“民族”一词该如何翻译？

2024-11-15 19:10:50 学考宝作者：佚名

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问题描述

中华民族是由五十六个民族组成的大家庭。从遥远的古代起，我国各族人民就建立了紧密的政治经济文化联系，共同开发了祖国的河山，两千多年前就形成了幅员广阔的统一国家。悠久的中国文化，成为维系民族团结和国家统一的牢固纽带。团结统一，深深印在了中国人的民族意识中。

【五个粗体部分都带有“族”字，请问它们可以怎么翻译？】

老师答疑

王老师：

我的译文如下：
The Chinese nation is one big family of fifty-six ethnic groups. Since very ancient times, the Chinese people of all nationalities have established close political, economic and cultural ties and jointly explored the rivers and mountains in China.Two thousand years ago, a unified country with a vast territory came into existence. Long-standing Chinese culture has ever since become a robust bond linking ethnic solidarity and national unity which are deeply rooted in the national consciousness of the Chinese people.
讲解：
1.The Chinese nation 这里的 the 不能少。56个民族，译文 fifty-six ethnic groups比较符合英语表达习惯。
2.从遥远的古代起,译为 Since very ancient times，英语不说since the beginning of ancient times. 因为 ancient times 是一个模糊的时间，人们并不知道什么时候为beginning, 所以加上 beginning 不符合逻辑。remote ancient times 也不合乎惯用，因为 ancient 包含了 remote 的意思，所以一般这两个词不一起使用。
3.开发河山，英语一般不说 develop rivers and mountains, 用 explore 更准确些。大自然自身的变化才可以用 develop, 如 The river has developed deltas.
4. 国家的产生，用come into existence 更准确。这里也可以用 emerge。
5. 深深印在……译为 be deeply rooted in... 或 be deeply ingrained in...

陈老师：

【参考译文】

The Chinese nation is a big family consisting of fifty-six ethnic groups,since the very ancient times ,the Chinese people of all ethnic groups/all nationalites have forged/established close ,political ,economic and cultural connections/ties/bonds links and jointly explored the rivers and mountains in Chinese land. Two thousand years ago. A unified nation with a vast territory came into existence.Chinese culture with a long history has become the strong/firm/solid/secure/fast/unshakeable tie/bond which maintained/kept the ethnic solidarity and national unificiation. Solidarity and unity /unification has been deeply rooted /ingrained in the national consciousness of the Chinese people.