本帖最后由 雨荷风 于 2015-10-7 17:15 编辑
反身代词在汉译英中的妙用 张智中 与汉语相比,英语中代词的使用频率要高得多。作为代词的一种,反身代词在英语中的使用,也明显高于其在汉语中的使用频率。例如: She has shown herself to be industrious and sociable in her association with her colleagues. 她工作勤奋,善于与同事协调相处。 英文使用了四个人称代词,其相应的汉译却只使用了一个人称代词。反之,在不受英文原文影响的情况下,若把汉语译文作为原文,再译成英文,大概会是: She is industrious and on good terms with her colleagues. 那么,对比此一“译文”与原来的英文,可以见出:此译似不若原文更加地道。换言之,此译更像我们中国人写作或翻译的英语:虽然语法上无可挑剔,但却缺乏一些深层的韵味。 在许多情况下,汉语中不存在人称代词之时,其相应的英译则必须添加人称代词,有时出于情韵的完美表达与再现,有时则是为了符合英语语言之语法或习惯。比较下列译文: 机不可失,时不再来。 译一:A golden opportunity knocks but once. 译二:An opportunity is not likely to repeat itself. 肉价太贵,他吃不起。 译一:As the price of pork is too high, he can not afford it. 译二:Pork has priced itself out of his dish. 显然,在上引两个例句中,译文二中反身代词的添加使用,使其韵味十足、耐品耐味。相比之下,译文一就逊色多了。 根据观察,英语反身代词在汉译英中的运用,有如下几种情形: (一)英译与汉语对应或几乎对应。例如: 君子在世,最重要的是要克己复礼,济世利民。 A gentleman living in the world should cultivate himself and practice propriety. He should help the people and do good to society. 圣人自珍,但不自我炫耀;圣人自爱,但不自我吹捧。 The sage knows his own worth, but does not show off. He loves himself, but does not exalt himself. 天地之所以长久,是因为天地不是为了自己而存在。 Heaven is eternal and earth is everlasting because they do not exist for themselves. 你要是想为自己开脱,就把你的家产一一讲明。 The only way to clear yourself is to list all your possessions and account for their sources. 君子求诸己,小人求诸人。 The gentleman makes demands upon himself; the mean man makes demands upon others. 圣人无所保留。他帮助别人的越多,自己得到的就越充足;给予别人的越多,自己得到的就越丰富。 The sage does not keep things to himself. The more he offers, the more he has. The more he gives away, the more he receives. 反身代词himself, 译出了汉语“无所保留”的内在含义。 (二)英译中使用反身代词,为了符合英文的表达习惯或使译文更加地道。例如: 你必须熟悉你的新任务。 You must acquaint yourself with your new duties. 这名新生努力适应学校。 The new student tried to orient himself to the school. 她为了减肥而忍饥挨饿。 She’s starving herself to try to lose weight. 他向城里走去。 He betook himself towards town. 老头在晒太阳。 The old man is bathing himself in the sun. 她为自己能讲多种外国语而感到自豪。 She prided herself on her ability to speak many foreign languages. 我将专攻地理学。 I shall confine myself to the subject of geography. 如果你继续这样,你将一事无成。 If you go on this way, you will make nothing of yourself. 他这么做很掉价。 He is making himself cheap. 我已经小有成就。 I have made something of myself. 一个人的行为必须符合他的身份。名必须与它的实际内容相符合。 A man’s behavior must correspond to what he identifies himself with. The substance must correspond to the name. 孔子受使命感的驱策,开展收集和保存这些宝贵的文化遗产的工作。 Imbued with a sense of mission, Confucius took it upon himself to collect and save these cultural treasures. 我们家里穷,你要好好念书,才能立身扬名。 We are poor. You need a good education to establish yourself. 此类译例,虽然多出于英文表达习惯的考虑,但常常也可以增进译文的韵味。例如: 他利用业余时间读书。 若译为: He does some reading in his spare time. 无可厚非,但若译为: He employs himself by reading after work. 则韵味陡增。
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