论文部分内容阅读
摘 要: 诗歌的翻译问题一直困扰着国内外学者,对于同一原作的各种译本也褒贬不一。通过对《关雎》的两个译本,即,James Legge的译本和Arthur Waley的译本从词义理解和内涵文化理解两方面做了对比与分析,以展示二者之间的异同。James Legge注重诗句表面意思的理解,在翻译过程中主要采用直译法,虽然忠实于原文,但是语言的弹性受到了很大的限制;Arthur Waley主要采用意译法,他的译本对诗句词义和内涵文化的理解相对比较到位,在翻译的过程中也注意了韵脚,但还不是非常的抑扬顿挫,尚不能原汁原味地再现原诗的形与神。
关键词:《关雎》;James Legge译本;Arthur Waley译本;诗歌翻译
中图分类号:H059 文献标识码:A 文章编号:1009-9107(2010)03-0106-04
一、引言
诗歌的翻译难,这是公认的事实。如果把翻译比作戴着镣铐跳舞,那么诗歌的翻译就要求舞者不仅能跳舞,而且要舞的美妙,舞的动人。诗歌翻译之所以难,是因为诗歌是一种特殊的文学形式。[1]诗歌的语言是高度凝练简洁的,而且其形式也是音、形、意的统一,有一方面翻译不到位,就是会大大降低原诗应有的风采。
理解原诗歌的内容和意境是整个诗歌翻译过程的第一步, 而大部分误译都是因为译者对原文的错误理解造成的。没有正确的理解,翻译传达的就不是原作的意思。要把诗歌这种文学作品翻译成英文,对其理解不仅包括对词意和文化背景知识的理解,译者还要尽可能地将原作的神与形都传达给译语读者,要尽量接近原诗的形式,这样才能把形象传译生动。[2]
二、《关雎》及其译本
《诗经》又称《诗三百》,由三百零五首诗歌组成,是我国历史上第一部诗歌总集。作为我国文学灿烂的第一页, 以文字的形式把诗歌整理记载流传下来。而《关雎》作为《诗经》开篇之手,反映了一名男青年对一位容貌美丽姑娘的爱慕与追求,是我国爱情诗之祖,全诗除了优美的意境,还具有独到的艺术特色。
对《诗经》的翻译始于16世纪的西方传教士,而到了20世纪教会学术逐渐褪色,还《诗经》以文学作品的本来面目。 20世纪最为突出的两个译本是英国传教士理雅格(James Legge,1815-1897)的The Book of Odes和英国汉学家阿瑟·韦利(Arthur Waley,1889-1966)的Book of Songs。
(一)《关雎》(国风·周南)的原文
关关雎鸠,在河之洲
窈窕淑女,君子好逑
参差荇菜,左右流之
窈窕淑女,寤寐求之
求之不得,寤寐思服
悠哉悠哉,辗转反侧
参差荇菜,左右采之
窈窕淑女,琴瑟友之
参差荇菜,左右芼之
窈窕淑女,钟鼓乐之
(二)James Legge译本
Kwan-kwan go the ospreys,
On the islet in the river.
The modest,retiring,virtuous,young lady.
For our prince a good mate she.
Here long,there short,is the duckweed,
To the left,to the right,borne about by the current.
The modest,retiring,virtuous,young lady:
Waking and sleeping,he sought her.
He sought her and found her not,
And walking and sleeping he thought about her.
Long he thought;oh! Long and anxiously;
On his side,on his back,he turned,and back again.
Here long,there short,is the duckweed;
On the left,on the right,we gather it.
The modest,retiring,virtuous,young lady:
With lutes,small and large,let us give her friendly welcome.
Here long,there short,is the duckweed;
On the left,on the right,we cook and present it.
The modest,retiring,virtuous,young lady:
With bells and drums let us show our delight in her.
(三)Arthur Waley译本
“Fair,fair,” cry the ospreys
On the island in the river.
Lovely is this noble lady,
Fit bride for our lord.
In patches grows the water mallow;
To left and right one must seek it.
Shy was this noble lady;
Day and night he sought her.
Sought her and could not get her;
Day and night he grieved.
Long thoughts,oh,long unhappy thoughts,
Now on his back,now tossing on to his side.
In patches grows the water mallow;
To the left and right one must gather it.
Shy is this noble lady;
With great zither and little we hearten her.
In patches grows the water mallow;
To left and right one must choose it.
Shy is this noble lady;
With bells and drums we will gladden her.
两个译本都有自己的特征和风格,同时译者也都显露了自己深厚的文学造旨,但同时在进行文学翻译的过程中基于不同的理解都有自己的得与失。
三、对《关雎》两个译本的分析
(一)词义的理解与表达
中国传统诗歌乃至西方意象派诗歌之所以能做到寓情于景、以景托情、情景交融,都是通过意象得以充分体现的。意象和诗歌的关系密不可分。通过对意象的感受、酝酿和表达,再现诗人的主观世界和客观世界。英国汉学家阿瑟·韦利曾在译作《中国诗一百七十首》序言中说:“考虑到意象是诗的灵魂,我(在翻译中)既避免加进自己的意象又避免压抑原诗的意境。在现实诗歌翻译实践中,尽管译者大都能够对原诗中的意象进行转换,但是译文有时并不成功。究其原因, 无非是译者不能完全理解原诗句中的某些词语,尤其是那些有着文化蕴含的词句以及原创作者当时的心境”。意象是“诗歌的基本征”,诗歌翻译的关键就在于能否成功地将源语中的意象在译语加以转换和表达。[3]下面对比分析两个译者对《关雎》中的一些词句的不同理解与翻译。
1.两个译本把都“雎鸠”译成“osprey”, 应该说是比较准确,“雎鸠”是指一种水鸟,在汉语文化里它被视为一种贞鸟。James Legge把“在河之洲”译成“islet”,而Arthur Waley译成“island”,在河之洲的“洲”应该指的是河水中间的突出来的陆地或者是河边的空地, 所以笔者认为James Legge的islet是比较合适的,Arthur Waley用“island”不太贴切,因为“island”有岛屿,尤其是孤立的岛屿的意思。
2.“窈窕淑女”被James Legge译成“The modest,retiring,virtuous,young lady.”Arthur Waley译成“Lovely is this noble lady”。“窈窕淑女”不仅仅是苗条的意思,更是指文静,内心很慈祥,很安静,没有杂念的女子。James Legge虽然用了四个形容词叠加但仍没能准确地再现原文的意境,而Arthur Waley对“窈窕淑女”的理解比较准确。
3.“左右流之”这句,二人的翻译也不相同。James Legge译成“To the left,to the right,borne about by the current to the right, borne about by the current.”“borne about by the current”很难描述“水中的荇菜被河水冲的左右摆动”这种意境,根据James Legge的理解,好像荇菜的左右流动都成了水流的负担了,所以笔者认为他对这句诗的理解和表达有不妥之处。而Arthur Waley则把这句诗进行了意译,译成“To left and right one must seek it”比较合乎原作意境。
(二)内涵文化的理解与表达
1.“参差荇菜”的不同翻译。“参差”是不齐的意思,“荇菜”是一种水草,是专门在祭祀祖宗的时候采来做祭祀用的。James Legge用 “Here long,there short”表达“参差”,他的理解是荇菜长的长短不一,一处长的长,一处长的短,有点过于直译。而英语中没有和“荇菜”意思直接对应的词,James Legge 选用“duckweed”是水草的意思,Arthur Waley译成“water mallow”,mallow 是锦葵、锦葵属植物,前面用water来修饰,他的意思可能指的是水中的锦葵。但是他把“参差”的意境用“In patches”表达的还是比较准确。而James Legge 的荇菜“duckweed”相对准确一些。
2.对“辗转反侧”的英译两个人也使用了不同的词汇。“辗转反侧”是说夜晚躺在床上思念自己的“意中人”, 翻来覆去睡不着觉,越是睡不安稳, 越是心潮起伏。人在恋爱时总是往乐观处想,甚至幻想将来结婚时的热闹场面,婚后的感情多么融洽,生活多么美满幸福, 这一切遐想都是从“辗转反侧”的失眠中幻化出来的,这种情况James Legge译成“On his side,on his back, he turned,and back again。”他的理解是诗中的男主人公在床上一会儿躺着,一会儿爬着, 这两个动作不时地替换,他的译文对原诗的理解有些欠妥,未能准确表达出原作意思。而Arthur Waley用了“tossing”,这个词有“颠簸”,“辗转反侧”的意思,可见他的选词准确, 但是他把“辗转反侧”翻译成“now tossing on to his side”也不太准确,根据许渊冲等翻译大家们的翻译,“辗转反侧”比较准确的译文应该是“toss all night long”。
3.再看两个译本对“琴瑟友之”的不同翻译。James Legge译成“With lutes,small and large,let us give her friendly welcome”Arthur Waley译成“With great zither and little we hearten her”。“琴瑟”特指中国的乐器,大的叫琴,小的叫瑟。“lute”(stringed musical instrument associated with poets and poetry)指的是14世纪至17世纪的一种弦乐器或者是琵琶。“zither”(musical instrument with many strings on a flat sounding-board,played with a plectrum or the fingers)是一种扁琴, 以手指或拨子弹奏。Arthur Waley使用的“hearten her”应该说是比较准确的。而James Legge的friendly welcome还是有失妥当。
四、结语
在翻译实践中,诗歌的意象应涵盖个体意象和整体意象,诗歌翻译关键在于如何把握好个体意象和整体意象之间的关系。正反例证表明,理想的诗歌翻译既要重视源语中个体意象的有效转换,更取决于源语整体意象的成功重构和再现。[4,5]从以上的比较可以看出,从翻译的经验来看,两位都是非常优秀的翻译家,两种译本都得到了中外读者的认可。James Legge注重诗句表面意思的理解,在翻译过程中主要采用直译法, 虽然忠实于原文,但是语言的弹性受到了很大的限制。基本上是无韵的散文,既无节奏,也未用韵脚,因此构不成抑扬顿挫的诗歌韵律。Arthur Waley主要采用意译法,他的译本对诗句词义和内涵文化的理解相对比较到位一些,在翻译的过程中也注意了韵脚,但还不是非常的抑扬顿挫,还不能原汁原味地再现原诗的形与神。
参考文献:
[1]刘培东.诗歌的形美与形的直译[J].井冈山医专学报,2007,14(2):92-93.
[2] 杨惠莹.精于心,显于形——江风的英语诗歌翻译[J].湖北广播电视大学学报,2007,27(12):82-83.[3] 夏少毅.诗歌翻译门径初窥[J].东华大学学报:社会科学版,2007,7(1):70-73.
[4] 张德福.整体意象:诗歌翻译的关键[J].阜阳师范学院学报:社会科学版,2009(6):58-60.
[5] 聂珂,魏万德.双关语的言内意义及其翻译[J].武汉理工大学学报:社会科学版,2009,22(4):144-147.
Comprehension and Expression on the Translation of Poems
——Comparison and Contrast of Two Translation Versions of Guanju
QU Ni-ni
(Department of Foreign Language,Northwest A&F University,Yangling,Shaanxi 712100,China)
Abstract:The translation of poems has been perplexing the scholars and experts at home and abroad.As to different translation versions of the same work,there are different comments,some of which are positive while others are negative.This paper makes a comparison and contrast between James Legge’s and Arthur Waley’s versions of “Guanju” from the perspective of word comprehension and culture connotation, from which their respective wits and limitations can be easily found.James Legge attaches greater importance to the interpretation of surface meaning and the main method he uses during the process of translation is the literal translation.Although this method is faithful to the source language,the translated version is greatly restricted.While,the main method Arthur Waley uses during the process of translation is free translation.In addition,comparatively speaking,he could interpret the content and the cultural connotation of the poem more accurately.During the process of the translation he could also notice the foot rhyme.But his version is not very perfect and the form and the spirit of the original poem could not reoccur.
Key words:Guanju;James Legge;Arthur Waley;translation of poems
关键词:《关雎》;James Legge译本;Arthur Waley译本;诗歌翻译
中图分类号:H059 文献标识码:A 文章编号:1009-9107(2010)03-0106-04
一、引言
诗歌的翻译难,这是公认的事实。如果把翻译比作戴着镣铐跳舞,那么诗歌的翻译就要求舞者不仅能跳舞,而且要舞的美妙,舞的动人。诗歌翻译之所以难,是因为诗歌是一种特殊的文学形式。[1]诗歌的语言是高度凝练简洁的,而且其形式也是音、形、意的统一,有一方面翻译不到位,就是会大大降低原诗应有的风采。
理解原诗歌的内容和意境是整个诗歌翻译过程的第一步, 而大部分误译都是因为译者对原文的错误理解造成的。没有正确的理解,翻译传达的就不是原作的意思。要把诗歌这种文学作品翻译成英文,对其理解不仅包括对词意和文化背景知识的理解,译者还要尽可能地将原作的神与形都传达给译语读者,要尽量接近原诗的形式,这样才能把形象传译生动。[2]
二、《关雎》及其译本
《诗经》又称《诗三百》,由三百零五首诗歌组成,是我国历史上第一部诗歌总集。作为我国文学灿烂的第一页, 以文字的形式把诗歌整理记载流传下来。而《关雎》作为《诗经》开篇之手,反映了一名男青年对一位容貌美丽姑娘的爱慕与追求,是我国爱情诗之祖,全诗除了优美的意境,还具有独到的艺术特色。
对《诗经》的翻译始于16世纪的西方传教士,而到了20世纪教会学术逐渐褪色,还《诗经》以文学作品的本来面目。 20世纪最为突出的两个译本是英国传教士理雅格(James Legge,1815-1897)的The Book of Odes和英国汉学家阿瑟·韦利(Arthur Waley,1889-1966)的Book of Songs。
(一)《关雎》(国风·周南)的原文
关关雎鸠,在河之洲
窈窕淑女,君子好逑
参差荇菜,左右流之
窈窕淑女,寤寐求之
求之不得,寤寐思服
悠哉悠哉,辗转反侧
参差荇菜,左右采之
窈窕淑女,琴瑟友之
参差荇菜,左右芼之
窈窕淑女,钟鼓乐之
(二)James Legge译本
Kwan-kwan go the ospreys,
On the islet in the river.
The modest,retiring,virtuous,young lady.
For our prince a good mate she.
Here long,there short,is the duckweed,
To the left,to the right,borne about by the current.
The modest,retiring,virtuous,young lady:
Waking and sleeping,he sought her.
He sought her and found her not,
And walking and sleeping he thought about her.
Long he thought;oh! Long and anxiously;
On his side,on his back,he turned,and back again.
Here long,there short,is the duckweed;
On the left,on the right,we gather it.
The modest,retiring,virtuous,young lady:
With lutes,small and large,let us give her friendly welcome.
Here long,there short,is the duckweed;
On the left,on the right,we cook and present it.
The modest,retiring,virtuous,young lady:
With bells and drums let us show our delight in her.
(三)Arthur Waley译本
“Fair,fair,” cry the ospreys
On the island in the river.
Lovely is this noble lady,
Fit bride for our lord.
In patches grows the water mallow;
To left and right one must seek it.
Shy was this noble lady;
Day and night he sought her.
Sought her and could not get her;
Day and night he grieved.
Long thoughts,oh,long unhappy thoughts,
Now on his back,now tossing on to his side.
In patches grows the water mallow;
To the left and right one must gather it.
Shy is this noble lady;
With great zither and little we hearten her.
In patches grows the water mallow;
To left and right one must choose it.
Shy is this noble lady;
With bells and drums we will gladden her.
两个译本都有自己的特征和风格,同时译者也都显露了自己深厚的文学造旨,但同时在进行文学翻译的过程中基于不同的理解都有自己的得与失。
三、对《关雎》两个译本的分析
(一)词义的理解与表达
中国传统诗歌乃至西方意象派诗歌之所以能做到寓情于景、以景托情、情景交融,都是通过意象得以充分体现的。意象和诗歌的关系密不可分。通过对意象的感受、酝酿和表达,再现诗人的主观世界和客观世界。英国汉学家阿瑟·韦利曾在译作《中国诗一百七十首》序言中说:“考虑到意象是诗的灵魂,我(在翻译中)既避免加进自己的意象又避免压抑原诗的意境。在现实诗歌翻译实践中,尽管译者大都能够对原诗中的意象进行转换,但是译文有时并不成功。究其原因, 无非是译者不能完全理解原诗句中的某些词语,尤其是那些有着文化蕴含的词句以及原创作者当时的心境”。意象是“诗歌的基本征”,诗歌翻译的关键就在于能否成功地将源语中的意象在译语加以转换和表达。[3]下面对比分析两个译者对《关雎》中的一些词句的不同理解与翻译。
1.两个译本把都“雎鸠”译成“osprey”, 应该说是比较准确,“雎鸠”是指一种水鸟,在汉语文化里它被视为一种贞鸟。James Legge把“在河之洲”译成“islet”,而Arthur Waley译成“island”,在河之洲的“洲”应该指的是河水中间的突出来的陆地或者是河边的空地, 所以笔者认为James Legge的islet是比较合适的,Arthur Waley用“island”不太贴切,因为“island”有岛屿,尤其是孤立的岛屿的意思。
2.“窈窕淑女”被James Legge译成“The modest,retiring,virtuous,young lady.”Arthur Waley译成“Lovely is this noble lady”。“窈窕淑女”不仅仅是苗条的意思,更是指文静,内心很慈祥,很安静,没有杂念的女子。James Legge虽然用了四个形容词叠加但仍没能准确地再现原文的意境,而Arthur Waley对“窈窕淑女”的理解比较准确。
3.“左右流之”这句,二人的翻译也不相同。James Legge译成“To the left,to the right,borne about by the current to the right, borne about by the current.”“borne about by the current”很难描述“水中的荇菜被河水冲的左右摆动”这种意境,根据James Legge的理解,好像荇菜的左右流动都成了水流的负担了,所以笔者认为他对这句诗的理解和表达有不妥之处。而Arthur Waley则把这句诗进行了意译,译成“To left and right one must seek it”比较合乎原作意境。
(二)内涵文化的理解与表达
1.“参差荇菜”的不同翻译。“参差”是不齐的意思,“荇菜”是一种水草,是专门在祭祀祖宗的时候采来做祭祀用的。James Legge用 “Here long,there short”表达“参差”,他的理解是荇菜长的长短不一,一处长的长,一处长的短,有点过于直译。而英语中没有和“荇菜”意思直接对应的词,James Legge 选用“duckweed”是水草的意思,Arthur Waley译成“water mallow”,mallow 是锦葵、锦葵属植物,前面用water来修饰,他的意思可能指的是水中的锦葵。但是他把“参差”的意境用“In patches”表达的还是比较准确。而James Legge 的荇菜“duckweed”相对准确一些。
2.对“辗转反侧”的英译两个人也使用了不同的词汇。“辗转反侧”是说夜晚躺在床上思念自己的“意中人”, 翻来覆去睡不着觉,越是睡不安稳, 越是心潮起伏。人在恋爱时总是往乐观处想,甚至幻想将来结婚时的热闹场面,婚后的感情多么融洽,生活多么美满幸福, 这一切遐想都是从“辗转反侧”的失眠中幻化出来的,这种情况James Legge译成“On his side,on his back, he turned,and back again。”他的理解是诗中的男主人公在床上一会儿躺着,一会儿爬着, 这两个动作不时地替换,他的译文对原诗的理解有些欠妥,未能准确表达出原作意思。而Arthur Waley用了“tossing”,这个词有“颠簸”,“辗转反侧”的意思,可见他的选词准确, 但是他把“辗转反侧”翻译成“now tossing on to his side”也不太准确,根据许渊冲等翻译大家们的翻译,“辗转反侧”比较准确的译文应该是“toss all night long”。
3.再看两个译本对“琴瑟友之”的不同翻译。James Legge译成“With lutes,small and large,let us give her friendly welcome”Arthur Waley译成“With great zither and little we hearten her”。“琴瑟”特指中国的乐器,大的叫琴,小的叫瑟。“lute”(stringed musical instrument associated with poets and poetry)指的是14世纪至17世纪的一种弦乐器或者是琵琶。“zither”(musical instrument with many strings on a flat sounding-board,played with a plectrum or the fingers)是一种扁琴, 以手指或拨子弹奏。Arthur Waley使用的“hearten her”应该说是比较准确的。而James Legge的friendly welcome还是有失妥当。
四、结语
在翻译实践中,诗歌的意象应涵盖个体意象和整体意象,诗歌翻译关键在于如何把握好个体意象和整体意象之间的关系。正反例证表明,理想的诗歌翻译既要重视源语中个体意象的有效转换,更取决于源语整体意象的成功重构和再现。[4,5]从以上的比较可以看出,从翻译的经验来看,两位都是非常优秀的翻译家,两种译本都得到了中外读者的认可。James Legge注重诗句表面意思的理解,在翻译过程中主要采用直译法, 虽然忠实于原文,但是语言的弹性受到了很大的限制。基本上是无韵的散文,既无节奏,也未用韵脚,因此构不成抑扬顿挫的诗歌韵律。Arthur Waley主要采用意译法,他的译本对诗句词义和内涵文化的理解相对比较到位一些,在翻译的过程中也注意了韵脚,但还不是非常的抑扬顿挫,还不能原汁原味地再现原诗的形与神。
参考文献:
[1]刘培东.诗歌的形美与形的直译[J].井冈山医专学报,2007,14(2):92-93.
[2] 杨惠莹.精于心,显于形——江风的英语诗歌翻译[J].湖北广播电视大学学报,2007,27(12):82-83.[3] 夏少毅.诗歌翻译门径初窥[J].东华大学学报:社会科学版,2007,7(1):70-73.
[4] 张德福.整体意象:诗歌翻译的关键[J].阜阳师范学院学报:社会科学版,2009(6):58-60.
[5] 聂珂,魏万德.双关语的言内意义及其翻译[J].武汉理工大学学报:社会科学版,2009,22(4):144-147.
Comprehension and Expression on the Translation of Poems
——Comparison and Contrast of Two Translation Versions of Guanju
QU Ni-ni
(Department of Foreign Language,Northwest A&F University,Yangling,Shaanxi 712100,China)
Abstract:The translation of poems has been perplexing the scholars and experts at home and abroad.As to different translation versions of the same work,there are different comments,some of which are positive while others are negative.This paper makes a comparison and contrast between James Legge’s and Arthur Waley’s versions of “Guanju” from the perspective of word comprehension and culture connotation, from which their respective wits and limitations can be easily found.James Legge attaches greater importance to the interpretation of surface meaning and the main method he uses during the process of translation is the literal translation.Although this method is faithful to the source language,the translated version is greatly restricted.While,the main method Arthur Waley uses during the process of translation is free translation.In addition,comparatively speaking,he could interpret the content and the cultural connotation of the poem more accurately.During the process of the translation he could also notice the foot rhyme.But his version is not very perfect and the form and the spirit of the original poem could not reoccur.
Key words:Guanju;James Legge;Arthur Waley;translation of poems