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陈清霖:翻译的技巧
《中英合谈》版指导老师陈清霖博士为2001“全国学生中英文互译比赛”的总评判,以下为陈清霖博士在10月23日的颁奖典礼上的致词。陈博士举了35个例子,说明中英对译时固然可以字字直译,翻译时还须在译文上作些调整,才能做到翻译的信、达、雅。
谈到翻译就难免牵涉到双语运用问题。译者对相关的两种语文即使不精通,也要有良好的水平,这是翻译的先诀条件。接着,他还要晓得双语在词语运用上的不同,以及句子结构上的差别,然后才能在“理解”原文之后,通过适当的方法和技巧,把译文端出来,呈献给读者品尝。
所谓适当的方法,就是指“直译”(Literal translation)和“意译”(Free translation)。直译可以对号入座,字字翻译,但很多时候必须在句子某些成分上作些词类、词序、句式等方面的调整或变动,才能把译文带入既“忠实”又“流畅”的佳境。如果直译行不通或是不理想的话,就只好意译了。例如:
(1) x:How much have you suffered, Irene?
y:A lot.
x:爱玲,你吃了多少苦?
y:一言难尽。
(2) x:你这人真是“狗嘴里长不出象牙。”
x:A filthy mouth cannot utter decent language. You are really such a person.
如果把第一句里的“a lot”直译为“许多”或“很多很多”,这句话自然吗?如果把第二句译成“A dog's mouth doesn't spit out an ivory”,只懂英语的人听了不会莫名其妙吗?
意译技巧最常见于中英惯用语的对译。除了上述“狗嘴里长不出象牙”之外,再看些其他意译的例子。
(3) Don't put on airs.(别摆架子)
(4) What is done is done.(木已成舟)
(5) Kicking a man when he is down.(打落水狗)
(6) Pull out the evil by the roots.(斩草除根)
意译虽重要,直译也可贵;能字字对译最好,若不能,就稍微整容或变型,以符合译文的外貌,保持原文的精髓。
现在我先举些中英直译的好例子:
(7) 他是只纸老虎。
(He is a paper tiger)
(8) 别流鳄鱼泪。
(Don't shed crocodile tears)
(9)
一流信息监控拦截系统
成中文主动语态。例如:
(25) A new syllabus has been drawn up.(已经拟定了一份新的课程纲要。)
(26) This can be done and must be done.(这件事可以办并且必须办。)
(27) It must be admitted that Singapore is a small island country. (大家必须承认新加坡是个小岛国。)
2、英文的简单句变成中文的复杂句。例如:
(28) His failure to observe the traffic rules resulted in the road accident.(由于他没有遵守交通规则,导致了公路意外。)
(29) With your permission, I will embark on the project as soon as possible.(如果你答应的话,我将尽快展开这项计划。)
3、英文长句成分复杂需要作逻辑性的变动,以符合中文句法。例如:
(30) The management's reputation fell still further when it refused to accept the suggestion of the Labour Union that an increase in the salary of the workers was a precondition for the settlement of the current dispute.(工会建议把增加工人薪水作为解决当前纠纷的先决条件,但管理层拒绝接受这建议,结果它的声望再度下降。 )
总而言之,直译和意译各有所长,可以直译就直译,不可直择时就采用意译,甚至双管齐下,两者兼施。这次全国翻译比赛中的惯用语的英译就要先直译后意译,才能兼顾到译文的表层结构和原文的深层意思。例如:
(31) 不劳而获 (Reap without sowing → Profit by others' toil.)
(32) 饮水思源 (When you drink the water, think of its source → Never forget where one's happiness comes.)
(33) 种瓜得瓜,种豆得豆 (Plant melons and get melons, sow beans and get beans → You reap what you have sown.)
(34) 真金不怕火 (True gold fears no fire-A person of integrity can stand severe tests.)
各位同学是不是这样译的呢?
最后,看看下列两名翻译大师对红楼梦中一小段有关林黛玉讲话的译文。前者是霍克斯(Hawkes)教授的意译版本;后者是杨宪益教授的直译文:
(35)黛玉说:你说你会过目成诵,难道我就不能一目十行了!
(霍克斯:“You needn't imagine you are the only one with a good memory,”said Dai-yu naughtily. “I suppose I'm allowed to remember lines too if I like.”)
(杨宪益:“You boast that you can memorise a passage with one reading. Why can't I learn ten lines at one glance?”)
各位同学,大家觉得哪段译文比较贴切,比较有韵味呢?
从上面35个例子不难看出中英对译时虽然可以字字直译,但由于两种语文差异种种,翻译时必须对译文作些调整或变动,才不会有“翻译腔”,才可以使辛辛苦苦、绞尽脑汁的翻译品达到“信”和“达”的标准,进而朝向“雅”的巅峰境界迈步;虽不易至,心向往之。
[ 此贴被seclusive在2007-11-03 10:57重新编辑 ]
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[楼 主]
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Posted: 2006-06-01 18:46 |
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