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As well as用作並列連詞,在科技英語中是很常見的。普遍流行的一種見解認為:"as well as用作並列連詞時,著重的不是as well as之後的詞,而是它之前的詞。所以翻譯時,通常應先譯as well as之後的詞,然後再譯它之前的詞。"(《科技英語問題解答》),P. 129)"作為並列連詞使用時,雖然連接的是兩個並列部分,但其重點在前者,不在後者。漢譯時要先譯後者,再譯前者。"(《英語輔導》)
但是,筆者在翻譯英語科技文章時,發現很多情況並非如此。例如下面的兩個例句都是從同一本書(Santokh S. Basi, Semiconductor Pulse and Switching Circuits, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1980)的同一章中摘錄下來的,但它們強調的重點並不相同。
如:It is to be noted that Thevenin 's theorem applies to AC as well as to DC circuits.
要注意,代文寧定理不僅適用於直流電路,也適用於交流電路。
在這句話中,作者所強調的是as well as前面的部分。翻譯時把這個重點正確地表達出來是很必要的。但是作者接下去又說:
The above theorems and laws hold true for DC as well as for AC circuits.
上述定理和定律不但對直流電路而言是正確的,對交流電路而言也同樣是正確的。
顯然,這句話所強調的恰好是as well as 後面的部分。值得注意的是,強調後面部分的情況並非個別。下面這些句子都是從近年出版的英文原著中摘抄下來的:
1. The term IMPEDANCE is applicable only to AC circuits. Its unit of measurement is the ohm. It has a magnitude as well as phase angle. It is a complex quantity.
"感抗"這個術語只適用於交流電路,其測量單位為歐姆。感抗不但有幅值,而且有相角,它是一個複數量。
2. Note that Ohm's law holds true for DC as well as for AC circuits. However, when analyzing AC circuit, it is important to consider the magnitude as well as the direction of phasor quantities.
要注意,歐姆定律不僅適用於直流電路,對交流電路也同樣適用。不過,在分析交流電路時,重要的是不僅要考慮相量的幅值,還要考慮相量的方向。
3. The electrical power supplied by the source to the circuit is given by P=VI(watts). The equation is applicable to a circuit as well as to a component in a circuit.
電源供給電路的電功率公式為P=VI(瓦特)。此公式不但適用於某一條電路,而且適用於電路中的任一元件。
在上述數例中,作者所強調的顯然都是as well as後面的部分。可見,當as well as用作並列連詞時,究竟是強調前者還是強調後者,必須根據上下文來判斷。
然而,是否能由此得出"不是強調前者,就是強調後者,二者必居其一"的結論呢?也不能。有時候,也可能並不明顯地強調哪一個。翻譯時只要用"以及"、"和"這樣的連詞將前後順連就可以了。例如:
4. Using the multimeter, measure and record the rms values of the input as well as the output (volts) in table E2-2.
用萬能表測量並記下表E2-2中輸入量和輸出量的有效值(伏特數)。
5. Air, as well as water, is needed to make plants grow.
空氣和水都是植物生長所必需的。
6. In many instances it is necessary to consider the rate at which work is done as well as the total amount of work done.
在許多情況下,必須考慮做功的速率以及所做功的總量。
總而言之,as well as用作並列連接詞時,所強調的是前者還是後者,或者二者均不明顯地強調,必須根據上下文,仔細斟酌,然後才能判定。