翻译技巧之归化的处理 Domestication Translation
异化翻译法(或异化法)(Foreignizing Translation or Minoritizing Translation)和归化翻译法(或归化法)(Domesticating Translation or Domestication)是美国翻译理论家Lawrence Venuti(1995)创造的、用来描写翻译策略的两个术语。异化翻译法是故意使译文冲破目的语常规,保留原文中的异国情调。Venuti把异化翻译法归因于十九世纪德国哲学家Schleiermacher的翻译论说英语情侣名“译者尽量不惊动原作者,让读者向他靠近” (Schleiermacher 1838/1963: 47, 1838/1977:74; Venuti 1995: 19)。Schleiermacher本人是赞同采用异化法的。Venuti(1995: 20)指出,在盲目自大地使用单语、并把归化翻译法作为标准的文化社会(例如英美社会)中,应提倡异化翻译法。在这种情况下采用异化法,表明这是一种对当时的社会状况进行文化干预的策略,因为这是对主导文化心理的一种挑战。主导文化心理是尽力压制译文中的异国情调(或“异物”)。Venuti把异化翻译描述成一种“背离民族的压力”(1995: 20),其作用是“把外国文本中的语言文化差异注入目的语之中,把读者送到国外去”(1995:20)。
具体说来,异化翻译法包括以下特点:(1)不完全遵循目的语语言与语篇规范;(2)在适
当的时候选择不通顺、艰涩难懂的文体;(3)有意保留源语中的实观材料或采用目的语中的古词语;(4)目的是为目的语读者提供一次“前所未有的阅读经验”(1995:20)。不过,Venuti 也承认,译文是用“本土的文化材料”组成的,异化翻译 [像归化翻译那样] 只能是翻译过程中的其中一种策略,不同的是,采用异化法的译者一般都态度鲜明,而不是隐隐匿匿(1995:34)。用异化法英译的典型例子包括庞德(素描培训Ezra Pound)的许多译作,纳巴科夫(Nabokov)(1964/1975)直译的名著普希金的诗体小说《尤金·奥涅金》(Eugene Onegin)。(参阅:Venuti 1995)
归化翻译法旨在尽量减少译文中的异国情调,为目的语读者提供一种自然流畅的译文。Venuti 认为,归化法源于这一著名翻译论说,“尽量不干扰读者,请作者向读者靠近”(Schleiermacher 1838/1963:47, 1838/1977:74; Venuti 1995:19-20)。然而,对Venuti来说,归化法带有贬义,因为归化法实际上体现了主导文化社会中常见的政策,即“盲目自大地使用单语,把外来文化拒于门外”。他还认为,主导文化社会“习惯于接受通顺易懂的译文,把外国文本中的价值观隐匿在本国的价值观之中,令读者面对他国文化时,还在自我陶醉地欣赏自己的文化”(1995:15)。这里的“隐匿“是一个重要的概念,因
为它说明了译者在翻译中的角色。在以归化法作为标准翻译法的文化社会中,正是译者的“隐匿性”使译文自然而然地归化于目的语文化而不被读者发觉(1995:16-17)。
归化翻译法通常包含以下几个步骤:(1)谨慎地选择适合于归化翻译的文本;(2lingo)有意识地采取一种自然流畅的目的语文体;(3)把译文调整成目的语篇体裁;(4)插入解释性资料;(5)删去原文中的实观材料;(6)调协译文和原文中的观念与特征。
Venuti指出,归化翻译法是英美文化社会中占主导地位的翻译策略。这种策略与该文化社会和其他文化社会的非对称文学关系相一致。由于归化翻译法流行于英美文化社会诸多领域,因此有必要有意识地选择其他翻译策略,以挑战其统治地位。以下分析一个归化翻译的例子。
A well-known scientist (some say it was Bertrand Rusll) once gave a public lecture on astronomy. He described how the earth orbits around the sun and how the sun, in turn, orbits around the center of a vast collection of stars called our galaxy. At the end of the le
黄褐斑怎么回事
cture, a little old lady at the back of the room got up and said: “What you have told us is rubbish. The world is really a flat plate supported on the back of a giant tortoi. The scientist gave a superior smile before replying, “What is the tortoi standing on?” “You’re very clever, young man, very clever,” said the old lady. “But it’s turtles all the way down!”
(From Hawking, S.W. 1988. A Brief History of Time from the Big Bang to Black Holes. London and Auckland: Bantam Press.)
(从希腊译本回译) Alice in Wonderland was once giving a lecture about astronomy. She said that the earth is a spherical planet in the solar system which orbits around its center the sun, and that the sun is a star which in turn orbits around the center of the star system which we call the Galaxy. At the end of the lecture the Queen looked at her angrily and disapprovingly. “what you say is nonn. The earth is just a giant playing card, so it’s flat like all playing card,” she said, and turned triumphantly to the members of her retinue, who emed clearly satisfied by her explanation. Alice smiled a superior smile, “and what is this playing card supported on?” she asked with irony. The Queen did
not em put out, “You are clever, very clever,” she replied, “so let me tell you, young lady, that this playing card is supported on another, and the other on another other, and the other other on another other other…” She topped, out of breath, “The Univer is nothing but a great big pack of cards,” she shrieked.
析:原文是霍金(S.W. Hawking)的《时间简史》,属于科普著作,阅读对象为有一定文化程度的读者。其文本类型和读者类型决定了其语言特点是朴实明了,不带太多的修饰成分。译文(希腊语)的目的读者显然是少年儿童,译者根据目的语的文化背景,采用了归化翻译法,对译文进行了特殊的处理:(1)采用了形象替代法,套用了少年儿童熟悉的“Alice in Wonderland”(《爱丽丝游记》)故事中的人物来讲原文中的故事。爱丽丝(Alice)是一个充满好奇心、求知欲强、爱思考的女孩子,译者用她来代替原文中的科学家,对于少年儿童来说更加有吸引力。《爱丽丝游记》中有一段是讲爱丽丝与一个扑克王国的故事,而这个王国中最主要的人物就是皇后。爱丽丝常与皇后发生争论,而皇后的形象与原文中的老妇人(the old lady)十分相似,就是趾高气扬,固执已见。因此,译者用皇后(the Queen)代替原文中的老妇人(the old lady);用扑克(playing card)代替乌龟(tortoi),整个故事里面的喻体变了,但是喻义没有变。
由于文化上的差异,英译汉时有时直译原文就会使译入语读者感到费解,甚至误解。这时,就有必要借用汉语中意义相同或相近、且具有自己鲜明文化色彩的表达法对原文加以归化。归化翻译法常用于处理某些英语成语、典故、形象词语等一类文化色彩较浓的表达方式。恰倒好处地归化可以使译文地道简洁、生动活泼,便于译入语读者理解和接受。例如: as timid as a hare 胆小如鼠
(在西方文化中,兔子是胆小的象征,而在我国,兔子却象征着机警敏捷。人们常说:"静若处子,动若脱兔。"鼠在我国才是胆小的象征,所以翻译时直接加以归化。)
at a stone's throw一箭之遥
wet like a drown rat 湿如落汤鸡
as stupid as a goo 蠢得像猪
as stubborn as a mule 犟得像牛
ek a hare in a hen's nest 缘木求鱼
as dumb as an oyster 守口如瓶
lead a dog's life 过着牛马一样的生活
cry up wine and ll vinegar 挂羊头,卖狗肉
put back the clock 开倒车
talk hor 吹牛
kill the goo that lays the golden eggs 杀鸡取卵
drink like a fish 牛饮
(1) Once the wife of a parson, always the wife of a parson.
嫁鸡随鸡,嫁狗随狗。
(2)One boy is a boy, two boys half a boy, three boys no boy.
一个和尚挑水吃,两个和尚抬水吃,三个和尚没水吃。
(3) I was limp as a dish rag. My back felt as through it had been beaten with wires.
我软得像一团棉花,脊背疼痛得好像被钢丝抽打过一样。
(原文中limp as a dish rag,如直译为"像洗碟布一样柔软",既不地道,又让人产生一种较恶心的感觉,不如用汉语中常说的"软得像一团棉花"加以归化。)
(4) Everybody said how well the new Secretary was doing, but old Mr. Carr said short
ly, "Yes. New brooms sweep clean."
人人都说新任秘书干得好,但卡尔老先生却简慢地说:"新官上任三把火。"
(原文new brooms sweep clean的字面意思是"新扫把扫得干净",比喻"新任职的人干得好",和汉语中的"新官上任三把火"异曲同工,貌离神合。)
(5) Among the blind the one-eyed man is King.
山中无老虎,猴子称霸王。
(6) Last night I heard him driving his pig to market.
昨夜我听到他鼾声如雷。
(7) Who would have thought of Mr.Mottram doing so well? And so many of his friends, too, that ud to stay here? We were entertaining angels unawares.
谁知道摩特兰先生干得那么出色?还有他那许多朋友,原来都住在这儿的,谁知道呀?我们真是有眼无珠。
点评专家:顾国平
教育部雅思译题一:Man's Need For 'Me Time' Casts A Pall On 'Us Time'
I have been dating "Kate" for a year. She's caring and down-to-earth. We have so much in common, and time goes by quickly when we're together.
That's why, when a new job brought Kate clor to my place, I told her she could stay with me, so her commute would be less stressful while she gets ud to the job and learns her way around. I enjoy making us dinner, since I get home two hours before she does.
After being single and living alone for six years, I want a relationship. Maybe in the future I'll want her to move in with me. We spend weeknights together and go out as a couple every weekend. But I also like "my time" and "my night out."
参考译文:
男性需要“个人时间”,“二人世界”乌云密布
我和凯特交往有一年了。她很有责任心,又讲求实际。我们志趣相投,和她在一起时,时间总是过得很快。正因如此,当凯特找到一份离我家很近的工作后,我告诉她可以住在我这儿。这样,她每天就不需为上班来回奔波,便于更好地适应工作和熟悉新环境。我比她早两个小时回家,我也乐意为我们俩准备晚餐。经过了六年的单身独居生活后,我渴望一份稳定的感情。或许不久后我会让她搬过来和我一起住。那样我们就能一起共度每个夜晚,周末像夫妻那样外出。但同时,我也很希望能有个人的时间,希望有的晚上能独自出去。
这段文字讲的是一位男士在“单人世界”和“两人世界”之间的纠结心态。从语言本身来说,应该是近段时间来我们遇到的最简单的文字了。看了网友的翻译,印象是部分网友对这段文字中的时空关系有些迷惑。这两口子到底是否住在一起了?!这就需要追溯原文。这段文字出现在网上类似“情感求助”类的栏目中,是一位男士向栏目主持人倾诉自己的问题并寻求帮助。他既渴望同新女友生活在一起的两人世界,却又想保留单身生活的部分自由。了解这些后,就基本不会产生时空上的误解了:这两口子还没住到一起,男的提出了邀请,却又担心对方搬过来后可能影响单身自由。就语言来说,只谈两点。第一是标题,应该是文中最值得推敲的部分了。首先看短语“cast a pall”,相当于“cast a shadow”,是留下阴影
、造成不良影响或冲击的意思,可根据上下文选择意思相近的词。其次是“Me Time”出纳是做什么的>average是什么意思和“Us Time”的处理。网友们有直译的,也有通过搜寻汉语习惯表达套译的,从意思传达上两者皆可。网友Villa的处理让人眼前一亮:“男性需要‘augest个人时间’,‘情侣时间’乌云密布。”上面的参考译文是本人借花献佛,只稍作了改动。第二,关于短语“learns one's way around”,它在意思上其实是前面“gets ud to the job”的重复,两者在一起处理成“适应工作,熟悉环境”即可。有网友在理解时将该短语拆开,过于抠“way”,翻成“记忆周围的道路”,显得过犹不及了。
译题二:How to Deal With a Narcissist
In "Emotional Freedom" I describe how to recognize a narcissist. Here are some ways: Their motto is "Me first!" Everything's all about them. They have a grandio n of lf-importance and entitlement, crave admiration and attention. A legend in their own mind, the world is reflected in their image. They'll corner you at a party, recount their life saga. Some narcissists are unlikable, flagrant egotists. Others can be charming, intelligent, caring -- that is, until their guru-status is threatened. When you stop stroking th
eir ego or beg to disagree, they can turn on you and become punishing. Once you catch onto this pattern, a narcissist ems about as charming as a banana peel.
参考译文:
如何与自恋者相处
在《情绪自由》(Emotional Freedom)一书中,我描述了如何识别自恋者的方法,举例如下:自恋者信奉“iggy唯我独尊”——事事都得以他们为中心;他们自视甚高,极度渴望他人的赞赏与关注。整个世界在他们心中也只不过是一部映衬和谱写自我的传奇。聚会上,他们会逮住你不放,滔滔不绝,反复讲述他们的 “英雄事迹”ranger。一些自恋者令人生厌,是彻头彻尾的自我中心主义者。而有些自恋者也可能聪明可爱,富有爱心——当然,条件是他们的“领袖”地位不受威胁。若你不再奉承或试图表达不同观点,他们可能马上会矛头一转,与你为难。当你清楚了自恋者的一般特点后,你会发现他们其实也挺可爱,遇到了虽让人尴尬,却也无伤大雅。