一句結構複雜的翻譯，很有挑戰性!!(出自高爾的暢銷書) - 暖化

By Olive
at 2007-10-13T00:00

Table of Contents

Little did I know that even a more seasoned and experienced candidate than myself would have had a difficult time keeping his campaign focused on issues that were considered exotic at best by pollsters and political professionals.

這句子是出自美國前副總統高爾(Al Gore)的暢銷書”Earth in the Balance”。

因為這句子很長很複雜，牽扯到文法，所以希望附上說明，不要只有中文，感謝~~
Update:
很抱歉沒有上下文，讓各位翻得有點頭痛。
這裡的exotic issue是指地球暖化、有毒化學物質排放等環境保護議題。而高爾以此做為競選的重點目標，的確和其他候選人的「牛肉」不太一樣，所以Kevin 大師把exotic翻為「譁眾取寵」，我認為很適當。
Update 2:
而michaelwei2002大大網路上找到的那段話
[... in the eyes of the electorate, not even peripheral. ]
其實是出自同一本書。
peripheral 在這裡是”不重要”的意思（參http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/peripheral.html...

Tags: 暖化

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By Zenobia
at 2007-10-17T10:10

版主您好:
Little did I know that even a more seasoned and experienced candidate than myself would have had a difficult time keeping his campaign focused on issues that were considered exotic at best by pollsters and political professionals.
我一點也[沒想到]/[不知道], 連一個比我(自己)更經驗老到, 身經百戰的候選人, 在刻意把競選主軸放在民意調查人士及政治專業人士眼中, 充其量只是譁眾取寵的議題上的時候, 也都[會]/[差一點]*陷入了困境.
主詞: I
動詞: know
副詞: little, 修飾動詞know
全句是倒裝型態(否定意味的副詞放句首):
I knew it little.
=Little did I know it.
[it]代表由[that]引導的名詞子句, 當know的受詞.
名詞子句的結構:
主詞: [even a more seasoned and experienced candidate than myself]
動詞: [would have had](過去完成式)
受詞: [a difficult time]
分詞片語:
[keeping his campaign focused on issues that were considered exotic at best by pollsters and political professionals], 當副詞用, 相當於一個副詞子句:
[while he kept his campaign focused on issues that were considered exotic at best by pollsters and political professionals]
[that]是關係代名詞, 代表[issues], 引導形容詞子句來修飾[issues].
形容詞子句的結構:
主詞: that
動詞: [were considered](被動語態)[施作者是(pollsters and political professionals)]
主詞補語: exotic(新奇的)
副詞片語: [at best](充其量)
*這裡的過去完成式可以有兩種意思:
1. 比說話的時點發生更早的事情([會](已經)陷入了)
2. 在過去差一點發生, 卻沒有真正發生的事情(假設語氣)([差一點]陷入了)
要參考上下文才能決定恰當的語意.
2007-10-13 14:46:04 補充：
exotic在這裡應該是:
"以其新奇的特性吸引大眾的注意",
所以翻為"譁眾取寵".
當然也可以有別種詮釋.
2007-10-13 20:23:22 補充：
雖然在語意上差別不大, 但是既然版主特別提到文法結構的分析, 還是作個修正:
上面提到的分詞片語[keeping his campaign ... professionals], 應該要改為"動名詞片語"比較恰當.
因為原句[would have had a difficult time keeping...]其實是在[keeping]之前省略了介係詞[in]; 而[keeping]這個動名詞正是其受詞.
2007-10-13 20:23:31 補充：
這種寫法還有很多例子:
I have problems (in) dealing with people next door.
They had a good time (in) watching TV shows last night.
2007-10-13 20:42:42 補充：
至於michael大大提到的兩點:
1. exotic翻為"外國的"當然也是一種方式, 是否恰當, 仍然以上下文來判斷.
2. [have a difficult time]的意思是"在做某件事的時候感到困難", 所以在下翻為"陷入困境". 所以[would have had have a difficult time]自然就翻成"[會]陷入困境", 而不是"[會]有陷入困境".
2007-10-13 20:44:18 補充：
抱歉, 是:[在做某件事"方面"感到困難]
2007-10-14 17:06:24 補充：
3號大大說得好! 文法不過是一個基本方向, 過猶不及.
個人並未讀過原書, 在網路上勉強找到一段前後文:
http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:f_AKZV_5i40J:w...
2007-10-14 17:06:31 補充：
稍加修改如下:
我從來沒想到, 要把競選主軸放在那些看在民意調查人士及政治專業人士眼中, 充其量只是譁眾取寵的議題上, 就算一個比我自己更經驗老到, 身經百戰的候選人, 也不免感到力不從心.
2007-10-18 20:36:29 補充：
Michael大大說得不錯.
或許從來沒有人在競選時把主軸放在這些議題上, 所以說很多人並不贊同, 可能認為這樣的做法會被看成標新立異, 譁眾取寵.
因此在下認為兩種詮釋應該都說得通.

By Edith
at 2007-10-15T10:06

exotic 在文中 (in context) 可能是指跟國外有關的(涉外)課題－exotic issues，(exotic products則是－泊來品/外國貨)。因為美國大選常牽扯到對外政策，相對於選民關心的國內課題－domestic issues/internal affairs，國外事務又不能用 foreign issues－陌生課題，或 foreign affairs－外交事務，因此會用 exotic issues，當然也有標新立異的雙重意思。

By Poppy
at 2007-10-15T02:22

原文:
Little did I know that even a more seasoned and experienced candidate than myself would have had a difficult time keeping his campaign focused on issues that were considered exotic at best by pollsters and political professionals.
譯文:
沒想到就算是一個比我更身經百戰和經驗老到的候選人，盡力把競選主軸放在民意調查人士及政治專業人士眼中仍不免離題的議題上，竟然也會感到困難。(就算努力切合主題，即使經驗老到的人仍僅略及皮毛而已。)
老實說貼著文法翻譯英文難達原文真奧
www.yushan.idv.tw

一句結構複雜的翻譯，很有挑戰性!!(出自高爾的暢銷書) - 暖化

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