在英语里,人们可以说“减少了多少倍”和“成多少倍地减少”,但在汉语里区不能这样说.汉语里只能说“减少了几分之几”或“减少到几分之几”.因此,在翻译倍数的减少时,译文应更符合汉语的习惯.
常用的倍数减少表达法及译法有以下5种:
decrease by 3 times “减少了2/3(减至1/3)”
decrease by a factor of 3 “减少了2/3(减至1/3)”
decrease 3 times “减少了2/3(减至1/3)”
3 times less than “减少了2/3(减至1/3)”
A is 3 times smaller than B “A是B的1/3”或“A比B小2/3)”
The length of the machine was reduced to four times.
进度缩短到了1/4.
The wire is two times thinner than that.
这根导线比那根细1/2.