动态与静态的译法解析
“汉语句子中动词占优势,英语句子名词占优势,因而前者常表现为动态,后者则表现静态。……所以汉译英常常表现为动态向静态的转化。”(陈文伯,2000:91)中国学生在翻译汉语动态动词时,既可以保留英语动态动词,也可以将它转化为静态的表达法。当然,并不是说所有的动态动词都必须转化为静态表示法,但翻译工作者应注意到存在这种转化的可能性。同时还应注意到动态与静态之间的微妙区别。
例1.他父亲去世了。
His father died. (表示动态)
His father is dead.(表示他父亲已不在世的状态)
例2.他出门不在。
He went out.(表示动态)
He is away. / His out. (表示他出远门了或表示暂时出门不在的情况)
例3.史密斯先生在上班。
Mr. Smith is working.(表示动态,意为:他正在干工作)
Mr. Smith is at work.(表示状态,意为:他在上班的状态)
例4.门锁住了。
The door was locked.(可表示动态,意为:门被锁住了 )
The door is locked.(表示状态,意为:门是锁着的)
例5.看来我们的发展,总是要在某一个阶段,抓住时机,加速搞几年,发现问题及时加以治理,尔后继续前进。(《邓选》)
译文 1 : It seems that we should hold on to opportunities in a certain period to accelerate our development for several years. As problems crop up in the process,we will solve them immediately and continue to forge ahead.(《北京周报》)
译文 2: It seems to me that, as a rule, at certain stages we should seize the opportunity to accelerate development for a few years,deal with problems as soon as they are recognized, and then move on.(外文出版社)
评析:汉语的“抓住”可译成是静态的hold on to,也可译成动态的seize,前者表示“抓住已有的机会”,后者表示“要去抓取尚未到手 的机会”。
也可是动态的去抓取尚未抓到的东西。从上下文看,如译成动态 的抓住新的时机,更为积极,所以外文出版社译文比《北京周报》译文 更好、更准确。
例6.王之涣:《堂鹳雀楼》
白日依山尽,黄河入海流。
欲穷千里目,更上一层楼。
译文 1: Ascending the Stork Tower
Behind the mounts day light doth glow and fail,
The Luteous River to the Sea doth flow.
The view a thousand li to command,
Up a storey high thou shouldst now go.(孙大雨 译)
译文2:the Stork Tower
The mountain is eating away the setting sun;
Going seawards the Yellow River is on the run.
If you desire to have a good and bloodless sigh,
Come to the upper storey,by climbing on more flight! (吴钧陶 译)
评析:就原诗的标题而言,译文1中的ascending—词突出了“登”的动态性和生动性,译文2中的on —词表明了译者的语篇视点是静态的,处在一个固定位置。两种译法都可以接受,但翻译工作者应注 意到存在从动态向静态转化的可能性。
原诗第一行“白日依山尽”,译文1为behind the mounts day light doth glow and fail,其方位视点与原文吻合,是静态的;译文2为 the mountain is eating away the setting sun,其方位视点是动态的。