英汉两种语言由于表达方式不尽相同，翻译时常常有必要在译文的词量上作适当的增加，使译文既能忠实地传达原文的内容和风格，又能符合译入语的表达习惯。但是增词必须是根据具体情况增加非增加不可的词语。增词一般用于以下三种情况：一是为了语法上的需要;二是为了意义上的需要;三是为了修辞上的需要。
一、为了语法上的需要
英语中没有量词，汉译时就得根据汉语的表达习惯增加合适的量词。例如：
(1) To the east and the south a faint pink is spreading.
东南方呈现一抹浅红，正在向远处扩展。
(2) The sun rose thinly from the sea.
一轮红日从海边淡淡升起。
(3) A stream was winding its ways through the valley into the river.
一弯溪水蜿蜒流过山谷，汇到江里去了。
(4) I was extremely worried about her， but this was neither the place nor the time for a lecture or an argument.
我真替他万分担忧，但此时此地既不宜教训她一番，也不宜与她争论一通。
(5) It was a nova!
这是一颗新星!
英语动词有时、体的变化、有语气，而汉语动词却没有对等的表现形式，翻译时常常须增加一些表示时体和语气的词才行。例如：
(1) I had imagined it to be merely a gesture of affection， but it seems it is to smell the lamb and make sure that it is her own.
原来我以为这不过是一种亲热的表示，但是现在看来，这是为了闻一闻羊羔的味道，来断定是不是自己生的。
(2) I was， and remain， grateful for the part he played in my release.
我的获释是他成全的，对此我过去很感激，现在仍然很感激。
(3) The old man said， They say his father was a fisherman. Maybe he was as poor as we are.
老人说：听人说，从前他父亲是个打鱼的。他过去也许跟我们现在一样穷。
(4) The old man had taught the boy to fish and the boy loved him.
原来老头儿已教会了孩子捕鱼，所以孩子很爱他。
(5) English prose is elaborate rather than simple. It was not always so.
现今英国散文华巧而欠简朴，过去却并非总是如此。
英语的可数名词有单复数之别，汉语则没有。翻译时常常有必要增词以便传达这一含义。例如：
(1) The lion is the king of animals.狮子是百兽之王。
(2) I saw bubbles rising from under the water.我看见一个个水泡从水下升起。
(3) The very earth trembled as with the tramps of horses and murmur of angry men.连大地都震动了，仿佛万马奔腾，千夫怒吼。
(4) The mountains began to throw their long blue shadows over the valley.群山已在山谷里开始投下蔚蓝色的长影。
(5) An individual human existence should be like a river-small at first， narrowly contained within its banks， and rushing passionately past boulders and over waterfalls.
一个人的一生可以比作一条河流：开始身躯很小，两岸之间非常狭窄，水流湍急，冲过砾石，飞下悬瀑。
英语中常用省略句，翻译时要根据汉语的表达习惯，作些适当的增补。例如：
(1) I judge I would saw out and leave that night if pap got drunk enough， and I reckoned he would.
我猜那天晚上爸要是醉得够厉害的，我就可以锯完那个洞钻出去，我算计着他是会醉得够呛的。(增补he would后省略的成分)
(2) She ate little. Food sickened her， and I think much of life too.
她吃得很少;她厌恶食物，我觉得她也厌恶生活。
(3) When I turned around， John was grinning， expectant， studying my face intently to see if he had pleased me. He had.
我转过身，只见约翰正咧着嘴笑，满脸期待的神情;他热切的目光想从我的脸上探明他是否博得了我的欢心。他确实博得了我的欢心。(增补he had后被省略的部分)
(4) Courage in excess becomes foolhardiness， affection weakness， thrift avarice.
勇敢过度，即成蛮勇;疼爱过度，即成溺爱;俭约过度，即成贪婪。(增补被省掉的in excess becomes)
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