文/陳德彰
詞序也是一個(gè)涉及語(yǔ)法的問題。有時(shí)候雖然語(yǔ)法沒有錯(cuò),但句子的詞序安排不好會(huì)影響理解。
英漢句子中的詞序往往不一樣,其實(shí)這體現(xiàn)出兩種不同的思維方式。
一般而言,漢語(yǔ)先進(jìn)行鋪陳,說明條件、原因、背景等,然后再說結(jié)果或其他重要信息。猶如中國(guó)傳統(tǒng)戲劇中,在重要人物出場(chǎng)前先有幾個(gè)跑龍?zhí)椎慕巧鰣?chǎng)。比如京劇中包拯出場(chǎng)前,先有四個(gè)普通護(hù)衛(wèi)出場(chǎng),然后是張龍、趙虎,后面是大俠展昭,最后才是包拯邁著官步踱出來亮相。可是英語(yǔ)句子往往開門見山,先說結(jié)果等重要的信息,把條件等放在后面。莎士比亞的《哈姆雷特》,大幕一拉開,主人公哈姆雷特王子就直接上場(chǎng),前面沒有跑龍?zhí)椎?。而且哈姆雷特一開口就直奔主題:To be or not to be;that is the question.這一差別在繪畫上也有反映。中國(guó)傳統(tǒng)畫先勾勒出整體輪廓,然后再畫細(xì)部,體現(xiàn)出 “畫龍點(diǎn)睛”的過程。而西方傳統(tǒng)的油畫,畫家在落筆之前先要定下一個(gè)焦點(diǎn),然后由此擴(kuò)展,畫出三維的形象,可以說是“點(diǎn)睛畫龍”。還有人說,英語(yǔ)句子像建筑,結(jié)構(gòu)嚴(yán)謹(jǐn),而漢語(yǔ)句子像行云流水。
因?yàn)槲覀兊哪刚Z(yǔ)是漢語(yǔ),而英語(yǔ)是后來才學(xué)到的一門外語(yǔ),所以漢譯英更難。先看幾個(gè)譯例。
原文:當(dāng)天晚上,一家人為了籌借路費(fèi)的問題,沒有好好睡覺,只是唉聲嘆氣。
譯文:Sighing and groaning as they discussed ways and means,they hardly slept at all that night.
把原文最后部分處理成-ing分詞短語(yǔ)置于句首,增加了句子的生動(dòng)性。
英語(yǔ)句子常由特定的局部信息慢慢擴(kuò)展到整體,漢語(yǔ)則相反,或按邏輯順序,或按時(shí)間順序。試比較下列譯例:
原文:我們正在上課,有人突然沖了近來。
譯文1:When we were having a class suddently someone rushed in.
譯文2:We were having a class when someone rushed in.
多數(shù)中國(guó)學(xué)生會(huì)選擇譯為譯文1,句子的詞序和原文一樣,語(yǔ)法也沒有問題,但是給人以平鋪直敘的感覺。譯文2采用不同的詞序,但是仔細(xì)琢磨,雖然省譯了“突然”一詞,其效果卻更突出。
譯文3:When someone suddenly rushed in we were having a class.
譯文4:Someone suddenly rushed in when we were having a class.
這是筆者在學(xué)生翻譯作業(yè)中見到的另外兩種譯法。譯文3顯然更讓人感到索然無味,譯文4要好得多,但仍沒有譯文2生動(dòng)。
由于英語(yǔ)多用形合,句子結(jié)構(gòu)嚴(yán)謹(jǐn),句子主要成分不能缺(在上下文清楚的情況下可有省略),由于有各種有形的標(biāo)志,相對(duì)而言詞序也比較靈活,而漢語(yǔ)是典型的意合語(yǔ)言,詞序和助詞是漢語(yǔ)語(yǔ)法的兩大要素,不但句子內(nèi)部松散,基本依靠上下文組織意思,句子的任何部分也都可以缺少,無主句(不是省略,有時(shí)候無法補(bǔ)出邏輯主語(yǔ)來)在漢語(yǔ)中用的很多。此外,漢語(yǔ)常用流水句,各個(gè)小句之間也靠意思串起來,從而產(chǎn)生一種朦朧美。為此,語(yǔ)言學(xué)家們一致認(rèn)為漢語(yǔ)是世界上最難的語(yǔ)言。翻譯時(shí)往往需要對(duì)全句或局部進(jìn)行詞序調(diào)整,故而產(chǎn)生了順譯和逆譯。進(jìn)一步說還包括調(diào)整句式,即句型轉(zhuǎn)換,乃至斷句或合句。
英語(yǔ)句子大多按照“主+謂+賓”順序排列,有語(yǔ)言學(xué)家稱之為“主語(yǔ)句”,即主語(yǔ)駕馭全句,主語(yǔ)必須是名詞(包括名詞短語(yǔ)和名詞從句),謂語(yǔ)部分的格、時(shí)態(tài)、語(yǔ)態(tài)等都有明確標(biāo)識(shí),這就使英語(yǔ)的句型有限。而漢語(yǔ)被稱為“主題句”,句子由“主題+述題”構(gòu)成,而這兩個(gè)部分可由各類單詞、短語(yǔ)乃至小句構(gòu)成,因此句型相對(duì)眾多。曾有學(xué)者歸納出漢語(yǔ)有100多種句式,如“被字句”“把字句”都被認(rèn)為是典型的句型。
但是,有時(shí)一句漢語(yǔ)譯成英語(yǔ)時(shí)采用不同的句型。這就是說,翻譯首先是盡可能傳達(dá)出原文的意思,形式是為意義服務(wù)的。例如“哀莫大于心死”就可譯為下列不同的句型:
1.There is no grief so great as despair.(存在句)
2.Thre is no vulture like despair.(存在句)
3.Nothing is more lamentable than a dead heart.(比較句)
4.Nothing gives so much cause for sorrow as the death of one’s heart.(無靈主語(yǔ)句)
我們來看看英譯漢的一個(gè)句例。原文是第一次來華訪問的一位外國(guó)朋友對(duì)中方接待人員講的話:
原文:The visit gives me the opportunity which I have long sought,to see for myself the achievements of the Chinese people.
譯文:這次訪問使我有機(jī)會(huì)親眼看到中國(guó)人民所取得的成就,這是我向往已久的事了。
經(jīng)過適當(dāng)?shù)脑~序調(diào)整,譯文不但意思清楚,而且更符合漢語(yǔ)的表達(dá)習(xí)慣。句子開頭部分的無靈主語(yǔ)(無人稱主語(yǔ))也處理得比較好。
再看一個(gè)漢譯英的例子。
原文:我們認(rèn)為,中美兩國(guó)之間存在分歧是正常的,但這不影響兩國(guó)之間建立合作共贏的新的大國(guó)關(guān)系,這才是符合時(shí)代潮流的。
譯文:We believe that it is normal that there exist differences between China and the United States,however,this shoud not affect the two countries establishing a new type of cooperation and win-win relationship between major countries,which is in accordance with the trend of our times.
首先,譯文采用了一個(gè)英語(yǔ)句子里常用的先行主語(yǔ),最后一個(gè)小句則處理成一個(gè)非限制性關(guān)系從句,這就使得譯文句子結(jié)構(gòu)嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)。
原文:愛人者人恒愛之,敬人者人恒敬之。
譯文:He who loves is loved,and he who respects is respected.
這一句英譯為限制性關(guān)系從句,這是漢譯英時(shí)常用的方法,注意“人恒愛/敬之”處理成被動(dòng)語(yǔ)態(tài)使句子很簡(jiǎn)練。
因?yàn)橛h表達(dá)不一樣,有時(shí)調(diào)整詞序是為了實(shí)現(xiàn)視角的轉(zhuǎn)換。請(qǐng)看下面三例:
原文:History has never been kind to this place.
譯文:這個(gè)地方歷來多災(zāi)多難。
原文:酒吧里只有三個(gè)顧客還沒有走。
譯文:Only three customers remained in the bar.
原文:安不可忘危,治不可忘亂。
譯文:Never relax your vigilance while you live in peace,and never be unprepared for possible rebellion while the country has a good public order.
每個(gè)句子都有信息焦點(diǎn)、已知信息、新信息、指代、照應(yīng)和連貫。句子內(nèi)有意群,句子還有句群,所以,補(bǔ)償、加注都是翻譯時(shí)常用的手段。例如,漢語(yǔ)的流水句可能有幾個(gè)小句,由于意思連貫,英譯時(shí)常需整合,譯為一句。
原文:西望夏口,東望武昌,山川相繆,郁乎蒼蒼。
譯文:A host of grey mountains and rivers interwined between Xiakou in the west and Wuchang in the east.
原文:孟子曰:“魚,我所欲也;熊掌,亦我所欲也。二者不可兼得,舍魚而取熊掌者也。生,我所欲也;義,亦我所欲也。二者不可兼得,舍生而取義者也?!?/p>
譯文:Mencius said,“I like fish and I also like bear’s paws.If I cannot have the two together,I will let the fish go and take the bear’s paws.In a similar way,I like life,and I also like righteousness.If I cannot have the two together,I will give up my life to preserve righteousness.”
下例中原文有三個(gè)流水句,英譯時(shí)不但要整合譯文的句子結(jié)構(gòu),要設(shè)法將原文中語(yǔ)言的層次再現(xiàn)出來。劉宓慶先生說過,漢語(yǔ)的流水句不管多長(zhǎng),也不管由幾個(gè)小句構(gòu)成,但都有一個(gè)意念主軸。所以,翻譯流水句時(shí)必須抓住這一主軸。
原文:午后便步行至鵲華橋,雇了一只小船,蕩起雙槳。朝北不遠(yuǎn),便到了歷下亭前。上岸進(jìn)去,入了大門,便是一個(gè)亭子,油漆已大半剝蝕完了。亭上還懸著一幅對(duì)聯(lián),寫的是:“歷下此古亭,濟(jì)南名士多。”(劉鄂《老殘游記》)
譯文:After lunch he walked to the Sparrow Flower Bridge where he hired a small boat and paddled along towards the north.Soon he reached the Li Hsia pavilion.Then he stepped ashore and went in,and when he entered the gate he saw a pavilion,the paint of which was practically all worn away,and on it were hanging two scrolls on which was written: “The Pavilion is ancient as history;many are the scholars of Tsinan.”
英語(yǔ)句子常含有無靈主語(yǔ),漢語(yǔ)則通常以人稱主語(yǔ)為多,英譯漢時(shí)也是一種詞序調(diào)整。
原文:His persistent questions finally goaded me into an angry reply.
譯文:他沒完沒了地問,惹得我生氣,就沒好氣地回答了他。
原文:Nine o’clock found him still lying in bed.
譯文:九點(diǎn)鐘了,他還躺在床上。
原文:1848 witnessed another revolutionary upsurge in Europe.
譯文:1848年歐洲又掀起了一場(chǎng)革命浪潮。
反過來,漢譯英時(shí)也要注意進(jìn)行適當(dāng)調(diào)整。
原文:一想到可能被父親發(fā)現(xiàn),他突然感到極度恐懼。
譯文:The thought of being discovered by his father suddenly filled him with great fear.
原文:于是,暮色中匆匆的人群里,總有我趕著回家的身影。
譯文:Thus the gathering darkness often finds me hastening home in a hurrying crowd.
漢語(yǔ)意合句英譯時(shí)加上必要的詞使之成為形合句,這在古文英譯時(shí)更需要把握好。下面是一組例句。
原文:和羹之美,在于合異。
譯文:Delicious soup is made by combining different ingredients.
原文:己欲立而立人,己欲達(dá)而達(dá)人。
譯文:While achieving one’s own success,he should also help others achieve success.
原文:小智治事,大智治制。
譯文:People with petty shrewdness attend to trivial matters,while people with vision attend to governance of institutions.
原文:窮則獨(dú)善其身,達(dá)則兼善天下。
譯文:One should set a high standard for himself when in poverty,and contribute to the wellbeing of all when prosperous.
原文:靡不有初,鮮克有終。
譯文:Many can make a good start,but few can work hard enough to achieve success.
原文:民為貴,社稷次之,君為輕。
譯文:The essence of a state is the people,next come the god of land and the god of grain (which stand for state power),and the last the ruler.
原文:水能載舟,亦能覆舟。
譯文:Just as water can float a boat,so can water overturn it.
有時(shí)不但要將漢語(yǔ)意合句改成英語(yǔ)形合句,還調(diào)整詞序,將原因放到末尾。
原文:海納百川,有容乃大。
譯文:The ocean is vast because it admits all rivers.
原文:積力之所舉,則無不勝也;眾智之所為,則無不成也。
譯文:Victory is ensured when people pool their strength;success is secured when people put their heads together.
原文:大道之行也,天下為公。
譯文:A just cause should be pursued for common good./ The noblest ideal is to create a world truly shared by all.
下面一例采用了兩種處理,第一句采用關(guān)系從句,而后一句采用調(diào)整詞序的條件句。兩句之間加上in this case則使得兩句的意思成為一體??梢娦魏喜粌H體現(xiàn)在句內(nèi),也體現(xiàn)在句子之間。
原文:古之欲明明德于天下者,先治其國(guó)。欲治其國(guó)者,先齊其家。欲齊其家者,先修其身。
譯文:The ancients,who wished to promote illustrious virtue under heaven,first had to rule their own states well.In this case,they had to manage their fiefdoms well first and had to cultivate themselves first if they wish to manage their fiefdoms well.
請(qǐng)注意下面譯文中的合句和斷句的處理。
原文:皇祖有訓(xùn):民可近,不可下。民惟邦本,本固邦寧。
譯文:Our ancestor Yu the Great warned: (a ruler)must maintain a close relationship with the people;he must not regard them as insignificant.They are the foundation of a state,and a state can enjoy peace only when its foundation is firm.
由于古漢語(yǔ)是文言,語(yǔ)言可謂濃縮,英譯時(shí)要適當(dāng)加以解釋。
原文:桃李不言,下自成蹊。
譯文:The peach and the plum do not speak,yet a path is worn beneath them.
可加解釋:A man of true worth attracts admiration.
原文:圖窮匕首見。
譯文:A dagger was revealed when the map was unrolled.
其實(shí),詞序也涉及說話的禮貌。比如中國(guó)人常說“有空前來我家看看”。采取順譯:When you have time,please come to my place and have a look.這樣譯會(huì)讓人覺得不是真心邀請(qǐng),對(duì)方必須在“有時(shí)間”時(shí)才歡迎來。倒過來采取逆譯:Please come to my place and have a look when you have time / at your convenience.這樣口氣就緩和得多,不但顯得有誠(chéng)意,而且沒有強(qiáng)加于人的意思,對(duì)方即使有時(shí)間也不一定要來。再請(qǐng)看下面兩例譯例,體會(huì)兩種詞序表達(dá)出來不同的口氣。
原文:要是我是你,我就不會(huì)答應(yīng)。
譯文:I would not promise if I were you.
原文:我可以說,他確實(shí)沒有禮貌。
譯文:He’s kind of impolite,if I may say so.□