【解析】

1.第1句中的“典型代表之一”可用one of the typical symbols来表达。

 

2.第2句的主语与第1句一样，都是Chinese knot，故用代词it表达以避免重复。此句是由“源于”、“发展”、“盛行”三个谓语组成的并列句，句子较长，翻译时可考虑将其拆译为两个句子。“当时人们用系结的方式来记事”拆分了汉语句中的三个连贯动作，可把它处理成when引导的状语从句，译为when to keep records.keep records本身就已含“记事”之义，故采用英汉翻译中的“减词”译法，不再把“事”（things）译出来。

 

3.第2句中的“逐渐发展成为一种饰品，并在明清时期开始盛行至今”说明了中国结发展的不同阶段，在结构上属于汉语中典型的“叙事多用并列结构”的特点。翻译类似的汉语结构多采用“同一主语，并列谓语”的英语结构，故将developed和prevailed处理成并列谓语。

 

4.倒数第2句中的“制作中国结的材料”的中心词为“材料”，定语“制作中国结的材料”较长，故将其处理成后置定语，用分词短语used to make the knots来表达。

 

【参考译文】

Chinese knot is one of the typical symbols of Chinese culture. It appeared in ancient times when people tied knots to keep records. It developed gradually as a type of decoration during the Tang and Song Dynasties, and prevailed from the Ming and Qing Dynasties up to now. Chinese knot means reunion, friendship, peace, warmth, and love, etc. Materials used to make the knots are various, such as cotton, silk, nylon, leather and even precious metals. Today, Chinese knot is popular in many parts of the world.

 

 

【解析】

1.第2句中的“认为数字6、8、9吉利”可采用结构consider sth. + a. 或consider sth. as sth.来表达。定语“具有积极含义的”较长，故将其处理成后置定语，用介词短语of positive meanings来表达。

 

2.第3句中的“如8与‘发’的发音相似”英译时，按照英语表达习惯，要在“8”前面补上表其性质的词，故增译 number.“象征着繁荣和财富”是“发”的含义，故可将其处理为定语修饰“发”，因此用现在分词短语symbolizing prosperity and wealth 作后置定语来表达，也可用定语从句 which symbolizes prosperity and wealth 表达。

 

3.第4句中的“很多人在选择手机号码……时”，根据英语表达习惯，宜在“手机号码”前增译一个物主代词 their，译为their phone number.“不惜花钱”意即“舍得花一大笔钱”，可用pay out表达。“去选取这些数字”，即让这些数字包括于手机号码和车牌号码中，故“不惟花钱去选取这些数字”译为pay out for these m numbers to be included in…

 

4.最后一句“因为4与‘死’发音一致，是不吉利的数字”可用并列结构译出，表达为it bears the same pronunciation…and is considered to be…。“是不吉利的数字”不应简单地译为 is inauspicious number，而应译为is considered to be inauspicious number，这样才能表达出“人为赋予数字含义”的意思。

 

【译文】

Auspicious numbers have long played an important part in Chinese culture. Many people consider numbers six, eight and nine as the auspicious ones because they have the same or similar sounds to the Chinese characters of positive meanings. For example, the pronunciation of the number "eight" is similar to the character "fa" symbolizing prosperity and wealth. The number "nine" has the same pronunciation with the character "jiu" which means "long lasting". Therefore, many people are willing to pay out for these numbers to be included in their phone numbers and license plate numbers. On the contrary, no one will choose the number 4 because it bears the same pronunciation with the character "si" (die)and is considered to be inauspicious number.

 

 

【解析】

1.第2句中的“作为聘礼”在汉译英时，可以顺承前面一句“聘金”而省略不译。“来定下婚礼”表目的，故将其译作状语 to fix a marriage.

 

2.第3句“……不断上升，致使大多数家庭都很难达到”表因果关系，可用so…that…结构来表达，“某人很难做某事”英语对应的表达为sb finds it difficult to do sth，此句可译为...have become so high…that a majority of families are finding it difficult to meet them.

 

3.翻译第4句“快速上涨的生活成本是聘金增加的主要原因”时，如果按照原主干“生活成本是主要原因译，则不能很好表达出原句强调”上涨“的利害关系，故转换结构，用”快速上涨“作主语用介词短语in the living cost 作定语。

 

4.倒数第2句中的“结婚意味着独立组建家庭，然而物价的不断上涨使这一切变得越来越困难”是一个表转折的并列句。但通过分析发现，“这一切”指代前半句内容，故可用which引导非限制性定语从句将前后分句联系起来，以避免不必要的信息重复，这样句子更加简洁紧凑。“物价的不断上涨”处理成原因状语because of the constantly rising prices置后，使句子表达清晰流畅。

 

【译文】

Endowment is part of Chinese tradition. Usually, a bride groom needs to pay a certain amount of money to the bride's family to fix a marriage. But the standards have become so high in recent years that a majority of families are finding it difficult to meet them. The rapid rise in the living cost is the main reason for the increase of endowment. For most young people, marriage means setting up a family independently, which has become increasingly difficult because of the constantly rising prices. Consequently, many newly married couples turn to their parents for help.