连词before在状语从句中的理解与翻译，本文主要内容关键词为：连词论文,状语论文,句中论文，此文献不代表本站观点，内容供学术参考，文章仅供参考阅读下载。
连词before是一个常用词，在状语从句中一般译为“在……之前”，但在很多情况下，由于英汉两种语言的差异，before的翻译极为复杂，不能一律译为“在……之前”。例如：
It was an awkward moment,for he needed to compose himself before he could greet Charlotte,but he was clearly eager to greet her before he could compose himself.
这一刹那是尴尬的，他需要先使自己镇定一下，才能向夏洛蒂问好。但是他还没来得及镇定下来。显然就迫不及待地先向她致意了。
Before在这段文字中出现了两次，两处有不同的译法，即“先……才能……”和“还没来得及……就”。
在含表示时间的连词before引导的状语句中，有两个主要动词，表示两件事情一前一后发生，或说甲在乙先，或说乙在甲后，视具体情况用汉语确切而通顺地表达出来，并突出应强调的一方。因此，before的翻译很灵活，它所对应的汉语极为丰富，不能拘泥于一种译法。以下是一些最常用的译法。
一、before译为“（在）……之前”
Before the rooster crows,you will say three times that youdon't know me.
在公鸡叫之前，你要说三次你不认识我。
Yor must not count your chickens before they are hatched.
小鸡尚未孵出之前不能算数。
二、before译为“来不及……”、“还没有来得及……就”
Before he could press the trigger,the plane had gone up again.
他还来不及扣动板机，飞机又飞高了。
Before we could stop him,he had rushed on to a potato plotand dug up one of the potatos.
我们还来不及阻止他，他已经飞奔到一块土豆地里，挖出了一只土豆。
三、before译为“先……再（才）”
Before we could do the work well,the masses must be mobilized.
必须先把群众发动起来，才能做好我们的工作。
Sukarno felt that the Tavanese people had to be inspired with the idea of nationhood before they could be organized.
苏加诺认为，必须先激励爪哇人民的民族意识，才能把他们组织起来。
四、before译为“……才”
It was another five minutes before Matt heard him coming down the stairs.
又过了五分钟马特才听到他从楼梯上下来。
There is an hour to wait before we set off.
我们还得再等一小时才能出发。
五、before译为“……然后才”
Winter paused for dramatic effect before delivering the coup de grace.
为了增加戏剧性效果，温特停顿了一下，然后才给以致命的一击。
There was a hush before the audience exploded again.
观众鸦雀无声了一会儿，然后才爆发出雷鸣般的掌声。
六、before译为“不到……就”、“还没有……就”
They had not been married a month before they quarreled.
他们结婚还不到一个月就反目了。
I had not gone a mile before I felt tired.
我还没走完一英里就感到疲倦了。
七、not long before译为“不久将”、“不用多久就”、“快”
I hope it will not be long before we meet again.
希望我们不久再相见。
It will not be long before the despot comes to his end.
暴君的末日快到了。
八、before译为“以免”、“以防”
Put down her telephone number before you forget it.
把她的电话号码写下来，免得忘了。
It is vital that scientists should perceive the danger nowbefore it is too late.
重要的是，科学家们现在就应该觉察到这种危险，以免为时过晚。
九、before译为“……以后，才”
It will be three months before I can come home.
三个月以后，我才能回家。
It was three years before I could come home.
三年以后，我才回到家里。
十、另外还有一些情况应灵活处理
The guerrillas would fight to death before they surrendered.
游击队员宁愿战死，也绝不投降。
Look before you leap.
三思而后行。
十一、值得注意的是，before的下面这种结构常会引起误译
It was 27 December before we reached Xi'an and already theYoung Marshal had flown his captive back to Nanjing.
［误译］我们12月27日还未到达西安之前，少帅已经用飞机将他的俘虏送回南京了。
［正译］我们12月27日才到达西安。那时少帅已经用飞机将他的俘虏送回南京了。
But everyone was soon ordered to leave the site because of severe new avalanche hazards,and it was Monday before they could return.
［误译］大家很快接到了撤离的命令，因为严重的雪崩即将来临，他们星期一以后才回来。
［正译］大家很快接到了撤离的命令，因为严重的雪崩即将来临，但他们直到星期一才回来。
这样的句型，外国人一目了解，而中国人却很难看出其中的奥妙，问题在于对it is＋时间before-clause这一结构的正确理解。该结构相当于it is not until＋时间＋before-clause.before这时应译为“直到……才”。如以上两个例句可改写为：
It was not until 27 December that we reached Xi'an,and already the Young Marshal had flown his captive back to Nanjing.
But everyone was soon ordered to leave the site because ofsevere new avalanche hazards,and it was not until Monday that they could return.
由上可见before的译法极为复杂，具体情况应在具体的语境中分析其语法和逻辑关系而定，同时译者应能熟练使用汉语，才能在汉语中找到恰当的译语。