這段話出自于十九世紀英國思想家約翰·密爾的《論自由》,要翻譯上文必須補全相關(guān),不然譯文不易下筆,因為您貼在這里的只是部分片段,在意思的表達上未能形成全面.原文如下：There have been,and may again be,great individual thinkers,in a general atmosphere of mental slavery.But there never has been,nor ever will be,in that atmosphere,an intellectually active people.Where any people has made a temporary approach to such a character,it has been because the dread of heterodox speculation was for a time suspended.
對于這一段話翻譯時,可以先將狀語in a general atmosphere of mental slavery提前,而后再由頭至尾逐個譯來：“在精神奴役的一般氛圍中”,There have been“曾經(jīng)有過”,and may again be“且亦會再有”great individual thinkers,“偉大的個別思想家”,注意從But開始句意有了轉(zhuǎn)折,這時可依舊將狀語in that atmosphere提前與but合譯“但在那種氛圍中”,接下來處理 there never has been“卻從未有過”,nor ever will be,“也永遠不會出現(xiàn)”,an intellectually active people.（一種）智力活躍的民眾.Where any people has made a temporary approach to such a character一句中的Where字面義為“哪里”這里根據(jù)句意可理解為“任何.的地方”any people has made a temporary approach to such a character“任何國民若曾經(jīng)暫時接近于這種特征描述”（注意這段話含帶有假設(shè)意味）,it has been because the dread of heterodox speculation was for a time suspended.那是因為對于異端思想的恐懼曾暫告中止.
如此再作一番細微調(diào)整、措辭,就形成了這樣的譯文：
在精神奴役的一般氛圍中,曾經(jīng)有過且亦會再有偉大的個別思想家,但在那種氛圍中,卻從未有過且也永遠不會出現(xiàn)智力活躍的民眾.倘見任何國民曾暫時接近于這一特征描述,那（只）是因為其對于異端思想的恐懼曾暫告中止.