On the Method of Sentence Division in Translating English Long Sentences into Chinese

English and Chinese have significant differences in grammatical rules. For instance, a basic rule we learn when we start learning English is that a sentence can only have one predicate verb. However, it is challenging to express the meaning of some texts with only one predicate verb in a sentence. Consequently, it is not difficult to find many expressions with non-predicate verbs in English, and when such expressions accumulate, they can make a sentence very long and complex. Therefore, long and complex sentences have become one of the difficulties in translation.

This article will discuss the translation methods for long and complex sentences from the perspective of translating from English to Chinese, focusing mainly on the method of sentence division.

In most cases, translating long sentences from the original text without change often makes the translated text difficult for readers to understand and may even lead to ambiguity. Therefore, breaking some long sentences before translating is an effective method. Here are some examples:

Original Text: There is now a single accepted pronunciation for the vast majority of words in ordinary polite use, deviation from which is regarded either as a provincialism or as a vulgarism.

Translation: Nowadays, there is a universally accepted standard pronunciation for the vast majority of words used in everyday polite communication. Any deviation from this standard is considered either a regionalism or a vulgarism.

Analysis: This sentence contains a "There be" structure with a relative clause, with "a single accepted pronunciation" as the antecedent. The relative clause that follows can be a breaking point for sentence division. In the translation, the relative clause is translated as an independent sentence, making the translation more concise and the structure clearer.

Original Text: As new men were permitted to do whenever there was no conflict with duties, Kunta and others of his Kato would sit at the outermost edges of the formal sessions of the Council of Elders, which were held once each moon under Juffure’s ancient baobab.

Translation: As long as it did not interfere with their duties, new men were allowed to attend the formal sessions of the Council of Elders, and Kunta, along with others from his Kato, would sit at the outermost edges. The Council of Elders in Juffure village, held once a month under the ancient baobab tree, was one such occasion.

Analysis: The sentence begins with a conditional adverbial clause led by "as," with "Kunta and others of his Kato" as the subject, introducing the central clause of the sentence. Meanwhile, the antecedent "the Council of Elders" in the adverbial clause leads to a non-restrictive relative clause at the end of the sentence. As with the previous sentence, the relative clause is used as a breaking point and is translated as a separate sentence, making the translation easier for readers to understand.

Original Text: Kunta’s home-training had been so strict that, it seemed to him, his every move drew Binta’s irritated finger-snapping---if, indeed, he wasn’t grabbed and soundly whipped.

Translation: Kunta's upbringing was extremely strict. It seemed to him that every move he made would provoke Binta's irritated finger-snapping, if not an outright grab and a thorough whipping.

Analysis: This sentence has "Kunta’s home-training" as the subject, and the main clause introduces an adverbial clause with "that." This is precisely the breaking point for sentence division. In the translation, the adverbial clause is translated as a separate sentence, also achieving the goal of making the translation smoother and more understandable.

In summary, sentence division is a method of breaking down long and complex sentences to make the translation structure clearer and the meaning more explicit. Common breaking points for sentence division, in addition to the relative and adverbial clauses in the examples, include coordinate clauses and noun clauses, among others, which will not be detailed here. Through sentence division, the difficulty of translating long and complex sentences can be reduced to a certain extent.

◀️：Translation of "Handling Long and Complex Sentences in Foreign Translation"

▶️：Verification of Word Meaning and Search for Parallel Texts