所謂復(fù)雜的定語從句，是指一個(gè)句子帶有兩個(gè)或兩個(gè)以上定語從句的結(jié)構(gòu)。這類定語從句在結(jié)構(gòu)上與先行詞的關(guān)系比較復(fù)雜，有如下幾種形式：

1.自由式定語從句

自由式定語從句是指一個(gè)句子中兩個(gè)或兩個(gè)以上不同成分帶定語從句的情況。這種從句的先行詞沒有固定模式，在句中充當(dāng)不同的句子成分，故該結(jié)構(gòu)中的定語從句稱為自由式定語從句。它們拆開來看，其實(shí)就是一個(gè)一個(gè)簡(jiǎn)單的定語從句，因此，其翻譯也和簡(jiǎn)單的定語從句相同。如：

Thus the Arab Umayyed dynasty of caliphs, which had moved the capital

from Medine to Damascus in 661, came to be regarded with much justification

as a parasitic clique that had outlived its usefulness once the conquests

were completed.

人們開始理由充分地認(rèn)為，阿拉伯伍麥葉里發(fā)王朝是征服戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)完成后毫無作用的一個(gè)寄生集團(tuán);伍麥葉王朝曾于661年從麥地那遷都大馬士革。

該句中由which和that 引出兩個(gè)定語從句，分別修飾做主語用的the Arab Umayyed dynasty of caliphs

和作賓語用的 a parasitic clique，翻譯時(shí)一個(gè)被譯成并列句，一個(gè)被譯成定語。

2.嵌套式定語從句

嵌套式定語從句是指一個(gè)句子中定語從句套定語從句的情況。這種結(jié)構(gòu)中的定語從句其實(shí)和自由式定語從句基本相似，拆開來也是一個(gè)獨(dú)立的定語從句，只不過一個(gè)定語從句在另一個(gè)定語從句之中而已。因此，其翻譯也與簡(jiǎn)單的定語從句相同。這里也僅舉一例加以說明：

Likewise in the east were the Seljuk Turks who had infiltrated from their Central asinan homeland into the Islamic Empire where they were employed as mercenaries by the Baghdad caliphs.

同樣，在東方是塞爾柱突厥人，他們從家鄉(xiāng)中亞進(jìn)入伊斯蘭教帝國(guó);在那里被巴格達(dá)哈里發(fā)雇為雇傭軍。

該句中有兩個(gè)定語從句，即在由who引出的定語從句中又套了一個(gè)由where引出的定語從句。翻譯時(shí)，可按翻譯簡(jiǎn)單的定語從句的方法。這里，兩者均被譯成了并列句，分別修飾先行詞the Seljuk Turks 和 the Islamic Empire。

3.并列式定語從句

并列式定語從句是并列成分中的定語從句的簡(jiǎn)稱，指一個(gè)句子中兩個(gè)或兩個(gè)以上并列成分均帶定語從句的情況。筆者刊登在《中國(guó)翻譯》(96.1)上的《英語并列成分中定語從句的漢譯》一文曾作過介紹。這里再補(bǔ)充一點(diǎn)，這類定語從句也可譯成狀語從句，即先把主句譯出，再把定語從句譯成兩個(gè)表示并列或轉(zhuǎn)折關(guān)系的狀語從句。

This was a defensive pact, designed to protect Germany against the French, who aspired to recover the alsace-Lorraine provinces lost in 1871, and also to protect Austria-hungary against the Russians, with whom they continually clashed in the Balkans.

這是一個(gè)防御性的盟約，旨在保護(hù)德國(guó)人免受法國(guó)人的攻擊，保護(hù)奧匈帝國(guó)免受俄國(guó)人的攻擊;因?yàn)榉▏?guó)人想收復(fù)1871年失去的阿爾薩斯-洛林地區(qū)，而俄國(guó)人則在巴爾干半島同奧匈帝國(guó)接連不斷地發(fā)生沖突。

4.一主二仆式定語從句

一主二仆式定語從句是指一個(gè)先行詞帶有兩個(gè)或兩個(gè)以上定語從句的情況。該結(jié)構(gòu)中的定語從句比較規(guī)范，均修飾一個(gè)先行詞，在翻譯時(shí)，雖然也遵循一般定語從句的翻譯技巧和方法，但還有其獨(dú)特的地方。歸納起來，有如下幾種情況：

1)譯成定語 可以把兩個(gè)定語從句譯成并列的定語，也可譯成分開的定語修飾先地詞，或分別修飾重復(fù)的先行詞。

… and the old ways of earning a living rivalled by new agricultural techniques,by commerce with hitherto unknown parts of the globe, and by new crafts with strane machines that saved labor and that ran without the traditional human or animal power

……古老的謀生之道正受到新的農(nóng)業(yè)技術(shù)、新的貿(mào)易、新的行業(yè)的挑戰(zhàn);這種新貿(mào)易是與世界上一向無人知曉的地區(qū)進(jìn)行的貿(mào)易，而種種新行業(yè)則是使用一些無需傳統(tǒng)的人力畜力驅(qū)動(dòng)、可節(jié)省勞動(dòng)力的奇特機(jī)遇。(并列的定語)

Almost everything which really matters and which the world possessed at the commencement of the modern age was lready known to man at the dawn of history.

近代史開始時(shí)，世界擁有的每一項(xiàng)重大成就，已為歷史發(fā)端期的人們所知曉。(分開的定語)

And it helps to explain why so many inventions that were of Chinese origin or that had been known to the Greco-Romans, were fully developed and exploited ony by the Western Europeans.

它有助于說明，為什么發(fā)源于中國(guó)的許多發(fā)明和希臘羅馬人所知道的許多發(fā)明，只是在西歐人手中才得到全面發(fā)展和充分利用。(分開的定語修飾重復(fù)的先行詞)

2)譯成并列句 可以把兩個(gè)定語從句簡(jiǎn)單地譯成一個(gè)并列句，也可以把它們譯成兩個(gè)分開的并列句，用來表示并列、轉(zhuǎn)折或先后順序等關(guān)系：

Consequently the manor was a self-sufficient vilage that was worked by serfs who were not free to leave, and who with their labor supported a hierarchy of lay and clerical lords.

因而，采邑是靠農(nóng)奴經(jīng)營(yíng)的自足自給予的村莊;農(nóng)奴不能隨便離開，并以其勞動(dòng)養(yǎng)活教俗封建集團(tuán)。(一個(gè)并列句)

Not Surprisingly, the most complex political structures appeared in the Sudan, where long distance trade was most highly developed and where Islamic influence was the strongest.

毫不奇怪，蘇丹出現(xiàn)了最復(fù)雜的政治組織，在那里，長(zhǎng)途貿(mào)易發(fā)展得最快，伊斯蘭教的影響最為強(qiáng)烈。(兩個(gè)并列句)

Our aim is to establish in Ghana a strong and progressive society … where poverty and illiteracy no longer exist and disease is brought under control; and where our educational facilities provide all the children of Ghana with the best possible opportunities for the development of their potentialities.

我們的目的是在加納建立一個(gè)強(qiáng)大、進(jìn)步的社會(huì)……在這里，貧困和文盲不再存在，疾病得到控制;在這里，我們的教育機(jī)構(gòu)為加納所有的孩子提供發(fā)展他們的潛力的最好機(jī)會(huì)。(兩個(gè)并列句，表示并列關(guān)系)

This hope was nurtured by the great victories won by Genghis Khan"s grandson, Hulagu, who was a Buddhist, and whose wife was a Christian.

成吉思汗的孫子旭烈兀所取得的偉大勝利，助長(zhǎng)了這一希望。旭烈兀是個(gè)佛教徒，而他的妻子是基督教徒。(兩個(gè)并列句，表示轉(zhuǎn)折關(guān)系)

3)其他譯法 這類定語從句除上述兩種正規(guī)、固定的翻譯方法外，還有其他幾種比較靈活的譯法。我們可以把翻譯簡(jiǎn)單定語從句的方法融會(huì)貫通，運(yùn)用其中，如譯成定語+句子成分，即把一個(gè)從句譯成定語，另一個(gè)從句譯成句子成分;或譯成并列句(或句子成分)+狀語從句，即把一個(gè)從句譯成并列句或句子成分，另一個(gè)從句譯成狀語從句等。

Even so the lisbon government admitted in MARCH< !(&)< THAt a major attack had been launched by guerrillas who were armed with mortars and automatic weapons and who inflilcted "many" Portuguese casualties.

即使如此，里斯本政府仍于1970年3月承認(rèn)，配備迫擊炮和自動(dòng)武器的游擊隊(duì)已發(fā)動(dòng)了一次大規(guī)模的進(jìn)攻，使葡萄牙人蒙受"重大"傷亡。(定語+句子成分)

At one extreme are Hawii and Brazil, where racial intermixture is extensive and continuing, and where racial discrimination is relatively minor.

處于一個(gè)極端的是夏威夷和巴西，在那里，種族混合十分廣泛，而且正在繼續(xù)進(jìn)行，因此，種族歧視較少。(并列句+狀語從句)

He was also an old-line Stalinist who had spent 16 years in Hungarian jails in the interwar period and who was now unwilling to share authority with the "nationalist" Hungarian Communists.

他還是一位老牌的斯大林主義者，曾在兩次世界大戰(zhàn)之間的時(shí)期內(nèi)在匈牙利監(jiān)獄呆了16年，因而這時(shí)不愿與“民族主義的”匈牙利共產(chǎn)黨人分享權(quán)力。