英汉翻译技巧与传神翻译欣赏(45)
(本讲座每周分享英语学习和英汉翻译的独有经验,欢迎关注。)
什么是传神翻译?
文学翻译贵在“传神”。所谓“传神”,就是把原文的意思表达得非常准确,意境展现得非常逼真、鲜活,让人读后产生一种拍案叫绝的冲动。要实现这一目标,除了具备深厚的语言功底,学习和掌握一定的翻译技巧也是非常有益的。
英汉翻译技巧与传神翻译欣赏
怎样翻译下面的英语句子?怎样翻译才比较传神?
He decreed that it would be everyplane for everypurpose, sort of like building a car to drive Daddy to work, or to handle Moms groceries, and to mix concrete on weekends, except in May when it would be busy practicing for the Indianapolis 500.
相关段落和背景信息:
美国空军试飞中心急需试飞项目,时任国防部长McNamara则强力推荐F-111飞机。以下是当时的情景:
The Air Force should be able to keep a stable of prototype aircraft flying, winnowing and pruning, and finally selecting only the best for production, but given the McNamaras of this world, the system is not allowed to work that way. McNamara decreed that the F-111 would be a great success long before the test program began; in fact, he decreed that it would be everyplane for everypurpose, sort of like building a car to drive Daddy to work, or to handle Moms groceries, and to mix concrete on weekends, except in May when it would be busy practicing for the Indianapolis 500.
(Indy 500汽车赛;cdn.racingnews.co图片)
难点分析和翻译技巧:
这个句子并不复杂,这里的关键点在于整个句子的传神展现。作者主要展现的是风趣幽默、滑稽搞笑的意境,这一点读者需要细心体会和把握。
另外,Indianapolis 500(简称Indy 500)是每年一次在美国举办的世界著名的汽车赛。
试译:
空军本来应该试飞稳定数量的原型机,经过筛选,只把最好的产品投入生产,但本国的麦克纳马拉们不允许空军这么做。国防部长麦克纳马拉早在试飞项目开始前,就宣告F-111将是非常成功的产品。实际上,他宣告说这型飞机将是万能的,有点像造一辆车,既可以送老爸去上班,也可以帮老妈去买菜,周末还可以用它搅拌水泥;当然,五月是个例外,那时它会用于印第安纳波利斯500汽车赛的紧张训练。
下期预告:
怎样翻译下面的英语句子才比较传神?
All of them came through as Gordon Goodguy, steely resolve mixed with robust, muscular good humor, waiting crinkly-eyed for whatever ghastly hazards might be in store for them" up there."
往期精彩回顾:
作者简介:从事英汉口译和笔译37年,出版译著6部;全国第一届和第二届“韩素音青年翻译奖”竞赛一等奖获得者;地道英语和传神翻译的倡导者和实践者。最新译著《我的两次月球之旅》由上海交通大学出版社出版。
重温登月惊险之路,欣赏翻译传神之美