A man was sitting on a couch.
(3)马可·波罗的中国之行,给他留下最深刻印象的是杭州西湖之秀美。
The beauty of the West Lake in Hangzhou was what impressed Marco Polo most during his trip to China.
例2中“一个人”为施事,“坐着”为行为;例3中“杭州西湖之秀美”为施事,“给他留下”为行为。两者皆行为在前,施事在后。译文中都调整为施事在前,行为在后的顺序。
(4)早晨的公园里,遛鸟者时常可见。
a. Early in the parks we often see people walk with caged birds in hand.
b. Taking a walk in parks with caged birds in hand is a common scene in the early morning.
原文省略施事,处在主语位置的“遛鸟者”实际上是受事,“时常可见”是行为。也就是说,原文受事在前,行为在后。两个译文都作了语序调整:译文a增添了人称代词We作主语,按照英文习惯,句子以“施事+行为+受事”的语序排列;译文b的调整更大,有生命的受事“遛鸟者”转化为无生命的现象Taking a walk ... with caged birds in hand充当译文的主语,行为动词“(时常可)见”被转化为名词a common scene跟随连系动词is之后,句子以“主语+连系动词+表语”的语序排列。就效果而言,译文b的表达更地道,英语的韵味更足。
(5)生日是自己长大以后听家里人说的,……
I was told about my birthday by my foster-parents when I grew up.
(侯宝林《我可能是天津人》,刘士聪译)
原文中,受事“生日”在前,施事“自己”和行为“听……说的”在后。译文根据英语表达习惯作了调整,语序排列为“主语(I)+谓语(was told about)(被动语态)+介词宾语(my birthday)+状语从句(when I grew up)”。