散文翻译 Translation of essays
什么是散文？
广义而言,凡是不属于韵文的文章都可称为散文。西方人甚至把小说也包括在散文之内;我国有些现代叙事性文章名为散文,但称之为小说也无不可。不过,严格说来,我们说的散文应相当于西方的Essay,与诗歌（poem)、小说(novel)、戏剧(drama)并起并坐,文字一般都比较短小精炼,如随笔、小品文、杂感、游记、日记、书信、回忆录、通讯报道等等。
英汉散文的特点
散文是一种最灵活、最自由的文体。它篇幅短小、题材广泛；结构散而不乱，形式灵活；散文的语言充分体现了汉语多辞藻华美，或文意浓郁，文采飞扬的特点；然而英语则措辞简洁、文意客观、文采朴素。英汉语言的天然差异给散文的翻译带来很大的困难，散文的翻译不能机械地直译。
散文翻译的特点
散文的特点决定了散文的翻译必须是灵活地将“形”与“神”统一。许渊冲在谈到文学翻译时说：“文学翻译不单是译词，还要译意：不单要译意，还要译味。”，并形象地用数学公式表达为：“译词：1+1=1（形似），译意：1+1=2（意似），译味：1+1=3（神似）”。
所谓“译味”，是指译者要注意作者的语言风格。下笔翻译之前先辨别文章的文体色彩，熟悉不同文体的语言风格；更重要的是，要善于运用译入语中不同文体的语言风格来再现原文的语言风格，使译文与原文的文体色彩相符合，达到形式与功能的对等。
注意汉英散文翻译中的民俗文化误译
他是趟着雾走的,步子很飘,他背着花篓,篓里装着粮食,鼓的。”(《家乡》)
译文: He went off walking on air, his steps fairly flew. On his back he lugged an embroidered basket，in the basket bags of grain-bulging-ones stood at attention.“花篓”翻译成“embroidered basket”是不恰当的。“embroider”的意思是“刺绣”，翻译成诸如“basket with patterns”之类的形式才正确。
朱自清《背影》英译例谈
《背影》是朱自清的早期散文作品。作者使用提炼的口语，文笔秀丽、细腻缜密，读来有一种亲切委婉、娓娓动听的感觉。
张培基先生的英译《背影》以保持原作的口语风格为要，遣词造句通俗简洁，朴实无华，最大限度地再现了原文信息，达到了与原文极其相似的功能。
词汇层面：理解到位，用词准确、简单、通俗
（1）那年冬天，祖母死了，父亲的差使也交卸了,……
胃泰胶囊 译 文 ：In the winter of two years ago, grandma died and father lost his job. …
（2）……一半为了丧事，一半为了赋闲。
译 文 ：Between grandma’s funeral and father’s unemployment, …
（3）父亲因为事忙，本已说定不送我，叫旅馆里一个熟识的茶房陪我同去。
译文：窗前美丽女孩Father said he was too busy to go and e me off at the railway station, but would ask a hotel waiter that he knew to accompany me there instead.
（4）行李太多了，得向脚夫行些小费，才可过去。他便又忙着和他们讲价钱。
译文 ：
There was quite a bit of luggage and he had to bargain with the porter over the fee.
（5）大约大去之期不远矣。
译文 ：Perhaps it won’t be long now before I depart this life.
（6）他走了几步,回过头看见我,说,“进去吧,里边没人。 ”
译文： …he looked back at me and said, “Go back to your at. Don’t leave your things alone.”
（7） 他用两手攀着上面,两脚再向上缩;他肥胖 的身子向左微倾。 ……过铁道时,他先将橘子散放在地上,自己慢慢爬下,再抱起橘子走。
译文：His hands held onto the upper part of the platform, his legs huddles up and his co
rpulent body tipped slightly towards the left, … In crossing the railway track, he first put the tangerines on the ground, climbed down slowly and then picked them up again.
（8）父亲说: “事已如此，不必难过，好在天无绝人之路! ”
译文：Now that things’ ve come to such a pass, it’s no u crying. Fortunately, Heaven always leaves one a way out. (come to a pretty/sorry pass: 处境糟糕）
（9）他只说,“不要紧,他们去不好”。
译文：
But he only said, “Never mind! It won’t do to trust guys like tho hotel boys! ”
句法层面：句子短小精悍,结构简单
绝顶五秒前1）他望车外看了看,说,“我买几个橘子去。你就在此地,不要走动。 ”
译文：But he looked out of the window and said,“I’m going to buy you some tangerines. You just stay here. Don’t move around.”
（2）……于是扑扑衣上的泥土,心里很轻松似的,过一会说,“我走了;到那边来信! ”
译文： …he looked somewhat relieved and said after a while, “木区I must be going now. Don’t forget to write me from Beijing! ”
（3）他嘱咐我路上小心，夜里要警惕些，不要受凉。
译文：He told me to be watchful on the way and be careful not to catch cold at night.
（4）他再三嘱咐茶房，甚是仔细。 但他终于不放 心，怕茶房不妥帖，颇踌躇了一会。
译文 ：
He urged the waiter again and again to take good care of me, but still did not quite trust him.
（5）我与父亲不相见已二年余了，我最不能忘记的是他的背影。
译文：It is more than two years since I last saw father, and what I can never forget is the sight of his back.
面粉的做法大全
关照英文形合（hypotaxis)巧作变动
（6）到南京时，有朋友约去游逛，勾留了一日。
译 文 ：I spent the first day in Nanjing strolling
about with some friends at their invitation.
（7）那年冬天，祖母死了，父亲的差使也交卸了,正是祸不单行的日子，我从北京到徐州， 打算跟着父亲奔丧回家。
译 禅茶一味书法文 ：
Misfortunes never come singly. In the winter of two years ago, grandma died and father lost his job. I left Beijing for Xuzhou to join father in hastening home to attend grandma’s funeral.
（8）信中说道,“我身体平安,唯膀子疼痛利害,举箸提笔,诸多不便,大约大去之期不远矣。 ”
译文：“I’m all right except for a vere pain in my arm. I even have trouble using chopsticks or writing brushes. Perhaps it won’dnf召唤师武器t be long now before I depart this life.”
语篇层面：语篇连贯，忠实原文
作者对自己“落泪”的描写
（1）到徐州见着父亲，看见满院狼藉的东西，又想起祖母，不禁簌簌地流下眼泪。
（2）这时我看见他的背影，我的眼泪很快地流下来了。
（3）我便进来坐下，我的眼泪又来了。
（4）我读到此处，在晶莹的泪光中，……
译文如下：
（1）…Tears tickling down my cheeks
（2）Tears gushed from my eyes.
（3）My eyes were again wet with tears.资治通鉴的作者
（4）The glistening tears …
对比原文和译文，我们可以发现译文很好地再现了原文有关于“落泪”的描写。 四句中的 “tears”很好地把整篇文章中作者对父亲的爱串起来，前后衔接连贯。
回译练习(张培基译三毛作品
I hope to remain with my parents and Hexi in their lifetime and be the last to pass away. It would make me turn in my grave if I should be the first to die, thus leaving them with perpetual sorrow. My concern for them is as deep as my love for them.
