汉英翻译实践是再创造的过程

汉英翻译实践是再创造的过程 汉英翻译实践是再创造的过程 汉英翻译实践是再创造的过程

中文摘要

翻译不仅仅是把一种文字的词换成另一种文字的词。在汉英翻译实践中,源语跟目的语只有在某些少数的情况下才是完全相等或几乎相等的。因此,把汉语翻译成英语,绝不能简单地“对号入座”;要多层次、多角度地构思,做到“精心设计、精心施工”;要先调整、梳理、归纳、提炼、调研、然后再进行传译。本文从对词、句子、段落的翻译来进行阐述。对词的翻译,应意译,并且根据上下文确定词意,同时要考虑词的文化含义。对于句子的翻译,往往要改变其句子结构。而对段落的翻译,包♋括语言形式的变通乃至内容的改写,要以段落为单位进行考虑。

关键词:汉英翻译;实践;再创造

Abstract

Translation is not merely translating one language into the other language. In C-E translation, there are equivalents or nearly equivalents between the source language and the target language in a few situations. Translation from Chinese to English is by no means a mere matter of finding equivalents between the source and the target language. It needs to plot from various levels and angles, and be meticulous in design and construction. Before translation, such course as adjustment, carding, induction, refinement, investigation and research should be implemented in advance. This paper illustrates the translation methods of words, sentences and paragraphs. As to words, we should choose the meaning of words according to context and consider the cultural significance of words. As to sentences, their structures often n❧eed to be changed. And as to paragraphs, the alternative forms of language structure and sometimes even the content should be taken into consideration as a whole.

Key words:C-E translation; practice; re-creation

一、引言 译者通过另一种语言文字再现原作的过程是一个再创造的过程,因此,要搞好翻译,就要把他置于再创作的位置上,要发挥自己的主观能动性,客观地再现原作。以下从对词、句子、段落的翻译来进行阐述。对词的翻译,应意译,并且根据上下文来确定词意,同时要考虑词的文化含义。对于句子的翻译,往往要改变其句子结构。而对段落的翻译,包括语言形式的变通乃至内容的改写,都要以段落为单位进行考虑。

二、词的翻译

在汉英翻译实践中,为了照顾英语句子的形态的要求,为了照顾句子译文的整体效果,对于词的翻译,往往需要进行一定的变通。

、词的意译

意译是对原文的一种再创造。因为翻译是一种创作,不是工艺作坊的产物。为了理解和表达,译者对待原作就应像导演对待剧本,指挥对待乐曲那样。要研究作品的主题,感觉文笔的风格,分析人物的个性,体会语言的品位与节奏;还要像作者那样沉浸在角色和情境中。这时开始对原作的翻译工作,也就是开始作者的再创造。[3]

①从前,中国人喜欢大家庭,很多人生活在一起,有的家庭四世同堂——四代人住在一起。…现在情况不同了,封建式的大家庭解体了,以小家庭为主。

In the old days, Chinese people preferred to live in extended families with up to four generations under the same roof…now things are quite different. The feudal extended family has given way to the nuclear family.

分析:如果从字面上来翻译,“大家庭”跟“小家庭”应该分别译为“big family”和 “small family”。但是在英语中,相当于我们中国人所讲的“大家庭”和“小家庭”的概念,分别是extended family 和nuclear family。在英文中,extended family 的定义为:family structurewhere uncles, aunts and cousins are regarded as close relatives, with an obligation to help and support each other大家庭。

nuclear family的定义为:the family considered as mother, father and children only, and not including any less close relations 核心家庭,小家庭。[4]

big family一般指多子女家庭

②西湖名菜有南宋风味,载誉已久。

West Lake dishes, which originated in the Southern Song Dynasty, have been well-known for their taste and flavor.

分析:如果按字面意思翻译,“南宋风味”就要译成了style and taste of the Southern Song Dynasty,而把“南宋风味”用一个定语从句which originated in the Southern Song Dynasty 译出了内涵,即现在的杭州菜源于南宋。

③杰出的科学家既为人类物质文明留下了宝贵财富,也以自己高尚的道德情操,为人类的精神文明留下了宝贵财富。

原译: A great scientist not only devotes himself to the material civilization of humanity,but also,with his lofty sentiments, offers noble wealth to the human spiritual civilization.

分析:“物质文明”可以翻译为material civilization, 但是“精神文明”翻译成spiritual civilization则颇有争议。至于“道德情操”译成sentiments,显然是用错了词,这都是由于译者只顾词的字面意义。[5]

此句应改译为:Distinguished scientists not only make contributions to the accumulation of material wealth with their scientific achievements, but also leave behind them rich cultural heritages with their exemplary integrity.这里,把“物质文明 ”和“精神文明”分别译成material wealth 和cultural heritage,把高尚的道德情操译为exemplary integrity都遵循了意译的原则。

、词文化含义的转换

文化与语言密切相关,互有包含。语言承载着各种文化的信息,而语言本身又是文化的组成部分。各种典故、成语、俗语具有丰富的文化内涵,有的还源远流长有着一定的 汉英翻译实践是再创造的过程 汉英翻译实践是再创造的过程 汉英翻译实践是再创造的过程历史背景。[6]

因此,翻译不仅是语言的转换,更是文化的传递或转换。所以,翻译不仅要克服语言的障碍,更要克服文化的障碍,才能使译文读者理解。语言中的许多词汇具有很强的文化含义,翻译时必须译出其文化含义。

④农户中有的在做汤圆,图个团圆之意;有的在准备鱼,也是想图个年年有余的意思。

Some farmers are making round dumplings. This is a kind of stuffed dumplings made of glutinous rice flour served in soup. It’s traditional food for Chinese in some southern parts of China. The round shape of dumplings signifies family reunion, for the spring festival is the biggest occasion for family reunion in a year. Others are preparing fish for New Year’s Eve Dinner. As the Chinese character "fish" is pronounced "yu", which is homophonic with another character "yu", meaning "having surplus of more than necessary", eating fish at the New Year’s Eve means you will have more than necessary in the coming year.

分析:吃汤圆图团圆,吃鱼图年年有余,这是南方部分地区的民俗习惯,具有明显的文化含义。但对英语读者来说,两者是无法联系在一起的。因此,翻译时必须加以解释说明,才能使译文读者理解。

⑤五代时的吴越国和南宋均在杭州建都,历时237年。 分析:这里有一定的历史文化背景的问题。中国人都知道,吴越国和南宋之间相隔约500年之久。如果译文不加说明,英语读者会误解,以为南宋仅接着吴越国之后。

⑥他真是赔了夫人又折兵。

He really suffered a double loss instead of making a gain.

分析:“赔了夫人又折兵”是个三国典故,意思是说损失惨重。把它翻译成“suffer a double loss instead of making a gain”既能体现原文的简洁性,又能使译文读者接受。但是如果按字面意思把它翻译成“give one’s enemy a wife and lose one’s soldiers as well”,则会使不了解这个典故的译文读者感到十分费解。

三、句子的翻译——句子结构的转换

汉英两种语言的句子结构有一个基本的差别。简单来说,汉语是“流水句”,整个句子是由一个一个独立的子句按时间顺序或逻辑顺序层层推进。英语的句子结构是在一个主句中,可在不同的地方插入各种从属结构,层层展开。从属结构包括动词的非限定形式,介词短语和各种分句。

在汉英翻译中,应把汉语的结构转换成英语的结构,这能在很大程度上避免中式英语的产生。

以下以邓小平理论课程简介的翻译为例。对外宣传邓小平理论是非常重要的。在翻译时应做到意思准确,风格得体,可读性强。

⑦ 邓小平理论概论

“本课程系统讲授邓小平理论科学体系的基本内容,深入分析邓小平理论的思想精髓和科学内容,阐明邓小平理论的历史地位和指导意义,阐明建设有中国特色社会主义的路线、方针和政策,帮助学生提高对高举邓小平伟大旗帜的认识水平,提高建设有中国特色社会主义道路的自觉性,提高以邓小平理论为指导研究分析我国社会主义改革开放和现代化建设理论和实践问题的能力。//邓小平理论概论讲授的重点内容是邓小平社会主义初级阶段理论,邓小平理论的精髓,邓小平社会主义本质和根本任务的理论,邓小平社会主义改革理论,邓小平外交和对外开放理论,邓小平一国两制和祖国统一理论,邓小平社会主义市场经济理论,邓小平社会主义现代化建设的发展战略理论,邓小平社会主义民主与法制理论,邓小平社会主义精神文明建设理论,邓小平社会主义建设的领导力量和依靠力量等。//课堂教学要求努力贯彻理论与实际相结合、历史与现实相结合的原则,力求科学严谨、生动有效。”[7]

对于这类句子长,重复多,条理差的复杂段落,我们必须对它进行必要的梳理加工,然后再分步骤地进行翻译。

第一步,翻译之前精心安排,突出句子的框架结构,再做一些细节上的调整:

、邓小平理论概论

本课程系统讲授邓小平理论科学体系的基本内容,深入分析邓小平理论的思想精髓和科学内容,阐明邓小平理论的历史地位和指导意义,阐明建设有中国特色社会主义的路线、方针和政策,帮助学生提高对高举邓小平伟大旗帜的认识水平,提高建设有中国特色社会主义道路的自觉性,提高以邓小平理论为指导研究 分析我国社会主义改革开放和现代化建设理论和实践问题的能力。

、邓小平理论概论讲授的重点内容

邓小平理论的精髓

邓小平社会主义初级阶段理论

邓小平社会主义本质和根本任务的理论

邓小平社会主义改革理论

邓小平社会主义市场经济理论

邓小平社会主义现代化建设的发展战略理论

邓小平社会主义建设的领导力量和依靠力量

邓小平社会主义民主与法制理论

邓小平社会主义精神文明建设理论

邓小平外交和对外开放理论

邓小平一国两制和祖国统一理论

、课堂教学要求

努力贯彻理论与实际相结合、历史与现实相结合的原则,力求科学严谨、生动有效。

第二步,参照有关马克思主义经济理论课程的英语原文的介绍,了解其结构与写法,并摘录一些有用的表达方式,以便模仿应用:

This course involves examination of Marx’s economic theory, concentrating on the theories and value and surplus value, the theory of accumulation, the theory of money and circulation, and the concept of socialism, consideration of some selected work of later Marxist economists and discussion of some criticisms of the Marxist th 汉英翻译实践是再创造的过程 汉英翻译实践是再创造的过程 汉英翻译实践是再创造的过程eory。

第三步,把有关的基本内容的译文列出来:

the fundamentals of the scientific framework of Deng Xiaoping Theory

the essential thinking and scientific substance

the historical impact and guiding significance

the line, policy and strategy for building China-specific socialism

the attitude towards holding high the great banner of Deng Xiaoping

the initiative for building socialism with Chinese characteristics

the ability to apply…to the study of the theoretical and practical dimensions of…

the pith and marrow of Deng Xiaoping Theory

the inลitial stage of socialism

the essence and fundamental tasks of socialism

the reform of socialism

the socialist market economy

the development strategy of the modernization program

the leading core and buttress force for building socialism

the enhancement of democracy and the rule of law

the strengthening of the vitality of civilization

the leading core and opening policies

the “one country--two systems” and the reunification of the motherland

cross reference between theory and practice and between history and reality;Scie€ntifically sound and interestingly effective

第四步,把所有的句子按设定的结构串联起来。

Introduction to Deng Xiaoping Theory

This course involves examination of the fundamentals of the scientific framework of Deng Xiaoping Theory, the exploration of the essential thinking and scientific substance of the theory, the consideration of its historical impact and guiding significance, and the discussion of this theory regarding the line, policy and strategy for building China-specific socialism.

The course aims to heighten the awareness of the students for holding high the great banner of Deng Xiaoping,to enhance their initiative for building socialism with Chinese characteristics, and to increase their ability to apply the theory to the study of the theoretical and empirical implications of the socialist reforms and open policies and the modernization program.

The subjects to be expounded in this course will be the pith and marrow of Deng Xiaoping Theory, concentrating on such aspects as the initial stage of socialism, the essence and fundamental tasks of socialism, the socialist reforms, the socialist market economy, the development strategy of the modernization program and the leading core and buttress force for building socialism. This course also touches on Deng Xiaoping’s directives on the enhancement of democracy and the rule of law and the strengthening of the vitality of civilization, the guidelines on foreign affairs and the open policies and the concept of reunification of the motherland in the “one country--two systems” context.

The lectures, which are intended to be scientifically sound and interestingly effective, will feature cross-references between theory and practice and between history and reality. [8]

此译文在传达原意的前提下,还照顾到了三个方面:

四、段落的翻译

翻译也是改写的一种形式,包括语言形式乃至内容的改写。

、语言形式的改写——以段落为单位,可以重组段落

⑧相传四五千年以前,黄河流域发生了一次特大水灾,洪水冲毁了房屋和村庄,淹没了田地,淹死了许多人。活着的人只好搬到山上去住,或离开家乡,逃到很远很远的地方去。

Legend has it that some four or five thousand years ago, there once occurred in the Yellow River valley a terrible flood which washed away whole villages with their houses and inundated large areas of cropland. Many people lost their lives in the flood and those who were fortunate enough to survive were forced to abandon their homes and go and live on hillsides or migrate to places far, far away.

分析:汉语原文中,“房屋和村庄”是并列的,译文用了从属结构“whole villages with their houses”。对于“淹没了田地,淹死了许多人。活着的人……”的翻译,英语译文进行了重组,把“淹没了田地”放到前面,与“冲毁了房屋和村庄”并列,把有关“人”的描述都放在后面一句当中。这样安排才符合英语的逻辑。

⑨市属7个县境内,北有超山,西有天目山,溯钱塘江而上,有富阳鹳山,桐庐瑶琳仙境,桐君山,严子陵钓台,建德灵栖三洞,新安江“千岛湖”等名胜,形成一个以西湖为中心的广阔旅游区。

The beauty spots in the seven nearby counties form a vast area for tourists with West Lake at its center. To the north of Hangzhou stands the Chao Hill, and to the west Mt.Tianmu. Going up to the Qiantang River one finds oneself at St 汉英翻译实践是再创造的过程 汉英翻译实践是再创造的过程 汉英翻译实践是再创造的过程ork Hill near the Terrace where Yan Ziling, a hermit of the Eastern Han Dynasty , loved to go angling by the Fuchun River in Fuyang County. Nearby are the Yaolin Wonderland in Tonglu County, the Tongjun Hill and the three Lingqi Caves in Jiande County, and the Thousand-Islet Lake at the source of the Xin’anjiang River.

分析:英语句子和段落的结构,一般是先总述,后分述;汉语恰恰相反,往往是先分述,后总述。汉语原文的段落以“形成了一个以西湖为中心的广阔的旅游区”作结,即遵循了“先分述,后总述”的汉语段落结构。英语译文则以此句开头,作为本段的主题句,也遵循了“先总述,后分述”的英语段落结构。

、内容的改写——以段落为单位,对内容进行重写或改写

翻译实际上也是用另一种文字对原作的改写或重写。经过改写或重写后的译文在字面上可能与原文不能一一对应,但意思却能体现出来。

⑩而杭州湾喇叭口的地形特殊,海湾水域广阔,但河口狭窄,加之河床泥沙阻挡,易使潮流能量集中,江潮迅速猛涨,流速加快,涌潮现象频频发生。

根据译者对原文的理解,对这一句的译文作了重写:

The river’s special physical features account for this remarkable natural phenomenon. Its outlet to the ocean, Hangzhou Bay, is extremely wide, shaped like a large trumpet. When the sea tide rises, it brings with it a huge amount of water, pushing inland at a great speed. However, the river’s sandy bed prevents the water’s smooth progress. As waves follow

one after the other, the tide surges and creates a gigantic wall of tidal water, the so-called "tidal bore". [9]

五、结语

翻译是一门艺术,即将翻译看成译者塑造形象,表现思想感情的一种活动,是译者将一种语言文字所传达的思想情感用另一种语言文字表达出来的心智活动。它本身是一种技巧、一种技能、一种艺术、一种再创造。[10]由于英汉语言在思维方式和表达方法上的差异。两种语言特点不同,规律不同,如果一层不便地进行翻译是产生不了应有的效果的。在汉英翻译实践中,有些词、句子按字面意思表达是不能忠实地表达原文的,所以在此情况下,就需要对文字进行调整,在保持原意的基础上作些变通,这就是翻译的“再创造”。 参考文献: [2]罗新璋.释译作[J].中国翻译,1995

:P9.

[3]毕静.论翻译是再创作[J].理论观察,2002

:P5®2.

[4]霍比恩.《牛津高阶英汉双解词典》[Z]..北京:商务印书馆,1997.P509.P1003.

[5]方梦之.《实用文本汉译英》[M].青岛:青岛出版社,1999.P59.

[6]方梦之.《翻译新论与实践》[M].青岛:青岛出版社,1999.P111.

[7]丁衡祁.汉英翻译实践是再创作的过程[J].中国翻译,2005,26

:P27.

[8]同[7]:P27

[9]郭建中.钱江涌潮[J].中国翻译,2005,26

:P90. [11]李伯和.论翻译的再创造性[J].韶关学院学报,2005,26

:P102.