趙新明
摘 要:在應(yīng)用文本的翻譯過(guò)程中,語(yǔ)境分析能力是影響譯者翻譯水平的重要因素之一。本文將以外宣文本的翻譯為例,從語(yǔ)言語(yǔ)境角度討論譯者容易出現(xiàn)的翻譯失誤,并分析其產(chǎn)生原因,幫助譯者了解應(yīng)用文本翻譯中語(yǔ)境分析的重要性。
關(guān)鍵詞:應(yīng)用翻譯;語(yǔ)言語(yǔ)境分析;外宣文本
1 引言
應(yīng)用翻譯又稱(chēng)實(shí)用翻譯,國(guó)外的相應(yīng)提法有practical translation, applied translation或pragmatic translation。對(duì)于應(yīng)用翻譯的定義,許多學(xué)者都作了分析和研究。法國(guó)翻譯理論家Jean Delisle認(rèn)為:“以傳達(dá)信息為根本目的,運(yùn)用語(yǔ)用學(xué)的原則來(lái)翻譯實(shí)用性文本。它特別區(qū)別于傳達(dá)有較強(qiáng)感情意義和文學(xué)意義的文學(xué)翻譯。(轉(zhuǎn)引自方夢(mèng)之,2008:前言)應(yīng)用翻譯幾乎包括文學(xué)及純理論文本以外的人們?nèi)粘=佑|和實(shí)際應(yīng)用的各類(lèi)文字,涉及對(duì)外宣傳、社會(huì)生活、生產(chǎn)領(lǐng)域等方方面面。(方夢(mèng)之,2008:前言)具體的包括科技、經(jīng)貿(mào)、新聞、法律、旅游、廣告、政論等各類(lèi)應(yīng)用文本。
語(yǔ)言語(yǔ)境(linguistic context)又稱(chēng)上下文語(yǔ)境,主要指語(yǔ)言本身所構(gòu)成的語(yǔ)言使用環(huán)境,包括詞、短語(yǔ)和語(yǔ)句以及篇章之間的關(guān)系等。通過(guò)對(duì)上下文的分析,可以幫助譯者從語(yǔ)言意義方面來(lái)推斷相對(duì)應(yīng)的語(yǔ)義,排除語(yǔ)言信息傳遞過(guò)程中的很多歧義。翻譯過(guò)程中要首先保證詞語(yǔ)譯得正確,段與段之間句子安排得當(dāng),文氣貫通,邏輯明晰,再注重段與段之間的連接及全文的流暢。(李運(yùn)興,2003:100)只有進(jìn)行語(yǔ)境分析,才能準(zhǔn)確理解和傳達(dá)原文中的詞語(yǔ)、短語(yǔ)及語(yǔ)句等語(yǔ)言單位的意思,從而選擇出適合于語(yǔ)境的譯文。
2 應(yīng)用文本翻譯中的語(yǔ)言語(yǔ)境分析
2.1 詞匯的選擇
語(yǔ)言語(yǔ)境對(duì)于確定詞匯意義和譯文中的選詞甚至結(jié)構(gòu)的選擇都有重要的作用。英國(guó)語(yǔ)言學(xué)家費(fèi)斯(郭琳,2011:81-82)認(rèn)為,“每一個(gè)詞用在新的語(yǔ)境中就是一個(gè)新詞”。只有根據(jù)語(yǔ)言語(yǔ)境即上下文語(yǔ)境才能理解單詞、短語(yǔ)和語(yǔ)句的意思。在進(jìn)行翻譯時(shí),我們就必須把握詞匯的涵義并作出最佳的選擇。請(qǐng)看以下例句:
例1:2003年11月23日,在奧地利首都維也納金色大廳,正在舉辦中國(guó)著名歌唱家宋祖英的個(gè)人演唱會(huì),當(dāng)演唱會(huì)進(jìn)入尾聲,一首中國(guó)湘西民歌《馬桑樹(shù)兒搭燈臺(tái)》響徹了金色大廳。
初譯:On November 23rd, 2003, the Golden Concert Hall, Vienna, Austria. The personal concert by Song Zuying, the world-renowned Chinese soprano. As the concert was drawing to an end, a Xiangxi folk song named A Lampstand on the Mulberry Tree resounded through the golden hall.
定稿:November 23rd, 2003, the Golden Concert Hall, Vienna, Austria. A solo vocal concert by Song Zuying, the world-renowned Chinese soprano. As the concert was drawing to an end, a Xiangxi folk song named A Lampstand on the Mulberry Tree resounded through the golden hall.
筆者初譯中 “personal”的涵義為“opinion, quality, or thing belongs or relates to one particular person rather than to other people,” 而定稿中的“solo”一詞涵義是 “a piece of music or a dance performed by one person.” 可以更準(zhǔn)確的表達(dá)此意。定稿的選詞應(yīng)要優(yōu)于初稿。因此,譯者應(yīng)當(dāng)根據(jù)具體的語(yǔ)言語(yǔ)境體味出詞匯的內(nèi)涵意義。
例2:或許是多年不唱,或許是氣氛不對(duì),胡桂香已經(jīng)唱不出當(dāng)年哭嫁的味道了,不僅周?chē)娜诵?,就連自己也會(huì)哭著哭著哭笑了。而在漫長(zhǎng)的歲月里,那一曲曲悲歌,常常令聽(tīng)者無(wú)不為之動(dòng)容。
初譯:Hu Guixiang can no longer sing exactly like she did in the past, possibly because she has not practiced for a long time or she feels awkward to perform before strangers. As she sings, the folks around her start laughing, and eventually she cant help but burst into laughing too. Nonetheless, in the old days these sad crying songs always moved the listeners to tears.
定稿:Hu Guixiang can no longer sing exactly like she did in the past, possibly because she has not practiced for a long time and she feels awkward performing in front of strangers. As she sings, the folks around her start giggling, and eventually she cant help but burst into laughing too. Nonetheless, in the old days these sad crying songs always moved the listeners to tears.
中英文都有表達(dá)不同類(lèi)型的“笑”,中文一般是在其前加上相應(yīng)的形容詞,如“微笑”、“哈哈大笑”等,英語(yǔ)中的笑則是不同的單詞,“l(fā)aughing”的意思一般是“比較大聲的笑或是嘲笑”。我們通常只要看到“笑”很自然就會(huì)翻譯成“l(fā)aughing”。定稿中用了“giggling”(咯咯的笑)使得笑的方式更具體了,也表現(xiàn)了少數(shù)民族地區(qū)人們?cè)谀吧嗣媲跋胄Φ指杏X(jué)羞澀的性格,這也和下文中情境語(yǔ)境有些關(guān)系了。
任何一種語(yǔ)言中都存在著大量的近義詞。它們?cè)谝饬x和用法上的相近豐富了語(yǔ)言的表達(dá)形式,但其細(xì)微的差別影響我們對(duì)語(yǔ)言的正確使用。所以,在專(zhuān)業(yè)翻譯的過(guò)程中,譯者需要根據(jù)譯語(yǔ)的語(yǔ)言語(yǔ)境來(lái)調(diào)整自己的表達(dá)方式,使譯文用詞符合譯語(yǔ)的表達(dá)規(guī)范。
2.2 短語(yǔ)的搭配
搭配(collocation)指的是語(yǔ)言系統(tǒng)內(nèi)各個(gè)語(yǔ)言成分的同現(xiàn)和組合,是語(yǔ)言語(yǔ)境的重要組成部分。詞典中的意義解釋可以幫助我們理解某個(gè)詞語(yǔ)的基本意思。但是在具體語(yǔ)境的影響下詞義是會(huì)發(fā)生演變的,和不同的詞匯搭配以后,它的詞義就會(huì)受到相鄰詞語(yǔ)的制約,從而才能明確其意義。
不同的語(yǔ)言中都有不同的規(guī)則來(lái)制約詞匯的搭配。在應(yīng)用翻譯中, 我們需要根據(jù)短語(yǔ)的搭配關(guān)系來(lái)確定詞匯的意義,不可忽視原文的干擾而產(chǎn)生了不恰當(dāng)?shù)拇钆洌?這將會(huì)影響意思的傳達(dá)效果。如下例:
例3:如今哭嫁早已成為了歷史,青年男女的婚姻大事已經(jīng)掌握在了自己手中,土家人的婚禮也越來(lái)越喜慶,再想聽(tīng)到哭嫁歌已不那么容易了。
初譯:The custom of crying songs has already become a history. Today, the young Tujia people decide their own marriage, and their wedding ceremonies have become more happy and joyful. Its rare to hear people sing the crying song now.
定稿:The custom of crying songs has already passed into history. Today, the young Tujia people decide their own marriage, and their wedding ceremonies have become more happy and joyful. Its rare to hear people sing the crying song now.
從中文表達(dá)上看,哭嫁的風(fēng)俗成為歷史是說(shuō)得通的,而在英語(yǔ)表達(dá)中“to become a history”還是比較少,我們從become的涵義“enter or assume a certain state or condition”可以看出become是一個(gè)短暫性動(dòng)詞。定稿中使用了“to pass into”這個(gè)詞組就是一個(gè)延續(xù)性的動(dòng)詞詞組,更符合了譯語(yǔ)的表達(dá)邏輯。
2.3 句子的銜接
銜接是將語(yǔ)句聚合在一起的語(yǔ)法及詞匯手段的統(tǒng)稱(chēng),是語(yǔ)篇表層的可見(jiàn)現(xiàn)象(李運(yùn)興,2001:132)。胡壯麟(1994)從不同角度對(duì)語(yǔ)篇中的銜接做了詳細(xì)的介紹,如結(jié)構(gòu)銜接的替代、省略和同構(gòu)關(guān)系;邏輯連接的按語(yǔ)義范疇的添加、轉(zhuǎn)折、因果和時(shí)空;按抽象邏輯語(yǔ)義范疇區(qū)分的詳述、延伸、增強(qiáng)等。
銜接是實(shí)現(xiàn)謀篇機(jī)制的重要手段,它是一種在小句間及其以上單位間把概念意義和人際意義組成整體的謀篇意義關(guān)系。譯者應(yīng)掌握源語(yǔ)和譯語(yǔ)的銜接手段,并能熟練運(yùn)用。認(rèn)識(shí)和把握好語(yǔ)篇中的銜接,無(wú)論理解原文還是生成譯文的過(guò)程中,都有著非常重要的作用。請(qǐng)看下例:
例4:哩哩美在臨高方言中是夸贊女性美麗的意思。而哩哩美漁歌的歌詞內(nèi)容也大多以情歌為主。
初譯:Lee-Lee-Mei is an expression praising the female beauty in the Lingao dialect. And the lyrics of these songs in general are about love and romance.
定稿:Lee-Lee-Mei is an expression praising the female beauty in the Lingao dialect. Accordingly, the lyrics of these songs are generally about love and romance.
由于東西方思維方式的差異,語(yǔ)言表達(dá)不同,漢、英語(yǔ)句式結(jié)構(gòu)有很大的不同。漢語(yǔ)的結(jié)構(gòu)在形態(tài)上屬于隱性邏輯。英語(yǔ)則是語(yǔ)法關(guān)系配合制約嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)、形態(tài)標(biāo)記明顯、邏輯關(guān)系外顯。初稿中沒(méi)有把上下文的關(guān)系展現(xiàn)出來(lái),定稿中增加一個(gè)連接詞“accordingly”,就把上下文內(nèi)在邏輯的因果關(guān)系表現(xiàn)出來(lái)了。
例5:……? 千百年來(lái),在這曾經(jīng)的蠻荒之地,他們又是如何繁衍生息?有趣的是,這些問(wèn)題的答案竟然掩藏在古老的方言民歌之中。
初譯:And for thousands of years how they have survived and lived on an island that was once desolate and wild. Interestingly, the answers to our questions lie in those ancient folk songs sung in various Hainan dialects.
定稿:…, or how they have survived for thousands of years on an island that was once desolate and wild. Interestingly, however, the answers to our questions lie in the ancient folk songs sung in various Hainan dialects.
本句中的中文的邏輯關(guān)系也如例句4一樣不明顯,這就需要譯者能夠從中文的字里行間看出它們邏輯關(guān)系類(lèi)型,定稿的譯文增加了“however”,就把上下文的轉(zhuǎn)折關(guān)系顯現(xiàn)出來(lái)。
例6:近年來(lái)隨著文化交流日益頻繁,很多土家族古老的傳統(tǒng)已經(jīng)不容易看到。湖南永順縣雙鳳村因?yàn)榈靥幤h(yuǎn),交通不便,土家族傳統(tǒng)的生活習(xí)俗在這里得到很好的保留。
初譯:In recent years when cultural exchange is thriving, many Tujia old traditions have faded away. Located in Yongshun County of Hunan Province, the village has few connections with the outside world, and Tujia peoples traditional lifestyle is very well-preserved.
定稿:In recent years as cultural exchange has increased, many Tujia old traditions have faded away. But Shuangfeng Village is an exception. Located in Yongshun County of Hunan Province, the village has few connections with the outside world, and Tujia peoples traditional lifestyle is very well-preserved.
就初稿的譯文本身來(lái)說(shuō),可以說(shuō)在詞匯、語(yǔ)法等語(yǔ)言層面上都沒(méi)有錯(cuò),但問(wèn)題在于第二句中沒(méi)有與前一句的關(guān)系聯(lián)系上,漢語(yǔ)重意合,英語(yǔ)重形合。因此,譯文就顯得很突兀,缺乏連貫性。定稿中增加了一句過(guò)渡句,這樣就使得上下文的邏輯關(guān)系能逐步推進(jìn)。
對(duì)一個(gè)有意義的可接受的語(yǔ)篇來(lái)說(shuō),它在語(yǔ)言各層次(如語(yǔ)義、詞匯、句法、語(yǔ)音等)的成分都可以表現(xiàn)出某種程度的銜接,從而是說(shuō)話(huà)人在交際過(guò)程中所欲表達(dá)的意圖貫通整個(gè)語(yǔ)篇,達(dá)到交際目的(胡壯麟, 1994:180)
2.4 段落的連貫
連貫(李運(yùn)興,2001:160)是詞語(yǔ)、小句、句群在概念、邏輯上合理、恰當(dāng)?shù)剡B為一體的語(yǔ)篇特征。 連貫性原則要求語(yǔ)篇段落中各句都要前后銜接,時(shí)空順序明晰,邏輯推進(jìn)層次分明。如下例:
例7:當(dāng)聽(tīng)到這歌聲,時(shí)光仿佛在剎那間倒流千年。那古樸的旋律引領(lǐng)著我們穿越了歷史。
大約2000年前,一支漢朝的軍隊(duì)在伏波將軍馬援的率領(lǐng)下登陸海南,他們?cè)趰u的西北部分散駐扎。這些地方后來(lái)成為了歷代朝廷派軍戍守海南的常駐地。
初譯:As the song unfolds, its primitive and simple tune seems to bring us back to the ancient time.
Over 2000 years ago, an army of Han Dynasty led by Ma Yuan, the illustrious Fubo General, landed ashore on the island and camped separately in the northwestern fields. In the successive dynasties, these camping sites turned into regular garrison posts.
定稿:As the song unfolds, its primitive and simple tune seems to bring historical scenes from two thousand years ago to life.
Back in the Han Dynasty, an army led by Ma Yuan, the illustrious Fubo General, landed on the island and set up camps throughout the northwestern plains. In the succeeding dynasties, these camping sites turned into regular garrison posts.
原文前一段中“引領(lǐng)著我們穿越了歷史”就為下文中2000年前漢朝所發(fā)生的歷史事件。初譯中“to bring us back to the ancient time”和“over 2000 years ago”的關(guān)系不夠明確,前者的時(shí)間不一定是后者的時(shí)間。定稿的譯文很巧妙地把“歷史”和“2000年前”的時(shí)空關(guān)系連接起來(lái),自然地引出下文。例句8中的情況“l(fā)ike this”也起到了同樣作用。
例8:這里當(dāng)年是湘西的政治文化中心,土家族民歌里描述了老司城當(dāng)時(shí)的繁榮景象。
【歌曲】土家族山歌《頌古》土家族茅古斯傳人擺手歌傳人彭祖模演唱。
初譯:Laosicheng used to be the political and cultural center of Xiangxi region. Tujia people describe the citys prosperity in a folk song:
Tujia Folk Song: An Ode to the Ancient Time
PengZumo, a local singer for Maogusi Dance and Hand-Waving Song
定稿:Laosicheng used to be the political and cultural center of Xiangxi region. Tujia people describe the citys prosperity in a folk song like this:
Tujia Folk Song: An Ode to the Ancient Time
PengZumo, a local singer for Maogusi Dance and Hand-Waving Song
從上述語(yǔ)言語(yǔ)境不同情況可以看出,任何一種語(yǔ)境下的分析,都是為了能夠準(zhǔn)確理解并清晰地傳達(dá)原文的意思,讓譯文讀者閱讀流暢。
3 結(jié)語(yǔ)
本文主要以外宣文本的漢英翻譯為例,探討了語(yǔ)言語(yǔ)境分析在應(yīng)用文本翻譯中的運(yùn)用。筆者認(rèn)為翻譯和語(yǔ)境有著十分密切的關(guān)系,語(yǔ)言語(yǔ)境是不可或缺的部分。譯者要樹(shù)立起高度的語(yǔ)境意識(shí),對(duì)原文進(jìn)行深入分析,把握原文的真正意圖,正確理解詞義、短語(yǔ)和語(yǔ)句,這樣才能保證高質(zhì)量的翻譯, 實(shí)現(xiàn)英漢兩種語(yǔ)言之間有效的轉(zhuǎn)換。
注釋
本文中例句均選自國(guó)新辦電視宣傳系列片《尋找天籟》,初譯為筆者的譯文,定稿是經(jīng)專(zhuān)業(yè)譯審和外籍審校校對(duì)后的譯文。
參考文獻(xiàn)
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