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神之不存,意将焉附

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【摘 要】古诗词的英译过程中,因诗歌自身语言和形式的特点以及两种文化的差异,存在着不少难点。字词作为较小的翻译单位,需译者炼“意”炼“神”,以达“形神兼备”,唯“理”唯“神”的境界。笔者选取《离骚》四个英译本,即杨宪益、戴乃迭译本、许渊冲译本、David Hawkes 译本及卓振英译本,在炼词方面做了对比研究,并总结出,炼词之要一在于炼意,即琢磨如何忠实地传达原意,这方面译者需注重文化承载词,也不能忽视词的状态;二在于炼神,即在现意的基础上,如何再现诗歌美学价值,这方面译者则需结合译出语的词法、语义等特点,考虑译文体裁特点,以创造佳作。

【关键词】《离骚》;翻译;炼词

Refining the Words: from Faithful Meaning to Romantic Charm―a Comparative Study on 4 Chinese-English Translated Works

Ye Fan

(Zhejiang Normal University)

Abstract: The translation of Chinese ancient poems and verses has always been a difficult task not only for its terseness in language and distinctiveness in form but for the sharpness between different cultures. As such, translators are supposed to refine words or phrases, the basic translation units, from faithful meaning to romantic charm, to meet a higher requirement of translation. This article conducts a comparative study on 4 Chinese-English translated works of “Li Sao” to analyze respectively and then compare the degree of their words (or phrases) refining. Accordingly it makes several suggestions about the translation practice of Chinese ancient poems and verses.

1.引言

作为中国浪漫主义鼻祖的《楚辞》以其感情奔放、想象奇特且富有浓郁的楚国地方特色和神话色彩等特点独具地位。其中又以屈原的代表作,史上最长的一首浪漫主义的政治抒情诗,《离骚》最为著名。随着中国文化在世界上获得越来越多的认可,其英译本承担起他国了解中国古典文学的媒介。本古诗词汉译英过程中,字词作为较小的翻译单位,需经历“如琢如磨”(张智中,2005:131),炼“意”炼“神”,以求“形神兼备”(卓振英,1998:28)。文拟选取杨宪益、戴乃迭(以下简称“杨戴”)、许渊冲(以下简称“许”)、David Hawkes(以下简称“霍”)及卓振英译本(以下简称“卓”)在词之意、词之神的把握上作对比研究。

2.古诗词翻译的“炼词”综述

诗学上的炼字(词)即为诗人对众多词汇反复琢磨,挑选最为恰当者的写诗方法(卓振英,1998: 28)。炼词之目的,在许渊冲英汉版本小诗中被诠释得浅显易懂:

Good, better, best,

Never let it rest,

Till good is better,

And better best.

好上加好,精益求精;

不到绝顶,永远不停。

(转自张智中,2005:128)

因此有了杜甫《江上值水如海势聊短述》中“语不惊人能死不休”的誓言,有了王国维《人间对话》中“红杏枝头春意闹”之“闹”和王安石《泊船瓜洲》中“春风又绿江南岸”之“绿”的传神。

字词、句子、篇章的翻译过程中,翻译家们提出各自翻译标准:从1898年严复先生提出的“信”“达”“雅”到1951年傅雷先生提出的“传神”论再到1964年钱钟书先生提出的“化境”之说。炼词的标准无外乎准、精、美三个字(成昭伟等,2001),炼词可从诗学、词汇学、修辞学等角度切入(卓振英,1998: 28),改韵救义、删繁就简、通情顺理、更易语气、人称换位、跨行增益、诗题改译、润色标点、如琢如磨、改而谬者(张智中,2005:128-132)。成之见解过于笼统,张之所述强调炼词的持久战略,卓之观点则跃过了“信”直述“神”。笔者认为,词的翻译,需先建立在信的基础上,失去了对原意的正确理解则失去了原文独有的文化内涵,其次,最大限度地保持具体体裁的特色。因此,概括而言,古诗中之炼词一在于炼意,即琢磨如何忠实地传达原意;二在于炼神,即在现意的基础上,如何再现诗歌美学价值。

3.《离骚》四种英译中炼词层面的比较与分析

3.1 炼词之“意”

《离骚》拥有大量富有中国古代文化特色的专有名词,如植物(蕙等),如天干地支纪年法,如政所名词等。在翻译过程中,所译之词,若能承载原先的文化特色准确地表述,则不失原先作品的价值。如以下二例:

1)“摄提贞于孟陬兮,惟庚寅吾以降。”

When Sirius did in Spring its Light display,

A Child was born, and Tiger marked the day.

(杨宪益、戴乃迭,2001:3)

The Wooden Star appeared in spring, oh!

When I was born on Tiger’s Day.

(许渊冲,2008:5)

When She Ti Pointed to the first month of the year,

On the day geng-yin I passed from the womb.

(Hawkes ,1985:68)

On th’ Day of gengyin in th’ first month of early spring,

Of th’ Year of yin, into being th’ world did me bring.

(卓振英,2006:3)

此处,“摄提”,“孟陬”,“庚寅”分别指的是屈原出生的年、月、日,即屈原出身于寅年寅月寅日。杨戴将“摄提”译作Sirius(天狼星),源于古希腊语∑εριο,许译作The Wooden Star,二者均与原文化相去甚远,而霍保留原音,也保留了原意,卓的翻译则忠实地传达本意。再说“孟陬”二字,杨戴和许都将“孟陬”模糊译作spring(春天),忽略了原文孟陬(正月,农历第一个月)之意,将其译成the first month of the year则更为清楚。最后说“庚寅”,杨戴和许均将“庚寅”译作Tiger Day(虎年),失去了原韵。此外,四个译本中,唯有杨戴,将原文中“吾”,第一人称,译作a child,第三人称,改变了原文叙述主体第一人称,削弱了作者抒发满腔热情的真实感。简言之,在炼富有文化特色名词时,杨戴择其概要,许追求形似,而霍和卓则究其本意,表现出忠实原文。

2)“闺中既以邃远兮,哲王又不寤。”

Thy Chamber dark lies in Recessed deep,

Sagacious Prince, risest thou not from sleep?

(杨宪益、戴乃迭, 2001:23)

From inner hall kept far apart, oh!

The prince won’t wake, though wise and fair.

(许渊冲,2008:30)

Deep in the palace, unapproachable,

The wise king slumbers and will not be awakened.

(Hawkes,1985:75)

Alas, the secluded boudoirs are beyond reach,

And the king, wise as he is, seems ne’er to awake.

(卓振英,2006:22)

此句作者以美人闺室喻君王宫室,叹宫闱之不可及,怨明君被小人蒙蔽,自己的满腔衷情无法疏泄,已到了急火攻心、不能忍受的边缘。表面上,作者写的是一己之恨,但细品起来,其为君忧心、为国心切的忠肝赤胆历历在目,动人心魄。“闺中”一词杨戴译为Chamber,许译为Inner hall,霍译为Palace,而卓译为Boudoirs。Palace直表“宫廷”;Chamber有“议院”之意,通过联想很容易和政事联系;Hall则是“大厅、礼堂”之意,无任何文化联想;Boudoirs则选择遵循原文象征手法,直意“闺房”,给读者一定的想象空间。

翻译过程中,对于原词词性的保留,有时能够勾画出作者预设的画面,使读者觅得诗中之画。如下例:

3)“乘骐骥以驰骋兮,来吾导夫先路!”

My Chariot drawn by Steeds of Race divine

I urged; to guide the King my sole Design.

(杨宪益、戴乃迭,2001:5)

Ride your fine steed, gallop along, oh!

I’ll go before you lest you stray.

(许渊冲,2008:5)

I have harnessed brave coursers for you to gallop forth with:

Come, let me go before and show you the way!

(Hawkes,1985:68)

Riding on the steed I would rush and charge ahead

As path-breaker, though sweat and blood I might shed.

(卓振英,2006:5)

此处“乘”为动词,驾,乘坐,突显动态,气势磅礴,威风凌凌,勾勒出作者所希望的君主任人唯贤治理国家的美好画面。杨戴选用urged体现骑者紧迫感,许选用ride开始的祈使句,辅以oh结语,很好地描绘出骑者威武而有朝气之感,卓用riding作伴随状语,着重表达作者誓做英勇先驱的决心。相比之下,霍将“乘”这一动态动词译成have coursers这一静态动词,少了些原词的动态美,若改成Gallop forth with harnessed brave coursers,或许更能现原意。

3.2 炼词之“神”

恰当地利用英语构词法或能使译文生动形象,取得“传神”的艺术效果(卓振英,1998:28)。例如后缀ing赋予动态特征,前缀en将原有名词转化为动词,简洁易懂。如以下二例:

4)“雄鸠之鸣逝兮,余犹恶其佻巧。”

The Turtle-Dove cooed soft and off did fly,

But I mistrusted his Frivolity.

(杨宪益、戴乃迭, 2001:21)

I bid the singing turtledove, oh!

He flies away with false birdhood.

(许渊冲,2008:29)

The magpie flew off with noisy chatterings,

I hate him for an idle, knavish fellow.

(Hawkes,1985:74)

The chattering Turtle-Dove I’d better not ask,

For he may be too frivolous for such a task.

(卓振英,2006:21)

此处“鸣逝”意为雄斑鸠边叫边飞,表示正在进行的动作。而在英语中,动词后加上ing这一后缀(分词形式),恰有表示正在进行及主动意思。许选用singing勾勒出斑鸠飞的状态,霍和卓选用chattering这一派生词,不仅形象地刻画了飞的动作,还渲染出声音的高亢,给读者带了视听的真实感。而杨戴选用coo这一动词虽没有偏离原意但少了些许动的神韵。

5)“览察草木其犹未得兮,岂埕美之能当?”

Ignorant thus in Choice of Fragrance rare,

Rich Ornaments how could they fitly wear?

(杨宪益、戴乃迭, 2001:25)

They cannot tell good plants from bad, oh!

How can they know the precious gem?

(许渊冲,2008:33)

Since the beauty of flower, then, and of shrub escapes them,

What chance has a rarest jewel of gaining recognition?

(Hawkes,1985:75)

The ability to distinguish plants they lack:

To entrust them with th’ judgment of Gems there’s no call!

(卓振英,2006:25)

四个译本在均把握基本意义的基础上,杨戴过于模糊,未将“草木”、“埕”忠实表述;许采用直译,较为朴实;霍将草木做了列举,显得琐碎;卓用entrust,由trust派生而来,有“使负责,委托”之意,上下半句紧凑凝炼,目的状语过渡自然,再现原诗句简洁扼要。

翻译过程中,有时相似语义承载着微妙区别,从而影响作者情感的抒发。如下例:

6)“路曼曼其修远兮,吾将上下而求索。”

The Way was long, and wrapped in Gloom did seem,

As I urged on to seek my vanished Dream.

(杨宪益、戴乃迭, 2001:17)

My way ahead’s long, long one, oh!

I’ll seek my beauty high and low.

(许渊冲,2008:25)

For the road was so far and so distant was my journey,

And I wanted to go up and down, seeking my heart’s desire.

(Hawkes,1985:73)

Long, long is th’ way, but nothing will my effort arrest;

Up hill and down dale for the beauty I will quest!

(卓振英,2006:19)

此句处于《离骚》抒情主人公两次神游,即昆仑仙境与天宫(李炳海, 2010:45)的中间点,起到了承上启下的作用。抒情主人公神游只为讨回世间公道,理清是非黑白,故不顾路途遥远,夜以继日,其为国、为正义求索之情可见一斑。“求索”一词,杨戴、许及霍均译成seek,而卓选用quest。seek和quest两者均有“试图得到或实现某事”,但quest在此基础上强调过程的持久性,以及所求之物往往是精神层面的理想。在此语境中,作者的正义求索之路正是漫长且存在于理想中,选用quest一次,其抒情形象能得以更好地显现。

词语的情感色彩、象征意义也不容小觑。如下例:

7)“既替余以蕙兮,又申之以揽。”

First cursed that I Angelica Should wear,

Then cursed me for my Melilotus fair.

(杨宪益、戴乃迭, 2001:9)

I make a belt of grasses’ sweet, oh!

And add to it clovers and thymes.

(许渊冲,2008:11-3)

Yet, though cast off, I would wear my orchid girdle;

I would pluck some angelicas to add its beauty;

(Hawkes,1985:70)

And for the Angelica which I wore they curs’d

Me, and cur’d me for th’ Melilotus I possess’d.

(卓振英,2006:9)

此句作者直抒胸臆,塑造了一个虽遭废弃但坚持美德,刚正不阿,九死未悔的正义形象。其中两种香草“蕙”、“”杨戴与卓译均分别用Angelica和Melilotus;Hawkes译为Orchid和Angelicas;而许译则用Grass、Clovers和Thymes。一方面,从联想意义上看,Grass和Clover分别给人以“杂草”、“幸运”的联想,与原文象征美德的香草意象不符;另一方面,grass较Angelica和Orchid而言,是笼统而非具体的,使原文中承载美好意象的香草难以使读者领会。

诗的意境和韵美有时需要借助修辞格。例如诗歌中的头韵在节奏上阐释诗歌,拟人格则在画面赋予静态的文字以生命。如以下二例:

8)“芳与泽其杂糅兮,惟昭质其犹未亏。”

Others may smirch their Fragrance and bright Hues,

My Innocence is proof against Abuse.

(杨宪益、戴乃迭, 2001:11)

My fragrance’ mid the dirt won’t die, oh!

My brilliancy ne’er wanes there among.

(许渊冲,2008:16-17)

Fragrant and foul mingle in confusion,

But my inner brightness has remained undimmed.

(Hawkes,1985:71)

Where Fragrance and Flagrancy mingle, I find that

My inner beauty still in its integrity.

(卓振英,2006:13)

头韵,作为英语中的一种修辞,常常被用于诗歌中以便强调互有联系的两个词(丁往道,1994:28)。它蕴含了语言的音乐美,具有较强的表现力和感染力。霍和卓译本中,Fragrant 和 foul,Fragrance 和 Flagrancy,均押f这一音,语意相对,音节相同,较好地展现了诗歌的音韵美。相比之下,杨戴和许的译文在达意基础上少了些节奏美感。

9)“老冉冉其将至兮,恐修名之不立。”

As old Age unrelenting hurried near,

Lest my fair Name should fail was all my Fear.

(杨宪益、戴乃迭, 2001:7)

Old age draws near from day to day, oh!

Have I a name lasting and fair?

(许渊冲,2008:11)

For old age comes creeping and soon will be upon me,

And I fear I shall not leave behind an enduring name.

(Hawkes,1985:70)

As senility is ruthlessly coming near,

‘Tis my sole wish to earn a reputation high.

(卓振英,2006:7)

此句作者感叹:“人生暮景渐渐就要降临啊,我担心的是人生的美名没有树立。”“冉冉将至”一词既写出了时不因我停滞的必然,又饱含润物细无声的韵味。霍译本中Creeping一词赋予了时间以双脚,暮景正如龟兔赛跑中的乌龟,悄然而至。杨戴译本hurried一词则使时光失了些许淡定,许译本draw使时光多了些仓促,卓译本coming使时光少了些低调。

以上九个例子,正是作者从炼“意”炼“神”两个角度出发,解读四个译本的千秋。其中,炼“意”着重炼文化名词之特色及动静词之状态;炼“神”则通过构词法、语义语体辨析及修辞格再现原诗歌神韵。

4.结语

翻译诗歌凝炼的语言以及其独有的形式,正如带着镣铐而舞蹈。若要达到译出“文”又译出“人”,唯“理”唯“神”的境界,必然需要一个通晓原语及译语以及其包含的文化内涵,能够根据翻译性质与功能判断选择词语的译者。这个过程,真是对大诗人屈原《离骚》中一句的写实:“路漫漫其修远兮”。译者确需拥有“吾将上下而求索”的精神。在如何近乎完美地实现古诗词两种语言的转化的议题上,甚至是在某个词的翻译上,可谓是百家争鸣,各抒己见。笔者通过对四个译本在炼词方面的对比研究,认为炼词之要一在于炼意,尤需注重文化承载词,也不能忽视词的状态;二在于炼神,结合译出语的词法、语义等特点,考虑译文体裁特点,以创造佳作。当然,炼词只构成汉诗英译过程的一小部分,毕竟词离句及章还有一定的举例,因此,译者需把握全诗的总意象,练就诗化的若干技巧。

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