六、汉语句子翻译的多样性
例:你的眼睛长哪儿去了?
1)Haven’t you got eyes?
2)Are you so blind?
3)Are you such a blind man?
4)You're really stone-blind !
5)How blind you are !
6)As blind as a bat !
7)What a blind man
8)A sightless guy !
9)Why are you so rash?
10)How can you be so reckless?
11)My goodness! Be careful!
12)Would you please be more careful?
这个例句实际上是汉语中很不礼貌的说法,指责对方没看清楚,不够小心。由于汉英两种语言有着不同的文化背景,各人对这个原文有不同的理解和体会,这个句子可能被用于不同的上下文,因此,这个句子自然会有多样性的译法。上面第一至第八个译文都是根据字面意思来进行翻译的。这样的翻译可以保留原文的形象和原文中粗野的口气,为了塑造说话人的人物形象,这个句子就必须直译。上面第九至第十二个译文是根据原文的含义来进行翻译的,这4种译文更符合地道的英语,在日常用语中,还是以这4种译法为好。
又如“你有笔吗?”可以译为:
Have you got a pen?
Have you got pens?
Have you got any pens?
Have you got some pens?
Have you got the pen?
Have you got the pens?
准确的译文只能视具体语境而定。
只要一发现有可能反对他的人,他就本能地要用他的魅力和风趣将这个人争取过来。
(a)When he catches a glimpse of potential antagonist, his instinct is to win him over with charm and humor.
(b)As soon as he finds any possible opponent, he is, by instinct, to have as an inclination for winning him over with charm and humor.
(c)The sight of a potential antagonist arouses (evokes) his innate impulse for winning him over with charm and humor.
一想到要出国深造,他就激动不已。
(a)The idea that he would go abroad for further study made him greatly excited.
(b)He felt greatly excited at the thought of going abroad for further study.
近年来,中、泰两国国民经济发展迅速,为两国的经济、贸易合作提供了良好的基础。
(a)In recent years the national economies of China and Thailand have quickly developed, providing a good foundation for economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.
(b)Recent years have witnessed the rapid development of the national economies in China and Thailand, which has prepared for good economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.
(c)China and Thailand,with the rapid development of their national economies in recent years, have laid a good foundation for their economic and trade cooperation.
(d)The rapid development of the national economies of China and Thailand in recent years has laid a sound foundation for economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.
总之,翻译中的多样性或多样性译法一方面可以使我们从多种译文中选择最佳的译文,另一方面可使原文中反复出现的词句拥有多种译法,从而使整个译文既忠实于原文,又行文流畅,生动活泼。