PURE AND APPLIED SCIENCE

As① students of science you are probably sometimes puzzled by the terms ‘pure’and‘applied’science,Are these two totally different activities, having little or no interconnection, as② is often-implied? Let us begin by examining   what   is done③ by each.

Pure science is primarily concerned with④ the development of theories (or,as they are frequently called, models) establishing⑤ relationships between the phenomena of the universe. When they are sufficiently validated, these theories (hypotheses, models) become the working⑥ laws or principles of science. In carrying out this work, the pure scientist usually disregards its application to practical affairs,confining⑦ his attention to explanations of how and why events occur. Hence,in physics, the equations describing the behaviour of fundamental particles, or in. biology, the establishment of the life cycle of a particular species of insect living in a Polar environment, are said⑧ to be examples of pure science (basic research), having no apparent connection (for the moment) with technology, i. c. applied science.

Applied science, on the other hand⑨,is directly concerned with the application of the working laws of pure science to the practical affairs of life, and to increasing man's control over his environment thus leading⑩ to the development of new techniques,processes and machines. Such activities as? investigating the strength and uses of materials, extending the findings,of   pure   mathematics to improve the sampling procedures used in agriculture or the social sciences, and developing the potentialities of atomic energy, are all examples of the work of the applied scientist or technologist.

It is evident that many branches of applied science are practical extensions?   of purely theoretical or experimental work. Thus the study of radioactivity began as a piece of pure research,but its results are now applied in a great number of different ways-in cancer treatment in medicine, the development of fertilizers in agriculture, the study of metal-fatigue in. engineering ,in methods of estimating the ages of object in anthropology and geology, etc. Conversely, Work in applied science and technology frequently acts as a direct stimulus to the development of pure science. Such an interaction occurs, for example, when the technologist,in applying a particular concept? of pure science to a practical problem, reveals a gap or limitation in the theoretical model, thus pointing the way for further basic research. Often a further interaction occurs, since the pure scientist is unable to undertake this further research until another technologist provides him with more highly-developed instruments.

It seems,then,that these two branches of science are mutually dependent   and   interacting,and that the so-called division between the pure scientist and the applied scientist is more? apparent than real.

译文   理论科学与应用科学

你们是理科学生,但对于理论科学应用科学这两个概念,有时或许还不清楚,这两者是否像有人认为的那样,彼此很少或没有联系,是截然分开的两种科学呢?首先让我们来看看它们各自的任务是什么。

理论科学主要是研究和发展理论(也常称为模式),揭示物质世界各现象之间的关系。理论(假设、模式)一经证实,就成为指导实践的科学原理或定律,理论科学家在从事理论研究时,一般不联系实际应用,重在阐明事物发生的原因和发展过程。因此,物理学中表述基本粒子特性的程式,或在生物学中,查明地极环境中某一类昆虫的生活周期,都是理论科学(即基础研究)的实例,它们与技术即应用科学暂时没有什么明显的联系。

而应用科学,正是把理论科学的各种定律应用到生活实践中去,不断提高人类主宰自然环境的能力,从而研究出种种新技术、新工艺和新机器。诸如研究各种材料的强度和用途,推广理论数学的研究成果以改进农业或社会科学中应甫的抽样调查法,以及发掘原子能的潜力,都是应用科学家即技术专家所从事的工作。

可见,应用科学的许多分支,就是将纯理论研究或实验室研究的成果投入实际应用的部门。例如对放射现象的研究,当初是一项纯理论研究,而其研究结果,如今已应用于许多不同方面:在医学上用来诊治癌症,在农业上用来研制化肥,在工程上用来研究金属疲劳,在人类学和地质学方面,用来计测出土文物的年龄,等等:反之亦然,应用科学与技术也常常起到直接促进理论科学发展的作用。例如,技术专家把理论科学的某一原理应用于实际问题时,发现该理论有不足之处或局限性,这就给基础研究指出了有待进一步研究的方面。这是一种相互促进作用。而理论科学家要能从事这进一步的研究,又往往需要技术专家为他提供更为高级的科研设备,这又是一种相互促进作用。

由此看来,理论科学和应用科学,既相互依赖,又彼此促进,所以,把科学家分为理论科学家和应用科学家,也是相对而言,并不是绝对的。

1. As students of science…as(介词)作为…;是…。as的这一用法,有时带原因或让步意味。如本句可译成“你们(虽然)是理科学生,但对于理论科学和应用科学这两个概念,也许有时还不清楚。”若仅仅译成“作为理科学生,你们对…也许有时还不清楚”。句子不合逻辑,未完全译出原文的意思。又如:As a well experienced engineer he knows how to solve the technical Problem. (因为)他是一位很有经验的工程师,懂得如何解决这个技术难题。

2. 本句为复合句,as(关系代词)引出定语从句,并在从句中作主语,代表整个主句的意思。having little or no interconnection是独立分词短语作定语,修饰activities(活动;业务;领域)此处指这两种科学各自从事的活动。因直译费解,根据上下文仍译作“两种科学”,并不失原意。

3. …what is done by each. 这是动名词examining的宾语,译成:各自的任务是什么。do多义,作为实义动词其基本意思是“做”,具体译法取决于它在句中的含义,尤其要考虑与其相关的词语。例如:What does blood do in human body?血液在人体中的功能是什么?Most of our thinking is done through language. 我们的思想,大多是通过语言表达出来的。This is done by…其做法是…;方法是…

4. Pure science is primarily concerned with…be concerned with不等于concern(关心;涉及),它的含义为“讲的是…;是关于…(内容)”。所以本句不宜译成“理论科学主要涉及到…”。例如:The article is concerned with the development of electronics. 这篇文章讲的是电子学的发展问题。

5. …establishing relationships between the phenomena of the universe. 此为分词短语作定语,修饰theories. 动词establish在一般英文词典上有“建立;确立;规定”等义。如译者能从原文中考虑到:物质世界各现象之间的关系,是客观存在,非人为确立或规定,就会觉得词典中的上述释义无一适用。此时切不可勉强了事,而应进一步再查查别的词典,如Longman英英词典,则可得一义:to find out. “Find out”means to Iearn or discover(a fact that is hidden)。此义切中。故本句可择为:…揭示物质世界各现象之间的关系。翻译中为译准一个词义,查几部词典是常有的事,这功夫是应该花的,勤查词典是译事基本功之一。

6. ….the working laws or principles of science…(能)指导实践的科学原理或定律(详见第三讲注释)。

7. …confining his attention to explanations of howand why events occur. 这是分词短语作状语,常称“伴随情况”。其实,confining也是主语(the pure scientist)的行为动作,不过不是以谓语形式出现,而是以分词形式“伴随”谓语动词disregards. 有人把这种伴随状语看作“次要谓语”。如将句子改写成“…the pure scientist usually disregards its application to practical affairs and confines his attention to…”则这两个动词就成并列谓语了。当然,伴随状语毕竟不是谓语,而是修饰谓语的。

8. …are said to be+名词(被)叫做或称为…;这不等于“It is said that…”(据说)结构。

9. Applied science,on the other hand,is directly concerned with the application,of the working laws of pure science to the practical affairs of life…本句若译成“另一方面,应用科学则直接涉及到把纯科学的工作定律运用到生活实际中去…”,译文有数处笔误。首先,on(the)one hand…与on the other hand…一起用时,表示“一方面…,另一方面…”,但单用on the other hand时,作“然而,而”讲。例如:lt's not a fine machine,on the other hand,it's cheap. 这机器并不好,然而价格便宜。其次,directly通常作“直接地”讲,而此处意为“正好,恰好”。例如:His opinion was directly opposite to mine. 他的意见恰恰和我的相反。原文该句应译作:而应用科学正好讲的是…。或:而应用科学正是…。

10. thus leading to…分词短语作结果状语。

11. Such activities as investigating…,extending…,and developing…,are all examples of the work of he applied scientist or technologist. 本句为复合句。as(关系代词)与Such相呼应而引出定语从句,修饰主句中主语activities。从句的主语为三个动名词(短语),连系动词are省略,as为表语。主句的主语部分很长,可简化为:Such activities as A,B,and C(are). 划线部分为从句。注意:Such as连用时可作为连词引出同位语,如:Materials such as steel,wood,cement can be found everywhere钢材、木材、水泥这类材料是到处可见的。又如:X-ray is such as is invisible to the naked eye,X射线是肉眼所看不见的。句中such(代词)为表语. as(关系代词)引出定语从句。

12. It is evident that many branches of applied science are practical extensions of purely theoretical or experimemtal work. 句中practical extensions怎样译?是“实际延伸”吗?如还记得第一讲中对observations的注释,她extensions不应译作抽象的动作概念,而应译成“分支、分部”一类的事物化名词,以与句中branches相对应practical根据上下文应译作“实际应用的”。work译成“研究成果”。

13. Such an interaction occurs, for example, when the technologist, in applying a particular concept of pure science to a, practical problem, reveals a gap orlimitation in the theoretical model,thus pointing the way译文“当工程技术人员在把纯科学的某一特定概念用于实际问题时,发现了理论模式的缺陷或局限性,从而为进一步的基础研究指明了道路。”有两处令人费解:某一特定概念与理论模式是否两回事?指明的道路又是什么?concept作“概念”讲的含义,可以指某种思想、观点、学说或理论,原文中指理论(科学)中的某一原理,它与后面的theoretical model实际上是一回事,所以第一次出现时用了冠词a,第二次用the。汉译时两者常用相同甿词语或代词表达,以免误解为两种东西。例如:Properties of steel depend on the heat treatment to which the material has been subjected. 钢的特性决定于它(或这种钢)冶炼时的热处理方法。the material即指steel而言,如果律成“这种材料”容易误解。the way这个方面,实际就指前面的a gap or limitation。

14…the so-called division between the pure scientist and the applied dentist is more apparent than real. 句中more A than B结构通常译作“与其说是B,不如说是A” 例如:the room is more like a study than a bedroom. 这房间与其说是卧室,倒不如说像书房。本文这一句可否译成“所以,理论科学家和应用科学家的区分,与其说是实质的,倒不如说是表面的”?译文的意思当然是对的,不过如改译成:所以,把科学家分为理论科学和应用科学家,也是相对而言,并不是绝对的。这样也许更合乎汉语习惯说法。再如:It is more a certain kind of virus than bacteria. 这是一种病毒,而不是细菌。In the accident she was more frightened than hurt. 当事故发生时,她受惊甚于受伤。从上述译例可见,同一语言结构的译法,往往不可能只有一个模式,主要应根据句子的内容并顾及汉语的习惯表达法,在某一译法的基础上灵活处理。