漢譯英

什么是全球化1

全球化是描述全球社會出現(xiàn)的一個(gè)術(shù)語，在這個(gè)社會中，世界上一個(gè)區(qū)域在經(jīng)濟(jì)、政治、環(huán)境、文化方面的事件會很快對世界其它地區(qū)的人們產(chǎn)生重大影響。2全球化是通信、運(yùn)輸、信息科技發(fā)展的結(jié)果。它體現(xiàn)了連接個(gè)體、社區(qū)、公司以及各國政府間日益增長的經(jīng)濟(jì)、政治、科技文化聯(lián)系。全球化包括多國公司和跨國公司的成長。監(jiān)管世界貿(mào)易和金融的國際機(jī)構(gòu)3在全球化時(shí)代發(fā)揮著日益重要的作用。4

盡管絕大多數(shù)人依然是單一國家的公民，然而他們卻比以往任何時(shí)候在文化上、物質(zhì)上、心理上5更多地參與著其它國家人民的生活。遙遠(yuǎn)的事件通常會產(chǎn)生迅速重大的影響6，我們生活中的日常用品，如我們穿的衣服、吃的食物、開的汽車——都是全球化的產(chǎn)品。

全球化最明顯的證據(jù)是貿(mào)易和資本(股票、債券、貨幣和其它投資)流動的增長。自1950年到2001年全球出口額7增加了20倍。到2001年世界貿(mào)易已增至全球生產(chǎn)的產(chǎn)品和提供的服務(wù)總和的四分之一。就資本而言，在20世紀(jì)70年代早期，日成交貨幣只有一百億到兩百億美元。到21世紀(jì)初，日貨幣交易已逾1.5兆億美元。

大多數(shù)老師認(rèn)為全球化是通信、運(yùn)輸和信息科技改善的結(jié)果8。例如，由于通信和信息處理的革新，不僅貨幣，股票、證券以及其他金融資產(chǎn)一天二十四小時(shí)9都能夠在全球范圍內(nèi)進(jìn)行交易。從紐約到倫敦一個(gè)三分鐘長的電話在1930年花費(fèi)超過300美元(按2000年的價(jià)格計(jì)算)，瞬間的通訊非常昂貴。如今這類花費(fèi)已微不足道。10

通信和信息技術(shù)的進(jìn)步使得商業(yè)訂單的處理成本節(jié)省90%以上。比如，11利用計(jì)算機(jī)在互聯(lián)網(wǎng)上進(jìn)行銀行交易，對銀行業(yè)來說每筆花費(fèi)幾分錢，而用傳統(tǒng)方法就會要花費(fèi)數(shù)美元。20世紀(jì)的后30年計(jì)算機(jī)處理能力的實(shí)際成本平均每年下降30%。人們幾乎在任何地方都能與他們的顧客、家人一周七天、一天24小時(shí)保持迅捷的聯(lián)系。

通信領(lǐng)域的進(jìn)步將全球的人們隨時(shí)聯(lián)結(jié)起來。例如通訊衛(wèi)星使全球廣播、電視新聞事件，如戰(zhàn)爭、國家災(zāi)難、體育賽事和其他娛樂活動等。互聯(lián)網(wǎng)、手機(jī)和傳真機(jī)實(shí)現(xiàn)了迅捷通信。

全球化的另一表現(xiàn)是交通運(yùn)輸條件的改善。噴氣式飛機(jī)的次日貨物遞送使世界變得越來越小。即使是速度緩慢的遠(yuǎn)洋運(yùn)輸貨輪也由于集裝箱貨運(yùn)這樣的革新，提高了效率12、降低了成本。

信息科技的進(jìn)步也降低了13商業(yè)成本。例如，按股票市場價(jià)值計(jì)算，全球思科系統(tǒng)公司14是世界上最大的公司之一。然而思科僅有三家工廠生產(chǎn)用于互聯(lián)網(wǎng)維護(hù)的設(shè)備，而將其他的工作轉(zhuǎn)包給了別的公司。

成本的降低使美國公司得以移到海外，同時(shí)也使外國制造商在美國境內(nèi)設(shè)廠更為容易。日本豐田汽車公司在北美銷售的汽車三分之二是在北美制造的。

不僅是貨物、貨幣和信息在迅速地長途移動，越來越多的人口也在大范圍快速流動。移民是全球化時(shí)代的一個(gè)重要特征。工人們寄回本國的錢已經(jīng)成為很多國家的重要收入來源。

詞匯

1.全球化globalization

2.信息技術(shù)information technologies

3.跨國公司transnational corporations

4.世界貿(mào)易world trade

5.明顯的dramatic

6.債券bonds

7.通信communication

8.商業(yè)訂單business orders

9.遠(yuǎn)洋運(yùn)輸貨輪oceangoing vessels

10.市場價(jià)值market value

11.轉(zhuǎn)包subcontract

12.匯錢remittance

13.收入來源source of income

注釋

1.“全球化”一詞是在1962年第一次出現(xiàn)的。全球化戰(zhàn)略要求領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人把商業(yè)的運(yùn)作看作全球性的“棋局”，從全球的角度來考慮資金、生產(chǎn)和銷售(客戶)的問題。換句話說，要在資金成本最低的地方融資，在成本效益最高的地方生產(chǎn)，然后在利潤最大的地方 銷售。

2.本句前半部分是主要信息，后半部分是次要信息，翻譯時(shí)可以處理成英語的定語從句，這樣句子結(jié)構(gòu)緊湊，符合英語的表達(dá)習(xí)慣。

3.本句中“監(jiān)管世界貿(mào)易和金融的”為前置定語，由于修飾語較長，可以譯作英語的定語從句。

4.本句中“發(fā)揮著……的作用”，可以利用英語的動詞詞組play a part in來譯出。“日益”通常可以使用英語副詞increasingly，例如：市場營銷技巧變得日益復(fù)雜。Marketing techniques are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

5.“文化上、物質(zhì)上、心理上”這類詞通常有兩種譯法，一種是用介詞in引導(dǎo)的短語(in culture，material and psychology)，另一種是用詞類轉(zhuǎn)換技巧，把這類英語名詞轉(zhuǎn)化為副詞culturally，materially，and psychologically。再如：從歷史和文化上看，英國與歐洲大陸一直保持著聯(lián)系。Historically and culturally，Britain has always been linked to the continent.

6.“產(chǎn)生……的影響”，可以使用英語的詞組have impact on。例如：高抵押借款利率已經(jīng)對消費(fèi)產(chǎn)生了重大影響。Higher mortgage rates have already had a major impact on spending.

7.“出口額”可譯作volume of exports，試比較：貿(mào)易額the volume of trade，銷售額sales volume 。

8.“認(rèn)為……是……的結(jié)果”，意為“把……歸為……”，可譯作attribute to。再如：通常認(rèn)為，由心臟病所引發(fā)的死亡的下降是飲食改善的結(jié)果。The fall in the number of deaths from heart disease is generally attributed to improvements in diet.

9.“一天24小時(shí)”通常可以譯作round the clock。例如：為了能夠按時(shí)完成，吉姆一直一天24小時(shí)工作著。Jim has been working round the clock to finish it in time.

10.本句中“微不足道”，指花費(fèi)很少，不值得一提，可以選用英語形容詞insignificant來譯。例如：微不足道的數(shù)量insignificant number/amount。

11.本句中“大大降低……的成本”，可以根據(jù)具體語境，翻譯為slash the cost of。例如：為了刺激汽車銷售，美國汽車制造商們已經(jīng)開始削價(jià)。American car manufacturers have started slashing prices in an effort to stimulate sales.國會已削減了幫助貧困家庭項(xiàng)目的預(yù)算。Congress has slashed the budget for programs to help poor families.

13.本句中“提高了效率”的意義，可以通過英語動詞streamline巧妙地表達(dá)出來，既簡潔又地道。例如：我們怎樣才能提高效率呢?How can we streamline our production processes?

14.本句中“降低了……的成本”，可以根據(jù)具體語境翻譯為lower the cost of。例如：最近房子在貶值。Houses have lowered in value recently. 邦德銀行迫于壓力要降低利息。The Bundes Bank is under pressure to lower interest rates.

15.本句中“思科系統(tǒng)公司”是全球領(lǐng)先的互聯(lián)網(wǎng)設(shè)備供應(yīng)商。它的網(wǎng)絡(luò)設(shè)備和應(yīng)用方案將世界各地的人、計(jì)算機(jī)設(shè)備以及網(wǎng)絡(luò)聯(lián)結(jié)起來，使人們能夠隨時(shí)隨地利用各種設(shè)備傳送信息。思科的總部位于美國加利福尼亞州的圣何塞，在馬薩諸塞州的Chelmsford和北卡羅來納州研究三角園( Research Triangle Park)的分部負(fù)責(zé)思科公司部分重要的業(yè)務(wù)運(yùn)作，1998年9月，思科系統(tǒng)(中國)網(wǎng)絡(luò)技術(shù)有限公司成立，并在北京建立了網(wǎng)絡(luò)技術(shù)實(shí)驗(yàn)室。

參考譯文

What Is Globalization?

Globalization is a term for the emergence of a global society in which economic, political, environmental, and cultural events in one part of the world quickly come to have significance for people in other parts of the world. Globalization is the result of advances in communication, transportation, and information technologies. It describes the growing economic, political, technological, and cultural linkages that connect individuals, communities, businesses, and governments around the world. Globalization also involves the growth of multinational corporations and transnational corporations. The international institutions that oversee world trade and finance play an increasingly important role in this era of globalization.

Although most people continue to live as citizens of a single nation, they are culturally, materially, and psychologically engaged with the lives of people in other countries as never before. Distant events often have an immediate and significant impact. Items common to our everyday lives - such as the clothes we wear, the food we eat, and the cars we drive - are the products of globalization.

The most dramatic evidence of globalization is the increase in trade and the movement of capital (stocks, bonds, currencies, and other investments). From 1950 to 2001 the volume of world exports rose by 20 times. By 2001 world trade amounted to a quarter of all the goods and services produced in the world. As for capital, in the early l970s only $ 10 billion to $ 20 billion in national currencies were exchanged daily. By the early part of the 2lst century more than $ 1.5 trillion were traded daily to support the expanded levels of trade and investment

Most experts attribute globalization to improvements in communication, transportation, and information technologies. For example, not only currencies, but also stocks, bonds, and other financial assets can be traded round the clock and around the world due to innovations in communication and information processing. A three-minute telephone call from New York City to London in 1930 cost more than $ 300 (in year 2000 prices) , making instant communication very expensive. Today the cost is insignificant.

Advances in communication and information technologies have helped slash the cost of processing business orders by well over 90 percent. Using a computer to do banking on the Internet, for example, costs the banking industry pennies per transaction instead of dollars by traditional methods. Over the last third of the 20th century the real cost of computer processing power fell by 35 percent on average each year. People can be almost anywhere and remain in instant communication with their employers, customers, or families 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Advances in communications instantly unite people around the globe. For example, communications satellites allow global television broadcasts to bring news of faraway events, such as wars and national disasters as well as sports and other forms of entertainment. The Internet, the cell phone, and the fax machine permit instantaneous communication. Improvements in transportation are also part of globalization. The world becomes smaller due to next-day delivery by jet airplane. Even slow, oceangoing vessels have streamlined transportation and lowered costs due to innovations such as containerized shipping.

Advances in information technologies have also lowered business costs. The global corporation Cisco Systems, for example, is one of the world's largest companies as measured by its stock market value. Yet Cisco owns only three factories to make the equipment used to help maintain the Internet. Cisco subcontracts the rest of its work to other companies around the world.

The lowering of costs that has enabled U. S. companies to locate abroad has also made it easier for foreign producers to locate in the United States. Two-thirds of the automobiles sold in North America by Japan's Toyota Motor Company are built in North America

Not only do goods, money, and information move great distances quickly, but also more people are moving great distances as well. Migration is a major feature of this era of globalization. Remittances sent home by workers to their home countries have become an important source of income for many countries.

練習(xí)

1.隨著世界人口的迅猛增長，食物問題出現(xiàn)短缺;另外，環(huán)境污染問題更加激化。

2.這種新形式的電子貨幣正在取代我們從日常生活中得到的現(xiàn)金。

3.服務(wù)行業(yè)，占全世界貿(mào)易總額的20%，美國出口總額的30%，成為國際貿(mào)易中發(fā)展最為

迅猛的行業(yè)。

4.美國工業(yè)生產(chǎn)的技術(shù)含量高，且擁有大量一流的工業(yè)設(shè)備，因此美國工人的勞動效率非

常高，時(shí)薪也不菲。

5.每天都有無數(shù)美元通過銀行電腦在世界各地流動。

6.通貨膨脹致使貨幣的購買力下降，那些用貨幣儲值的人們便慘遭經(jīng)濟(jì)損失。

7.把一個(gè)行業(yè)的市場局限在國家內(nèi)部，只會導(dǎo)致該行業(yè)生產(chǎn)效率降低，成本增加。

8.國際貿(mào)易能為各國提供國內(nèi)無法生產(chǎn)、或者能夠生產(chǎn)但供不應(yīng)求或成本過高的產(chǎn)品。

9.信息技術(shù)是一項(xiàng)劃時(shí)代的技術(shù)，它改變了我們社會中的一切。

10.信息技術(shù)是中國在競爭中取勝和實(shí)現(xiàn)真正經(jīng)濟(jì)增長的推動力量。

答案

1. In addition to food shortages, rapid population growth will increase the pollution of the environment.

2. This new form of electronic money is taking the place of the cash that we know from everyday dealings.

3. Services are the fastest-growing part of international trade, accounting for 20% of total world trade and 30% of American exports.

4. Labour in the United States possesses a high skill level and works with large amounts of first- class capital equipment. These factors contribute to the high productivity and the high hourly wages of American workers.

5. Every day trillions of dollars are moved around the world via banks' computers.

6. During a time of inflation, the purchasing power of money will decline, imposing a cost on those who are holding wealth in the form of money.

7. To limit the market of an industry to one country would often mean reduced efficiency and higher costs.

8. International trade enables a country to obtain products that cannot be produced at home at all or that cannot be produced in adequate quantities and at acceptable costs.

9. Information technology is one of those transformational technologies that change everything in our society.

10. Information technology is a driver of competitive success and real economic growth for China.