【摘要】歐陽楨是一名著名美籍華裔學者,他在文學翻譯理論和實踐方面都頗有成就。他始終秉持“自明”、“信達”與“透明”的翻譯標準,他的翻譯風格簡約、暢達,他的譯詩英語地道、措辭講究,是文學翻譯界中不可多得的佳作。
【關鍵詞】歐陽楨 翻譯標準 詩詞英譯
【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
歐陽楨(EUGENE Chen Eoyang, 1939-),英語世界有名的華裔學者,在文學翻譯理論和漢詩英譯方面都卓有建樹。他一生撰寫了不少學術著作和學術論文。其中最著名的學術著作為《透明之眼:對翻譯、中國文學和比較詩學的思考》(The Transparent Eye: Reflection on Translation, Chinese Literature and Comparative Poetics, University of Hawaii Press, 1993),其間提到他最出名的三個文學翻譯標準,即自明(self-sufficient)、信達(generically true)與透明(transparent)。“自明”就是無需依靠其他材料來幫助理解和欣賞;“信達”指將原作原原本本譯出,原文與譯文情調相吻合;“透明”是完全可以透過譯文看到原著。總之,“好的譯文應能反映原著的特點。”下面我們選取幾首由他翻譯的唐詩宋詞來分析他的翻譯標準在其中的運用。
二、譯作簡析
譯例(1)
客至
杜甫
舍南舍北皆春水,但見群鷗日日來。
花徑不曾緣客掃,蓬門今始為君開。
盤飧市遠無兼味,樽酒家貧只舊醅。
肯與鄰翁相對飲,隔籬呼取盡余杯。
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.
這是一首紀事詩,鄉土生活氣息濃厚。首聯描述居所的景色,春意盎然,環境清幽恬靜;頷聯描寫了主人生活的閑適恬淡,從而引出“客至”。頸鏈和尾聯則實寫待客。具體展現了酒菜款待的場景。雖是粗茶淡飯,卻也體現出主人的一番真情厚意。該詩的詩歌形式和格律韻式十分對仗工整,詩歌風格質樸流暢,淺切平易。對比之下,譯詩在很大程度上轉存了原詩的上述特色。從語言表層來看,原詩共8行,譯詩也是8行。首行的South of the house, north of the house, spring freshets,三個意象并置,無任何關聯詞連接,這雖不符合英語語法,但保留原詩的結構特點,也體現了我國古詩大量使用名詞來突出詩歌意象的鮮明特征。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,在不打亂原詩字詞順序的請況下,將它們的形與神都準確轉存過來。從詩歌節奏上看,盡管全詩使用的是散體翻譯,但仍不失節奏感。如The thatched door is open today, just for you就是運用了抑揚格五音步,讀起來抑揚頓挫,詩味濃郁。此外,從詩歌對仗形式來看,Far as we are from market, out food has no taste. / Being a poor homesteads, our wine is home-brewed.明顯再現原詩對仗美。這些處理無不反映出譯者向讀者介紹中國古詩特征的良苦用心。可謂“逼肖原作,傳譯圓活”。
譯例(2)
卜算子(黃州定慧院寓居作)
蘇軾
缺月掛疏桐,漏斷人初靜。時(誰)見幽人獨往來,縹緲孤鴻影。驚起卻回頭,有恨無人省。揀盡寒枝不肯棲,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.
此詞于公元1082年作于黃州。當時蘇軾因所謂的“烏臺詩案”,被貶為黃州團練副使。在黃州居住四年多。這首詞借助“疏桐”和“孤雁”表達了詞人孤高的性格與幽恨的心情,間接反映了當時社會對人才的摧殘。歐陽楨的英語地道,譯文簡明、易懂、流暢,既傳達了原詩的思想內涵,又營造寧靜幽寂的意境。譯者在遣詞上頗為講究。如“缺月”譯為half-moon,” “幽人”譯為the recluse,“孤鴻”譯為a fugitive swan,“寒枝”譯為wintry bough等。句式結構緊湊而不松散。如Then suddenly startled, it turns its head, / With a grief that no one can know.使用了短句和介詞短語來傳譯原詩的十個字,無一贅詞。最后兩句譯文Looking over each wintry bough, it settles on none: / The lonely sandbanks cold. 從表明上看,這兩句聯系并不緊密,卻再現原詩含蓄凝練,給人以無限想象的特性。這些都體現歐陽氏“過人的語言駕馭能力”。
譯例(3)
醉花陰
李清照
薄霧濃云愁永晝,瑞腦消金獸。佳節又重陽,玉枕紗廚,半夜涼初透。東籬把酒黃昏后,有暗香盈袖。莫道不銷魂,簾卷西風,人比黃花瘦。
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.
這首詞抒發了作者在重陽佳節思念丈夫的心情。全篇幽細凄清,聲情雙絕。尤其是末句“莫道不銷魂,簾卷西風,人比黃花瘦。”被譽為全篇最精彩之筆,成為千古傳誦的佳句。歐陽楨的譯文清晰明了,精煉曉暢,在很大程度上保存了原作的清麗、典雅的風格。他的用詞音義相應,極有韻味。如在第一譯詩行中,用thin和thick的頭韻法來展現譯詩的音美。又有all day long三個長音來暗示原作者的愁苦之綿綿不斷。另外,譯者選用furtive(偷偷的,悄悄的,不易覺察的)來表達出香味的隱隱約約和時有時無,不愧是妙筆生花。在標點符號使用上,多用破折號來強調這種孤獨與寂寞猶如“余音繞梁”一般,久久不散。在句式結構方面,為了貼近原詞形式,譯者也同樣使用與原詞相同的結構來翻譯。如首句中Thin mists對應“薄霧”,thick clouds 對應“濃云”,sad all day long對應“愁永晝”,其間省略了連詞and和系動詞are,目的是要重現原詩的簡潔流暢和意象并置等特點。在反映詞的“長短句”形式特色方面,譯者同樣采用散體形式,行數與原作相同,長短行與原詩相似,從而“生動再現了原詩的感情和意境”。
三、結語
綜上分析,我們可以看到,歐陽楨在進行作品翻譯時,始終圍繞自明(self-sufficient)、信達(generically true)與透明(transparent)來進行。為達此目的,他從不因循守舊,敢于打破已有的翻譯套路,彰顯他的主觀能動性,并在翻譯方法和技巧上大膽展示他的“文化意識、人文品格、文化及審美創造性”。在文學翻譯方面,對傳承我國的文化精華無疑做出了極大的貢獻。
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作者簡介:姚俏梅(1968-),女,廣西賀州人,碩士,副教授,研究方向:中國古詩英譯。