安志宏
【摘要】商務(wù)英語文體中存在大量的并列式同位語,讀起來令人費(fèi)解。本文運(yùn)用案例分析法,探討如何運(yùn)用名片化思維方式來解讀并列式同位語。這種閱讀思維方式和技巧,將使商務(wù)英語閱讀變得更加簡單、輕松、愉悅。
【關(guān)鍵詞】同位語 名片 商務(wù)英語 案例分析法
【Abstract】There are large amounts of side-by-side appositives in Business English articles which are difficult to be understood for readers. With case analysis, this paper discuss how to use card thinking mode to interpret side-by-side appositives. This reading way and skill will make business English reading easier, relaxed, cheerful.
【Key words】appositive; business card; business English; case analysis method
引言
句子中指代同一事物的兩個(gè)詞、片語或子句,稱同位關(guān)系。例如:My brother, Jone Smith, will travel with me. 句中My brother和Jone Smith指的是同一個(gè)人,它們是同位成分,后一成分通常叫做前一成分的同位語。一個(gè)名詞(或其它形式)對另一個(gè)名詞或代詞進(jìn)行修飾,限定或說明,這個(gè)名詞(或其它形式)就是同位語。同位語與被它限定的詞的格要一致,并常常緊挨在一起。商務(wù)英語文體中存在大量的并列式同位語語句。這些語句句式結(jié)構(gòu)長,較難翻譯,不僅讓剛剛接觸商務(wù)英語的學(xué)習(xí)者倍感閱讀難度大,而且閱讀興趣也會大大受挫。這些語句看似非常復(fù)雜,實(shí)際上并不是復(fù)雜句,而是簡單句。下面以暨南大學(xué)出版社2013年二月出版的《英語閱讀教程》第二冊課文中的眾多素材作為例句,分析如何運(yùn)用名片化思維方式來解讀并列式同位語的長難句式,從而使商務(wù)英語素材閱讀變得簡單而輕松。
一、案例分析1
“People are becoming a lot more aggressive,” says Tiffany Taylor, director of recruiting and talent management for Atlanta-based Consolidated Container. “they often wind up hurting themselves.”
以上句子是一個(gè)簡單句,典型的主語+謂語+賓語的句式結(jié)構(gòu)。句中只有一個(gè)同位語,句中的“director of recruiting and talent management”是“Tiffany Taylor”的同位語,“for Atlanta-based Consolidated Container”是介詞短語在此做定語修飾前面的 “director”,用名片式解讀,即可變出下面的一張名片形式:
Tiffany Taylor
Director
Recruiting and talent management
Atlanta-based Consolidated Container
用名片式思維方法解讀該語句, 句子結(jié)構(gòu)立刻變得清晰,語義明了,這個(gè)句子翻譯成英文為:亞特蘭大Consolidated Container公司招聘和人力資源管理主任Tiffany Taylor
二、案例分析2
“Signal confidence by offering a firm handshake”, adds Williams Smith, president of Wenroth Consulting Inc., an executive coaching firm in New York. “Focus your attention on the interviewer. Avoid looking around the room, tapping your fingers, or other nervous movements.”
上面這個(gè)句子很長,句子有兩個(gè)同位語,即并列式同位語,對于初學(xué)商務(wù)英語文體的學(xué)生來說,讀來有點(diǎn)費(fèi)解,尤其是翻譯起來有困難。而實(shí)際上這個(gè)句子仍然是主語+謂語+賓語的簡單句,不是復(fù)雜句,句中的“president of Wenroth Consulting Inc.”是前面的先行詞“Williams Smith”的同位語,“an executive coaching firm”又是前面的“Wenroth Consulting Inc.”的同位語,“in New York”是介詞短語修飾前面的“an executive coaching firm”。同樣用名片式解讀,即可變成下面的一張名片形式:
Williams Smith
President
Wenroth Consulting Inc.
Executive coaching firm
New York
用名片式解讀,以上句子就很容易理解,翻譯為:紐約高管培訓(xùn)公司W(wǎng)enroth咨詢公司總裁Williams Smith
三、案例分析3
“Meanwhile, show you've done your homework on the company by explaining how your background and track record relates to its current needs”, adds Charles Clinton, founder of Columbus Advisors LLC., an executive-search firm in New York.