(5)反译:在不少情况下,有的介词短语如不从反面着笔,译文就不通,这时必须反译。如:
①beyond, past,against等表示超过某限度的能力或反对....时,其短语有时用反译法。如:
It is post repair.这东西无法修补了。
There are some arguments against the possibility of life on this planet.有些论据不同意这行星上可能有生物。
Radio telescopes have been able to probe space beyond the range of ordinary optical telescopes.射电望远镜已能探测普通光学望远镜达不到的宇宙空间。
②off, from等表示地点,距离时,有时有反译法。
The boat sank off the coast.这只船在离海岸不远处沉没了。
③but,except,besides等表示除去、除外时,有时用反译法。
Copper is the best conductor but silver.铜是仅次于银的最优导体。
The mdelecular formula, C6H14, does not show anything except the total number of carbon and hydrogen atoms.分子式C6H14只用来表示碳原子和氢原子的总数。
④from,in等介词短语作补足语时,有时用反译法。如:
An iron case will keep the Earths magnetic field away from the compass.铁箱能使地球磁场影响不了指南针。
The signal was shown about the machine being order.信号表明机器设有毛病。
一个词脱离上下文是不能翻译的'(索伯列夫),没有上下文就没有词义。介词的翻译须根据上下文和词的搭配灵活处理,切忌作对号入座的机械翻译。