词性转换几乎可以在所有词性间进行,如名词转换成动词,动词转换成名词,介词转换成动词,形容词转换成副词,形容词转换成动词,名词转换成形容词等等,都是常常使用的。请看下面几个例子。
1、Most people are a mix of optimism and pessimism, but are inclined in one direction or the other. (大多数人乐观主义和悲观主义兼而有之,但略倾向于乐观或悲观一边。)
本句英文名词的mix在译文中用了动词“兼而有之”来表达。
2、It is already dark, and the chorus of insects and frogs is in full swing. (天已经擦黑,虫鸣蛙噪,一片喧闹。)
本句名词短语the chorus of insects and frogs在译文中变成了动词词组“虫鸣蛙噪,一片喧闹”。
3、As America learns more about China, I am concerned that the Chinese people do not always see a clear picture of my country. (在美国进一步了解中国的同时,我担心中国人不一定总是能够很清楚地看到我们国家的真实面貌。)
本句中的形容词clear在译文中译成了副词“清楚地”。concerned译成了动词“担心”。
4、Time Warner will pay TCI360 million for Southern Satellite company. (时代华纳愿付给TCI三亿六千万美元购买南方卫星这家公司。)
本句中介词for中文表达时变成了动词“购买”。
5、She was true to her master through the obscurity in which she first labored, through the acclaim that began in the 1960s, through the sometimes heated denunciation that ensued when she defended controversial church teachings on contraception. (她对自己信奉的主忠心耿耿,不管是先前辛苦工作默默无闻的日子,或是1960年代开始受到赞扬时,还是在她为避孕这项受争议的教义辩护,而偶遭强烈抨击之际,她都始终如一。)
本句中的形容词true在译文中译成了动词“忠心耿耿”;名词obscurity译成了形容词“默默无闻”;名词acclaim译成了动词“受到赞扬”;名词denunciation译成了动词“抨击”,前面的形容词heated译成了副词性质的“强烈”,转换灵活自如。
从上面的句子中我们已经发现,在学习英语过程中辛苦建立起来的牢固的词性概念,
在翻译时都被译者抛在脑后,不予理睬。译者这样做是明智的,否则写出来的中文就会缺乏可读性。