2017年6月英语六级翻译技巧:顺应法
由于汉语连珠四字句语气强烈,结构齐整,在翻译时人们往往会不自觉地顺应原文形式,或用VP 对应VP,或字遵句从,字字不漏。当然,若不影响译文表达,又基本符合译文习惯,这种方法还是可取的。例如,下面这几个例子,可谓一字不漏:
例1.要不断解放思想、实事求是,与时俱进、开拓创新。
We should continue to emancipate our minds, seek truth from facts, keep pace with the times and make innovations in a pioneering spirit.
例2.坚持有法可依、有法必依、执法必严、违法必究。
We must see to it that there are laws to go by, the laws are observed and strictly enforced, and law- breakers are prosecuted.
VP 对VP,形式一致,意义准确,语言地道,何乐而不为?
例3.在全社会倡导“爱国守法、明礼诚信、团结友善、勤俭自强、敬业奉献”的基本道德规范。
We will encourage all our people to develop the basic virtues of "patriotism and observance of law; courtesy and honesty; solidarity and friendship; diligence, frugality and self- improvement; and devotion and contribution".
正因为是强调“道德规范”,译者心领神会,译文不厌其详,唯恐不周,译得字字不漏。
例4.切实解决层次过多、职能交叉、人员臃肿、权责脱节和多重多头执法等问题。
We should solve the problems of too many levels, overlapping functions, overstaffing, divorce between powers and responsibilities and duplicate law enforcement.
不仅语序结构相同,连字面形式几乎都一模一样,典型的直译手法。但值得指出的是,像这种字字对应、历历俱足的译法并非连珠四字句翻译的主流策略,在英译文中大多还是采取舍“形”取“义”的手法予以适当变通,以保证译文通顺地道、准确达意。
综上所述,我们就外宣资料中(未涉及文学作品,其表现会更加绚丽多彩)汉语连珠四字句的汉、英翻译做了较为系统的分析和阐释,既明确了二者的差异,也领略了其翻译中化“虚”为“实”的精妙之处。
值得强调的是,千万不要误以为汉语连珠四字句就华而不实,英语就言简意赅。换一个角度,倘若从英译汉的角度来看,你会深感汉语四字句的凝练与隽洁,对比之下,英语反倒显出几分幼稚与苍白。
不信我们来看一个例子:
英:Often at the end of a hard day' s work one realizes with dismay that the meager stack of finished work one has accomplished has immeasurably slight impact on the work as a whole.
汉:往往一天辛苦工作下来,发现所成之事微不足道,仅为全部工作九牛一毛,好不令人沮丧。
微不足道vs 勉强够的一堆
九牛一毛vs 量不出的轻微影响
所成之事vs 一个人做完的已完成的工作(!)
你看,一起摆在这一上下文中,幼稚与成熟、浅白与隽永昭然若揭!英语似乎“败相”已露。其实不然。因为说到底,这种所谓的“败相”也不过是一种错觉。
语言本无优劣之分,翻译中“雅”与“俗”、“优”与“劣”的感觉,仅仅是汉、英思维方式和审美习性不同所致,丝毫也不影响各自语言之美,所谓“春兰秋菊,各极一时之秀,不容为人轩轾”([清]· 袁枚),其间并无高低之分,却各有其专美(奚永吉,2001: 7)。
这也正好印证了奈达(Nida)的一句名言:“Each language has its own genius”(不同语言都有其各自的特性)。由于汉、英语各自在“构词性能”(word- building capacities)、“词组排列程式”(patterns of phrase order)、“连句手段”(techniques for linking clauses into sentences)、“话语标记”(markers of discourse)以及“话语类型”(discourse types)等方面的差异,才不可避免地导致了汉、英语间这种“虚”与“实”的现象,故而出现了连珠四字句词义在英译文中不能译全的情况,恰如钱锺书先生所言:“不失‘本’便不成翻译”。你看,连珠四字句好端端的齐整结构在英译文中竟变得那样的残缺不全,韵致全失,岂不大煞风景?殊不知,译文失之于形式“齐整”却能得之于语义“简练”,二者行文用字各有所长,又何必为此耿耿于怀?真可谓“败也‘结构’成也‘结构’”,蓄失于彼乃所以得于此也!翻译同样展示了辩证法的强大威力。反过来,倘若在英、汉翻译中善用连珠四字句,你又会体味到汉语那无穷的魅力。
试看下面两段英文,你可曾发现汉语连珠四字句那靓丽的倩影?
1.It was a day as fresh as grass growing up and clouds going over and butterflies coming down can make it. It was a day compounded from silence of bee and flower and ocean land, which will not be silent at all, but motions, stirs, flutters, risings, fallings, each in its own time and matchless rhythm.
1.绿草萋萋,白云冉冉,彩蝶翩翩,这日子如此清新可爱;蜜蜂无言,春花无语,海波声歇,大地音寂,这日子如此静谧,但这并非一片死寂,万物皆以各自特有的节奏,或动,或摇,或震,或起,或伏。
2.密西西比河上夏天的日出真是百看不厌,令人神往。日出之前,万籁俱寂,静谧之趣笼罩四野,远离尘嚣的空灵之感油然而生。
2.One can never see too many summer sunrises on the Mississippi. They are enchanting. First, there is the eloquence of silence, for a sleep hush broods everywhere. Next, there is the haunting sense of loneliness, isolation, remoteness from the worry and hustle of the world.
曙色悄分,郁郁森森的树木绰约朦胧,決決涣涣的密西西比河依稀可辩,河水上水波不兴,白雾袅袅,萦纡迷幻,风闲而枝静,恬谧深沉,令人心旷神怡。
The dawn creeps in stealthily; The solid walls of the blackforest soften to gray, and the vast stretches of the river open up and reveal themselves; gives off spectral little wreaths of white- mist, there is not the faintest breath of wind, nor stir of leaf; the tranquility is profound and infinitely satisfying.