ABSTRACT

English attributive clauses, which are frequently used in all kinds of English works, are the most common and complicated clauses. They have complicated syntactic features, flexible logic relations and obscure component distributions. So it has been a very important project for translators to know how to understand and translate English attributive clauses correctly. English and Chinese belong to different language families. They have many differences in syntactic features and attributive clauses. Only if Chinese translators make clear these differences can they translate English attributive clauses precisely.  This paper compares English and Chinese syntactic features and contrasts English and Chinese attributive clauses, on the basis of which the author discusses the methods of translating English attributive clauses: translating them into Chinese attributes, simple sentences, coordinate clauses and adverbial clauses.

The conclusion may be drawn that when translating English attributive clauses, translators should first analyze the sentence structure and elements to understand the logic relations, and then taking the differences between English and Chinese into consideration, choose suitable translating methods to make sure that the translation text conforms to Chinese writing habits and expression methods.

Key words: English attributive clauses; differences between English and Chinese; translating methods

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABSTRACT

摘要

Chapter One INTRODUCTION-1

Chapter Two LITERATURE REVIEW-3

Chapter Three- THE CONTRAST BETWEEN ENGLISH AND CHINESE ATTRIBUTIVE CLAUSES-5

3.1 The Syntactic Features of English and Chinese-5

3.1.1 Hypotaxis and parataxis-6

3.1.2 Tree structure and bamboo structure-6

3.1.3 Syntax types-7

3.2 The Contrast between English and Chinese Attributive Clauses-7

3.2.1The differences in location-7

3.2.2. The differences in connectives-8

3.2.3 The differences in functional aspect-9

Chapter Four- TRANSLATION OF ENGLISH ATTRIBUTIVE CLAUSES-12

4.1 Translate Them into Chinese Attributive Clauses-12

4.2 Translate Them into Simple Sentences-13

4.3 Translate Them into coordinate clauses in compound sentences-14

4.3.1 Repeat the English antecedent-14

4.3.2 Omit the English antecedent-14

4.4 Translate Them into Adverbial Clauses-15

4.4.1 Translate them into adverbial clauses of time-15

4.4.2 Translate them into adverbial clauses of cause-15

4.4.3 Translate them into adverbial clauses of condition-16

4.4.4 Translate them into adverbial clauses of purpose-16

4.4.5 Translate them into adverbial clauses of result-16

4.4.6 Translate them into adverbial clauses of concession-17

4.4.7 Translate them into adverbial clauses of transition-17

Chapter Five CONCLUSION-18

REFERENCES-20