寧海
孫儷憑借電視劇《后宮·甄嬛傳》(The Back Palace: Legend of Zhen Huan)入圍第41屆國際艾美獎(The International Emmy Award)“最佳女主角”提名,正如網(wǎng)友們引用甄嬛語說的那樣,“娘娘威武!”盡管最終未能捧得桂冠,但問題是,在中國十分流行的“甄嬛體”該如何翻譯成英文?《中國日報》電影評論人周黎明嘗試著翻譯了幾句,并提出了一些觀點。
小主:Your ladyship,雨露:Royal honeydew,娘娘:Your royal highne,奴才:Your unworthy servant。
如果說名稱的翻譯還比較容易,且可以帶有一定規(guī)劃性,臺詞的翻譯可能更關(guān)乎技巧和文化習慣。
比如甄嬛所說的:“再冷也不能拿別人的血來暖自己?!敝芾杳鞣g為:“No matter how ruthless, you shouldnt use another persons blood to warm yourself.”
華妃常說的“賤人就是矯情”,在周黎明看來,就應該簡單的譯為,“That bitch!”周黎明說:“每句臺詞我們都考慮了多種翻譯,‘賤人就是矯情有七八種。網(wǎng)友關(guān)注‘矯情的英文說法,如pretentious、bitchy等。但That bitch is bitchy乃疊床架屋,重復主賓語。好的臺詞應簡潔有力,留有潛臺詞。正因各種形容詞多半重復bitch之意,我們認為That bitch或What a bitch遠勝啰嗦而低級的中英對應?!?/p>
本著這樣的原則,周黎明還例舉了一些經(jīng)典臺詞的翻譯:“娘娘容不容得下臣妾,是娘娘的氣度。能不能讓娘娘容得下,是嬪妾的本事?!保ㄕ鐙郑?/p>
Whether you can tolerate me depends on your generosity. Whether I can be tolerated is up to me.
“在這后宮中想要升就必須猜得中皇上的心思。若想要活,就要猜得中其他女人的心思。”(甄嬛)
To rise, you need to know the Emperors mind. To survive, you need to guess the other womens mind.
“以色事人,能得幾時好?”(甄嬛)
One who savors seduction, wont last.
“在這宮里,有利用價值的人才能活下去。要安于被人利用,才有機會去利用別人?!保ㄤ奖蹋?/p>
In the palace, if you have ability, you survive. If you survive being used, then you will have the chance to take advantage of others.
“別人幫你,那是情分。不幫你,那是本分?!保ㄕ鐙郑?/p>
You are blessed if others help you, but they are not obliged to.
“不偏愛,懂節(jié)制,方得長久?!保ɑ屎螅?/p>
No favoritism, no excesses, one will last.
“這會咬人的狗,不叫。”(曹貴人)
A barking dog never bites.
“愿逆風如解意,容易莫摧殘?!保ㄕ鐙郑?/p>
May the gale that rushes into the blossom caress her and never let her be broken.
“愿得一心人,白首不相離?!保ㄕ鐙郑?/p>
Win a heart so dear till death, keeps near.
“寧可枝頭抱香死,不曾吹落北風中?!保ㄉ蛎记f)
Tis better to die with fragrance on a twig than be blown into a gust like a fig.
(盧曉峰摘自《經(jīng)濟觀察報》)