英语特殊句型在机器翻译软件中的对比研究
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摘要
机器翻译是指计算机通过指令和程序将一种自然语言转换为另一种自然语言的过程。机器翻译是一个跨学科的研究领域，涉及计算机科学、语言学、人类学和心理学等多方面的知识。本文首先回顾了机器翻译在世界和中国的发展。经过几十年的努力，机器翻译已取得了令人瞩目的成绩。特别是作为人们的辅助翻译工具，机器翻译得到大多数人的认可，近年来国内外翻译软件的蓬勃发展充分证明了这一点。尤其是诸如译星、雅信2.5、IBM翻译家、东方快车XP、金山快译2003和译典通2003之类的全文翻译软件在市场上广受欢迎。
然而，目前大多数全文翻译软件的操作程度、翻译准确性、可读性等都不很理想。这些翻译软件存在的问题主要有：歧义消解不当、代词指代不明、省略补充不当以及词序(即句法结构)处理不当。本文通过英汉对比研究，主要讨论机器翻译软件在翻译英语特殊句型时，如何恰当地调整词序以符合汉语语法特点。
本文以翻译等值、转换生成语法和句法关系为理论基础，对英语中的几种特殊句型进行结构分析，通过英汉对比研究找出其异同。在不考虑个别单词词义的情况下，将There be句型、It句型和被动语态等特殊句型在上述六种全文翻译软件中进行测试。测试结果表明，在绝大多数情况下，全文翻译软件大都只是在实现查词功能后，将单个的字或词按原文顺序排列出来，即字对字的硬译，有时译文令人费解，甚至荒谬可笑。这些软件主要存在两个方面的问题：一是对虚词的处理，如There be句型中的There，It句型中的It，以及对被动结构“be+v.-ed”处理；二是译成的中文仍然按照原来的英语词序排列，没有调整为符合汉语特征的语序。
在分析以上两点不足的基础上，本文为克服全文翻译软件的这些缺陷提出了种种假设。并以Delphi 7设计了一个试验性程序。对此程序的验证说明，文中提出的假设是可行的，这给机器翻译研究者解决其它机器翻译问题提供了语言学方面的参考，尤其是对机器翻译软件的发展提供了一定的帮助。
Machine Translation (MT), automatic translation of human languages by computers, has brought about great popularity as well as controversy throughout the world. This thesis starts with a brief review of MT development, its birth and growth in China and worldwide. After great efforts devoted in the past decades, considerable success has been achieved in MT research, which could be strongly proved by the prosperity of MT software, specifically software for article translation, such as Transtar, Yacin CAT 2.5, IBM Manager 2000, Dongfangkuaiche XP, Jinshankuaiyi 2003 and Dr.eye (Yidiantong 2003).
However, there is still a long way to go in MT for the reason that some crucial problems remain unsolved, such as ambiguity, pronoun reference, restoration of ellipsis and adjustment of word orders in translating typical patterns. Some typical factors contribute to these difficulties. For instance, words with multiple meanings or sentences with multiple grammatical structures may lead to ambiguity; the pronoun reference depends heavily on the context recognition and determination, on the coordination of related words or the acting range of conjunction.
As a result, the paper, from the perspective of comparative study between English and Chinese, just proceeds to focus on the adjustment of word orders in translating some typical patterns from English into Chinese. Based on three fundamental theories available for MT: translation equivalence, Generative-Transformational grammar and syntactic relations, diagnostic tests are carried out to examine the efficiency of the MT software, in terms of the adjustment of word orders.
A conclusion can be drawn that, by means of contrastive study, there is a big distinction in some typical patterns between English and Chinese: There be pattern, It pattern, passive voice and the like. Translation skills or techniques in particular are required to adjust versions to the unique characteristics of the patterns in both languages. This makes it difficult for MT software to render such patterns from English into Chinese: one is the dealing with such empty anticipatory as There in There be pattern and It in It pattern, and the structure "be + verb-ed" in passive voice; the other is the adjustments of word orders adapting to Chinese styles.
Some hypotheses are presented in the paper to cope with both the disadvantages in MT software on the basis of the diagnostic tests and analyses in detail. In the end, a tentative program for There belli pattern is designed based on those hypotheses, which can be practically attested by the samples that originally the MT software has problems in translating. The success of the tentative program is bound to benefit some MT researchers from the perspective of linguistics, specifically those who are involved in the study of MT software.
然而，目前大多数全文翻译软件的操作程度、翻译准确性、可读性等都不很理想。这些翻译软件存在的问题主要有：歧义消解不当、代词指代不明、省略补充不当以及词序(即句法结构)处理不当。本文通过英汉对比研究，主要讨论机器翻译软件在翻译英语特殊句型时，如何恰当地调整词序以符合汉语语法特点。
本文以翻译等值、转换生成语法和句法关系为理论基础，对英语中的几种特殊句型进行结构分析，通过英汉对比研究找出其异同。在不考虑个别单词词义的情况下，将There be句型、It句型和被动语态等特殊句型在上述六种全文翻译软件中进行测试。测试结果表明，在绝大多数情况下，全文翻译软件大都只是在实现查词功能后，将单个的字或词按原文顺序排列出来，即字对字的硬译，有时译文令人费解，甚至荒谬可笑。这些软件主要存在两个方面的问题：一是对虚词的处理，如There be句型中的There，It句型中的It，以及对被动结构“be+v.-ed”处理；二是译成的中文仍然按照原来的英语词序排列，没有调整为符合汉语特征的语序。
在分析以上两点不足的基础上，本文为克服全文翻译软件的这些缺陷提出了种种假设。并以Delphi 7设计了一个试验性程序。对此程序的验证说明，文中提出的假设是可行的，这给机器翻译研究者解决其它机器翻译问题提供了语言学方面的参考，尤其是对机器翻译软件的发展提供了一定的帮助。
Machine Translation (MT), automatic translation of human languages by computers, has brought about great popularity as well as controversy throughout the world. This thesis starts with a brief review of MT development, its birth and growth in China and worldwide. After great efforts devoted in the past decades, considerable success has been achieved in MT research, which could be strongly proved by the prosperity of MT software, specifically software for article translation, such as Transtar, Yacin CAT 2.5, IBM Manager 2000, Dongfangkuaiche XP, Jinshankuaiyi 2003 and Dr.eye (Yidiantong 2003).
However, there is still a long way to go in MT for the reason that some crucial problems remain unsolved, such as ambiguity, pronoun reference, restoration of ellipsis and adjustment of word orders in translating typical patterns. Some typical factors contribute to these difficulties. For instance, words with multiple meanings or sentences with multiple grammatical structures may lead to ambiguity; the pronoun reference depends heavily on the context recognition and determination, on the coordination of related words or the acting range of conjunction.
As a result, the paper, from the perspective of comparative study between English and Chinese, just proceeds to focus on the adjustment of word orders in translating some typical patterns from English into Chinese. Based on three fundamental theories available for MT: translation equivalence, Generative-Transformational grammar and syntactic relations, diagnostic tests are carried out to examine the efficiency of the MT software, in terms of the adjustment of word orders.
A conclusion can be drawn that, by means of contrastive study, there is a big distinction in some typical patterns between English and Chinese: There be pattern, It pattern, passive voice and the like. Translation skills or techniques in particular are required to adjust versions to the unique characteristics of the patterns in both languages. This makes it difficult for MT software to render such patterns from English into Chinese: one is the dealing with such empty anticipatory as There in There be pattern and It in It pattern, and the structure "be + verb-ed" in passive voice; the other is the adjustments of word orders adapting to Chinese styles.
Some hypotheses are presented in the paper to cope with both the disadvantages in MT software on the basis of the diagnostic tests and analyses in detail. In the end, a tentative program for There belli pattern is designed based on those hypotheses, which can be practically attested by the samples that originally the MT software has problems in translating. The success of the tentative program is bound to benefit some MT researchers from the perspective of linguistics, specifically those who are involved in the study of MT software.
引文
Baker, M. 1992. In Other Words: a Coursebook on Translation. London: Routledge.
Barton, G. & Berwick, R. 1987. Computational Complexity and Natural Language. Cambridge: MIT Press.
Boguraev, B. & Briscoe, 1989. Computational Lexicography for Natural Language Processing. London: Longman.
Brislin, R. 1976. Translation: Applications and Research. New York: Gardner Press, Inc.
Catford, C. 1965. A Linguistic Theory of Translation: an Essay on Applied Linguistics. London: Oxford University Press.
Christiane, N. 2001. Translating as Purposeful Activity: Functionalist Approaches Explained. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
Dostert, H. 1979. Machine Translation. Hague: Mouton Publishers.
Eugene A, N. 1964. Towards a Science of Translating. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
Eugene A, N. and C.R.Taber. 1969 / 1982. The Theory and Practice of Translation. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
Eugene A. N. 2001. Language and Culture: Contexts in Translating. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
Ericson, K. A. & Simon, H. A. 1984. Protocol Analysis: verbal reports as data, Boston: MIT Press.
Fawcett, P. 1997. Translation and Language: Linguistic Theories Explained. Manchester: St Jerome Publishing.
Grishman, R. 1986, Computational Linguistics: an Introduction. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Halliday, M.A.K. 1970. Language Structure and Language Function. London: Arnold.
Halliday, M.A.K. 1994. An Introduction to Functional Grammar. London: Arnold.
Hauenschild, C. & S. Heizann. 1997. Machine translation and Translation Theory.
Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
Hatim, B. & Mason, I. 1990. Discourse and the Translator. London: Longman.
Heaton, J. 1975. Writing English Language Tests. London: Longman.
House, J. 1977. A Model for Translation Quality Assessment. Tiibingen: Gunter Narr.
Hutchins, W.J. 1995. Machine Translation. Hong Kong: The Chinese University Press.
Jakobson, R. 1959. On Linguistic Aspects of Translation. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Jin Meilin. 1997. Essential of English-Chinese Translation. Tianjin: Nankai University Press.
Kay, M. 1992. Computational Linguistics and Formal Semantics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Kenny, D. 1998. "Equivalence", in the Routledge Encyclopedia of Translation Studies. London and New York: Routledge.
Lawson, V. 1982. Practical Experience of Machine Translation. Holland: North-Holland Publishing Company.
Mason, J. & Rinsche, A. 1995. Ovum Evaluates Translation Technology Products. London: Ovum, Ltd.
Mason, J.& Rinsche, A. 1995. Translation Technology Products. London: OVUM Ltd.
Nagao, M. 1989. Machine Translation: How Far Can It Go? Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Newton, J. 1992. Computers in Translation: A Practical Appraisal. London: Routledge.
Nirenbury, S. 1987. Machine Translation. London: Cambridge University Press.
Pollard, C. 1994. Head-driven Phrase Structure Grammar. Chicago & London: The University of Chicago Press.
Saussure, F. 1974. Course in General Linguistics. London: Fontana/Collins.
Saussure, F. 1983. Course in General Linguistics. London: Duckworth.
Silverman, D. & Brian, T. 1980. The Material Word: Some Theories of Language and its Limits. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Silverman, K. 1983. The Subject of Semiotics. New York: Oxford University Press.
Slocum, J. 1988. Machine translation systems. London: Cambridge University Press.
Vinay, J.P. and J. Darbelnet. 1995. Comparative Stylistics of French and English: a Methodology for Translation. Amsterdam / Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Wilss, W. 2001. The Science of Translation—Problems and Methods. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
Xiao Junshi. 1982. An Approach to Translation from Chinese into English and Vice Versa. Beijing: The Commercial Press.
薄冰(2000)，《英语语法》，开明出版社，北京。
陈定安(1998)，《英汉比较与翻译》，中国对外翻译出版公司，北京。
陈肇雄(1992)，《机器翻译研究进展》，电子工业出版社，北京。
冯志伟(1992)，《中文信息处理与汉语研究》，商务印书馆，北京。
冯志伟(19943，《自然语言的机器翻译》，语文教育出版社，北京。
冯志伟(1994)，《自然语言机器翻译新论》，语文教育出版社，北京。
冯志伟(1996)，《自然语言的计算机处理》，上海外语教育出版社，上海。
葛敬民(2000)，国内翻译软件的现状和发展方向，《中国科技翻译》，第1期，29-31页。
桂诗春(1988)，《应用语言学》，湖南教育出版社，长沙。
何自然(1988)，《语用学概论》，湖南教育出版社，长沙。
胡壮麟，刘润清，李延福(1997)，《语言学教程》，北京大学出版社，北京。
黄昌宁(1989)，机器翻译与新的语法理论，《中国计算机用户》，第9期，32-36页。
黄昌宁(1992)，《机器翻译研究进展》，电子工业出版社，北京。
黄任杰(1992)，《计算机辅助外语教学》，上海交通大学出版社，上海。
柯平(1995)，欧美的机器翻译，《中国翻译》，第2期，25-28页。
李亚舒，赵文利，吴伟雄(2000)，《科技翻译论著新萃》，气象出版社，北京。
连淑能(1993)，《英汉对比研究》，高等教育出版社，北京。
刘爱真(2001)，文化思维模式的宏观剖析与英语教学，《国外外语教学》，第1期，15-19页。
刘宓庆(1992)，《汉英对比与翻译》，江西教育出版社，江西。
刘涌泉，乔毅(1998)，《应用语言学》，上海外语教育出版社，上海。
陆汝钤(1995)，《人工智能》(上册)，科学出版社，北京。
陆汝钤(1996)，《人工智能》(下册)，科学出版社，北京。
王苹，刘文捷(2001)，中西思维差异与大学英语写作，《外语界》，第5期，66-71页。
吴康迪(1998)，机译系统及所面临的几个问题，《中国科技翻译》，第4期，18-20页。
邵志洪(1997)，《英汉语研究与对比》，华东理工大学出版社，上海。
许建平(1998)，试论机器翻译的准确度与可读性，《中国翻译》，第5期，47-49页。
许余龙(1997)，《对比语言学概论》，上海外语教育出版社，上海。
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杨沐昀(2000)，《机器翻译系统》，哈尔滨工业大学出版社，哈尔滨。
杨自俭，李端华(1990)，《英汉对比研究论文集》，上海外语教育出版社，上海。
张道真(1992)，《实用英语语法》，商务印书馆，北京。
张健青，贾欣岚(2000)，谈机器翻译，《中国科技翻译》，第3期，30-32页。
章振邦(1986)，《新编英语语法》(上、下)，上海译文出版社，上海。
赵世开(1979)，浅谈英语和汉语的对比研究，《英汉对比研究论文集》，杨自俭、李瑞华主编，34-42页，上海外语教育出版社，上海。
赵世开(1999)，《汉英对比语法论集》，上海外语教育出版社，上海。
赵铁军(2000)，《机器翻译原理》，哈尔滨工业大学出版社，哈尔滨。
赵铁军，李生，高文(1996)，机器翻译研究的现状与发展方向，《计算机科学》，第3期，63-66页。
周晓阳(1988)，再谈中文平台与翻译软件，《现代化电脑时尚》，第5期，24-25页。
Barton, G. & Berwick, R. 1987. Computational Complexity and Natural Language. Cambridge: MIT Press.
Boguraev, B. & Briscoe, 1989. Computational Lexicography for Natural Language Processing. London: Longman.
Brislin, R. 1976. Translation: Applications and Research. New York: Gardner Press, Inc.
Catford, C. 1965. A Linguistic Theory of Translation: an Essay on Applied Linguistics. London: Oxford University Press.
Christiane, N. 2001. Translating as Purposeful Activity: Functionalist Approaches Explained. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
Dostert, H. 1979. Machine Translation. Hague: Mouton Publishers.
Eugene A, N. 1964. Towards a Science of Translating. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
Eugene A, N. and C.R.Taber. 1969 / 1982. The Theory and Practice of Translation. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
Eugene A. N. 2001. Language and Culture: Contexts in Translating. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
Ericson, K. A. & Simon, H. A. 1984. Protocol Analysis: verbal reports as data, Boston: MIT Press.
Fawcett, P. 1997. Translation and Language: Linguistic Theories Explained. Manchester: St Jerome Publishing.
Grishman, R. 1986, Computational Linguistics: an Introduction. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Halliday, M.A.K. 1970. Language Structure and Language Function. London: Arnold.
Halliday, M.A.K. 1994. An Introduction to Functional Grammar. London: Arnold.
Hauenschild, C. & S. Heizann. 1997. Machine translation and Translation Theory.
Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
Hatim, B. & Mason, I. 1990. Discourse and the Translator. London: Longman.
Heaton, J. 1975. Writing English Language Tests. London: Longman.
House, J. 1977. A Model for Translation Quality Assessment. Tiibingen: Gunter Narr.
Hutchins, W.J. 1995. Machine Translation. Hong Kong: The Chinese University Press.
Jakobson, R. 1959. On Linguistic Aspects of Translation. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Jin Meilin. 1997. Essential of English-Chinese Translation. Tianjin: Nankai University Press.
Kay, M. 1992. Computational Linguistics and Formal Semantics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Kenny, D. 1998. "Equivalence", in the Routledge Encyclopedia of Translation Studies. London and New York: Routledge.
Lawson, V. 1982. Practical Experience of Machine Translation. Holland: North-Holland Publishing Company.
Mason, J. & Rinsche, A. 1995. Ovum Evaluates Translation Technology Products. London: Ovum, Ltd.
Mason, J.& Rinsche, A. 1995. Translation Technology Products. London: OVUM Ltd.
Nagao, M. 1989. Machine Translation: How Far Can It Go? Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Newton, J. 1992. Computers in Translation: A Practical Appraisal. London: Routledge.
Nirenbury, S. 1987. Machine Translation. London: Cambridge University Press.
Pollard, C. 1994. Head-driven Phrase Structure Grammar. Chicago & London: The University of Chicago Press.
Saussure, F. 1974. Course in General Linguistics. London: Fontana/Collins.
Saussure, F. 1983. Course in General Linguistics. London: Duckworth.
Silverman, D. & Brian, T. 1980. The Material Word: Some Theories of Language and its Limits. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Silverman, K. 1983. The Subject of Semiotics. New York: Oxford University Press.
Slocum, J. 1988. Machine translation systems. London: Cambridge University Press.
Vinay, J.P. and J. Darbelnet. 1995. Comparative Stylistics of French and English: a Methodology for Translation. Amsterdam / Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Wilss, W. 2001. The Science of Translation—Problems and Methods. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
Xiao Junshi. 1982. An Approach to Translation from Chinese into English and Vice Versa. Beijing: The Commercial Press.
薄冰(2000)，《英语语法》，开明出版社，北京。
陈定安(1998)，《英汉比较与翻译》，中国对外翻译出版公司，北京。
陈肇雄(1992)，《机器翻译研究进展》，电子工业出版社，北京。
冯志伟(1992)，《中文信息处理与汉语研究》，商务印书馆，北京。
冯志伟(19943，《自然语言的机器翻译》，语文教育出版社，北京。
冯志伟(1994)，《自然语言机器翻译新论》，语文教育出版社，北京。
冯志伟(1996)，《自然语言的计算机处理》，上海外语教育出版社，上海。
葛敬民(2000)，国内翻译软件的现状和发展方向，《中国科技翻译》，第1期，29-31页。
桂诗春(1988)，《应用语言学》，湖南教育出版社，长沙。
何自然(1988)，《语用学概论》，湖南教育出版社，长沙。
胡壮麟，刘润清，李延福(1997)，《语言学教程》，北京大学出版社，北京。
黄昌宁(1989)，机器翻译与新的语法理论，《中国计算机用户》，第9期，32-36页。
黄昌宁(1992)，《机器翻译研究进展》，电子工业出版社，北京。
黄任杰(1992)，《计算机辅助外语教学》，上海交通大学出版社，上海。
柯平(1995)，欧美的机器翻译，《中国翻译》，第2期，25-28页。
李亚舒，赵文利，吴伟雄(2000)，《科技翻译论著新萃》，气象出版社，北京。
连淑能(1993)，《英汉对比研究》，高等教育出版社，北京。
刘爱真(2001)，文化思维模式的宏观剖析与英语教学，《国外外语教学》，第1期，15-19页。
刘宓庆(1992)，《汉英对比与翻译》，江西教育出版社，江西。
刘涌泉，乔毅(1998)，《应用语言学》，上海外语教育出版社，上海。
陆汝钤(1995)，《人工智能》(上册)，科学出版社，北京。
陆汝钤(1996)，《人工智能》(下册)，科学出版社，北京。
王苹，刘文捷(2001)，中西思维差异与大学英语写作，《外语界》，第5期，66-71页。
吴康迪(1998)，机译系统及所面临的几个问题，《中国科技翻译》，第4期，18-20页。
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