第四课 - 代词、代词主谓一致原则及英语译本的问题
英语的词性大约有10种,名词n.副词adv.介词prep,代词pron,数词num,动词v,形容词adj,冠词art,连词conj,感叹词interj,及物动词vt,不及物动词vi,助动词vaux,缩写abbr,动词不定式inf.,单数sing,复数pl,情态动词aux.。不同的词性代表着不同的意思,用法不一。 我们本周回顾一下代词一些用法及代词与名词的一致原则, 即代词在数、人称、性和格等方面要与它所代替的名词如何保持一致, 但是我们也会注意到英语翻译的不同版本中有明显的没有遵守一致原则之处。
代词的概述
代词(pronoun)顾名思义,就是指代名词的词。英语中的代词,按其意义、特征及在句中的作用分为以下九类:
四种代词的总结对比图
2. 代词一致的原则: 代词在数、人称、性和格等方面要与它所代替的名词保持一致。
例:She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 她将生一个儿子,你要给祂取名叫耶稣,因为祂要把自己的子民从罪恶中救出来。(马太1:21)
2.1 不定代词作主语时的主谓一致。
1)everything,anything,something,nothing,everybody,every-one,anybody,anyone,somebody,someone,nobody,no one等构成的合成代词及neither,either,each,one,the other,another,little,much等作主语,谓语动词用单数。例如:
And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 有人想控告你,要夺取你的内衣,连外衣也给他。
2)both,a few,many,several等作主语时,谓语动词用复数。例如:
Several of them know the construction of the machine.
3)all,most,some,none等作主语时,如果所指的是复数名词,谓语动词用复数。如果所指的是单数名词或不可数名词,谓语动词用單数。例如:
Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.“所有劳苦困乏、背负重担的人啊,到我这里来吧!我要赐给你们安息。(马太11:28)
4)“more than基数词+复数名词”作主语,谓语动词用复数;“more than one”或者“more than one+单数名词”作主语时,谓语动词用单数。例如:
More than one has found it so.
More than a thousand inhabitants have signed the petition.
2.疑问代词what,which,who作主语时,谓语动词的单复数取决于疑问代词指的是单数或是复数。例如:
Who knows the reason?
Who care about the tides?
3.that,which或who做从句的主语时,谓语动词要与关系代词的先行词的人称和数一致。例如:
There is one of the best books that have ever been written on the subject.
I was the one who was going to London.
2.2 代词在性方面的一致
1.当名称的性无法确定时,阴性与阳性都可使用。
例如:An average student with average intelligence can be a top student if he/she plans his/her time carefully. 中等智力水平的学生只要仔细安排他(她)的时间也能成为优等生。
2.国家、船只等名词常被看作阴性,因此可以用she,her代替。
如:Titanic Was really a great ship at that time. She was called a ship of dream.泰坦尼克当时确实是一艘了不起的船,被称之为“梦之船”。
3.在非正式文体或附加疑问句中,当everyone,somebody,nobody,no one作主语时,代词用they.也可用he.
如:Everyone knows what they have to do. don't they?
Everyone knows his job,doesn’t he?
4.当everything,anything,something,nothing作主语时,在附加疑问句中,代词通常用 it. Something should be done,shouldnt it? Nothing will be damaged during the vocation.won’t it?
2.3 代词在人称上的一致
1.代词在人称上应与其所在句中的主语保持一致。
例如:The women in the committee expressed their opinions at the con-ference.委员会里的妇女在会议上表达了她们的观点。
Mr. Roger and I visited Beijing last year. We stayed there for one month.我和罗杰去年逛了北京,我们在那里逗留了一个月。
2.在英国英语里,和One照应的代词是one,ones,oneself,而美国英语里常用he,him,his,himself.
例如:One should wash one‘s hair regularly.人应该经常洗头。One cannot succeed unless he works hard.一个人如果不努力,就不能成功。
3. anyone,anybody,everyone,everybody,nobody相对应的、既可以指男性也可以指女性的单数形式的人称代词所以在某些场合人称上,用they,them,their.
例如:Everyone has read the notice, haven’t they?每一个人都看了通知了,是吗?
Nobody objected, did they?没人反对,是吧?
4.“either/neither+复数名词”作主语时,在正式场合中,人称代词用his.,口语中,用their。
例如:Neither of them could make up his mind.(正式场合)两人谁也做不了主。
Neither of them could make up their minds.(口语中)两人谁也做不了主。
总之,英语写作中的代词一致看似简单,实则相当复杂,这就需要我们在写作中注意代词一致的一些特殊情况。这样才能在行文中写出符合语法习惯的英语作文。
3. 圣经中的英语翻译版本中的代词不一致
代词一致是一个十分重要的原则,尤其学生在应对考试时和写作时要注意, 在口语中也应注意。然后我们发现在不同的英语翻译版本,这个原则并不算很一致, 尤其是NIV英语版本在使用代词方面,比较多采用复数代词。
我们看下面的句子,想想为什么代词和它所代替的名词在数和性方面不一致?
如:What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”(马太15:11)
But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 可是,从口中出来的乃是发自内心,会使人污秽。(马太15:18)
These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”这些东西才使人污秽。不洗手吃饭并不会使人污秽。”(马太15:20)
原来在现代英语中,将一个人(可以是男性或女性)统称为“他”已变得越来越不被接受。 但是,不幸的是,英语没有一个单指的第三人称代词,可以同时指代男人或女人。 我们只有“他”,“她”或“它”。 说英语的人和写作的人绕开提及一个人而不指定性别的一种方法是使用复数代词,例如“他们”或“他们的”或“他们”,即使是指一个普通或具有代表性的人。某些圣经的英语翻译采用了复数代词,以避免在没有的经文中传达错误的性别偏见(例如NRSV,CEB和NIV)。我们可以把一个句子的三个版本放在一起对比一下:
NIV 版本:What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”(马太15:11)
ESV版本: “…it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 可是,从口中出来的乃是发自内心,会使人污秽。(马太15:11)
NRSV版本:”…it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” 可是,从口中出来的乃是发自内心,会使人污秽。(马太15:11)
对比下面:
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. “如果有人要跟从我,就应当舍己,背起他的十字架跟从我。(NIV 马太16:24)
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.“如果有人要跟从我,就应当舍己,背起他的十字架跟从我。(ESV 马太16:24)
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. “如果有人要跟从我,就应当舍己,背起他的十字架跟从我。(NRSV 马太16:24)
4. 如何选择圣经的英语学习版本?
其实每个版本都有优缺点,逐个字词都翻出来的比较忠于原文,但可能晦涩难懂。 如果翻译加上了意译,可能读起来通顺了,又可能出现过度解读,甚至可能因为译者的局限性,影响了准确性。下图有个不同的英语版本的对比,供大家参考。从学习英语角度,我一般推荐NIV的DRAMATIZED朗读版本,但是发现一些句子不太准确或感觉出现违反自己学习的语法原则,还是应该对比一些其他英语翻译版本(可以用https://www.biblegateway.com/ 查阅不同的版本)。
圣经英语不同译本的对比图
参考:
谈英语写作中的代词一致:http://m.fx361.com/news/2018/0124/2781073.html
WHY MASCULINE PRONOUNS CAN BE MISLEADING IN ENGLISH BIBLES AND IN THE CHURCH
Speaking Truth in Love: Should Christians Use Gender-Neutral Pronouns?https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/article/speaking-truth-love-christians-use-gender-neutral-pronouns/