培根培根<论读书>引言<论读书>是弗朗西斯·培根<论说文集>中的不朽之作,王佐良之译文更可谓是经典译作,堪与培根的原文媲美王佐良在翻译时,运用了多种翻译技巧,如:重译法、增译法、减译法、词汇转换法、正说反译,反说正译法、分译法、语态变换法等等一、原文及译文简介•<论读书>是英国著名哲学家、文学家培根的说理散文主要论述读书做学问方法和目的全文用词古雅,简约明快在用词方面多用庄严、文雅的大词及正式用语,其中包括正式程度极高的拉丁词,如: cymni sectores. 由于文章写于十七世纪早期,其言语属于早期现代英语•由于原文不属于现代汉语,其中多处表达不符合今天的英语用法与习惯王佐良先生超越表层言语构造的束缚,深化探求原文的思想逻辑及原作者的真实意图,并能熟练运用双语转换的各种技巧,如词法、句法等方面对译文进展调整、补充,使译文既反映原文的准确意义又符合汉语的表达习惯翻译技巧•词类转移法 Conversion•在翻译时,由于两种言语在语法和习惯表达上的差别,在保•证原文意思不变的情况下,译文必需改动词类,这就叫做词•类转换法•例如:〔1〕Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring;for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability, is in the judgment,and disposition of business.〔名词-动词〕•译文:其怡情也,最见于独处幽居之时;其傅彩也,最见于高谈阔论之中;其长才也,最见于处世判事之际。
•例如:(2) Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability.〔名-动〕•译文:读书足以怡情,足以傅彩,足以长才•评语:王先生在翻译时,充分发扬了汉语的动词优势,即把英语中的一些名词和介词转换成汉语的动词或动词构造式比如名词译成动词的有: delight, ornament, ability分别译为动词“怡情,傅彩,长才〞; privateness and retiring, discourse, the judgment,and disposition of business分别译为动词“独处幽居、高谈阔论、处世判事〞•例如:〔3〕Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.. (名词词组→描画词)•译文: 读书使人充实,讨论使人机智,笔记使人准确•例如:〔4〕Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring;for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability, is in the judgment,and disposition of business.〔介词-动词〕•译文:其怡情也,最见于独处幽居之时;其傅彩也,最见于高谈阔论之中;其长才也,最见于处世判事之际。
•语态变换法 The Change of The Voices •语态〔voice〕是言语借助动词表示主语与谓语关系的一种形•式,包括自动语态和被动语态两种在英语言语中,凡是不•必说出自动者、不愿说出自动者、无从说出自动者或是为了•便于衔接上下文等场所都可以运用被动与英语相比,汉语•自动句运用较多,被动句运用较少,其运用范围相对而言也•要狭窄得多•因此在英汉互译中,要经常变换语态,以使译文符合习惯用•法,显得地道而自然•例1.They perfect nature, and are perfected by experience: for natural abilities are.....and studies themselves do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience.•译文:读书补天然之缺乏,阅历又补读书之缺乏,盖天生才干....而书中所示,如不以阅历范之,那么又大而无当•例2.Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.•译文:书有可浅尝者,有可吞食者,少数那么须咀嚼消化。
换言之,有只须读其部分者,有只须大体涉猎者,少数那么须全读,读时须全神贯注,孜孜不倦•例3. Some books also may be read by deputy, and extracts made of them by bothers........else distilled books are, like common distilled waters, flashy things.•译文:书亦可请人代读,取其所作摘要.......否那么书经提炼犹如水经蒸馏,淡而无味• •评论:原文属于论说文体,含有丰富的信息,因此比较频繁的使•用了被动句在全文16句中,被动句合计5句,而且主要为构造•被动句,表现方式也多样,包含限定动词的被动式( are •perfected by) ,非限定动词的被动式( to be tasted) ,还有情态动•词所引导的被动式(may be read)•译文完全是用汉语的自动方式,即“以词汇手段〞来表达英语的被动•意义, 符合汉语的表达习惯译文“古朴、典雅〞,文笔优美,意•韵隽永读罢此译文,毫无生涩拗口之感,亦无欧化痕迹,实•乃不可多得之佳作• 增译法 Amplification •为了使译文忠实地表达原文的意思与风格并使译文符合表达•习惯,必需添加一些词语,这就叫增译法。
•例如:〔1〕 Histories maketh men wise; poets (maketh men) •witty; the mathematics (maketh men ) subtle; natural •philosophy (maketh men) deep; moral (maketh men) grave; •logic and rhetoric (maketh men) able to content. Abeunt studia •in mores.•译文:读史使人明智,读诗使人灵秀,数学使人缜密,科学•使人深化,伦理学使人严肃,逻辑修辞之学使人善辩:凡有所•学,皆成性格•例如:〔2) Bowling is good for the stone and reins, shooting for the lungs and breast,gentle walking for the stomach ,riding for the head; •译文: 滚球利睾肾,射箭利胸肺,慢步利肠胃,骑术利头脑•评论:原文运用了一个动词maketh, 显得简约流畅,而译文反复使•用了动词“使〞,加强了排比效果,也更加符合汉语表达习惯。
•原文只用了一个good,而译文那么反复了动词“利〞,加强了语气•减译法 Omission •冠词、连词、代词〔尤其是人称代词、关系代词〕、关系副•词,等等,在英语中经常运用,但译成汉语时几乎很少出现•所以翻译时经常省略•例如:〔1〕And therefore, if a man write little, he had need •have agreatmemory; if he confer little, he had need have a p •resent wit:and if he read little, he had need have much •cunning, to seem toknow, that he doth not.•译文:因此不常作笔记者须记忆特强,不常讨论者须天生聪颖,不常读书者须欺世有术,始能无知而显有知例如:〔2〕If his wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study the schoolmen; for they are cymini sectores.译文: 如不能辩异,可令读经院哲学,盖是辈皆吹毛求疵之人。
例如:〔3〕 If he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study the lawyers' cases. 译文: 如不善求同,不善以一物阐证另一物,可令读律师之案卷•分译法 Negation •分译法指将英语句中某些特定词汇从复杂的构造中分别出来,•当作独立的外位成分或分句来翻译,如副词、介词短语、分词•短语等,也指将英语的两级构造句子〔如主句加从句、句子加•带有浓重动词意味的短语〕译成汉语的并列构造或分句• 例如:〔1〕Their chief use for delight is in privateness and retiring译文:其怡情也,最见于独处幽居之时例如〔2〕 So every defect of the mind may have a special receipt. 译文: 如此头脑中凡有缺陷,皆有特效可医评论:原文在声律上节拍感强,为了使译文读上去铿锵悦耳,掷地有声英文中的长句被分译为短句,使译文读起来与原文一样。
•正说反译,反说正译法 Division•为了使译文忠实而符合言语习惯地传达原文的意思,有时必需把•原文中一定说法变成译文中的否认说法,或把原文中的否认说法•变成译文中的一定说法•例如:〔1〕others to be read, but not curiously; •译文:有只须大体涉猎者,少数那么须全读结语•王佐良的译文那么浓淡相宜,简约明快,富于文采,在整篇风格•上与原文调和一致,符合培根“善写警句,文字紧,又有点古奥〞•的特点,其用词精到传神,不过分夸耀,如怡情、长才、高谈阔•论、纵观统筹等•在译文中王佐良还运用了很多本文中没有提到的翻译技•巧,这值得我们渐渐研讨和思索谢谢。