英语中超长后置定语的翻译

【句子结构分析】

后置定语

Beethoven’s habit of increasing the volume with an extreme intensity and then abruptly following it with a sudden soft passage was only rarely used by composers before him.

【重点词汇】

volume: n. the amount of sound that is produced by a television, radio, etc. 音量；响度

intensity: n. the strength of sth, for example light, that can be measured 强度；烈度

abrupt: adj. sudden and unexpected, often in an unpleasant way 突然的；意外的

composer:n. a person who writes music, especially classical music (尤指古典音乐的)创作者；作曲者；作曲家

【句子翻译尝试与思考】

Beethoven’s habit of increasing the volume with an extreme intensity and then abruptly following it with a sudden soft passage was only rarely used by composers before him.

1. 这个句子的结构并不复杂，只是后置定语太长了，所以翻译的时候，如果按照汉语习惯，翻译成前置定语，就会头重脚轻——“贝多芬的……的习惯”，我们把它处理成“贝多芬习惯于……”，这样就舒服多了。

2. increasing the volume with an extreme intensity and then abruptly following it with a sudden soft passage 这两个并列结构中，我们抓住两个动名词increasing和following，翻译为：先以极强的力度增加音量，然后突然接续一个骤然舒缓的乐段。

3. “...was only rarely used by composers before him. ”这是一个被动句，我们中文很少使用被动句，所以翻译的时候把被动句变为主动句，比较符合汉语语言习惯。

4. 整理翻译：贝多芬习惯于先以极强的力度增加音量，然后突然接续一个骤然舒缓的乐段，在他之前的作曲家们很少运用这种作曲方式。

如果您有更好的翻译方法，评论区告诉我哦~