A Little Chat about English Grammar梁实秋Liang Shiqiu🔥背景知识：梁实秋（1902-1987），北京人，原籍浙江杭县（今余杭），著名现代散文家、翻译家、教育家。《略谈英文文法》一文言简意赅，老马识途，指出死抠语法书是国人英语学习的一大通病，具参考价值。三百多年前，英国没有讲英文文法的书。Over 300 years ago, there were no English grammars in England.🎈「英文文法的书」即「英语语法书」，译作English grammars。grammar作「语法/文法」讲时是不可数名词，作「语法书」讲时可数。英文没有文法吗？英国人说话不根据文法吗？不。话不是这样说。Was it because at that time the English languages had no grammar or English spoke without following any grammatical rules? No, that was not the case.🎈Was it because是增译成分，原文虽无其词而有其意。🎈had no grammar or English spoke without following any grammatical rules中，简化完便是had no grammar or English。以及，个人建议：spoke改做spoken，作English的后置定语，更符合语法。🎈此处的「文法」是指「语法规则」，译作grammatical rules。🎈情况并非如此that was not the case如果事实果真如此… If that were the case..在这种情况下 in such a case任何文字当然有它一套组成的法则。Any language of course has rules to go by.🎈go by sth.固定搭配，是「遵照…（去做）」，如You should go by what he says. 你应该照他说的去做。大家说话，当然要根据一套公认的法则，否则大家随便乱讲，彼此无从互相了解了。All people speak a language according to a set of generally accepted rules, for otherwise their speech would be all topsy-turvy and unintelligible.🎈「一套公认的法则」即「一套大家都认可或接受的规则」，现译作a set of generally accepted rules。🎈for otherwise（否则），请注意英译时这个连接短语的位置变化。🎈「否则大家随便乱讲，彼此无从互相了解了」这句英译时并未按字面翻译，而是根据上下文选了两个更利于表达意图的形容词：topsy-turvy（乱套的，混乱的）。例句The world has turned topsy-turvy.整个世界都乱套了。🎈Unintelligible（令人费解的）如Some unintelligible words 一些让人费解的言语。不过，我们要知道，所谓文法也者，不是任谁武断订定的，乃是由公认的语言习惯中归纳出来的一个系统。We ought to know, however, that grammar, rather than something arbitrarily created, is a system drawn from common linguistic usage.🎈也者：①语气助词，表提示。②语气助词，表疑问。③语气助词，表拟度（推测、揣测）🎈「不是任谁武断订定的」译作rather than something arbitrarily created，arbitrarily指「没有事实依据，专横或武断地判断、作出决定等」🎈「 …中归纳出来」译作drawn from…，draw是「得出(结论)」如draw a conclusion得出结论。先有语言，后有文字，然后再有文法书。Speech comes first, then the written Language, and then the grammar book.🎈「语言」这里是指「用于日常沟通交流的口头语即口语」，不宜译为language，应译为speech。🎈积累表示先后顺序的表达：A comes first，then B， and then C.三百多年前的时候，英国有一些学者开始感觉到有撰写语法书的需要，于是以拉丁文的文法为蓝本，利用拉丁文法上的各种专门术语，编写英文文法书。Over 300 years ago, some scholars in England, realizing the necessity for an English grammar, began to work on it on the model of Latin grammar, borrowing heavily from its terminology.🎈注意England的翻译：英国全称为大不列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国，由英格兰、威尔士、苏格兰和北爱尔兰组成，而整个英国的历史也就是由这四个区域的历史交织组成。英国历史的源头可追溯到罗马统治时期。英格兰王国（Kingdom of England；927年－1707年5月1日），是位于西欧的一个国家，在大不列颠岛的南方，包含了英格兰与威尔士公国。1541年与爱尔兰王国组成共主邦联，1603年与苏格兰王国组成共主邦联。🎈原句「有撰写语法书的需要」转换为名词短语the necessity for an English grammar，请注意这种词性转换，英译中很普遍。又，realizing the necessity for an English grammar作原因状语。🎈「以…为蓝本」译为on the model of…，model这里是「理论模式」莎士比亚的时代，英国人尚没有研读英文文法的。In Shakespeare’s time, nobody in England studied English grammar. 🎈「莎士比亚的时代」译为In Shakespeare’s time，in one’s time固定搭配「…的时代/统治时期」如果他们研读文法，研读的是拉丁文法。What they studied was Latin grammar.🎈what引导主语从句。那时侯英国的中学叫做“文法学校”，那文法是拉丁文法，不是英文文法，那时侯尚无英文文法这样一个名词。Middle schools then were known as “grammar schools”, the word “grammar” referring to “Latin grammar” instead of “English grammar”, a term then non-existent.🎈the word “grammar” referring to “Latin grammar” instead of “English grammar”是独立主格结构，其中，the word是译文的增译，更明确避免误解。🎈「那时侯尚无英文文法这样一个名词」这样一个长句，英译仅用一个短语a term then non-existent便充分表达，简介明了，也为突出主句内容服务。a term then non-existent是English grammar的同位语，其中，then取「当时、那时」的释义，而非「后来、然后」大体讲来，英文本是一种北方的语言，硬用拉丁文法去分析英文，其结果当然不免要有一些牵强，更随时要遇到例外。As English was largely a northern language, the forced application of Latin grammar to its analysis ended inevitably in inadequacies and frequent exceptions to rules.🎈As引导原因状语从句。🎈「硬用」这里根据句意译作the forced application of…🎈「不免要」译作ended inevitably in。其中，inevitably是「不可避免地」，end in表示「以…结尾/告终」🎈「牵强」译作inadequacies，指（能力等）不足。语言是活的，随时在变，字义以及句法等等都在变。A living language changes all the time. Its word meanings, sentence structures, etc. all keep changing.🎈「语言是活的」译作living language，请注意这种词性转换的翻译方法，值得学习。🎈「字义」即「词的意思」，译作Its word meanings。🎈「句法」即「句子结构」，译作sentence structures。🎈word meanings, sentence structures, etc.：列举时如果用到了etc，那么所列举的内容之间不加and。我们现代所认为不合文法的词句，往往正是二三百年前大家通用的英文。Phrases and sentences which we today think ungrammatical were often in common use 2-3 centuries ago.🎈「不合文法的」译作ungrammatical，是「不合语法规则的」🎈「通用」即「大家都在普遍使用」，译作in common use。不用说二三百年，三五十年间就可能有显著的变化。所以“标准的英文”是很难讲的。It might take only 3-5 decades rather than 2-3 centuries for a marked linguistic change to occur. Therefore, it is very difficult to speak “standard English”.🎈辨析instead of 和rather than都有「而不是」的意思。instead of：「代替，而不是」，重点词是of，它是介词，所以后接名词，代词和v-ing形式，尤其需注意的是动词该用动名词形式，即v-ing。rather than：（是……）而不是……，它是连词，前后成分在形式上必须保持一致，所以后面的结构应该与前面一样，就有可能出现代词主格，动词的各种形式等，不一而足，但关键是要和与它对比的结构形式一致！例句I’ll go there instead of him.I rather than he（与I一致）will go there.Yesterday he walked here instead of driving here.Yesterday he walked here rather than drove（与walked一致）here.每一时代有其不同的标准，拿五十年前甚至一百年前的文法书来衡量现代的英文，实在是自寻烦恼的事。Each historical period has a different standard of its own. It will really be much ado about nothing to judge of modern English by its grammar of 50 or even 100 years ago.🎈「其」实则「它自身的…」，所以译为of its own。🎈ado是「纷扰，麻烦」。惯用搭配为：much ado about nothing 无事生非，小题大作。🎈会议致辞中，常用固定表达without further ado/ without more ado（闲话少说）🎈判断、评价… judge of …国人学习英文，喜欢从文法下手，以为一旦文法通晓，英文即可豁然贯通。People of our country tend to overstress the importance of grammar when they begin to study English, thinking that once they have acquired a good knowledge of grammar, they will have thoroughly mastered the language.🎈「国人」即「自己国家的人」，译作People of our country。🎈「喜欢从文法下手」这一句并未按字面直译，而是根据原文表达意图译为overstress the importance of grammar（过分强调文法的重要性)。🎈thinking that…作伴随状语，也可理解为原因状语。具体类型根据其表意判断。🎈「豁然贯通」这里指「（快速地）彻底掌握这门外语」，译thoroughly mastered。这当然不是没有理由。不过这是一个旧法子，The method they pursue is outdated though not a hundred percent wrong.🎈「不是没有理由」双重否定「不是」「没有」来表达肯定，这是中文惯用的一种修辞，译文though not a hundred percent wrong（并非百分之百错误）巧妙地通过not，wrong两词来传达这种对应，而且这句式很地道流畅。较新的法子是不从死板的抽象的文法理论下手，而去直接的学习那活的语言方式。The new method is by learning directly from the living speech instead of by starting with the rigid and abstract theory of grammar.🎈「死板的抽象的文法理论」译the rigid and abstract theory of grammar，rigid是指 (法律、制度或体系)严格的，刻板的，不可变更的，这里是指英文语法理论。我们儿时学语，何尝理会什么文法，一年半载的工夫我们就会说话了。When people learn to speak in childhood, they never study any grammar. And yet they learn to speak in but a year or so.🎈在描述一个普遍性现象或者理论时，中文常用「我们…」作为主语进行陈述，英译时要适当转换成people或根据上下文补充更具体的群体性名词，如Chinese students、Government officials等，如每次出现「我们」均直译为We则很容易出现中式英语，尤其在连续的排比句中。🎈Yet此处是副词，用于表示仍有可能还是，仍然。例句Like the best stories, this one may yet have a happy end…就像最精彩的故事那样，这个故事也许仍会有个美好的结局。🎈speak in but a year or sobut是副词，表示「仅仅、只、才」例句This is but one of the methods used to try and get alcoholics to give up drink.这只是为让那些酗酒者戒酒所尝试的方法之一。学习外国语，当然比较难得多，但是道理还是一样。Of course it is much more difficult with the study of a foreign language. But the same reason holds good. 🎈it is much more difficult with the study of a foreign language不是it is adj+…的结构，这里it不是形式主语，而是指代「学语言」这件事，后面的with结构对「学语言」补充说明，表伴随，加了限定范围，即「学习外国语」🎈「道理还是一样」译为the same reason holds good，hold good固定词组表示「情况同样适用」或「仍然有效」，比如The same result doesn’t hold good in all cases. 并非所有情况都是这个结果。Your offer will hold good for a week, right? 你们的报价一周内都有效，对吗?合理的学习语言的方法，那是自然的学习方法。The proper method is by learning naturally.🎈by表示通过，后接方式。「自然的学习方法」由名词词性转化为动词词性，灵活译为learning naturally。这一点粗浅的道理，谁都晓得。The above-mentioned shallow view is common knowledge. 🎈「粗浅的道理」译为shallow view，shallow(指人、作品、思想)肤浅的，浅薄的。 🎈「谁都晓得」并没有译为Everyone knows，而是is common knowledge（是常识，众所周知的事情），翻译实践过程应适当运用这样的灵活表达。所以我们的课程标准明白规定不许学校单独讲授文法。Therefore our school syllabus has explicitly ruled out the teaching of grammar in the classroom as an independent subject.🎈排除，不予考虑；阻止…发生 rule out例句Local detectives have ruled out foul play.当地的侦探已经排除了他杀的可能性。🎈「单独讲授文法」这里应理解为「把语法当作一门独立的科目来教」，译为the teaching of grammar… as an independent subject.可是事实上，我知道许多学校依然是在讲解文法，学生们依然是在钻研文法。其所以如此，是因为大家都不免有一点惰性，不易接纳新的观点，同时也是因为平时我们没有把英文教好学好，急来抱佛脚，以为研读文法是学习英文的捷径。But, the fact is, as far as I know, many schools are still buried in its study-partly because people are generally inert and reluctant to accept new ideas, and partly because, having failed to teach or learn successfully, they hastily seek help from grammar at the last moment, regarding it as a shortcut to mastering English.🎈Bury oneself in book/newspaper/study etc.是「埋头于看书/报纸/学习等」，译文用are still buried in…（仍然埋头于…）表达「钻研」的意思。🎈「惰性」译作inert。lazy多指「意愿及动作行为上的懒惰」，而inert更强调本身的特性如inert substance惰性物质（指不与其它化学物质发生反应），inert personality呆板的个性。🎈「急来抱佛脚」译作hastily seek help at the last moment（最后一刻急急忙忙地寻求帮助），常用语翻译请注意积累。文法不是不可以讲。句子的构造法最关重要。Nevertheless, we still have to mind our grammar. Sentence structure is of great importance.🎈「文法不是不可以讲」理解为「文法不是不重要」→我们仍需要注意文法，现译为we still have to mind our grammar.🎈这里的「句子的构造法」即「句子结构」，译作Sentence structure。例如说，“我有一本书”，这在中文英文没有什么分别，用不着特别致力的去学习。For instance, the English sentence I have a book and its Chinese equivalent Wo you yi ben shu（我有一本书）are practically the same in structure, and hence can be learned without too much difficultly. 🎈I have a book和Wo you yi ben shu（我有一本书）分别是the English sentence和its Chinese equivalent的同位语。🎈请注意文中所举例子「我有一本书」和「你住在那里？」的对比，主要是为了说明中英语法（语序）的差异，应在理解这点的基础上进行翻译且此类情况应给出拼音。“你住在那里？”这句话中英文就不一样了。On the other hand, the English sentence Where do you live? is different in structure from its Chinese equivalent Ni zhu zai na li（你住在那里）?🎈和……不同be different from这就需要反复练习，以养成语言习惯。And hence needs repeated drilling till you get used to it.🎈个人建议：此句改为And hence the need for repeated drilling till you get used to it或And hence后+完整句子（there is the need for…）中文语法和英文语法究竟有多少不同处，需要彻底研究，以这研究的结果来做英语教学的准则，是最合理的学习英文的方法。It requires a thorough study to find out where the languages differ grammatically so as to facilitate the teaching and learning of English.🎈这句的重点是要表达「…才是最合理的学习英文方法」，也就是前半句内容的「目的」。在理解了这样的内在逻辑之后应对句式及主语进行定位，本句用It requires…to…, so as to…整合了全句，逻辑清晰层次分明。死记文法规则，“形容词分几种，”“子句分几种”……是事倍而功半的。The mechanical memorizing of such grammatical details as “classification of adjectives”, “classification of clauses”, etc. will achieve little result despite great effort.🎈常用短语的译法死记（the mechanical memorizing of）、事倍而功半（achieve little result despite great effort.），请注意积累。🔥必背词汇set cn.一套，一组，一系列英义A set of things is a number of things that belong together or that are thought of as a group. 例句There must be one set of laws for the whole of the country.整个国家必须要有一套统一的法律。topsy-turvy adj.混乱的，乱七八糟的，颠三倒四的英义Something that is topsy-turvy is in a confused or disorganized state. 例句The world has turned topsy-turvy in my lifetime.在我的一生中世界已经变得一团糟。arbitrary adj.武断的，任意的，任性的，主观的英义If you describe an action, rule, or decision as arbitrary, you think that it is not based on any principle, plan, or system. It often seems unfair because of this. 例句Arbitrary arrests and detention without trial were common.随意逮捕和拘留屡见不鲜。🔥重点表达英文文法的书 English grammars文法 grammatical rules遵照…（去做） go by sth.乱套的 topsy-turvy令人费解的 unintelligible武断地 arbitrarily…中归纳出来drawn from以…为蓝本 on the model of……的时代/统治时期 in one’s time不存在的 non-existent硬用 the forced application of…不可避免地 inevitably牵强 inadequacy语言是活的 living language句子结构 sentence structures不合文法的 ungrammatical通用 in common use国人 People of our country豁然贯通 thoroughly mastered不是没有理由 though not a hundred percent wrong死板的抽象 rigid and abstract道理还是一样 the same reason holds good粗浅的道理 shallow view谁都晓得 …is common knowledge惰性 inert急来抱佛脚 hastily seek help at the last moment句子结构 sentence structure反复练习 repeated drilling死记… The mechanical memorizing of…事倍而功半 achieve little result despite great effort🔥复盘测试英文文法的书 文法 遵照…（去做） 乱套的 令人费解的 武断地 …中归纳出来 以…为蓝本 …的时代/统治时期 不存在的 硬用 不可避免地 牵强 语言是活的 句子结构 不合文法的 通用 国人 豁然贯通 不是没有理由 死板的抽象 道理还是一样 粗浅的道理 谁都晓得 惰性 急来抱佛脚 句子结构反复练习死记… 事倍而功半 🔥重点表达「应该」有几种表达？不过，我们（要）知道，所谓文法也者，不是任谁武断订定的，乃是由公认的语言习惯中归纳出来的一个系统。We ought to know, however, that grammar, rather than something arbitrarily created, is a system drawn from common linguistic usage. 你（应该）反抗，（应该）斗争。You need to push back. You (need to) challenge.我们（应该）享受同工同酬。 We deserve equal pay for equal work.我（应该）节食的。 I’m supposed to be on a diet.但是（应该）还有另外一个。 But there should be another one for a pair.
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梁实秋《略谈英文文法》 
爱是一颗心遇到另一颗心（出处+配图） 
