... more rapidly... the larger
Equation 3.8 indicates that the free energy of a given phase decreases more rapidly with the rise in temperature, the larger its specific heat.
[原译]公式(3.8)表明,随着温度的上升,某一相的自由能减少得越迅速,它的比热也越大。(《现代物理冶金学》,p.67)
译者由于没有弄懂英语句子的句法关系而把句子的意思完全弄反了。在像 The higher the temperature of a body, the quicker the motion of its molecules.(物体的温度越高,其分子的运动就越迅速。)这样的句型里,前面的分句为从句,后面的分句为主句。对于这种带有比例从句的句子,可按照英语的次序来翻译。例如:
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The farther an object is above the earth's surface, the less it weighs. 物体离地面越高,其重量就越轻。
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The greater the number of the free electrons in a material, the better is the conductivity of the material. 材料中自由电子的数量越大,该材料的导电性就越好。
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The harder they worked, the hungrier they became. 他们越努力工作,他们越饿。
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The hungrier they became, the harder they worked. 他们越饿,他们越努力工作。
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The more pieces Langdon and Teabing laid on the table tonight, the more unpredictable this puzzle became. (Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) 兰登和提彬往桌上堆的资料越多,索菲就越感到这个谜团令人难以捉摸。(《达·芬奇密码》)
但是,在像 I play the better, the more I practise. 这样的句型里,前面的分句为主句,后面分句为从句。因此翻译时应把次序颠倒过来,即把位于后面的比例从句译到前面去。例如:
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A compound is considered the more stable, the smaller its potential energy. 势能越小,化合物就被认为越稳定。
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An object draws the harder, the more matter it contains. 物体含有的物质越多,它的引力就越大。
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The air can absorb the more water vapour, the higher its temperature. 空气的温度越高,它吸收的水蒸汽就越多。
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A body weighs less the farther it gets from the surface of the Earth. (TOEFL) 物体离地面越远,就越轻。
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The force of gravity holds satellites in orbit. It also makes a ball fall faster and faster the longer it falls. 重力能使卫星在轨道上运行,它还使球下落时,时间越长,降落速度越快。
[试译]公式(3.8)表明,某一相的比热越大,自由能随着温度升高而减小得就越快。
(参见 the harder...the...',the...the...5)