在专利翻译中碰到一个关于so……that……的句子,对照原译文有些疑惑的地方,并自己归纳了一些问题,希望大家可以一起讨论一下:
The embossed area can be formed so that once the index card is peeled away from the substrate, the embossed area returns to its original recessed position.
压花区可以形成得使一旦从衬底剥离下索引卡片,则压花区返回到它原来的凹进位置。(原译文)
疑问:是so that从句还是that+同位语从句?
判断:应为so that从句,(也有可能是同位语从句)
修改:a 压花区可以形成,使得一旦从衬底剥离下索引卡片,……
b 可以形成压花区,使得一旦从衬底剥离下索引卡片,……
c 压花区的形成使得一旦从衬底剥离下索引卡片,……
(我觉得原文的“可以形成得使”很别扭,所以修改了一下,请大家对修改的地方给出意见)
如果此处so是在formed的前面,则应该为同位语从句了(是吧?),即:
2. The embossed area can be so formed that once the index card is peeled away from the substrate, the embossed area returns to its original recessed position.
但是,有没有……so formed so that……,(当然是so that从句了)这种情况呢?即:
3. The embossed area can be so formed so that once the index card is peeled away from the substrate, the embossed area returns to its original recessed position.
压花区可以这样形成,使得一旦从衬底剥离下索引卡片,则压花区返回到它原来的凹进位置。
4. The car is so structured that it has 3 doors.(that同位语从句:“这辆车是3门结构。”)
5. The car is so structured that it can run 250km/h.(so that从句,省略了后一个so:“这辆车这种结构使它速度能达到250km/h。”)
问题1:4句的so可以放到后面,改为
6. The car is structured so/ that it has 3 doors.而意思不变,同样为同位语从句吗?
问题2:5句中that前面的so可以省略吗?还是应该改成:
7. The car is so structured so that it can run 250km/h. 还是可以把前一个so移到后面,把后一个so去掉呢?改为:
8. The car is structured so/that it can run 250km/h.而意思不变,与5句相同,且仍为so that从句呢?
这里用“/”是为了表示结构上的断句,避免和so that 混淆,误为so that从句。其实so是放在structured后面而不是前面,做structured的状语.