2．1．9　Convert English Prepositions into Chinese Ve...

2．1．9　Convert English Prepositions into Chinese Verbs英语介词转换成汉语动词

Compare and study the following sentences，and understand how the underlined English words below are converted into Chinese verbs．

Are you for oragainst the plan?

　你赞成还是反对这项计划?

I paid 50 yuan for an old bicycle．

　我花50元钱买了一辆旧自行车。

Break the circuit first in case of fire．

　如遇火灾，首先切断电源。

Some longtime associates and friends wanted to protect him from the White House; some，protect him from the public; and others，to protect him from himself．

　有些老同事和老朋友想保护他，使他免受白宫的连累;一些人是想保护他，使他不受到公众的攻击;还有一些人则想保护他，使他本人不要说错话或做错事。

Downstairs，then，they went，Joseph very red and blushing，Rebecca very modest，and holding her green eyes downwards．She was dressed in white，with bare shoulders as white as snow—the picture of youth，unprotected innocence，and humble virgin simplicity．

　他们一路下楼，约瑟夫涨红了脸，丽贝卡举止端庄，一双绿眼望着地下，她穿了一件白衣服，露出雪白的肩膀，年纪轻轻，越发显得天真烂漫，活是一个娴静又纯洁的小姑娘。

“Coming!”Away she skimmed over the lawn，up the path，up the steps，across the veranda，andinto the porch．

　“来了!”她转身蹦跳着跑了，越过草地，跑上小径，跨上台阶，穿过凉台，进了门廊。

Comments English prepositions imply the relationship between words．When we come across them in translation，we should cope with them in accordance with their relations and context．From the conversion of word classes，we may find the differences in forms between English and Chinese．That is to say，we Chinese prefer using verbs，while English-speakers more frequently use other parts of speech．

Generally speaking，we may not translate prepositions in some fixed phrases literally into Chinese，several phrases for instance ，“arrive at/in” ，“put up with” ，“take care of” ，etc．However，the prepositions or prepositional phrases with action are often converted into Chinese verbs．

Goby car．

　乘汽车去。

This is a present for Susan．

　这是给苏珊的礼物。

I have a letter written in English．

　我有一封用英语写的信。

Although there are some laws or methods for us to follow in translation，the conversion of word classes is frequently and flexibly used．Whether or not it is to be used seems not to be determined by the original，instead，it is determined by Chinese，the target language，whose advantages must be taken and will be taken to the full by converting word classes in English．