the smiles of delight on all the faces that he liked
请问定语从句是修饰 all the faces 呢, 还是修饰 the smiles 呢?
在翻译英语定语从句时,虽然有时候有些语言线索可资利用,但也常常难以确定其归属。例如:
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the requirements of the courses which are listed (which 从句是修饰 the courses 呢, 还是修饰 the requirements 呢?)
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There are a number of methods of joining metal articles together, depending on the type of metal and the strength of the joint which is required. (which 从句是修饰 the strength 呢, 还是修饰 the joint 呢?)
对于这样的定语从句,我们是无法根据语言知识来确定其归属的,只能根据上下文进行逻辑判断。而要作出正确的逻辑判断,就必须具备多方面的语言外的知识,就科技英语而论，还必须具备有关的专业知识。南宋著名诗人陆游，晚年教儿子学诗时说：“汝果欲学诗，工夫在诗外”。看来，我们翻译英语定语，功夫也常常是在定语之外的。
(1) When all her Christminster cake had been disposed of she took upon her arm the empty basket, and the cloth which had covered the standing she had hired.
[原译]她把那些基督寺点心都卖完了以后，拿起空篮子和那块她临时租来蒙那个摊子的白布。
不难看出，定语从句 she had hired 并不是修饰 the cloth，而是修饰 the standing 的。
[试译]……她把空篮子和那块蒙租用摊床的布挎在胳膊上。
(2) Other animals were trapped in tar pits, like the elephants, sabre-toothed cats, and numerous other creatures that are found at Rancho la Brea, which is now just a suburb of Los Angeles. (New Concept English, Book 4, L. 26)
[原译]还有些别的动物陷在风化石油坑里，如象、长着锋利犬牙的虎、以及在现在正是洛杉矶市郊的兰桥拉布里出土的很多别的动物。（中译本）
根据上下文以及三个并列成分 (elephants, sabre-toothed cats, and numerous other creatures) 共用一个定冠词 the 这一语言线索, 可以判定 that 从句是说明前面三个并列成分的, 而不是只说明 numerous other creatures 的。
(3) The curtain was rung down in that phase of history, at least, by the sudden invention of the hydrogen bomb, of the ballistic missile and of rockets that can be aimed to hit the moon.
[原译]……由于能够击中月球的弹道导弹和火箭的突然发明……(《第三帝国的兴亡》)本条的分析见 that(pron.) 。