A Concise Course on Chinese-English Translation 汉译英 Zhou Xueheng

第1章 绪论 1.1 翻译的性质和类型 1.2 汉英翻译的单位 1.1.1 翻译的概念(或性质): 1.1.2 对翻译的性质 1.1.3 翻译是科学(science)，是艺术(art)，是技能(craft) 1.1.4 可译性(translatability)与不可译性(untranslatability) 1.1.5 翻译的类型 1.2 汉英翻译的单位

1.1 翻译的性质和类型 1.1.1 翻译的概念(或性质): 1) 翻译是跨语言(cross-linguistic)，跨文化(cross-cultural)，跨社会(cross-social)的交际活动。 2) 翻译是一种语言文化承载的意义转换到另一种语言文化中的跨语言，跨文化的交际活动。 Translation is a representation or recreation in one language of what is written or said in another language. 翻译的本质是释义,是意义的转换. Translation is always meaning-based.

1. 1. 2 对翻译的性质，有过许多描述，其中奈达(Eugene. A 1.1.2 对翻译的性质，有过许多描述，其中奈达(Eugene.A.Nida)的论述是:“翻译是指从语义到文体在译语中用最切近而又最自然的对等语再现原文的信息。” Translating consists in reproducing in the receptor/target language, the closet natural equivalent of the source language message, first in terms of meaning, and secondly in terms of style.

1.1.3 翻译是科学(science)，是艺术(art)，是技能(craft) 翻译是科学，因为它涉及思维和语言,反映了存在与认识,主体与客体的关系,这种关系可用受一定规律支配的语言加以描述,翻译有科学规律可循,所以是科学。 translation is a kind of science because it has a whole set of rules governing it and certain objective laws to go by in the process of translating just as other sciences do. 翻译是艺术，因为翻译是译者对原文再创造的过程。译者不可避免地带有自己的主观色彩，有他自己的独创性。 translation is also an art, a bilingual art. Like painting, translation enables us to reproduce the fine thought of somebody, not in colors, but in words, in words of a different language. 翻译是技能，译者需采用增词，减词，切分,转换等方法。 besides, it’s also a craft, because in translation, certain skills and technique are needed in order to attain clearness of style, and fluency in language.

What is the difference between a translator and a writer, or “reproducing” and “writing”? In his talk on literary translation published in 1954 Guo Moruo pointed out, “ Translation is creative work. Good translation is as good as writing and may be even better than it. Sometimes translation is more difficult than writing. A writer must have experience in life, but a translator has to experience what the writer has experienced. At the same time, a translator must not only be proficient in his mother tongue but also have a very good foundation in a foreign language. Therefore, translation is not easier than writing at all.”

Writers can decide: 1) what to write (content) 2) whom to write to 3) how to write But a translator can’t decide these, so a translator must: avoid the things of your own, such as your feeling or culture. break the barriers between two languages and cultures, and bridge the gap between the two.

1.1.4 可译性(translatability)与 不可译性(untranslatability) Translation is possible translation deals with people’s thoughts and languages, and people’s thoughts and languages have laws in common, what’s more, as to culture,different countries have features in common. Translation is impossible each culture has its individual characteristics which are untranslatable 翻译的可能性，建立在文化的共性上。翻译的局限性，建立在文化的个性上 。

语言文字的不可译性 拆字合字不可译: 人曾是僧人弗能成佛, 女卑为婢女又可称奴 绕口令,谜语,幽默: 人曾是僧人弗能成佛, 女卑为婢女又可称奴 绕口令,谜语,幽默: 四是四，十是十，十四是十四，四十是四十，十四不是四十，四十不是十四。 重叠词(reduplication word) 寻寻觅觅,冷冷清清, 凄凄惨惨凄凄…… I look for what I miss I know what it is …… 歇后语: “狗撵鸭子——呱呱叫” 双关语: “口服心服”----心脏病口服液广告词

Father: Tom, remember to be good while I’m away. Son: Sure, I will----for a dollar Father: Why, when I was your age, I was good for nothing. 回文: No X in Nixon. 暗指尼克松办事果断，智慧过人。 同音词:施氏食狮史(赵元任) 注释：赵元任：1892-1982) “汉语言学之父”，现代音乐的先驱。1945年他被任命为美国语言学会会长，1960年任美国东方学会会长 http://www.guoxue.com/deathfamous/zhaoyuanren/zhaoyuanren.htm

藏头修辞手法的不可译性 聊友相约浓浓情，斋明几净淡淡香。 夜不思寐针时弊，话露机锋论短长。 欢歌笑语昼达旦，迎宾送客茶不凉。 前程似锦无限好，来往洪恩美名扬。 除了语言的不可译性,思维文化等也有些不可译,如: “天干”和“地支”, “阴阳”等.

1.1.5 翻译的类型(Classification) 1) Direction: source language-target/receptor language (从译出语和译入语角度来看): a. from foreign language into Chinese b. from Chinese into foreign language 2) Language symbols involved (从涉及的语言符号来看): a. intra-lingual translation (语内翻译) b. inter-lingual translation (语际翻译) c. inter-semiotic translation (符际翻译) 3) Method of translation (从翻译手段来看) a. oral interpretation (口译) b. written translation (笔译) c. computer/machine translation (机器翻译)

4) Subject of translation (从翻译题材来看) a. specialized-subject translation (专业性翻译) b. literary translation (文学翻译) c. general translation (一般性翻译) 5) Way of translation (从翻译方式上来看) a. complete/absolute translation (全译) b. selective translation (摘译) c. edit and translation/ translation with reconstruction (编译)

1.2 汉英翻译的单位 翻译单位是翻译研究和学习翻译不可忽视的问题，因为它牵涉到在语言转换过程中，在什么层级上实现翻译的标准。汉语和英语的语言层级都有词(word)，短语(phrase)，句子(sentence)，段落(paragraph)和篇章(text)。 以篇章为翻译单位，固然最理想,有时会太大不可能操作。 以段落作为翻译单位有时很长单复句关系比较复杂，初学者不容易把握。 对初学者而言，句子是较为理想的翻译单位。因为：

从意义上讲，句子能够表示一个完整意思；从功能上讲，句子表示陈述，疑问，祈使，感叹等语气；从形态上讲，句子末端有句号，问号或感叹号为标志。 这些都是句子在层级上高于词和词组之处。汉语的句子，在理解时容易识别，较容易分析，在表达时又较容易重构，转换成与之对应的英语句子。 必须注意的是,一个句子与相邻的句子之间存在一定语义的关联,这种关联总在以显性或隐性的方式连接在一起.正确地理解一个句子往往不仅要看它本身,往往还要依赖于与它相邻的句子甚至整个篇章,所以孤立地翻译句子而忽视句际之间的关系是不可取的.