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简析欧阳桢翻译标准在诗词英译中的运用

2016-11-23姚俏梅

校园英语·下旬 2016年10期

【摘要】欧阳桢是一名著名美籍华裔学者,他在文学翻译理论和实践方面都颇有成就。他始终秉持“自明”、“信达”与“透明”的翻译标准,他的翻译风格简约、畅达,他的译诗英语地道、措辞讲究,是文学翻译界中不可多得的佳作。

【关键词】欧阳桢 翻译标准 诗词英译

【Abstract】EUGENE Chen Eoyang is a famous Chinese-American scholar, who is accomplished both at literature translation theory and practice. He always carries out the three criteria which are self-sufficient, generically true and transparent, so his English version is simple and fluent. Furthermore, his version is authentic in English and he is particular about the choice of words, thus his translation works become masterpieces in the circle of literature translation.

【Key words】EUGENE Chen Eoyang; translation criteria; poem translation

一、前言

欧阳桢(EUGENE Chen Eoyang, 1939-),英语世界有名的华裔学者,在文学翻译理论和汉诗英译方面都卓有建树。他一生撰写了不少学术著作和学术论文。其中最著名的学术著作为《透明之眼:对翻译、中国文学和比较诗学的思考》(The Transparent Eye: Reflection on Translation, Chinese Literature and Comparative Poetics, University of Hawaii Press, 1993),其间提到他最出名的三个文学翻译标准,即自明(self-sufficient)、信达(generically true)与透明(transparent)。“自明”就是无需依靠其他材料来帮助理解和欣赏;“信达”指将原作原原本本译出,原文与译文情调相吻合;“透明”是完全可以透过译文看到原著。总之,“好的译文应能反映原著的特点。”下面我们选取几首由他翻译的唐诗宋词来分析他的翻译标准在其中的运用。

二、译作简析

译例(1)

客至

杜甫

舍南舍北皆春水,但见群鸥日日来。

花径不曾缘客扫,蓬门今始为君开。

盘飧市远无兼味,樽酒家贫只旧醅。

肯与邻翁相对饮,隔篱呼取尽余杯。

A Guest Is Coming

South of the house, north of the house, spring freshets,

But look at the flock of geese that come by day after day,

Flower-strewn paths havent been swept for the guest,

The thatched door is open today, just for you.

Far as we are from market, out food has no taste.

Being a poor homesteads, our wine is home-brewed.

To propose a toast with our old neighbor

We can across the fence, and empty a few draughts.

这是一首纪事诗,乡土生活气息浓厚。首联描述居所的景色,春意盎然,环境清幽恬静;颔联描写了主人生活的闲适恬淡,从而引出“客至”。颈链和尾联则实写待客。具体展现了酒菜款待的场景。虽是粗茶淡饭,却也体现出主人的一番真情厚意。该诗的诗歌形式和格律韵式十分对仗工整,诗歌风格质朴流畅,浅切平易。对比之下,译诗在很大程度上转存了原诗的上述特色。从语言表层来看,原诗共8行,译诗也是8行。首行的South of the house, north of the house, spring freshets,三个意象并置,无任何关联词连接,这虽不符合英语语法,但保留原诗的结构特点,也体现了我国古诗大量使用名词来突出诗歌意象的鲜明特征。第二、三行的But look at the flock of geese that come by day after day, / Flower-strewn paths havent been swept for the guest,在不打乱原诗字词顺序的请况下,将它们的形与神都准确转存过来。从诗歌节奏上看,尽管全诗使用的是散体翻译,但仍不失节奏感。如The thatched door is open today, just for you就是运用了抑扬格五音步,读起来抑扬顿挫,诗味浓郁。此外,从诗歌对仗形式来看,Far as we are from market, out food has no taste. / Being a poor homesteads, our wine is home-brewed.明显再现原诗对仗美。这些处理无不反映出译者向读者介绍中国古诗特征的良苦用心。可谓“逼肖原作,传译圆活”。

译例(2)

卜算子(黄州定慧院寓居作)

苏轼

缺月挂疏桐,漏断人初静。时(谁)见幽人独往来,缥缈孤鸿影。惊起却回头,有恨无人省。拣尽寒枝不肯栖,寂寞沙洲冷。

Tune: “Song of Divination”(Pu-Suan Tzu)

Half –moon hangs on a sparse wu-tung trees;

The water clock stops, people settles down.

Who sees the recluse passing by, all alone;

A haunting shadow of a fugitive swan.

Then suddenly startled, it turns its head,

With a grief that no one can know.

Looking over each wintry bough, it settles on none:

The lonely sandbanks cold.

此词于公元1082年作于黄州。当时苏轼因所谓的“乌台诗案”,被贬为黄州团练副使。在黄州居住四年多。这首词借助“疏桐”和“孤雁”表达了词人孤高的性格与幽恨的心情,间接反映了当时社会对人才的摧残。欧阳桢的英语地道,译文简明、易懂、流畅,既传达了原诗的思想内涵,又营造宁静幽寂的意境。译者在遣词上颇为讲究。如“缺月”译为half-moon,” “幽人”译为the recluse,“孤鸿”译为a fugitive swan,“寒枝”译为wintry bough等。句式结构紧凑而不松散。如Then suddenly startled, it turns its head, / With a grief that no one can know.使用了短句和介词短语来传译原诗的十个字,无一赘词。最后两句译文Looking over each wintry bough, it settles on none: / The lonely sandbanks cold. 从表明上看,这两句联系并不紧密,却再现原诗含蓄凝练,给人以无限想象的特性。这些都体现欧阳氏“过人的语言驾驭能力”。

译例(3)

醉花阴

李清照

薄雾浓云愁永昼,瑞脑消金兽。佳节又重阳,玉枕纱厨,半夜凉初透。东篱把酒黄昏后,有暗香盈袖。莫道不销魂,帘卷西风,人比黄花瘦。

Tune: “Tipsy in the Flowers Shade” (Tsui Hua-Yin)

Thin mists—thick clouds—sad all day long.

The golden animal spurts incense from its head.

Once more its the Festival of Double Nine;

On the jade pillow—through mesh bed curtain—

The chill of midnight starts seeping through.

At the eastern hedge I drink a cup of after dusk;

Furtive fragrances fill my sleeve.

Dont say one cant be overwhelmed;

When the west wind furls up the curtain.

Im more fragile than the yellow chrysanthemum.

这首词抒发了作者在重阳佳节思念丈夫的心情。全篇幽细凄清,声情双绝。尤其是末句“莫道不销魂,帘卷西风,人比黄花瘦。”被誉为全篇最精彩之笔,成为千古传诵的佳句。欧阳桢的译文清晰明了,精炼晓畅,在很大程度上保存了原作的清丽、典雅的风格。他的用词音义相应,极有韵味。如在第一译诗行中,用thin和thick的头韵法来展现译诗的音美。又有all day long三个长音来暗示原作者的愁苦之绵绵不断。另外,译者选用furtive(偷偷的,悄悄的,不易觉察的)来表达出香味的隐隐约约和时有时无,不愧是妙笔生花。在标点符号使用上,多用破折号来强调这种孤独与寂寞犹如“余音绕梁”一般,久久不散。在句式结构方面,为了贴近原词形式,译者也同样使用与原词相同的结构来翻译。如首句中Thin mists对应“薄雾”,thick clouds 对应“浓云”,sad all day long对应“愁永昼”,其间省略了连词and和系动词are,目的是要重现原诗的简洁流畅和意象并置等特点。在反映词的“长短句”形式特色方面,译者同样采用散体形式,行数与原作相同,长短行与原诗相似,从而“生动再现了原诗的感情和意境”。

三、结语

综上分析,我们可以看到,欧阳桢在进行作品翻译时,始终围绕自明(self-sufficient)、信达(generically true)与透明(transparent)来进行。为达此目的,他从不因循守旧,敢于打破已有的翻译套路,彰显他的主观能动性,并在翻译方法和技巧上大胆展示他的“文化意识、人文品格、文化及审美创造性”。在文学翻译方面,对传承我国的文化精华无疑做出了极大的贡献。

参考文献:

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[2]郦青.李清照词英译对比研究[M].上海:上海三联书店,2009.

[3]欧阳桢.翻译漫谈[J].编译参考,1981,(9):93.

[4]袁锦翔.一首透明的译诗——析欧阳祯英译《大堰河— 一我的保姆》[J].中国翻译,1983,(3):53.

[5]朱徽.中国诗歌在英语世界——英美译家汉诗翻译研究[M].上海:上海外语教育出版社,2009.

作者简介:姚俏梅(1968-),女,广西贺州人,硕士,副教授,研究方向:中国古诗英译。