問:英國新聞界報道前政要賀維去世,有以下一句:A statement issued by Lord Howe's family on Saturday said: "It is with deep sadness that the Howe family today announced that Geoffrey Howe died suddenly late yesterday evening. "句中的It is和died是不是應改為It was和had died?
答:謹先翻譯這一句如下:「賀維勳爵家屬發表訃告說:『賀維家人今以沈痛心情,宣布賀維昨日深夜溘逝。』」原句的文字,的確不妥當。
假如句子所引訃告,是賀維遺屬親述,那麼,最好改寫如下:It is with deep sadness that the Howe family has to inform you that Geoffrey Howe died suddenly late yesterday evening。按announce多用於轉述句(indirect speech);如非轉述,用has to inform you之類說法,當較自然。
又假如句子所引訃告,是賀維家庭發言人轉述,那麼,用announce固然妥貼,但today announced的announced是過去式,和前文的現在式動詞 (It) is (with deep sadness) 並不一致,最好改寫如下:It is with deep sadness that the Howe family announces that...。原句today一字並不必要,因為句末的yesterday(昨天)已間接說明訃告是「今天」發的。
至於Howe died suddenly late yesterday evening的died,則不必改為had died,因為句子所說過去的事,只有一件,再無先後之分,只用簡單過去式動詞就可以。