參考譯文:
When it comes to China sports, we cannot avoid mentioning table tennis. This sport has helped China win countless world championships, bringing Chinese people a lot of happiness and a sense of pride. In addition, table tennis has always been one of the favorite sports of the Chinese people. You will see table tennis and its players everywhere, no matter in schools, residential areas, parks or squares. Both elder people and children are able to play it more or less. This is another reason why it is called the "Chinese National Ball".
解析:
1.第1句“提到中國體育不能不說乒乓球”可套用句型When…we cannot avoid mentioning sth.來表達“當……時不能不說……”的意思。該句中“提到”和“說”意義相近,翻譯時應避免用詞重復。“提到”用短語when it comes to來表達,也可通俗地說成when we talk about…。
2.第2句中“贏得了……”和 “帶來……”為并列結構,翻譯時,可將其直譯為and連接的并列結構,也可將后半句譯成現(xiàn)在分詞短語bringing Chinese people a lot of happiness and a sense of pride,作伴隨狀語。
3.第4句中的“都可以看到乒乓球和人們揮拍的身影”這個句子中,主語因約定俗成而省略,這種“無主語句” 在漢語中頻頻出現(xiàn),翻譯成英文時往往要根據(jù)主語的重要性進行相應補全或譯成無主語的被動句,此處宜將主語you補充出來。該句中“揮拍的身影”省譯更符合英語表達習慣,只需譯出“看到乒乓球和人們”即可。
4.最后一句中的“花甲老人”和“年幼孩童”分別用elder people和children來表達即可,不必譯出“花甲”、“年幼”二詞。在處理一些為了行文需要而存在的中文表達時,應采取“減詞”的翻譯策略,否則譯文反而顯得累贅或違背英語表達習慣。