二、具体化
具体化(specification)是指采用明确具体的方式来翻译原文中较为概略化的表达，其翻译涉及范围较广，大致分为以下几种情况：
A. 抽象概念具体化。英语中经常使用一些含义抽象的词句，但从上下文的逻辑来看，作者的本意是在表达具体概念，因此翻译时应选用含义明确的汉语，还其本来的面目。例如：
(1)For anti-aircraft and anti-missile applications considerable importance must attributed to an unmanned fully automatic gun and to a substantial reserve of ready use ammunition which can be fired without human intervention.在防空和反导弹战斗中，必须强调以下两个因素的重大作用：一是无人操作的全自动火炮;二是勿需人工装填、随时可以发射的大量备用弹药。
(2) You may have read stories in which the hero gets into his spaceship and"blasts off"into the outer reaches of space without a worry about fuel.你大概读过这样一些故事吧。它们描写一个英雄坐上飞船，"风驰电掣"，直冲九宵云外，毋须为燃料担心发愁。
(3) Vietnam was his entree to the new administration, his third incarna-tion as a foreign policy consultant.越南战争成了他进入新政府的敲门砖。他担任政府的对外政策顾问，那是第三次了。
(4) Where a railway crosses a navigable water way, and it is impossible to lift the line high enough for vessels to pass underneath without interception, a bridge must be built which is capable of being opened in order to allow the river or canal traffic to pass.在铁路经过通航河道的地方，如果那时不可能做到把线路升高到使船只在下面不受阻碍地通过的话，就必须把桥梁修成开启式的，以便江河或运河里的船只通过。
B. 概括或笼统概念具体化。有时原文作者用一些含义概括或笼统的词句来表达某一具体的事物、行为或情况，如按字面直译会使译者有隔雾观花之感。而且也不可能尽如作者愿意。这时就有必要用明确具体的词句把原文的具体含义表达出来。例如：
(1) A modern frigate or destroyer could well use up all her surface-to-air missiles in the first hours of a serious large-scale encounter.在一场大规模的海空战斗的最初几个小时内，现代护卫舰或驱逐舰就可能将舰载的全部舰对空导弹消耗殆尽。(字面意义为"冲突")
(2) Many men have recognized the similarity of plants to the behavior of animals, and have dreamed wistfully, but forlornly, upon some method or source of rejuvenation such as Ponce de Leon sought in the Fountain of Youth several centuries ago.许多人认为，植物的习性与动物相似，于是梦寐以求地去探索什?quot;返老还童"的"灵丹妙药"，就象数百年前彭斯德·利昂在青春泉祈求仙水一样，结果只能是竹篮打水一场空。(3) What is known is that weight extremes in either direction are definitely unhealthy.众所周知，过度肥胖或消瘦肯定是不健康的。(字面意义为"体重的两个极端")
(4) Administrating this fluid intravenously will fill up the deficiency in potassium.静脉滴注这种液体可以补充体内钾的不足。(administrating字面意义为"给予")
C. 广义词词义具体化。英语中有少数词使用广泛、搭配灵活，但其字面意义却颇为笼统和广泛。翻译时，必须根据其特定的上下文来确定其意义，然后选择具体的方式予以表达出来。例如：
(1) Plants cannot grow well in the absence of water.没有水，植物就不能茁壮地生长。
(2) Shock the bottle well before the experiment.实验前应反复摇动瓶子。
(3 )Radar waves go through clouds or fog quite well, whereas light waves no not.雷达波能很容易地穿云破雾，而光波则不能。
(4) Examine the account well before you pay it.付款之前请仔细核对帐目。
D. 其他情况具体化。在实际翻译过程中，还会碰到其他一些字面意义比较空泛或模糊的词句，如果直译就不能把原文本意交代清楚，有时还会造成歧义。这时就必须采用具体化的办法进行翻译。例如：
(1) No reproduction is granted by implication or otherwise of this information. 本资料不得私下或公开翻印。(or otherwise具体译为"公开"，以与by implication相对应)
(2) The planes may be in commercial use as early as the end of this decade or the beginning of the next.这类飞机最早可在八十年代末或九十年代初投入商业飞行。(this decade和the next分别具体译为"八十年代"和"九十年代")
(3) Empties are not taken back. 空瓶不退钱。
(4) The stars twinkled in transparent clarity.星星在清澈的晴空中闪烁。
（责任编辑:doublejp）
