cross the pass on foot 徒步翻越山口.

who rashly attempt to cross the pass on foot 为定语从句, 修饰 a few people.

译: 但每年仍然要派狗狗们到雪地里去帮助那些遇到困难的旅游者. 尽管修通了隧道, 但还是有些许人冒险徒步翻越山口.

5. During the summer months, the monastery is very busy, for it is visited by thousands of people who cross the pass in cars. As there are so many people about, the dogs have to be kept in a special enclosure.

during the summer months 夏天的几个月里.

The monastery is very busy, for it is visited by thousands of people who cross the pass in cars. 这句话的大意是"修道院十分忙碌, 因为成千上万的人来此参观, 他们驾车翻越山口", 经过逻辑的梳理后, 应译为"修道院十分忙碌, 因为成千上万的人驾车翻越山口, 顺道来此参观". (由此也可以看出, 翻译是较主观的: 每个人都有自己独特的风格, 一千个人就有一千种理解)

there are so many people about 也可用 there are so many people around 表达, 意为"附近到处都是人".

enclosure 围场, 圈地.

As there are so many people about, the dogs have to be kept in a special enclosure. 在这句话中, there are so many people about 的基本意思是"到处都是人", 经过对语境的分析, 此处的 about 实际上指的是"修道院附近", 所以 there are so many people about 在本文中应译为"修道院附近人很多".

译: 夏天的几个月里, 修道院十分忙碌, 因为有成千上万的人驾车翻越山口, 顺道来此参观. 由于来人太多, 狗狗们被关在专门的围栏里.

6. In winter, however, life at the monastery is quite different. The temperature drops to -30 degrees, and very few people attempt to cross the pass. The monks prefer winter to summer, for they have more privacy.

life at the monastery is quite different 修道院的生活是非常不同的. 由于上文中讲述了夏日时修道院的生活, 这里由 in winter 可知, 接下来要讲述冬日时修道院的生活. 再由 however, 说明即将讲述的冬日生活是和夏日截然不同的. 由上述分析, life at the monastery is quite different 应译为"(冬日)修道院的生活是另一番景象"较合适.

the temperature drops to minus 30 degrees 气温降至零下30度.

very few people 很少有人.

monk 和尚, 修道士.

privacy 清静, 隐居.

they have more privacy 他们拥有更多的清静. 根据我们的语言表达习惯, 应译为"(在冬天)他们能更多地过上清静的生活".

the monks prefer winter to summer 比起夏天, 修道士们更喜欢冬天. 这里对比冬日和夏日时修道院的生活, 发现作者描绘夏日生活时用到 busy 一词, 还提到 the dogs have to be kept in a special enclosure, 客观来说, 情感十分中立. 而在描写冬日生活时, 作者用到 however 一词, 说明与前面描绘夏日景象时截然不同; 作者又用 more privacy 说明修道士们在冬日过着更清静的生活; 后面又写道 the dogs have greater freedom too, for they are allowed to wander outside their enclosure, 作者使用 greater freedom too 表达狗狗们也有更多的自由. 从夏日的景象到冬日的景象时, 给读者以放松愉快的感觉(从人潮拥挤到清静自由). 综上所述, 修道士们喜欢冬日的生活. 较冬日的生活, 修道士们对于夏日的生活是不太喜欢的. 所以the monks prefer winter to summer 应译为"修道士们喜欢冬天而不太喜欢夏天".

译: 然而冬日修道院的生活是另一番景象. 气温降至-30℃, 很少有人翻越山口. 修道士们喜欢冬天而不太喜欢夏天, 因为在冬天他们能更多地过上清静的生活.

7. The dogs have greater freedom too, for they are allowed to wander outside their enclosure.

the dogs have greater freedom too 狗狗们也比较自由.

greater freedom 是和夏天时 the dogs have to be kept in a special enclosure 做对比, 说明狗狗们较夏天要自由, 所以译为"狗狗们也比较自由".

wander outside their enclosure 在围栏外四处溜达.

be allowed to do ... 被允许...... , 这里根据我们的语言习惯, 不必将"被允许"翻译出来, 用"可以"一词代替即可. (这里的可以是主观上的可以, 而不是客观上的)

译: 狗狗们也比较自由, 他们可以在围栏外四处溜达.

8. The only regular visitors to the monastery in winter are parties of skiers who go there at Christmas and Easter. These young people, who love the peace of the mountains, always receive a warm welcome at St. Bernard’s monastery.

regular visitors to the monastery 常来(定期来)修道院的参观者.

parties of skiers 一批批滑雪者. 

who go there at Christmas and Easter 为定语从句, 修饰 parties of skiers.

The only regular visitors to the monastery in winter are parties of skiers who go there at Christmas and Easter. 这句话中 at Christmas and Easter 译为"在圣诞节或复活节" 而不是 "在圣诞节和复活节" 是因为这一批批滑雪者既有圣诞节去的, 也有复活节去的, 还可能有圣诞节和复活节都去的, 所以应译为"在圣诞节或复活节".

who love the peace of the mountains 为定语从句, 修饰 these young people.

receive a warm welcome 受到热烈欢迎.

These young people, who love the peace of the mountains, always receive a warm welcome at St. Bernard's monastery. 这句话中的 always 译为"每年", 是因为上一句话提到 go there at Christmas and Easter, 说明这一批批滑雪者在每年的圣诞节或复活节到修道院去, 而 always 基本含义为"总是", 说明这一批批滑雪者每年去都受到热烈欢迎, 所以 always 应译为"每年".

译: 冬天常来修道院参观的只有一批批滑雪者, 他们在圣诞节或复活节到那去. 这些热爱高山清静环境的年轻人, 每年都受到圣伯纳德修道院的热烈欢迎.