由于语言的相通性,英语中有的习语可以直接匹配汉语中的习语。能把汉语中的习语用英语中对等的习语来表达是再好不过了。这也正是符合了奈达(Eugene Nida)的 “equivalent translationtheory” 即认为翻译是“the most natural and close way toproduce the original information in both meaning and style”. 在杨译本中就有很多例子。例如:
1)如今孙子媳妇没了,侄儿媳妇又病倒,我看里头着实不成体统。(Chapter 13)
With my daughter –in –law gone and mywife ill in bed, everything is at sixes and sevens in the apartments.
运用英语习语“at sixes and sevens” 来表述汉语“不成体统”,既生动又形象。更多的例子:
2)贪多嚼不烂。(Chapter 9)
Bite off more than you can chew.
3)所谓“物以类聚, 人以群分”二语不错. (Chapter 63)
It was a genuine case of “like attractslike” or “birds of a feather flock together”.
4)僧不僧,俗不俗,女不女,男不男。(Chapter 63)
This is neither fish, flesh nor fowl.
5)恰好这是八月时节,园中池上芙蓉正开,这丫头便见景生情。(Chapter 78)
As it happened to be the eighth monthand hibiscus was blooming beside the pond in the garden. She took her cue fromthat.
同义但不同形的英汉习语经常可以看到,对等借用翻译既可以保留原中文的色彩又借用了英语读者所熟悉的形式和特点。
但是有时候由于文化差异,译者不得不对借用的习语做轻微的改动。在杨译本中就有着鲜明的例子:
谋事在人,成事在天。咱们谋到了靠菩萨保佑,有些机会也未可知。(Chapter6)
Man proposes, Heaven disposes. Work outa plan, trust to Buddha, and something may come out of it for all you know.
英汉两种表述所要传递的信息是一样的,只是“天”的用词有所不同,在英语中有“Man propose, God disposes”, 但是显然刘姥姥信的是菩萨而不是上帝。所以译者用“Heaven”来代替 “God”起到了一石二鸟的作用。
由于不同的生活方式,在英汉两种语言中完全相同的俗语毕竟是有限的,因此在翻译时经常需要作出灵活的改动。
四、加注翻译
加注翻译一般用在具有明显的典故的句子翻译中。翻译加注释既能够保留原来中国的比喻和文化又能使异域读者更好地理解。免费论文参考网。例如:
1)凤姐在地下站着,笑道:“你两个那里像天天在一处的?倒像是客一般!有这些套话,可是人说的‘相敬如宾’了。”(Chapter85)
“You twoare behaving like guests, not like inseparables.” She teased, “All thesecivilities! Well, as the saying does, ‘you show each other respect as to aguest.’”
(Note: Meng Kuang and Liang Huang ofthe Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) were a loving couple. They were described asshowing each other respect as to a guest.)
这句翻译中“相敬如宾”被译为“you show each other respect as to a guest ”,这样表达了原文的表面意义但却不能更深层话中话的含义。所以有必要在译文后面加上注释告诉读者这个短语是用来描述感情很好的夫妻的。免费论文参考网。更多例子:
2)宝玉因想道:“能病了几天,竟把杏花辜负了!不觉倒‘绿叶成荫子满枝’了”(Chapter58)
“Just a few days illness andI missed the apricot-blossom,” thought Bao-Yu, “ Now ‘Green leaves make a shadeand the boughs are filled with fruit.’”
Note: Line from a poem by Tu Mu.)
3)宝玉道:“我是要做姜太公的。”便走下石矶,坐在池边钓起来。(Chapter 81)
“I’m going to fish likeChiang Tai Kung,” he announced as he walked down the stone steps and sat downby the pool.
(Note:Chiang Shang of the eleventh century B.C. was said to fish by the Weishui River (present –day Shensi ) holding a line with no hook or bait, threefeet above the water, and saying at the same time: “Whoever is ordained, comeand take the bait.”)
4)宝玉道:“一个是‘吾十有五而志于学,’一个是‘人不知而不愠,’一个是‘则归墨’三字。”(Chapter 84)
“One was ‘At fifteen I setmy mind on study,’ one was ‘when people do not know him he bears noresentment’, one was ‘Then they followed the Monists.’”
(Note: The first two quotations are from The Analects. The third is fromMencius.)
五、进一步讨论
《红楼梦》中大量的精美的俗语深受广大读者的喜爱,译者根据文章的主旨灵活翻译,因此其译本同样能够达到“欣赏” “表达”和“传递”的三重效果。
然而智者千虑必有一失,作者认为在杨译本中同样也存在着一些可以进一步讨论的地方。为了保存原文的文化色彩,杨译本中用了大量的直译,但有些是不合适的。例如:你要有有那个恒劲,那龙也下蛋了。(Chapter 35)
If you can stick to that, why, dragonscan lay eggs.
这句话中“龙下蛋”意思是“决不可能”,是薛姨妈对薛潘所说的克服懒惰的毛病持怀疑态度。她的意思是“你是永远都不可能该掉你懒惰的毛病的”。然而杨译本中其译文为“dragons can lay eggs”, 这对于大多数的英语读者来说都是难以理解的。
“龙”一词带有很浓厚的中国文化色彩,在西方人的世界里根本就没有这个概念。在中国龙只是一种意念中的东西,当然不能生蛋,而西方人对此却一无所知。因此“龙生蛋”的翻译使读者对上下文的理解非常困难。作者认为为了避免文化休克,这种不合适的直译应该避免。
作者认为,可以用对等借用的翻译技巧将“龙生蛋”译为英语习语“Pigsmight fly”,也是“决不可能”的意思。
译者必须对翻译的原文化和目标文化都非常熟悉,否则就有可能不完全传达原文的意义。例如:
金氏听了番语,把方才在他嫂子家的那一团要向秦氏理论的盛气早吓的丢在爪洼国了。(Chapter10)
Aunt Hang’s furiousdetermination while with her sister in law to have it out with Ko-ching had,during this recital, been scared away into the sea of Java.
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