英语中倍数的表达方法和译法

        英语表示倍数增减或倍数对比的句型多种多样，其中有 一些（如下文中的句型⑵、⑸、⑹、⑻、⑿ 等）很容易译错，其主要原因在于：英汉两语在表述或对比倍数方面存在着语言与思维差异。现将常用的英语倍数句型及其正确译法归纳如下：

       倍数增加

       （一）A is n times as great (long, much, ...) as B. ⑴

       A is n times greater (longer, more, ...) than B. ⑵

       A is n times the size (length, amount, ...) of B. ⑶ 

       以上三句都应译为：A的大小（长度、数量、……）是B的n倍，或A比B大（长、多、……）n-1倍。

       eg: This book is three times as long as that one. / three times longer than that one. / three times the length of that one.

       这本书的篇幅是那本书的3倍（即比那本书长两倍）。

       注：当相比的对象B很明显时，than (as, of) B 常被省去。

       （二）increase to n times ⑷

       increase n times / n-fold ⑸ 

       increase by n times ⑹ 

       increase by a factor of n ⑺ 

       以上四句均应译为：增加到n倍，或增加n-1倍。

       eg: The production of integrated circuits has been increased to three times as compared with last year.

       集成电路的产量比去年增加了两倍。

       eg: The output of chemical fertilizer has been raised five times as against 1986.

       化肥产量比1986年增加了4倍。

       eg: That can increase metabolic rates by two or three times.

       那可使代谢率提高到原来的2倍或3倍（即提高1倍或2倍）。

       eg: The drain voltage has been increased by a factor of four.

       漏电压增加了3倍（即增加到原来的4倍）。

       注：在这类句型中increase常被raise、grow、go/step up、multiply 等词所替代。

       （三）There is a n-fold increase / growth... ⑻

       应译为：增加n-1倍，或增至n倍。

       这个句型还有其它一些形式：

       eg: A record high increase in value of four times was reported.

       据报道，价值破记录地增长了3倍。

       （四）double（增加1倍）、treble（增加2倍）、quadruple（增加3倍）⑼

       eg: The efficiency of the machines has been more than trebled or quadrupled.

       这些机器的效率已提高了2倍或3倍多。

       （五）此外，英语中还有一种用again而不用倍数词来比较倍数的方法，如：

       A is as much (large, long, ...) again as B. = A is twice as much (large, long, ...) as B. ⑽ 

       应译为：A比B多（大、长、……）1倍。

       A is half as much (large, long, ...) again as B. = A is one and a half times as much (large, long, ...) as B. ⑾

       应译为：A比B多（大、长、……）一半，即A是B的一倍半。