⼀、英汉语篇对⽐及翻译技巧-5
2) 主语 / 话题转换
英语是主语突出的语⾔,汉语是话题突出的语⾔。换⾔之,英语是⼀种重形式的语法结构,汉语是⼀种重意义的信息结构。这种主语和话题之间的相互转换是英汉互译的主导⾛向之⼀,是很值得研究的。
例1
There was a heightened awareness of each sunny day, the beauty of flowers, the song of bird. How often do we reflect on the joy of breathing easily of swallowing without effort and discomfort, of walking without pain, of a complete and peaceful night’s sleep?
对每⼀个晴天丽⽇,对鸟语花⾹,我的感触倍加强烈。平⽇呼吸轻松,吞⾷⾃如,⾛路毫不费劲,⼀夜安寝到天明,我们⼏曾回味过其中的乐趣?
译⽂根据汉语的习惯以话题为主线组织译⽂。按照话题+评论的模式展开,符合汉语的思维和阅读习惯。
例2
英汉互译翻译
…My holiday afternoons were spent in rambles about the surrounding country. I made myself familiar with all its places famous in history or fable. I knew every spot where a murder or robbery had been committed, or a ghost seen. I visited the neighboring villages, and added greatly to my stock of knowledge, by noting their habits and customs, and conversing with their sages and great men …(Washington Irving: The Author’s Account of Himself)
A. ……⽆数假⽇下午尽⾏消磨在郊垌的漫游之中。那⾥⼀切在历史或传说上有名的地⽅,我⽆不⼗分熟悉。我知道那⾥的每
⼀处杀⼈越货之所与⿁魂出现之地。我继⽽访问了许多邻村,观察其地的风俗习惯,并与当地的圣贤与伟⼈接谈,因⽽极⼤地增加了我原有的见闻。……
B. ……每逢假⽇下午,我总到附近乡村去漫游。有些地⽅是有神话传说的,我都亲加堪察,把它们摸熟了。什么地⽅发⽣过
盗案或者凶案的,什么地⽅有过⿁魂出现的,我都知道。邻近各村我常去观光,当地的耋⽼硕德我总去踵门求教,因此我的智识⼤为增加。
都使⽤了主题化技巧,但A保持了以“我”作主语的构架,B使⽤了更多的主题转化。B似乎更有益于传递新信息。
B.篇外因素:
1.语篇功能
语篇的功能为具体体现的语篇构建者的整体修辞意图。A set of mutually relevant communicative functions, structured in such a way as to achieve an overall rhetorical purpose, including Halliday’s experiential function, interpersonal function, textual function; Leech’s informational, expressive, directive, aesthetic, pahtic。语篇是multifunctional, 是多种交际功能的集合体。在许多语篇中我们都会发现描写、叙述和论述和说明功能的混合体(mixture of the descriptive, narrative, argumentative and expository function)。不同功能的语篇中,信息单元的价值取向(value)是不同的,如叙述功能语篇的信息单元总是与动作、活动有关;描写功能的语篇的信息单元与性质属性有关,指⽰功能语篇的信息单元常常是⼀个个步骤和事实;说明功能的语篇的信息单元⼤都是⼀个个的概念和事实。作为⼀个译者,不仅要根据源语语篇的特征识别其功能,还必须保证译语语篇充分实现翻译⽬的所要求达到的功能。也就是说,他必须具备根据译语语篇所处的交际环境有效地运⽤译语的语篇构建⼿段和技巧的能⼒,因为翻译在很⼤意义上就是对原⽂语篇的改写,译者的译语写作能⼒与译⽂的质量息息相关。以下我们主要探讨祈使功能、叙述功能、描写功能、说明功能。
1)祈使功能
The hub of public life is the “Piazza San Marco” (St. Mark’s Square) where tourists and citizens sit on the terraces of the famous Florian and Quadri cafes to listen to the music, dream and see the mosaics of St. Mark’s glow under the rays of the setting sun. The Quardri is more popular but the Florian is the best-known café: founded in 1720, it has received Byron, Goethe, Musset and Wagner within its mirrored and allegory-painted walls.
Venice, English World
A.公众⽣活的中⼼是圣马可⼴场,那⼉的游客和市民坐在⼴场内著名的弗洛⾥安和夸德⾥咖啡店⾥听听⾳乐,梦想着并观
望着圣马可教堂的马赛克在落⽇光线下闪烁。夸德⾥咖啡店众所周知,但1720年建⽴的弗洛⾥安咖啡店则更出名:在那墙上镶有镜⼦和画有寓⾔壁画的地⽅曾接待过拜伦、歌德、缪塞和⽡格纳等⼈。
B.圣马会⼴场是公众的⽣活中⼼,游客和市民坐在⼴场内著名的弗洛⾥安和夸德⾥咖啡店,聆听着店内的⾳乐,⽬睹着⼣
阳余晖下圣马可教堂熠熠⽣辉的马赛克墙⾯,恍然⼊梦。夸德⾥咖啡店虽名扬全城,却不及弗洛⾥安
咖啡店声名显赫:在这家四壁明镜镶嵌、(寓⾔)壁画环绕的百年⽼店内,⾃1720年开店以来,先后接待过拜伦、歌德、缪塞和⽡格纳邓⼀⼤批⽂化名⼈。
译⽂A的信息固然⽆错,语句也还通顺,但译⽂过于平淡、缺乏感染⼒,未能实现吸引游客的宣传⿎动功能,不符合汉语旅游宣传资料的⾏⽂习惯。所以,作为⼀个译者,不仅要根据源语语篇的特征识别其功能,还必须保证译语语篇充分实现翻译⽬的所要求达到的功能。也就是说,他必须具备根据译语语篇所处的交际环境有效地运⽤译语的语篇构建⼿段和技巧的能⼒。
2)叙述功能
传达动作、活动、事件等动态形象信息的功能。译⽂语篇的重点在把时间脉络及动态形象的传达。
All his life John had been aware of enemies lying in wait for him and had protected himself not only by going armed, when he was old enough, but also by keeping his movements as unpredictable as possible. First there had been the big brothers of small schoolmates who had unjustly accused him of bullying. Then there had been his fellow soldiers who had resented his knack for ingratiating himself with officers and getting easy and safe assignments. Then there had been his rivals at the Transport Commission, some of whom could have given lessons in treachery to Machiavelli.
A.约翰⼀⽣都觉察到有敌⼈潜伏在他左右。为了保护⾃⼰他不仅携带武器,在年龄⾜够⼤的时候,尽量使别⼈⽆法预知⾃
⼰的⾏动。⾸先,学校中的⼩同学的⼤哥哥们不公正地指责他仗势欺⼈。其次,他的⼠兵伙伴们恨他⽤伎俩讨好官员以得到既轻松⼜安全的任务。在运输局,他的对⼿们简直可以给狡诈多端的马其维利当⽼师。
B.他素来⼩⼼谨慎,随时警惕有敌⼈潜伏在四周窥视着他。够了年龄之后,他便随⾝带着武器防⾝,⽽且⼀直保持⾃⼰的⾏动诡秘莫测。早先是学校⾥有些⼩同学的⼤哥哥们专门不公正地指责他欺辱⼩孩;后来是与他⼀起当兵的伙伴,对他善于阿谀逢迎上司,捞取轻松安全的差使深感厌恶;最后,他到运输委员会⼯作,他的对⼿有⼏个⼗分狡诈。
译⽂A中,译者忽略了这个语篇的叙述功能:“⾸先”、“其次”是说明语篇中⽤来表达逻辑层次的。第⼀句的译⽂完全不动地按原⽂的线性顺序排列。在属于分析语的、倚重语序的汉语中,产⽣了事件概念上的混乱。译⽂B通过“早先、后来、最后”成功再现原⽂的时间框架,第⼀句中状语的线性位置安排得当。

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