談到翻譯就難免牽涉到雙語運用問題。譯者對相關的兩種語文即使不精通,也要有良好的水平,這是翻譯的先決條件。接著,他還要曉得雙語在詞語運用上的不同,以及句子結構上的差別,然后才能在“理解”原文之后,通過適當的方法和技巧,把譯文端出來,呈獻給讀者品嘗。 所謂適當的方法,就是指“直譯”(Literal translation)和“意譯”(Free translation)。直譯可以對號入座,字字翻譯,但很多時候必須在句子某些成分上作些詞類、詞序、句式等方面的調整或變動,才能把譯文帶入既“忠實”又“流暢”的佳境。如果直譯行不通或是不理想的話,就只好意譯了。例如:
(1) x:How much have you suffered, Irene?
y:A lot.
x:愛玲,你吃了多少苦?
y:一言難盡。
(2) x:你這人真是“狗嘴里長不出象牙。”
x:A filthy mouth cannot utter decent language. You are really such a person.
如果把第一句里的“a lot”直譯為“許多”或“很多很多”,這句話自然嗎?如果把第二句譯成“A dog’s mouth doesn’t spit out an ivory”,只懂英語的人聽了不會莫名其妙嗎?
意譯技巧最常見于中英慣用語的對譯。除了上述“狗嘴里長不出象牙”之外,再看些其他意譯的例子。
(3) Don’t put on airs.(別擺架子)
(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.(斬草除根)
意譯雖重要,直譯也可貴;能字字對譯最好,若不能,就稍微整容或變型,以符合譯文的外貌,保持原文的精髓。
現在就讓我先舉些中英直譯的好例子:
(7) 他是只紙老虎。
(He is a paper tiger)
(8) 別流鱷魚淚。
(Don’t shed crocodile tears)
(9) 應該彌補代溝。
(We must bridge the generation gap)
(10) 這事使他丟臉。
(This matter makes him lose face)
(11) 如何提高生產力?
(How to increase productivity?)
現在再看看詞語上或句子上需要調整或變動的例句:
一、英文的修飾短語,不管是形容詞性的,介詞性的、分詞性的或不定式動詞性的,一概出現在名詞之后;中譯時,就要移到名詞之前;形容詞從句(Adjective Clause)也一樣。例如:
(12) Please identify the factors responsible for the increasing cost of living.(請指出引起生活費高漲的因素。)
(13) Jenny is a girl of great intelligence.(珍妮是個很聰明的女孩。)
(14) Do you know the man sitting next to Peter?(你認識坐在彼得旁邊的那個人嗎?)
(15) An effective way to learn a language well is to practise it regularly.(學好語文的有效方法是不斷地練習。)
(16) Doesn’t the manager know the reasons why his staff are in low spirits?(經理不知道職員死氣沉沉的原因嗎?)
(17) Here are some grammatical errors you have made in your essay.(這里是一些你在作文中所犯的語法錯誤。)
二、英文的日期、地點等的排列是從小單位到大單位;單詞連用時是分量輕的在前,分量重的在后,中文則反之。例如:
(18) Helen was born at 10 p.m. on 3rd March, 1990.(海倫在一九九○年三月三日晚上十點出生。)
(19) He came from a small town in Johore Malaysia.(他從馬來西亞 柔佛州一個小鎮(zhèn)來到這里。)
(20) Beat our enemy or they will oppress and slaughter us.(打倒敵人;不然的話,他們會屠殺和壓迫我們。) 三、中英文詞類不一定對應,必須進行調適。例如:
(21) Jack is mentally sound but physically weak.(杰克思想健全、身體虛弱。)(副詞變成名詞)
(22) Yesterday’s stage performance was quite a success.(昨天的舞臺表演相當成功。(名詞變形容詞)
(23) The elimination of illiteracy is a matter of great urgency.(掃除文盲是當務之急。)(名詞變成動詞)
(24) We are against racial discrimination.(我們反對種族歧視。)(介詞變成動詞)
四、 中英文句式不吻合時,就要變動。例如:
1.英文被動語態(tài)變成中文主動語態(tài)。例如:
(25) A new syllabus has been drawn up.(已經擬定了一份新的課程綱要。)
(26) This can be done and must be done.(這件事可以辦并且必須辦。)
(27) It must be admitted that Singapore is a small island country. (我們必須承認新加坡是個很小的島國。)
2.英文的簡單句變成中文的復雜句。例如:
(28) His failure to observe the traffic rules resulted in the road accident.(由于他沒有遵守交通規(guī)則,所以導致了公路意外。)
(29) With your permission, I will embark on the project as soon as possible.(如果你答應的話,我將盡快展開這項計劃。)
3.英文長句成分復雜需要作邏輯性的變動,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.(勞工聯合會建議增加工人的薪水作為解決當前糾紛的先決條件,但管理層拒絕接受這建議,結果它的聲望再度下降。)
總而言之,直譯和意譯各有所長,可以直譯就直譯,不可直譯時就采用意譯,甚至雙管齊下,兩者兼施。有些慣用語的英譯就要先直譯后意譯,才能兼顧到譯文的表層結構和原文的深層意思。例如:
(31) 不勞而獲 (Reap without sowing → Profit by others’ toil.)
(32) 飲水思源 (When you drink the water, think of its source → never forget where one’s happiness comes.)
(33) 種瓜得瓜,種豆得豆 (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,看看下列兩名翻譯大師在紅樓夢中的一小段有關林黛玉講話的譯文。前者是霍克斯(Hawkes)教授的意譯版本;后者是楊憲益教授和戴乃迭(Gladys Yang)的直譯文:
?。?5)黛玉說:你說你會過目成誦,難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.”)
楊憲益,戴乃迭:“You boast that you can memorise a passage with one reading. Why can’t I learn ten lines at one glance?”
你們覺得那一段譯文比較貼切,比較有韻味呢?
從上面35個例子不難看出中英對譯時雖然可以字字直譯,但由于兩種語言差異處處,翻譯時必須在譯文上作些調整或變動,才不會有“翻譯腔”,才可以使辛辛苦苦,絞盡腦汁的翻譯作品達到“信”和“達”的標準,進而朝向“雅”的巔峰境界邁步;雖不易至,心向往之.