10年專業(yè)筆譯品牌?
10年數(shù)萬(wàn)場(chǎng)口譯
專業(yè)留學(xué)移民翻譯
多語(yǔ)言網(wǎng)站翻譯
89種語(yǔ)言服務(wù)
第一節(jié) 翻譯的基本標(biāo)準(zhǔn)
(一)準(zhǔn)確
翻譯公司譯員在翻譯時(shí)要站在正確的立場(chǎng)上,表明正確的觀點(diǎn),不能犯原則性錯(cuò)誤。比如,西方國(guó)家常把我國(guó)的臺(tái)灣省和其他國(guó)家等同起來(lái),翻譯公司翻譯時(shí)應(yīng)作技術(shù)性處理,把臺(tái)灣單列出來(lái),并加上"地區(qū)"二字,以示區(qū)別。動(dòng)筆之前要深刻理解原文的中心思想和內(nèi)容,找出難點(diǎn),特別是無(wú)法對(duì)譯的地方,然后再查字典和參考書、參考資料,記下相關(guān)的提示詞匯和術(shù)語(yǔ)。準(zhǔn)備妥當(dāng)之后才著手翻譯,按照中外語(yǔ)言文字的不同習(xí)慣,盡可能地把作者的思想、語(yǔ)氣、風(fēng)格、感情色彩再現(xiàn)出來(lái),盡力做到所謂"信、達(dá)、雅"。英語(yǔ)和漢語(yǔ)一般都有對(duì)應(yīng)的語(yǔ)匯,然而在處理具體問(wèn)題時(shí),常常不能完全對(duì)應(yīng)。比如漢語(yǔ)習(xí)慣稱亞洲"四小龍",英語(yǔ)雖然可譯成the Asian "four dragons",但西方人大都叫the Asian "four tigers"或"four tigers" in Asia,因?yàn)樵谖鞣饺说难劾?,dragon是一種類似鱷魚或蛇,長(zhǎng)有翅膀會(huì)吐火的怪物,常常守看金銀財(cái)寶。成語(yǔ)或諺語(yǔ)更是如此,非但無(wú)法對(duì)應(yīng),有時(shí)甚至連原文的蹤跡都沒(méi)有了,如 "Don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs",如果按照字面直譯成"不要教你的奶奶磕雞蛋",讓人看了會(huì)莫名其妙。要是意譯為"不要班門弄斧",就既表達(dá)了原意,也符合漢語(yǔ)習(xí)慣。和漢語(yǔ)一樣,英語(yǔ)的成語(yǔ)也很多,但其中大部分都很難對(duì)譯成漢語(yǔ)成語(yǔ),只好意譯。這里再舉幾個(gè)例子:like talking to a brick wall(對(duì)牛彈琴,瞎子點(diǎn)燈白費(fèi)蠟)--to waste one's breath trying to persuade someone who is so obstinate to listen to reason;如說(shuō): "He is so dogmatic; it's like talking to a brick wall arguing with him." To make bricks without straw(巧婦難做無(wú)米之炊)--to try to achieve some result with inadequate means;如說(shuō):"We were unable to give you an opinion because you didn't give us the information we needed. We can't make bricks without straw." The rotten apple(害群之馬,敗家之子)--the one bad person among a number of good ones;如說(shuō): "His youngest son was the rotten apple." To pay back in the same coin, to pay sb. back in his own coin, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,(以眼還眼,以牙還牙,以其人之道還治其人之身)--to retaliate by using the same method;如說(shuō):"Jukes has attacked us in his advertisement overseas; we will pay him back in the same coin." To have a heart of gold(有一副菩薩心腸)--to be a kind, generous, forgiving person whose qualities are much appreciated; Walls have ears(隔墻有耳)--You must be very careful what you say because someone may be eavesdropping.
在遵循準(zhǔn)確這一原則的同時(shí),還要注意約定俗成的問(wèn)題。有的銀行業(yè)務(wù)術(shù)語(yǔ)沿用已久,就不必去硬行更正,比如"票根",被用來(lái)指advice of drawing, drawing advice,即開票通知。然而"票根"的英語(yǔ)對(duì)應(yīng)詞是counterfoil,指任何票證開出或撕下后的存根,顯然兩者是有本質(zhì)區(qū)別的。因此,在銀行工作中碰到"票根"二字時(shí),切不可翻譯成"counterfoil"。
(二)規(guī)范化
英漢對(duì)譯時(shí)必須使譯文規(guī)范化,即所用的詞匯、短語(yǔ)、句子及語(yǔ)法都必須符合本語(yǔ)種的一般規(guī)范和習(xí)慣,否則就會(huì)出現(xiàn)中文西化,西文中化的毛病。漢語(yǔ)說(shuō):"他走得很快。""他"是主語(yǔ),"走"是謂語(yǔ),"很快"是補(bǔ)語(yǔ)。翻譯成英語(yǔ):He walks very fast.盡管語(yǔ)序相同,但"very fast"是狀語(yǔ)而不是補(bǔ)語(yǔ)。又如:"我在中國(guó)銀行工作。"這個(gè)句子的狀語(yǔ)"在中國(guó)銀行"放在動(dòng)詞"工作"之前,而英語(yǔ)則把它放在"work"之后,即:"I work in (at, for) the Bank of China."如果將此句再倒譯成中文"我工作在中國(guó)銀行",就西化了,不符合漢語(yǔ)習(xí)慣。由此可見,要使譯文規(guī)范化,必須牢固而又清楚地掌握英漢兩種語(yǔ)言文字的相同點(diǎn)和不同點(diǎn),不然譯文將晦澀難懂。
(三)貼切傳神
英語(yǔ)里有時(shí)一個(gè)句子較長(zhǎng),作者運(yùn)用了形象比喻等手法,漢語(yǔ)中很難找到對(duì)應(yīng)的語(yǔ)匯,這時(shí)要根據(jù)上下文的意思,或者整篇文章的中心意思,作適當(dāng)處理,但又不損失、沖淡甚至歪曲原意。請(qǐng)看以下例子: CED Finklestein: He needs to pull a rabbit out of his hat. 總經(jīng)理芬克斯泰因:他需要拿出一個(gè)絕招來(lái)(直譯:他需要從自己的帽子里抓出一只兔子來(lái))。
這是美國(guó)《商業(yè)周刊》(Business Week)1992年1月27日所刊登"A 'Death Knell' at Macy's?"一文的插圖說(shuō)明。從題目和文章內(nèi)容來(lái)看,這位新上任總經(jīng)理面臨種種難題,要挽救梅西公司,他必須像耍魔術(shù)一樣拿出一種不同凡響的解決辦法才行。因此,上面這樣翻譯簡(jiǎn)潔明晰地把作者替總經(jīng)理?yè)?dān)憂的心情表達(dá)了出來(lái),讀者也會(huì)為他捏一把汗,去探個(gè)究竟。
在漢譯英時(shí)同樣應(yīng)注意這一點(diǎn)。1992年北京國(guó)際拍賣會(huì)手冊(cè)上有一位領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人的題詞是:一錘定音,雙方買賣即成。我的譯文是:A hammer gives the final word, and a deal is concluded between the buyer and seller.這是"一錘定音"幾個(gè)字很形象,但比較難處理。拍賣的實(shí)際操作是由拍賣主錘師用木錘敲桌梆的形式來(lái)決定交易,而不是"成交"之類的話語(yǔ)。因此同時(shí)采用了直譯和意譯兩種手法,即:一(A hammer)、雙方買賣即成交(a deal is concluded between the buyer and seller)和定音(gives the final word)。這里用"final word"(或final say)指"拍板","敲定",即決定下來(lái),這樣處理既忠實(shí)原文又生動(dòng)貼切。如果完全直譯成"A hammer decides (sets) the tune…"讀者可能以為是樂(lè)隊(duì)指揮真的在那里定音呢。
(四)詞義的對(duì)應(yīng)
英漢兩種語(yǔ)言文字,一般都能找到相互對(duì)應(yīng)或者近似的語(yǔ)匯。但漢語(yǔ)多義詞就比英語(yǔ)少,許多詞都只有一兩個(gè)意思。如"井"字,雖然可以和別的字組成"水井"、"氣井"等,但僅有名詞一種詞性,而且所表達(dá)的事物都一樣,即從地面往下鉆出的"洞",只不過(guò)冒出或抽出的物質(zhì)不同而已。作副詞時(shí)也只是表達(dá)整齊,如井井有條,井井有序。與此相反,英語(yǔ)的井字"well"含義就很多,而且有五種詞性,即"涌出、噴出"(動(dòng)詞);"好、很好、好意地、恰當(dāng)?shù)?hellip;…"(副詞);"健康、很好、可取的……"(形容詞);"井、泉、源泉、令人滿意的事物……"(名詞);"咳、嗯、好吧……"(語(yǔ)氣詞)。又比如英語(yǔ)里"bank"一詞,除了指"銀行"以外,還有"堤防、河岸、庫(kù)"(名詞);"建筑、積累、堆積、到銀行存錢、同銀行往來(lái)……"(動(dòng)詞);還可組成不少?gòu)?fù)合詞。翻譯時(shí)要正確理解原文,準(zhǔn)確地找到相對(duì)應(yīng)的詞匯,避免望文生義,鬧出"數(shù)據(jù)銀行(庫(kù))","精子銀行(庫(kù))"之類不規(guī)范的說(shuō)法。
英漢詞匯意義有的可以完全對(duì)應(yīng),有的則只能部分對(duì)應(yīng)。以下句子中劃線英語(yǔ)單詞就只能找到部分對(duì)應(yīng)的漢字,也就是說(shuō)把它同句子割裂開來(lái),便無(wú)法判定其意。
a. He has taken US D10,000.00 from our bank.(取走)
b. It will take us two days to have the work finished.
(花費(fèi)掉,用去)
c. She likes to take milk in the morning. (喝)
d. I'm easy to take (catch) cold.(得)
e. We cannot take (understand, make out ) his meaning.
(理解、明白)
f. Don't take away that book. (拿、取走)
詞義完全對(duì)應(yīng)往往只限于專用名詞、專業(yè)術(shù)語(yǔ)等,例如:
The House of Commons (英)下議院
The United Nations 聯(lián)合國(guó)
Treasury Department (美)財(cái)政部
Bank of Communications 交通銀行
The Great Hall of the People 人民大會(huì)堂
Trademark 商標(biāo)
Income tax 所得稅
&#118alue-added tax 增值稅
第二節(jié) 翻譯的基本方法
前面提到英漢兩種語(yǔ)言文字有的可以對(duì)應(yīng),有的只能部分對(duì)應(yīng)。因此,翻譯公司翻譯時(shí)使用最多的是完全對(duì)譯和部分對(duì)譯相結(jié)合的方法。同時(shí)還要進(jìn)行藝術(shù)加工,即合并、拆散、引申、增加、減少、補(bǔ)充說(shuō)明等,才能圓滿地完成翻譯任務(wù)?,F(xiàn)分別舉例簡(jiǎn)述如下:
(一)完全對(duì)譯
凡專有名詞、專業(yè)術(shù)語(yǔ)等一般都采用此種方法對(duì)譯,不涉及到一詞多義的問(wèn)題,所以比較好處理,例如:
a. National Bank of Pakistan 巴基斯坦國(guó)民銀行
b. European Economic Community(EEC)歐洲經(jīng)濟(jì)共同體(歐共體)
c. Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) 石油輸出國(guó)組織(歐佩克)
d. Chicago 芝加哥
e. Los Angeles 洛杉磯
f. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 亞太經(jīng)濟(jì)合作組織(亞太經(jīng)合組織)
(二)部分對(duì)譯
遇到多義詞時(shí),要根據(jù)它在上下文的意思去確定它的哪一種詞義同漢語(yǔ)(中文)相對(duì)應(yīng),或者接近之后,才能決定取舍,例如:
a. Who has torn the cover of my book? (封面)
b. We are today forwarding you our new test key under separate cover. (信封、封套)
c. The cover of the above-mentioned draft was remitted to you on the date of issue through the Chartered Bank, London. (頭寸)
碰到一詞多義的情況時(shí),一定要根據(jù)上下文去找到對(duì)應(yīng)或接近的詞,切忌望文生義。銀行信貸業(yè)務(wù)中常說(shuō)發(fā)放貸款,英語(yǔ)的發(fā)放二字可用make、issue、launch等,如發(fā)放貸款可譯作to launch a loan。但這里的launch一詞用在別處意思就不同了。如to launch a movement, campaign, drive搞運(yùn)動(dòng)、活動(dòng);to launch a training program, class, course舉辦培訓(xùn)班,to launch a satellite發(fā)射衛(wèi)星。
(三)藝術(shù)加工
翻譯是一種再創(chuàng)造的工作,這已成為人們的共識(shí),簡(jiǎn)單對(duì)譯的情況很少,即使是完全在字義上的對(duì)譯,也會(huì)發(fā)生語(yǔ)序的變化,前面已有例證。英語(yǔ)說(shuō)"go to see the doctor"(直譯為去看醫(yī)生),而漢語(yǔ)卻習(xí)慣說(shuō)"去看(瞧)病"。反之,漢語(yǔ)說(shuō)"恢復(fù)疲勞"(最好說(shuō)"解除疲勞"),英語(yǔ)卻習(xí)慣說(shuō)"relax one's mind or relax oneself"(讓大腦放松),絕對(duì)不能按字面意思對(duì)譯成"resume fatigue"(又疲勞了),初學(xué)英語(yǔ)者常犯類似的錯(cuò)誤。又如:外國(guó)直接投資,常譯成"direct foreign investment"(直接的外國(guó)投資),也有譯作"foreign direct investment"的。筆者認(rèn)為后者較好,因?yàn)閺?qiáng)調(diào)投資方式的修飾語(yǔ)"直接"一詞緊靠其前,符合英語(yǔ)習(xí)慣。漢語(yǔ)總是把較重要的修飾詞放在所有修飾詞的前面,如:他是一位杰出的受人愛戴的優(yōu)秀教師。這里強(qiáng)調(diào)的是他作出了杰出貢獻(xiàn),是優(yōu)秀者當(dāng)中的尖子??墒?,英語(yǔ)中還有一個(gè)習(xí)慣,如果有幾個(gè)形容詞同時(shí)修飾一名詞,形容詞的順序是由短到長(zhǎng),最長(zhǎng)的緊靠名詞的前面,特別是在演講稿中,讀起來(lái)鏗鏘有力,富于樂(lè)感,更能打動(dòng)聽眾。因此,上面這句話應(yīng)翻譯成:He is a good, beloved and outstanding teacher. 再看一例:FORTUNE Global Top 500 is a pronoun of the largest, most influential and outstanding complexes in the world. "《財(cái)富》全球500強(qiáng)是世界上最杰出、最有影響、最大公司的代名詞。"英語(yǔ)用一個(gè)詞表達(dá)的意思,漢語(yǔ)要用兩個(gè)甚至多個(gè)詞去翻譯。反之亦然。英漢對(duì)譯時(shí),需要同時(shí)采用不同的處理方法,我們不妨歸納成四個(gè)字:藝術(shù)加工。下面分別舉例說(shuō)明:
1. 合并
即把原文的兩個(gè)或多個(gè)句子合并成一個(gè),或把多個(gè)句子合并成較少的句子,例如:
a. I'm going to Shanghai by air. I like flying. (兩句)我乘飛機(jī)去上海,我喜歡飛行。(一句,后半句說(shuō)明為何不坐火車去)
b. Our computer runs out of order from time to time. It should be repaired. (兩句)我們的電腦經(jīng)常出故障,應(yīng)該修一修了。(一句)
上面是英譯漢時(shí)進(jìn)行合并的例子。反過(guò)來(lái)漢譯英也可這樣處理,如下面的電傳稿:
今年3月,我行張副行長(zhǎng)訪問(wèn)貴行期間,提出我行在貴國(guó)設(shè)立分行的口頭申請(qǐng)。當(dāng)時(shí)貴方表示同意。后因我方原因,未能及時(shí)聯(lián)系……
DURING HIS VISIT TO YOUR FINE BANK IN MARCH THIS YEAR OUR EVP ZHANG ORALLY APPLIED TO YOU FOR SETTING UP A BRANCH IN YOUR ESTEEMED COUNTRY AND YOU EXPRESSED YOUR CONSENT THERETO. FURTHER CONTACT WAS HOWEVER SUSPENDED FOR SOME REASONS ON OUR PART……
此譯文將前兩句合并,使對(duì)方已同意過(guò)這一點(diǎn)得到強(qiáng)調(diào)。
2. 拆散
將較長(zhǎng)的句子,特別是法律文件中的長(zhǎng)句子譯成幾個(gè)漢語(yǔ)句子,便于理解。下面舉三個(gè)例子:
a. The certificates (FRCD-floating rate certificate of deposit), which are fully negotiable, constitute unsecured obligations of the issuing bank and rank pari passu with all other deposits of the bank. (一句)
浮動(dòng)利率存單完全可以流通。這就使發(fā)行銀行承擔(dān)了未獲擔(dān)保而支付的義務(wù)。此種存單與銀行的其他存款具有同樣的地位。(三句)
b. The documentary credit offers a unique and universally used method of achieving a commercially acceptable compromise by providing for payment to be made against documents that represent the goods and make possible the transfer of rights to those goods. (一句)
跟單信用證提供了一種獨(dú)特的、全世界都采用的方法,即憑代表貨物的單據(jù)付款,從而使貨權(quán)的轉(zhuǎn)移成為可能。這是一種商業(yè)上可以接受的折衷方式。(兩句)
c. Salomon then bought back the notes and wound up with 46% of the December issue and 57% of the five-year February issue in violation of Treasury reles. (一句)
-Business Week Aug. 26, 1991
然而,薩洛蒙公司買回了這些債務(wù),并且撈到手約定46%的12月國(guó)庫(kù)券和57%的5年期2月國(guó)庫(kù)券。這種做法違背了國(guó)庫(kù)券條例。(兩句,后一句分開起強(qiáng)調(diào)作用)
以上是英譯漢時(shí)拆散的例子。同樣,在漢譯英時(shí)也可以這樣處理,但似乎不如前者普遍,例如:
a. 真對(duì)不起,我沒(méi)想(并非有意)來(lái)打攪你。(一句)I'm, terribly sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt you. (兩句)
如果把譯文的兩個(gè)句子合成一句,就顯得別扭,前后時(shí)態(tài)不能一致起來(lái),而且不如分開的語(yǔ)氣強(qiáng)。
b. 經(jīng)過(guò)北伐、土地革命、抗日戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)和解放戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng),推翻了帝國(guó)主義、封建主義、官僚資本主義三座大山,中國(guó)人民從此站起來(lái)了,并且從新民主主義走上社會(huì)主義道路,取得建設(shè)社會(huì)主義的巨大成就。--《黨的十五大報(bào)告》
Through the Northern Expedition, the Agrarian Revolution, the War of Resistance Against Japan and the War of Liberation, we overthrew the three big mountains of imperialism, feudalism and bureaucratic capitalism. The Chinese people rose to their feet. Proceeding from New Democracy, they took the road to socialism and scored tremendous achievements in socialist construction.