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  翻译方法举隅
[ 2006-03-19 12:50 ]

    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,这是翻译的先决条件。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。
  现在就让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) 应该弥补代沟。
  (We must bridge the generation gap)
  (10) 这事使他丢脸。
  (This matter makes him lose face)
  (11) 如何提高生产力?
   (How to increase productivity?)

现在再看看词语上或句子上需要调整或变动的例句:
  一、英文的修饰短语,不管是形容词性的,介词性的、分词性的或不定式动词性的,一概出现在名词之后;中译时,就要移到名词之前;形容词从句(Adjective Clause)也一样。例如:
  (12) Please identify the factors responsible for the increasing cost of living.(请指出引起生活费高涨的因素。)
  (13) Jenny is a girl of great intelligence.(珍妮是个很聪明的女孩。)
  (14) Do you know the man sitting next to Peter?(你认识坐在彼得旁边的那个人吗?)
  (15) An effective way to learn a language well is to practise it regularly.(学好语文的有效方法是不断地练习。)
  (16) Doesn't the manager know the reasons why his staff are in low spirits?(经理不知道职员死气沉沉的原因吗?)
  (17) Here are some grammatical errors you have made in your essay.(这里是一些你在作文中所犯的语法错误。)

  二、英文的日期、地点等的排列是从小单位到大单位;单词连用时是分量轻的在前,分量重的在后,中文则反之。例如:
  (18) Helen was born at 10 p.m. on 3rd March, 1990.(海伦在一九九○年三月三日晚上十点出生。)
  (19) He came from a small town in Johore Malaysia.(他从马来西亚 柔佛州一个小镇来到这里。)
  (20) Beat our enemy or they will oppress and slaughter us.(打倒敌人;不然的话,他们会屠杀和压迫我们。)

  三、中英文词类不一定对应,必须进行调适。例如:
  (21) Jack is mentally sound but physically weak.(杰克思想健全、身体虚弱。)(副词变成名词)
  (22) Yesterday's stage performance was quite a success.(昨天的舞台表演相当成功。(名词变形容词)
  (23) The elimination of illiteracy is a matter of great urgency.(扫除文盲是当务之急。)(名词变成动词)
  (24) We are against racial discrimination.(我们反对种族歧视。)(介词变成动词)
    四、 中英文句式不吻合时,就要变动。例如:
  1、英文被动语态变成中文主动语态。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. (我们必须承认新加坡是个很小的岛国。)
  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,所以导致了公路意外。)
  (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.(劳工联合会建议增加工人的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,不可直译时就采用意译,甚至双管齐下,两者兼施。有些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.)
  
  最后,看看下列两名翻译大师在红楼梦中的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;后者是杨宪益教授和戴乃迭(Gladys Yang)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,戴乃迭:"You boast that you can memorize a passage with one reading. Why can't I learn ten lines at one glance?"
  你们觉得那一段译文比较贴切,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,但由于两种语言差异处处,翻译时必须在译文上作些调整或变动,才不会有"翻译腔",才可以使辛辛苦苦,绞尽脑汁的翻译作品达到"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。