减词是指将原文中需要、而译文中又不需要的词语省去。减省的词语应是那些在译文中保留下来反而使行文累赘噜嗦、且不合汉语语言表达习惯的词语。减词一般用于以下两种情况：一是从语法角度进行减省;二是从修饰角度进行减省。
二、从修饰角度进行减省
有些词语在英语里是必不可少的，但在汉语中却并非如此，如直译成汉语则往往显得累赘噜嗦。为了使译文简洁晓畅、文约而意丰，这样的词语必须省去或是精简。例如：
(1) I felt a trifle shy at the thought of presenting myself to a total stranger with the announcement that I was going to sleep under his roof， eat his food and drink his whisky， till another boat came in to take me to the port for which I was bound.
我要去见一个素不相识的陌生人，向他宣布我得住在他家、吃他的、喝他的，一直等到下一班船到来，把我带到我要去的港口为止──想到这儿，我真有点不好意思了。(这里，如把 sleep under his roof， eat his food and drink his whisky直译为睡在他的屋顶下、吃他的食物、喝他的威士忌，会使语言极为繁冗，不够精练。译文采用减省译法处理原文，既准确地传达了原意，又使行文简洁，气韵十足，一气呵成。)
(2) Her dark eyes made little reflected stars. She was looking at him as she was always looking at him when he awakened.
她那双乌黑的眼睛就像亮晶晶的星星在闪烁，他平素醒来的时候，她也是这样望着他。(此句中有两个 she was looking at him，如不作省略而译为她像平常那样望着她一样望着他，汉语就显得噜嗦繁复，诘屈聱牙。)
(3) University applicants who had worked at a job would receive preference over those who had not.
报考大学的人，有工作经验的优先录取。
(4)There was no snow， the leaves were gone from the trees， the grass was dead.
天未下雪，但叶落草枯。
(5) There was not a sound in herand around us nothing moved， nothing lived， not a canoe on the water， not a bird in the air， not a cloud in the sky.
船上悄然无声，四周一片静谧，死一般沉寂，水面不见轻舟飘动，天空不见小鸟浮云。
(6) The problem of alternative fuels of vehicle is one problem we shall approach.
车辆的代用燃料是我们将要研究的一个问题。
(7) There are some things that I have happily seen of the wondrous way of the spider.
蜘蛛的奇异动态，我曾有幸目睹。
(译文省去 there are some things that后，文字简约，表达生动，意思明确。)
(8) In actual fact， the United States is pursuing a policy of encouraging the aggressor
实际上，美国在推行一种鼓励侵略者的政策
(9) He was smooth and agreeable.
他待人处事，八面玲珑。
(10) Standing as it does on a high hill， the church commands a new view.
教堂建在高山上，向下眺望，风景优美。
(11) To learn is not an easy matter and to apply what one has learned is even harder.
学习不容易，使用更加不容易。
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