一.汉语中常见的非常简练而独特的说法
(short-hand phrases)的翻译
对于汉语中那些含义深刻而表达简练的特别说法,在翻译成英语时,应遵循两条基本原则:一是尽量参考英语中原有的类似的说法,二是尽量运用英语中的习惯用法。下面举一些常见的例子:
“下海” To go into commercial business To drop out of (teaching, etc.) and venture into business To be seduced into commerce / industry
康居工程 The Affordable Housing Program
“货币分房” The “own-as-you-pay” housing system
“吃饭财政” A “mouth-feeding” budget-a budget much of which is used for a burgeoning government payroll
以外贸企业为龙头 With foreign trade companies as the locomotive / flagship
“摸着石头过河” “To wade across the stream by feeling the way”
文化搭台,经贸唱戏 Cultural events set the stage and trade activities play the star role.
大锅饭 The “big pot” distribution system under which everyone gets the same “portion” irrespective of his work / contribution
饭后百步走,活到九十九。 An after-dinner walk a day keeps the doctor away.
“金梧桐”企业实 行网上招聘人才。 Companies wishing to attract talents worldwide have set up recruitment homepages on the Internet.
带职分流, 定向培训, 加强基层, 改善结构。 无情调节, 有情安排。 To stream out redundant government staff with their ranks retained; to provide tailor-made training programs geared to re-entry purposes; to move downward to join and rejuvenate grass-roots organizations and to improve the personnel composition with “fresh blood” injected. To trim out redundancies relentlessly, and to re-assign the laid-offs considerately.
(集邮爱好者语)方寸之间,深情无限。 On these tiny postage stamps, Philatelic friendship “franks.”
生意场上“一锤子买卖”的做法 The “grab-the-money-and-run” business mentality
堤外损失堤内补 To gain on the swings what was lost on the roundabouts
把企业推向市场 To lead/guide enterprises (at their elbows) to the market To let enterprises “swim” / “immerse” in the marketplace
二.带数字的归纳语的翻译
这是指“三要三不要”之类的说法。翻译成英语是“three do’s and three don’t’s”。再如“三农问题”(指农业,农村,农民),我们似可把“三农”英译为rural economy, rural development and rural demography。下面再举一些例子:(参见下表)
“三包”;包修、包换、包退 We offer 3-R guarantees: guaranteed repair, replacement and refund.
“三来一补”:来料,来图,来样加工;补偿贸易 The “Three plus one” trading mix: custom manufacturing (with materials, designs or samples by the customer) and compensation trade.
“三公”:公平、公正、公开 The recruitment is based on the principle of equal opportunity, fair treatment and open competition.
“三个面向”:面向现代化、面向世界、面向未来 Out education is oriented to the modernization program, to the global perspective and to our nation’s future goals.
“四大目标”:建设大港口、扶持大工业、发展大经济、实现大繁荣 We are determined to build a port of large size, foster an industry of large scope, develop an economy of large scale and achieve prosperity of large magnitude.
“四自原则”:自找伙伴,自筹资金,自主经营,自负盈亏 The “four-self” principle: self-supporting in finding partners, self-reliance in raising capital, self-decision in management, and self-responsibility for losses and gains.
一个确保、三个到位、五项改革 One goal to attain, three tasks to accomplish and five areas to undergo reform
“五讲四美”:讲文明、讲礼貌、讲卫生、讲纪律、讲道德;心灵美、语言美、行为美、环境美 Five merits to advocate and four virtues to promote: civilized behavior, common courtesy, hygienic conditions, proper discipline and public morality; loft sentiments, refined language, good manners and environmental awareness
“九通一平”: 通水、通电、通热、通气、通下水、通邮、通讯、通闭路电视、通还道路;平整土地 Eight availables and two accessibles: Water, electricity, heat, gas, sewage, post, telecommunications, and closed circuit TV are available. You are accessible to paved roads and leveled ground.
八个环境:园区的创新环境、开放环境、法制环境、引进人才环境、继续教育环境、产业发展空间环境、政府管理和社会服务环境 To create a favorable environment in the Science Park for: technical innovation, outward orientation, operation legalization, talent attraction, continuing education, industrial expansion, governance and service provision
(英译汉)the three-P’s: patience, persistence, and perseverance “三性”:耐性、持久性、坚韧不拔性
三.带“化”字的表达方式的翻译
汉语比较灵活,许多字后面都可以加一个“化”字,例如下面的“螺马化”。而英语则不然,不可随意在任何名词和形容词的后面加上相应的词尾(-ize, -ization, -izing)而使其“化”字化。例如,下面若干个带“化”字的词中唯有mechanized一词是“正宗”的,而其余的“化”字全都是根据意思“绕着弯儿”翻译的。这样一来,汉语原文中的简练有力而整齐划一的特色就没有了。但是,意译的效果也有一定的特点,那就是意思清楚、语言地道;再加上大体整齐,或者有可能的话,争取做到对称押韵。
男女平等制度化,同工同酬定规化。
The equality between men and women is here to stay, and equal work for equal pay is the order of the day.
重型装备的驮运已经从骡马化发展到机械化。
The moving of heavey-duty weaponry has undergone the stage from the use of draught animals to mechanized haulage.
干部队伍要革命化、知识化、专业化、年轻化。
The contingent of cadres should be composed of staunch revolutionaries who are better educated, better trained, and younger in age.
四.证书和奖状的翻译
在把中文的证书和奖状翻译成英文时,应该考虑到以下几个方面:首先当然是要准确传达原文的内容;译文中的意思必须正确无误。这一点是毋庸置疑的。其次是要反映出英文证书和奖状的文字风格和语言特点。如果我们找来一些英语国家的证书(如结业证书、学位证书、公证书、营业执照等)和奖状(如学校奖状、企业奖状等)加以研究,我们不难看出,其中的文字都十分庄重、严谨、贴切,并且都有一些特定的表述方法。此外,英文证书和奖状在形式上的特征也不能忽视,译文要尽量模仿其常用的格式。只有这样,译文才能称得上是贯彻了“洋为中用、外为我用”的方针;取得了“达意、传神、表形”三统一的效果;从而为外国读者所喜闻乐见。
下面是一个中文奖状的例子。这里提供的译文(包括格式)参照了英文奖状的一些特点:
发明创造 科技之星奖 为表彰在科学技术 方面做出卓越成就 特此颁发证书 获奖者 获奖项目 AWARD This certificate of nomination is presented to Star of scientific/technological invention/innovation (name of recipient) for the outstanding accomplishment of (name of project) Signed by Date
英译汉的“特效处理”举例
以下这几行英文属于“打油诗”或文字游戏之类,其内容离奇幽默,形式别出心裁。要把它翻译成中文,既准确传达原来的意思,又照样表现其形式上的特点,确实颇费一番工夫:
I love my love with an E, because she’s enticing;
I hate my love with an E, because she’s engaged.
I took her to the sign of the exquisite,
and treated her with an elopement.
Her name’s Emily,
and she lives in the east.
在着手翻译之前,首先要考虑它形式上的特点和意思上的难点:
1. 大写字母E共出现三次:短语with an E重复两次;名字Emily出现一次。
2. 小写字母e共出现五次,都是单词的首位字母。
3. with an E为“具有可用字母E起头的词所描述的特点”之意;
4. the sign of the exquisite指的是一个风光绮丽之地,标牌上写着类似这样的话:
“欢迎来到世外桃源/人间仙境……(地名)”。
经过一番斟酌,似乎可以这样翻译:
我爱我的那个伊,因为她的美貌让我依恋不已。
我恨我的那个伊,因为她又依顺投奔他人门第。
我们曾经依计而行乘风比翼,
到过那依山傍水的秀美之地。
我说的那位名字叫做伊米丽,
她的府上依稀可记在东边某地。
翻译的思路是这样的:在准确理解原文内容的意思和表现形式的特点的基础上,想一想汉语里有哪些以“伊”打头的词,但这种词很少;派得上用场的只有一个代表“她”的“伊”。然后再考虑以“依”起头的词,这类词比较多;可以从中选择一些有可能用得上的,最后再按照意思的需要把它们“揉”到句子里去。头两行的“伊”字是意和音二者兼备;五个“依”都是放在词语之首,这些同原文比较一致。不足之处是,这里用了“伊”代表大写字母E,而小写字母e则是用“依”来代替,二者不一致。
另一个例子是一封英文“密信”。它出自一英国杂志,我把它古旧的文字进行了简化。这封信的特点是:如果按正常顺序逐行地念下来,它的意思是“我恨你”;而要是隔行念,即按照一、三、五、七、九的顺序,那么它的意思就正好相反,成了“我爱你”。
A Secret Letter
The great love I have so far expressed for you
is false. And now I feel that my dislike for you
increases every day, and the more I see you
the more disgusting you appear in my eyes;
the more I feel I cannot but be determined to
hate you. Believe me, I never had the intention to
offer you my hand and heart. Out last conversation has
left on me such a bad impression, which has by no means
given me a very good opinion of your character.
Yes, madam, I hope you will do me a favour by avoiding me.
If ever we are married I shall experience nothing but the
deep hatred of my parents in addition to an everlasting dis-
pleasure of living with you. Yes, madam, I sincerely ask you
not to put yourself to the smallest trouble
to write me an answer. Goodbye, and believe me that I am
so opposed to you there is no reason why I should ever be, madam,
your affectionate lover till death.
下面的翻译文本不但反映了原信不同念法不同效果的特点,而且每行的字数也是相同的。如果中文信每行的字数相差太明显的话,那么这封密信就会显得不太高明了。
一封密信
迄今为止我对你所表示的爱慕之情
都不是真的。现在,我觉得我对你的恶感
与日俱增。的确,我同你见面的次数越多
你就越发引起我强烈的反感和无比的厌恶;
就越发使我感到不能不当机立断下定决心
恨你。我请你相信,我从来就没有打算过
向你表示倾心求爱之意。我们上次的谈话
给我留下的印象极坏,这也绝不意味着它
使我对你的个人品格产生了很好的看法。
是的,小姐,我希望你行行好别再见我。
如果我们结合在一起,其结果将会使我们
遭到我父母的怨恨,而且一辈子也决不会
生活幸福。是的,小姐,我衷心地希望你
不要再无事自扰,自作多情,费冤枉心思
给我回信。再见,请相信我,我将永远是
你的冤家。小姐,我没有任何理由会成为
你山盟海誓的恋人。