漢英翻譯能力的培養(yǎng)(translation competence development)涉及以下諸多方面:
一.要培養(yǎng)對(duì)英語(yǔ)的語(yǔ)感和悟性(language intuition – open and alert mind to pick up idioms, specific expressions, etc.);
二.要培養(yǎng)對(duì)英語(yǔ)的判斷能力和鑒賞能力(evaluation capacity – judgment);
三.要培養(yǎng)對(duì)英語(yǔ)的洞察能力和剖析能力(power of observation – insight);
四.要培養(yǎng)對(duì)英語(yǔ)細(xì)微特征的反應(yīng)能力(linguistic nuances alertness); -
五.要培養(yǎng)對(duì)社會(huì)文化和跨文化交流的敏感性(social-cultural sensitivity – cross-cultural awareness);
六.要培養(yǎng)對(duì)英語(yǔ)和漢語(yǔ)之間差別的意識(shí) (sense of differences between Chinese and English);
七.要培養(yǎng)對(duì)英語(yǔ)和漢語(yǔ)之間的辯證關(guān)系的認(rèn)識(shí) (awareness of the dialectic relationship between Chinese and English);
八.要培養(yǎng)對(duì)英語(yǔ)“洋為中用”的意識(shí) ("use things foreign to serve Chinese purposes");
九.要培養(yǎng)對(duì)英語(yǔ) “學(xué)以致用” 的意識(shí) (apply what you have learned in your translation);
十.要培養(yǎng)對(duì)翻譯的多層次、多角度的立體思維方式 (a multi-tier approach )。
十一.一名稱(chēng)職的翻譯工作者必須懂得什么是翻譯的真諦(a clear conception of what translation is)。
十二.一名優(yōu)秀的翻譯人員必須具有高屋建瓴的視角 (great powers of conception)。
上述各種能力和意識(shí)的培養(yǎng),可以通過(guò)不同的具體途徑來(lái)實(shí)現(xiàn)。我通常是采取“下毛毛雨”的辦法,讓學(xué)生在諸多方面加強(qiáng)翻譯意識(shí)的鍛煉:
第一:要對(duì)翻譯的重要性有深刻的、充分的認(rèn)識(shí),翻譯的對(duì)與錯(cuò)、好與壞有時(shí)會(huì)產(chǎn)生絕然不同的效果。例如,把海南島的“天涯海角”翻譯成了“世界末日”: the End of the World (應(yīng)為L(zhǎng)and’s End / End of the Earth)。再如某航空公司的廣告中承諾的“一小時(shí)內(nèi)免費(fèi)送機(jī)票上門(mén)”變成了“一小時(shí)內(nèi)送免費(fèi)機(jī)票上門(mén)”:We give you tickets freeof charge within one hour.(應(yīng)為We offer free delivery of your air ticketswithin one hour after your booking /confirm/iation.)
第二:要善于仔細(xì)地、深入地、準(zhǔn)確地理解中文原文的意思。這是因?yàn)闇?zhǔn)確的理解是做好翻譯的前提。例如,我們常用“摸著石頭過(guò)河”這個(gè)俗語(yǔ)來(lái)形容我國(guó)的改革開(kāi)放事業(yè)是沒(méi)有先例。那么“摸著石頭過(guò)河”應(yīng)如何翻譯成英語(yǔ)呢?有的人把它按字面翻譯為crossing the river byfeeling thestones。翻譯的人根本就沒(méi)有去認(rèn)真地理解“摸著石頭過(guò)河”是什么意思,應(yīng)該怎樣表達(dá)才能讓外國(guó)人能夠理解。
正確的做法應(yīng)該是按照下面的步驟去做:
1.“摸著石頭過(guò)河”的字面意思如何理解?
2. 它有什么暗含或延伸的意思?
3. 英語(yǔ)里有沒(méi)有相同或類(lèi)似的說(shuō)法?.如果有,就可以直接借用;如果沒(méi)有,是進(jìn)行直譯還是意譯?
4. 如果直譯為 crossing the river by feeling the stones是否能被外國(guó)人理解?
5. 過(guò)河是乘船過(guò)(crossing by boat)還是淌水過(guò)(wading across),動(dòng)詞用什么形式?
6. 這里的河是大河、中河還是小河 (river, stream, brook, etc.)?
7. 摸的方式是用手摸還是用腳觸?
8. 石頭是大石頭還是小石頭(rock, stone, pebble, etc.)?
9. 如果意譯為 learning by experiment / by trial and error是否可???
10. 直譯和意譯相結(jié)合wading across the stream by feeling the way如何?
Since there is no previous experience to fall back on, we have to"wade across the stream by feeling the way," as we say in Chinese.
第三:中文和英文的對(duì)應(yīng)詞有時(shí)意思并不相同或者不完全相同,不能照字面翻譯。例如下面例子中的“外國(guó)人”和foreigner:如果我們要把“他的英語(yǔ)說(shuō)得真好,就像外國(guó)人一樣。”翻譯成這樣的英語(yǔ)He speaks English so well, he soundslike a foreigner.那么這里的修飾語(yǔ)like a foreigner是指說(shuō)得不好,聽(tīng)起來(lái)很別扭。這種看上去非常準(zhǔn)確的翻譯其效果卻適得其反。正確的翻譯方法應(yīng)該是:He speaks English sowell, he sounds like a native speaker.
“拉動(dòng)經(jīng)濟(jì)增長(zhǎng)”不能翻譯為pull economic growth,這不符合英語(yǔ)的表達(dá)習(xí)慣,而要用下列動(dòng)詞才能與economic growth相匹配:push/lift/increase/boost/stimulate/
spur/drive/fuel/speed up/accelerate/generate/ fire up/ propel/ facilitate/reinforce/
aid/assist/support/promote/encourage/foster/(sustain/maintain)。
我們也不能把“素質(zhì)教育”翻譯成quality education,那是指“高質(zhì)量的教育”。正確的翻譯應(yīng)該是caliber-focused education 或trait-centered education。
第四:有時(shí)候中文字面的意思表達(dá)不充分,部分信息被省略了或被隱藏起來(lái)了。例如下面的例子:特區(qū)是個(gè)窗口,是技術(shù)的窗口,管理的窗口,知識(shí)的窗口,也是對(duì)外政策的窗口。有人把它翻譯為:The special zone is a window. It is a widow forintroducing technology, management and knowledge. It is also a windowfor foreign policy.
這樣的翻譯外國(guó)人是無(wú)法理解的,我們必須把那些被省略了或被隱藏起來(lái)的信息都翻譯出來(lái):The special economiczones are a window opening onto the outside world. They are a windowthrough which to bring in from abroad sophisticated technology,advanced managerial expertise and up-to-date know-how. It is also awindow through which to disseminate China’s external policies.
與此相似的例子還有很多,如“退耕還林”不是return farmland toforest(把耕地退還給森林),而應(yīng)該是restore "woodland-converted farm-plots" back forafforesting (把從林地開(kāi)墾出來(lái)的耕地還原成林地,即重新進(jìn)行植樹(shù)造林)。“春運(yùn)”也不能簡(jiǎn)單地說(shuō)成是springtransportation(春季的運(yùn)輸) 而是the rush / peak season of passengertransportation during the Spring Festival(春節(jié)期間的客運(yùn)高峰)。
第五:有些中文詞語(yǔ)沒(méi)有什么特殊涵義,而與之相對(duì)應(yīng)的英文詞語(yǔ)卻有著特殊的涵義。例如,與“便宜”、“價(jià)廉”相對(duì)應(yīng)的“cheap,”它有時(shí)候會(huì)帶有貶義,成為“質(zhì)次價(jià)低”的意,如cheap jewelries, cheap dresses, cheap furniture等。我們可以說(shuō)I bought a cheap watch for my child,對(duì)小孩無(wú)所謂;但不能說(shuō)I bought a cheapdress for my girlfriend. 因?yàn)檫@樣說(shuō)會(huì)冒犯對(duì)方。在后一種情況下必須用inexpensive一詞。
第六:避免用中式英語(yǔ)進(jìn)行表達(dá),而要盡量用地道的英語(yǔ)進(jìn)行表達(dá)。假如我們要把“我過(guò)去學(xué)過(guò)一些法語(yǔ),但現(xiàn)在都忘了,都還給老師了”這句話翻譯成英語(yǔ),最好不要說(shuō) I learned some French in the past. Now I have forgotten it.I've returned it to the teacher. 比較好的說(shuō)法是 I used to know some French,but I've forgotten it. It has found its way back to my teacher.
再比如我們要用英語(yǔ)說(shuō)“我攢了一大堆贓衣服,等著周末來(lái)洗,”最好不要說(shuō)I have accumulated a largeamount of dirty clothes. I'm going to wash them at the weekend. 比較好的說(shuō)法是I have a lot of laundry to catch up at the weekend.
第七:根據(jù)不同場(chǎng)合,英語(yǔ)的表達(dá)有莊重(formal) 與隨意(informal) 之分。比如“禁止吸煙”(No Smoking)、“請(qǐng)勿吸煙”(Thank you for not smoking) 和“為了您和他人的健康,請(qǐng)勿在此吸煙”(For hygiene's sake, please refrain yourself from smoking in thisroom.)下面兩組例子中都各包含有formal- normal - informal 三種文體風(fēng)格(style):
Please await instructions before dispatching items.
Please wait for instructions before sending items off.
Don't send anything off until you're told to do so.
Essential measures should be undertaken at the earliest opportunity.
One should undertake any necessary measures at the earliest opportunity.
You should do whatever you have to as soon as you can.