所谓复杂的定语从句，是指一个句子带有两个或两个以上定语从句的结构。这种定语从句在结构上与先行词的关系比较复杂，有如下几种形式：
1.自由式定语从句
自由式定语从句是指一个句子中两个或两个以上不同成分带定语从句的状况。这种从句的先行词没固定模式，在句中充当不一样的句子成分，故该结构中的定语从句称为自由式定语从句。它们拆开来看，其实就是一个一个简单的定语从句，因此，其翻译也和简单的定语从句相同。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 justification1
as a parasitic2 clique3 that had outlived its usefulness once the conquests
were completed.
大家开始理由充分地觉得，阿拉伯伍麦叶里发王朝是征服战争完成后毫无用途的一个寄生集团；伍麦叶王朝曾于661年从麦地那迁都大马士革。
该句中由which和that 引出两个定语从句，分别修饰做主语用的the Arab Umayyed dynasty of caliphs
和作宾语用的 a parasitic clique，翻译时一个被译成并列句，一个被译成定语。
2.嵌套式定语从句
嵌套式定语从句是指一个句子中定语从句套定语从句的状况。这种结构中的定语从句其实和自由式定语从句基本相似，拆开来也是一个独立的定语从句，只是一个定语从句在另一个定语从句之中而已。因此，其翻译也与简单的定语从句相同。这里也仅举一例加以说明：
Likewise in the east were the Seljuk Turks who had infiltrated4 from their Central asinan homeland into the Islamic Empire where they were employed as mercenaries by the Baghdad caliphs.
同样，在东方是塞尔柱突厥人，他们从家乡中亚进入伊斯兰教帝国；在那里被巴格达哈里发雇为雇佣军。
该句中有两个定语从句，即在由who引出的定语从句中又套了一个由where引出的定语从句。翻译时，可按翻译简单的定语从句的办法。这里，两者均被译成了并列句，分别修饰先行词the Seljuk Turks 和 the Islamic Empire。
3.并列式定语从句
并列式定语从句是并列成分中的定语从句的简称，指一个句子中两个或两个以上并列成分均带定语从句的状况。笔者刊登在《中国翻译》（96.1）上的《英语并列成分中定语从句的汉译》一文曾作过介绍。这里再补充一点，这种定语从句也可译成状语从句，即先把主句译出，再把定语从句译成两个表示并列或转折关系的状语从句。
This was a defensive5 pact6, designed to protect Germany against the French, who aspired7 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.
这是一个防御性的盟约，旨在保护德国人免受法国人的攻击，保护奥匈帝国免受俄国人的攻击；由于法国人想光复1871年失去的阿尔萨斯-洛林区域，而俄国人则在巴尔干半岛同奥匈帝国接连不断地发生冲突。
4.一主二仆式定语从句
一主二仆式定语从句是指一个先行词带有两个或两个以上定语从句的状况。该结构中的定语从句比较规范，均修饰一个先行词，在翻译时，虽然也遵循一般定语从句的翻译方法和办法，但还有其独特的地方。总结起来，有如下几种状况：
1）译成定语 可以把两个定语从句译成并列的定语，也可译成分开的定语修饰先地词，或分别修饰重复的先行词。
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 labor8 and that ran without the traditional human or animal power
古老的谋生之道正遭到新的农业技术、新的贸易、新的行业的挑战；这种新贸易是与世界上一向无人知道的区域进行的贸易，而种种新行业则是用一些不需要传统的人力畜力驱动、可节省劳动力的奇特机会。（并列的定语）
Almost everything which really matters and which the world possessed9 at the commencement of the modern age was lready known to man at the dawn of history.
近代史开始时，世界拥有些每一项重大收获，已为历史发端期的大家所知道。（分开的定语）
And it helps to explain why so many inventions that were of Chinese origin or that had been known to the Greco-Romans, were fully10 developed and exploited ony by the Western Europeans.
它能够帮助说明，为何发来自于中国的很多创造和希腊罗马人所了解的很多创造，只不过在西欧人手中才得到全方位进步和充分借助。（分开的定语修饰重复的先行词）
2）译成并列句 可以把两个定语从句简单地译成一个并列句，也可以把它们译成两个分开的并列句，用来表示并列、转折或先后顺序等关系：
Consequently the manor11 was a self-sufficient vilage that was worked by serfs who were not free to leave, and who with their labor supported a hierarchy12 of lay and clerical lords.
因而，采邑是靠农奴经营的自足自给予的村庄；农奴不可以随意离开，并以其劳动养活教俗封建集团。（一个并列句）
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，苏丹出现了最复杂的政治组织，在那里，长途贸易进步得最快，伊斯兰教的影响最为强烈。（两个并列句）
Our aim is to establish in Ghana a strong and progressive society where poverty and illiteracy13 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.
大家的目的是在加纳打造一个强大、进步的社会在这里，贫困和文盲不再存在，疾病得到控制；在这里，大家的教育机构为加纳所有些孩子提供进步他们的潜力的最好机会。（两个并列句，表示并列关系）
This hope was nurtured14 by the great victories won by Genghis Khans grandson, Hulagu, who was a Buddhist15, and whose wife was a Christian16.
成吉思汗的孙子旭烈兀所获得的伟大胜利，助长了这一期望。旭烈兀是个佛教徒，而他的老婆是基督教徒。（两个并列句，表示转折关系）
3）其他译法 这种定语从句除上述两种合法、固定的翻译办法外，还有其他几种比较灵活的译法。大家可以把翻译简单定语从句的办法融会贯通，运用其中，如译成定语+句子成分，即把一个从句译成定语，另一个从句译成句子成分；或译成并列句（或句子成分）+状语从句，即把一个从句译成并列句或句子成分，另一个从句译成状语从句等。
Even so the lisbon government admitted in MARCH ! THAt a major attack had been launched by guerrillas who were armed with mortars17 and automatic weapons and who inflilcted many Portuguese18 casualties.
即便这样，里斯本政府仍于1970年3月承认，配备迫击炮和自动武器的游击队已发动了一次大规模的进攻，使葡萄牙人蒙受重大伤亡。（定语+句子成分）
At one extreme are Hawii and Brazil, where racial intermixture is extensive and continuing, and where racial discrimination is relatively19 minor20.
处于一个极端的是夏威夷和巴西，在那里，种族混合十分广泛，而且正在继续进行，因此，种族歧视较少。（并列句+状语从句）
He was also an old-line Stalinist who had spent 16 years in Hungarian jails in the interwar period and who was now unwilling21 to share authority with the nationalist Hungarian Communists.
他还是一位老牌的斯大林主义者，曾在两次世界大战之间的时期内在匈牙利监狱呆了16年，因而这个时候不愿与民族主义的匈牙利共产党人推荐权力。
