下面將重點討論在科技英語里出現(xiàn)頻率較髙的、比較重要的18個介詞:about, after, against, around, as, at, by, for, from, in, into, of, on, through, to, under, with 和 without。
一、about的譯法
1. 表示“關(guān)于”,漢譯時可以譯為“有關(guān)”、“關(guān)子”等。如:
* Weight alone does not tell us much about matter.
僅靠重量并不能給我們提供許多有關(guān)物質(zhì)的信息。
* Owing to difficulty in obtaining suitable insulation materials,we are about three months behind schedule.
由于很難獲得合適的絕緣材料,我們已經(jīng)落后于原定計劃大約三個月了。
2. 表示“在……周圍”,可譯為“在……附近”、“在……周圍”等,但也可以根據(jù)漢語表達需要靈活翻譯。如:
* The circulating water intake structure will be located about the cooling tower basin.
循環(huán)進水裝置將安置在冷卻塔水池附近。
* Electron has an intrinsic angular momentum in addition to the orbital angular momentum due to its motion about the nucleus.
電子除了圍繞原子核運動的軌道角動量外,還有內(nèi)在的角動量。
3. 表示時刻、數(shù)量、大小等的約數(shù),可譯為“大約”,“差不多”,“左右”等。如:
* At sea level the pressure of the air on the surface of the earth is about 15 pounds per square inch.
在海平面,地球表面的大氣壓力約為每平方英寸15磅。