请将下面这段话翻译成英文:
中国的四大名著(the Four Great Classical Novels)指创作于明清时期的四部最伟大、最有影响力的小说。阅读四大名著,可以了解中国传统的社会、历史、地理、民俗和处世哲学。大多数的中国人对这四部小说中的人物、情节和场景都很熟悉。它们已经深深地影响了中国人的思想(mentality)、观念和价值观。现在,四部小说都已被改编成电影或电视剧(TV series),受到很多观众的喜爱。四大名著都具有很高的艺术水平,是中华民族的宝贵遗产,在中国文学史上也是一大创举。
参考翻译:
The Four Great Classical Novels of China refer to thefour greatest and most influential novels written inthe Ming and Qing Dynasties. Reading them canacquaint people with traditional Chinese society,history, geography, folk customs and philosophy oflife. Most Chinese are pretty familiar with the figures, plots and scenes in the four novels. Theyhave profoundly influenced the mentality, ideas and values of Chinese people. Nowadays, thefour novels have already been adapted into movies or TV series, favored by lots of audiences.Being high in artistic standard, the Four Great Classical Novels are precious heritages ofChinese nation and pioneering works in the history of Chinese literature.
1.在第一句中,“创作于明清时期”和“四部最伟大、最有影响力的”都是修饰“小说”的前置定语,为了避免译文累赘,可将“创作于明清时期的”用过去分词作定语表达,置于“小说”之后。
2.第二句可直接按照汉语语序来翻译,“阅读四大名著”可用动名词reading...作主语。
3.倒数第二句“四部小说都已被改编成…”,可将“四部小说被改编成…”作为主干结构“广受到…的喜爱”用过去分词短语favored by...表达,在句子中作状语。
4.最后一句由三个分句组成,如果直译成三个英文句子,句式会显得沉闷。参考译文将第一个分句用现在分词结构表达,译为being high in artistic standard,置于句首作状语;第二、三个分句则用并列连词and来连接。