英語學習者一般願做英譯漢題目，怕做漢譯英題目。由於歷史和文化上的差異，漢英詞語之間存在着或顯或隱的翻譯上的陷阱，導致漢譯英遠比英譯漢易於出錯。用魯迅的話說，就是“詞典不離手，冷汗不離身。”這提醒譯者必須對這些差異心中有數，然後再調和這些差異，“擺平”這些差異。爲此，要邁好下面八道坎兒，時刻要留心這八條“戒律”——只想爲你擦亮滿天星光，以免在熟路上“迷失方向”。 一、戒“從一而終” 漢語言簡意賅，句子靈活，往往是一個漢語詞彙對應N個英語詞彙，具體到在本句中應該採用那個意項，務必抓住精神實質，不可以不變應萬變。至於怎麼應變，這就是顯示譯者功力的地方了。 比如：都是“問題”，下面的翻譯各不相同，幾乎是打一槍換一個地方。 共同關心的問題 questions of comMon interest 解決問題 solve a problem 問題的關鍵 the heart of the matter 關鍵問題 a key problem 原則問題 a question/ matter of principle 懸而未決的問題 an outstanding issue 沒有什麼問題 Without any mishap 摩托車有點問題。 Something is wrong with the motorcycle. 問題不在這裏。 That is not the point. 最近揭發出相當嚴重的貪污、受賄和官僚主義問題。 Serious cases of embezzlement, bribery, and bureaucracy have been brought to light recently. 譯者要掌握這種漢英翻譯中的“游擊戰術”，翻譯家應是不同“文化王國”邊境線上的“游擊戰略家”。 沙博裏將《水滸傳》譯爲：Outlaws of the Marsh(沼澤地上的亡命之徒)。楊憲益譯將屈原的《國殤》譯爲：For Those Fallen for Their Country，北外出版社將《儒林外史》譯爲：The Scholars。這些都是譯者吃透了原文的原意而譯出的佳作。 二、戒望文生義，機械直譯 這多半是初學者犯的毛病，他們易於被表面現象所迷惑，做出令人啼笑皆非的事情。 黃牛（yellow cow——ox前誤後正，下同）黃鸝（yellow bird ——oriole）從小青梅竹馬(green plum bamboo horse——grew up together)黃瓜( yellow melon——cucumber) 紫菜（purple vegetable ——laver）白菜( white vegetable ——Chinese cabbage)紅木(red wood——pad auk) 紅豆杉(red fir——Chinese yew)黑社會(black society ——sinister gang) 三、戒“水土不符”，習慣搭配失當 這的確是難度係數較大的問題，它要求譯者既有較高的中文修養，又要有較高的英文造詣，一知半解的人常常在此“翻車”。如： 寫罷，擲筆在桌上。又歌了一回，再飲數杯酒，不覺沉醉，力不勝酒，便呼酒保計算了，取些銀子算還，多的都賞了酒保。 And tossed the pen on the table. He intoned the verses to himself, then downed a few more cups of wine. He was very dunk. Song-Jiang asked for the bill, paid, and told the waiter to keep the change.（沙博裏譯《水滸傳·潯陽樓宋江吟反詩》） 目前，《水滸傳》最好的英譯本要數沙博裏先生的本子了。沙博裏出生在美國，青年時來到中國，一住就是半個多世紀。爲了譯好《水滸傳》，據說他潛心研究了山東的地方誌和舊時方言，可謂精誠所致，譯著既“達”又“雅”。然而歷史告訴我們，中國古人沒有用過鋼筆，宋時用的還是毛筆，故the pen 應改爲the writing-brush。 白洋澱的導遊牌上，“紅菱”被硬硬地翻譯成Red Ling。菱角有對應詞的，應改爲Red Water Chestnut。這裏常常有外國人參觀，如此翻譯，令人汗顏！ 下面的幾段譯文就較好地照顧到了西方人的思維和理解習慣。 老者道：“西方卻去不得。那山離此有六十里遠，正是西方必由之路。卻有八百里火焰，周圍寸草不生，若過此山，就是銅腦蓋，鐵身軀，也要化成汁哩。” “It’s impossible to get to the west,” the old man replied, “The mountains are about twenty miles from here. You have to cross them to get to the west, but they’re over 250 miles of flame. Not a blade of grass can grow anywhere around. Even if you had a skull of bronze and a body of iron, you would melt trying to cross them.” （詹納爾譯《西遊記·孫悟空一調芭蕉扇》） 美國把貿易和人權扯在一起，只會損害兩國的經濟利益。 The US policy of linking trade with human rights can only bring harm to the economic interests of the two countries. 關起門來搞建設是不成的，中國的發展離不開世界。 China can’t develop in isolation from the rest of the world. 四、戒主語暗淡 主語是句子的靈魂， 定住譯文的主語的是關鍵的一步棋。主語定偏了，整個句子將顯得鬆散乏力，甚至會誤導讀者。如果這個問題不解決，勢必影響兩國的利益。 Failure to settle this issue is bound impair the relations between the two countries seriously. If the problem is not solved , it is sure to affect the interests between the two countries 在上面的兩種譯文中，顯然第一種譯文主語選得好，句子流暢。 共同的利益把我們兩個偉大的國家連接在一起。 What holds our two great nations together is the cement of common interests. 此句主語部分處理得頗爲幹練。 操吳戈兮披犀甲，車錯轂兮短兵接。 We grasp huge shields, clad in Rhinoceros Hide;the Chariots clash, the Daggers gashing wide.（楊憲益譯《屈原·國殤》） 屈原一開篇就“操吳戈兮披犀甲，車錯轂兮短兵接”，顯然需要補充應有的主語。在《國殤》詩中，後面還有“身既死兮神以靈，子魂魄兮爲鬼雄”的句子，可見屈原是以“局外人”的視角來寫爲國捐軀的將士的，而非把自己混爲軍中一員。譯文中的主語應改爲“They”較妥。 廚房裏少了一條魚，主人發誓要一查到底，揪出偷魚的賊。 Finding a fish in kitchen was lost, the host swore to find out the thief who stole the fish. 儘管漢語中似乎有“廚房”“主人”兩個主語，譯者果斷地選定了the host作主語。打點清晰，增強了句子的內聚力。 夏威夷的沙灘上，椰影婆娑，海風習習，一妙齡女郎正躺在白色的塑料椅上養神。 On the Hawaiian sandy beach, the coconut palms are whirling, the congenial sea breeze is blowing, and a young lady is lying in the white plastics chair resting to restore energy. 因爲是輕鬆讀本，又是描述性的文字，使用三個主語the coconut palms、the congenial sea breeze、a young lady仍是可取的。 五、戒結構單調，組合生硬 “拉郎配” 由於漢英結構不同，表達方式迥異，“硬性翻譯”不僅讀起來彆扭，而且會鬧出笑話。這就要求譯者在翻譯時靈活使用整合的技巧，將句子整合，凸顯漢語中所隱含的層次，補充所缺失的成分。有時要將簡單句譯成並列句，有時將並列句譯成主從句。在紀念大學畢業20週年聚會時，我忽然問起原來的班主任：“我個子又不矮，怎麼把我安排在了第一排呢？” At the reunion party for 20 anniversary of graduation from university, I suddenly asked my former teacher in charge of our class then:" Since I am not of short stature, how did you arrange me at the first row?" 一個高度近視的女博士去擦鞋店擦高統靴，禿頭老闆親自蹲下來給她效勞。 When a woman doctor who suffers a severe myopic went to shoes-polishing shop for her buskins，the bald boss squatted down to serve her personally. 黑體字部分，正是契合了英語的表達習慣。六、戒“愚忠”，不諳增減之道 我們耳熟能詳的東西外國人可能會感到一頭霧水，譯者需要增加必要的說明和補充或者減譯。否則，外國人會不知所云。畢竟，漢譯英最終是給外國人看的。例如：風水 fengshui——the location of a house or tomb, supposed to have an influence on the fortune of a family. 例如：（美國對臺）“三不政策” 會當凌絕頂，一覽衆山小。 One day I shall climb Clear to the summit, See how small surrounding Mountain tops appear as they lie below me （新西蘭人路易·艾黎譯《杜甫·望嶽》） I can't open my eyes to watch you jumping into the fiery pit, for I will shut my eyes at the time. 我不會眼睜睜看着你往火坑裏跳，到時候我會閉上的。 不要嫌我黑，兩眼放光輝；不要嫌我瘦，一身好精肉。 Do not Cold-shoulder me for my swarthy(黝黑的) face, but I have a pair of bright piercing(敏銳的) eyes; Do not Cold-shoulder me for my slight figure, but I’m lean and healthy. 文中the location of a house or tomb, supposed to have an influence on the fortune of a family. on support for Taiwan independence, no support for a two-China policy, and on support for Taiwan membership in international organizations on the basis of statehood. 七、戒語句重複 漢語多重複，以強化語氣；英語則要儘量避免重複。 先生曰：“狼負我，狼負我！”狼曰：“吾非固欲負汝。天生汝輩，固需吾輩食也。” "You are an ungrateful beast," complained the man. "Not at all," retorted the wolf, "it is not that I’m ungrateful, but you men were created for us to devour." （顏惠慶譯《馬中錫·中山狼傳》） 王曰：“此鳥不飛則已，一飛沖天；不鳴則已，一鳴驚人。” "The bird may not have flown yet", replied the King,"Once it does, it will soar to the sky. I may not have cried out yet, but once it does, it will startle everyone." （楊憲益譯《史記·滑稽列傳》 阿凡提借了財主一錠金子，還他時給了他兩錠。 Afanty borrowed a small ingot of gold from a moneybags, but repaid him two ones. （選自艾臨《幽默新大陸》） 又鬥爭，又團結，以鬥爭的手段，達團結之目的。 Unity, struggle, unity through struggle. 中國人也好，外國人也好，死人也好，活人也好，對的就是對的，不對的就是不對的。 What is right is right and what is wrong is wrong, no matter what it concerns, the Chinese or foreigners, the dead or the living. 八、戒另起爐竈，走失精氣神，淪爲法國作家梅納日所批評的 “不忠的美人”——即語言優美但不忠於原文。（參見2005年08月26日《濟南日報》： 艾臨文章《不忠的美人與忠實的美人——寫在〈每天幽它一默〉出版後》）嚴復在翻譯《天演論》時偶 有爲“雅”而不“信” （見陳廷佑《英文漢譯技巧》）。譯文要力求其“信”，儘可能契合漢語原來渥擁鈉啤⑶樾骱徒峁埂?例如，元朝人王實甫寫下了《西廂記》，張雪靜改編後並作了翻譯—— 掏出張生那封信，回頭環視見梳妝檯上的梳妝盒，眼睛一轉，心裏說有了，將信放了進去，合上蓋時故意壓了一角露在外面。 Rose took out Zhang’s letter, she thought, “It would be better to put it in her make-up case, and letter find it herself.” So she put the letter in the case, leaving a corner of it sticking out, so that it would be quickly noticed. 不難看出，譯文與原文相去甚遠，互不吻合，成了“兩張皮”。 我們不希望這件事影響中美關係。 China hates to see Sino-US relations damaged by this incident. 用China hates to比“We don’t hope”貼切。 吾十五有志於學，三十而立，四十而不惑，五十而知天命，六十而耳順，七十而從心所欲不愈矩。 At fifteen, I had my mind bent on learning truth; at thirty, my words deeds were appropriate; at forty, I perceived truth and doubts ceased; at fifty, I understood what heaven had mandated for mankind; at sixty, I could comply with the appointments of heaven; at seventy, I could do as my heart desired, and never swerved from the path of right. （金沛霖譯《論語》） 你已經死在過深的怨憤裏了嗎？ 死？不，不，我還活着—— 請給我以火，給我以火！ Have you perished in this deep rancor and bitterness? Death? No, no. I’m still alive. Please give me a light, give me a light!
