翻译理论与实践(DOC)

Chapter Two: Translation: Theory and Practice

Part 1

．

Understanding of Translation

1. Definition of translation:

Definitions of proper translating are almost numerous and varied as the persons

who

have

undertaken

to

discuss

the

subject.

This

diversity

is

in

a

sense

quite

understandable; for there are vast differences in the materials translated, in the

purposes

of

the

publication,

and

in

the

needs

of

the

prospective

audience.

Moreover,

live

languages

are

constantly

changing

and

stylistic

preferences

undergo

continual

modification.

Thus

a

translation

acceptable

in

one

period

is

often quite unacceptable at a latter time.

(Eugene Nida)

?

Translation is the expression in one language (or target language) of what have

been

expressed

in

another,

source

language,

preserving

semantic

and

stylistic equivalence. (Dubois. al)

?

Translation

is

craft

consisting

in

the

attempt

to

replace

a

written

message

and/or statement in one language by the same message and/or statement

in

another language. (Peter Newmark)

?

翻译是运用一种语言把另一种语言所表达的思维内容准确而完整地重新

< br>表达出来的语言活动。

（张培基）

?

把已说 出或写出的话的意思用另一种语言表达出来的活动。

（季羡林、许

国璋）

?

翻译是将一种语言文字所蕴含的意 思用另外一种语言文字表达出来的文

化活动。

（王克非）

2. Translation principles:

A. F. Tytler’s three laws of translation:

1) The translation should give a complete transcript of the ideas of the original work.

2) The style and manner of writing should be of the same character with that of the

original.

3) The translation should have all the ease (

流畅自然

) of the original.

严复：信达雅

Faithfulness/expressiveness/elegance.

The

“three

character

guide”

is

regarded

as

a

plumb-line to measure the professional level of translating.

傅雷：神似

Spiritual conformity. Emphasizing the reproduction of the spirit or the flavor of the

original.

钱钟书：化境

Sublimed adaptation. Focus on the translator’s smooth and idioma

tic Chinese version

for the sake of the Chinese reader.

刘重德：信、达、切

Faithfulness / expressiveness / closeness.

Part 2: Accomplishments of Translators

1. Role of translator:

A.

Communicator

（

沟通者

）

The translator, as the expert communicator, is at the crucial center of a long chain of

communication from original initiator to ultimate receiver of a message: a human link

across a cultural frontier.

（

Schaffner)

译者作为沟通专家，处于信息始发 者与信息接受者这个长长交际链的关键中心位置，是

穿越文化疆界的人性连接纽带。

B.

Negotiator

（

谈判者

）

The translator is engaged in negotiating with the source text in order to determine its

meaning, most of which is overt, although much is always covert.

A translator must

also negotiate with the language of the target audience in order to arrive at the closest

natural equivalent.

译者是 在与原文谈判与协商，

以便确定其意义

(

意义虽大体上显而易见，

但也有相当部分

并非一眼就能看出）

。译者还得与目标语谈判与协商，以便取得最自然的对等。

C.

Mediator

（

斡旋者

）

Most

obviously,

the

translator

has

not

only

a

bilingual

ability

but

also

a

bi-cultural

vision. Translators mediate between cultures (including ideologies, moral systems and

socio-political structures), seeking to overcome those incompatibilities which stand in

the way of transfer of meaning.

显而易见，译者不仅具备双语能力 ，而且具有跨文化视角。译者在不同文化（包括意识

形态、

道德 体系和社会政治结构）

之间进行斡旋，

努力克服那些妨碍意义转 移的诸多不相容

的因素。

2. Basic requirements for translator:

1).

The

first

and

most

obvious

requirement

of

any

translator

is

that

he

has

a

satisfactory knowledge of the source language

. Rather, he must understand not only

the

obvious

content

of

the

message,

but

the

subtleties

of

meaning,

the

significant

values of w

ords, and the stylistic features which determine the “flavor and feel” of the

message.

2). Even more important

is a complete control of the receptor language

.

Certainly

the most numerous and serious errors made by translators arise primarily from their

lack of thorough knowledge of the receptor language.

3).

It

is

one

thing

to

know

a

language

in

general

and

another

to

have

a

special

knowledge of a particular subject. The translator must have

a thorough acquaintance

with the subject matter concerned

.

4). Even if the translator possessed all the necessary technical knowledge, he is not

really competent unless

he has also a truly empathetic spirit

(

同感

). The translator

must

have

the

gift

of

mimicry

(

模仿

),

the

capacity

to

act

the

author’s

part,

impersonating his demeanor, speech, and ways, with the utmost verisimilitude(

逼真

).

Part 3: Linguistic Difference between English and Chinese

1.

英语重结构，汉语重语义

:

?

Children will play with dolls equipped with personality chips, computers with

inbuilt

personalities

will

be

regarded

as

workmates

rather

than

tools,

relaxation will be in front of smell television, and digital age will have arrived.

?

译文：孩子们可以和装有性格芯片 的娃娃一起玩耍；内嵌性格装置的电脑将被视作

人们工作上的伙伴而不仅仅是工具；休闲 时，电视机还能满足人们嗅觉感官的需求

——

那时，数码时代就 已经到来了。

2.

英语多长句，汉语多短句：

?

Interest in historical methods had arisen less through external challenge to the

validity of history as an intellectual discipline and more from internal quarrels

among historians themselves.

?

译文： 人们对历史研究方法产生了兴趣，这与其说是因为外部对历史作为一门知识

学科的有效性 提出了挑战，还不如说是因为历史学家内部发生了争吵。

3.

英语多从句，汉语多分句

?

On

the

whole

such

a

conclusion

can

be

drawn

with

a

certain

degree

of

confidence but only if the child can be assumed to have had the same attitude

towards the test as the other with whom he is compared, and only if he was not

punished by lack of relevant information which they possessed.

?

译文：

总 的来说，

得出这样一个结论是有一定程度把握的，

但是必须具备 两个条件：

能够假定这个孩子对测试的态度和与他相比的另一个孩子的态度相同；他也没 有因

缺乏别的孩子已掌握的有关知识而被扣分。

4.

英语多代词，汉语多名词

?

There will be television chat shows hosted by robots, and cars with pollution

monitors that will disable them when they offend.

?

译文：届时，将出现由机器人主持 的电视访谈节目及装有污染监测器的汽车。一旦

这些汽车污染超标（或违规）

5.

英语多被动，汉语多主动

?

And it is imagined by many that the operations of the common mind can by no

means be compared with these processes, and that they have to be required by

a sort of special training.

?

译文：许多人认为，普通人的思维 活动根本无法与科学家的思维活动相比，认为这

些思维活动必须经过某种专门训练才能掌 握。

6.

英语多变化，汉语多重复

?

The

monkey's

most

extraordinary

accomplishment

was

learning

to

operate

a

tractor. By the age of nine, the monkey had learned to solo on the vehicle.

?

译文：这只猴子最了不起的成就是 学会驾驶拖拉机。到九岁的时候，这只猴子已经

学会了单独表演驾驶拖拉机了。

7.

英语多抽象，汉语多具体

?

Until such time as mankind has the sense to lower its population to the points

whereas the planet can provide a comfortable support for all, people will have

to accept more

?

译文：除非人类终于意识到要把人 口减少到这样的程度：使地球能为所有人提供足

够的饮食，否则人们将不得不接受更多的

“

人造食品

”

。

8.

英语多引申，汉语多推理

?

While there are almost as many definitions of history as there are historians,

modern practice most closely conforms to one that sees history as the attempt

to recreate and explain the significant events of the past.

?

译文：

尽 管关于历史的定义几乎和历史学家一样多，

现代实践最符合这样一种定义，

即把历史看作是对过去重大历史事件的再现和解释。

Part 4: Three Highlights in Translation

1.

On Rigorous Translation

1.1 Essentials of rigorous translation

No.1:

Translator’s

accurate

and

thorough

understanding

of

the

spiritual

essence

in

source texts;

No.2:

Translator’s self

-disciplined style, conscientious work and scientific attitude

1.2 Common practices against rigorous translation

A. Incorrect wording

In a small town like Groton, nobody knows about this disappearing act.