英語和漢語中的定語有很大的不同。漢語中定語只能前置，而英語中定語既可前置也可后置。兩者的不同，不僅表現在結構上，也表現在意義上。英語中的定語從句有時從原因、結果、目的或條件等方面對中心詞加以限定。因此，在對語法結構、上下文邏輯關系深刻理解的前提下，為了更明確地表明這種邏輯關系，可以將定語從句翻譯成相應的狀語從句。同時值得注意的是，定語從句與中心詞之間常有分割成分，而該分割成分中與定語從句緊挨著的名詞，常常會被誤認為定語從句的中心詞。

　　因此，遇到這種結構，一定要根據上下文和常識進行判斷。翻譯定語從句時可采用提前譯、順序譯、分譯或轉譯等多種方法。

　　1. As far as the third factor is concerned, the history of science shows many instances in which the force of authority has operated in such a manner as to build up an exceedingly powerful resistance to further investigation; in some cases centuries elapsed before this resistance was eventually broken down, as happened in cosmology, for example.

　　第一層：As far as the third factor is concerned，狀語從句the history主of science定shows謂many定instances賓in which the force of authority has operated in such a manner as to build up an exceedingly power定語從句ful resistance to further investigation；in some cases狀centuries主elapsed謂before this resistance was eventually broken down，as狀語從句happened in cosmology，for example.

　　第二層：（狀語從句）As far as引the third factor主語is系concerned表語。

　　（定語從句）in which 引the force主of authority定has operated謂in such a manner as to build up an exceedingly powerful re狀sistance to further investigation.

　?。钫Z從句）before引this resistance主was系eventually狀broken down，表as happened in cosmology，for example 定語從句。

　　第三層：（定語從句）as引happened謂in cosmology狀for example插入語。

　　要點：本句由兩個分句構成，以分號連接。第一個分句的主干為the history of science shows many instances，in which引導的定語從句修飾instances，such ……as ……表結果，后接不定式；在第二個分句中，before 引出時間狀語從句：before this resistance was eventually broken down；代詞as在此是關系代詞，引出定語從句：as happened in cosmology.resistance：抵抗（力）；阻力。cosmology：宇宙論，宇宙哲學。