摘 要:一般來(lái)說(shuō),中譯英時(shí),詞匯和語(yǔ)法方面的錯(cuò)誤容易避免。但搭配方面的錯(cuò)誤,一不留神就會(huì)出現(xiàn)在譯文中。本文指出《英譯中國(guó)現(xiàn)代散文選》系列譯文中的英語(yǔ)搭配錯(cuò)誤,通過(guò)大量實(shí)例分析造成錯(cuò)誤的原因,并糾正錯(cuò)誤的譯文。
關(guān)鍵詞:中國(guó)現(xiàn)代散文;英語(yǔ)翻譯;搭配;錯(cuò)誤;糾正
中圖分類(lèi)號(hào):H315.9 文獻(xiàn)標(biāo)識(shí)碼:A 文章編號(hào):1003-6822(2016)02-0077-07
1. 引言
在談到英語(yǔ)搭配的重要性時(shí),王文昌教授(1988)在其《英語(yǔ)搭配大詞典》前言中,明確指出:搭配(collocation)可以粗分為封閉型(closed)和開(kāi)放型(open)兩大類(lèi)。封閉型搭配是在長(zhǎng)期的使用過(guò)程當(dāng)中逐漸形成的固定詞組,開(kāi)放型搭配是在千變?nèi)f化的語(yǔ)言環(huán)境(linguistic context)中按照一定語(yǔ)法結(jié)構(gòu)和語(yǔ)意聯(lián)系造就的靈活詞語(yǔ)組合,可以無(wú)限生成。掌握符合習(xí)慣的英語(yǔ)詞匯搭配有助于非英語(yǔ)民族的人克服由于受到本民族語(yǔ)言和文化的影響而產(chǎn)生的錯(cuò)誤,避免不合習(xí)慣的類(lèi)推,從而提高運(yùn)用地道英語(yǔ)(idiomatic English)進(jìn)行交際的能力。然而,在《英譯中國(guó)現(xiàn)代散文選1》(張培基,2007a)、《英譯中國(guó)現(xiàn)代散文選2》(張培基,2007b)、《英譯中國(guó)現(xiàn)代散文選3》(張培基,2007c)和《英譯中國(guó)現(xiàn)代散文選4》(張培基,2012)中,有些譯文存在著英語(yǔ)搭配方面的錯(cuò)誤,使譯文顯得不夠地道。本文舉出一些這樣的實(shí)例,分析其錯(cuò)誤的原因,并給出符合英語(yǔ)表達(dá)習(xí)慣的譯文,供讀者參考,也同原譯者商榷。
2. 《英譯中國(guó)現(xiàn)代散文選》中的搭配錯(cuò)誤
2.1 a cave to hide的搭配錯(cuò)誤
原文:他跑來(lái)跑去地尋。他想尋一個(gè)窟穴,躲了身子。
譯文:He dashed here and there in search of a cave to hide.(張培基,2007a: 8)
以上原譯文有誤。按照英語(yǔ)的語(yǔ)法規(guī)則,動(dòng)詞不定式作定語(yǔ)修飾名詞,如果動(dòng)詞是不及物動(dòng)詞,當(dāng)其前被修飾的名詞是place、way、time或day時(shí),介詞可以省略(趙振才,2005: 669)。但在其他名詞后,相應(yīng)的介詞不能省略。例如:
(1)The boy needs a friend to play with. 這個(gè)男孩需要一個(gè)朋友跟他一起玩。(章振邦,1999: 187)
(2)There is nothing to talk about. 沒(méi)什么可談?wù)摰?。(Ibid.)
(3)I need a pen to write with. 我需要一支鋼筆寫(xiě)字。(蔡光天,1999: 242)
(4)The nurse has four patients to look after.這護(hù)士有四個(gè)病人要照看。(Ibid.)
因此,原譯文宜改為: He dashed here and there in search of a cave to hide in.
2.2 towards the evening 的搭配錯(cuò)誤
原文:走在路上,還沒(méi)“斷黑”已經(jīng)一連串亮了街燈。
譯文:When you go out for a walk towards the evening, youll see street lamps lit up one after another though it is not yet quite dark. (張培基,2007b: 25)
原文:傍晚坐在窗下看書(shū),page上“漸漸”地黑起來(lái)。
譯文:When you sit by the window reading a book towards the evening, youll find the words on each page “gradually” becoming blurred. (張培基,2007b: 151)
以上原譯文中的 towards the evening, 不符合英語(yǔ)的表達(dá)習(xí)慣。towards evening 是固定搭配,作“近黃昏時(shí)”解。towards 或toward 還可跟morning, noon, midday, dusk, sundown 及nighttime等名詞連用,這些名詞前均不加冠詞the(顧祖良,2013: 224)。例如:
(1) The river overflowed the banks towards evening the next day. 在次日傍晚,河水決堤了。(費(fèi)致德,1981: 481)
(2)There was a storm towards evening. 快到黃昏時(shí),來(lái)了場(chǎng)暴風(fēng)雨。(趙振才,2005: 1216)
(3)Towards morning the snow turned to rain. 臨近拂曉,雪停了,開(kāi)始下起雨來(lái)。(Crowther et al., 2003: 507)
(4)It is now towards noon. 現(xiàn)在臨近中午了。(王文昌,1988: 1137)
(5)Towards midday, the fog began to disperse, and the sun broke through. 近中午時(shí),霧開(kāi)始散去,太陽(yáng)穿云而出。(張道真,1987: 4899)
(6)Towards dusk they chanced on one another out by the gate. 近黃昏時(shí),他們?cè)陂T(mén)外又碰巧相遇了。(Ibid.)
(7)The beach was golden towards sundown.太陽(yáng)快落山時(shí),海灘上一片金黃色。(陸谷孫,2007: 2004)
不過(guò),除了可用 towards evening 和towards dusk 外,表示“近黃昏時(shí)”,還有一個(gè)短語(yǔ) towards the end of the afternoon, 同樣表達(dá)此意。只不過(guò),該短語(yǔ)中的兩個(gè)冠詞the, 都不能省略。如:Towards the end of the afternoon, it began to rain. 近黃昏時(shí)開(kāi)始下雨了。(Summers, 2005: 1863)
因此,原譯文宜分別改為:1. When you go out for a walk towards evening, youll see street lamps lit up one after another though it is not yet quite dark. 2. When you sit by the window reading a book towards evening, youll find the words on each page“gradually”becoming blurred.
2.3 fall a victim to 的搭配錯(cuò)誤
原文:日本部隊(duì)進(jìn)入杭州,在一次搶劫中,她不幸落入這些獸類(lèi)的手里。
譯文:Unfortunately, she fell a victim to the bestiality of Japanese soldiers when they ransacked the city of Hangzhou. (張培基,2007b: 289)
以上原譯文中的fell a victim 用法有誤。fall victim to 是固定搭配,作“受傷;受損;被害”解,victim前不加冠詞(Hornby, 2004: 1965)。例如:
(1)Many plants have fallen victim to the sudden frost. 許多植物被突如其來(lái)的霜降凍傷了。(Hornby, 2004: 1965)
(2)Thousands of trees have fallen victim to (=suffered from) this disease. 有數(shù)千株樹(shù)木遭受這種病害。(Summers, 2005: 1942)
(3)He fell victim to polio. 他是小兒麻痹癥的受害者。(McArthur, 1997:83)
(4)She fell victim to a desire for new clothes, and soon had no money left.她買(mǎi)衣服成癖,很快就弄得一點(diǎn)錢(qián)都沒(méi)有了。(Ibid.)
(5)In the late '70s, steel mills fell victim to foreign competition and changes in the industry. 70年代末,外國(guó)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)以及行業(yè)中的各種變化使得鋼廠深受其害。(Pearson Education Limited, 2003: 1607)
因此,原譯文宜改為:Unfortunately, she fell victim to the bestiality of Japanese soldiers when they ransacked the city of Hangzhou.
2.4 everyone of us的搭配錯(cuò)誤
原文:我們當(dāng)年編《新華日?qǐng)?bào)》,總共二十來(lái)人,記者、編輯都寫(xiě),搞排版的、搞資料的、還有做校對(duì)工作的,每個(gè)人都寫(xiě)文章。
譯文:The former Xinhua Daily, where we used to work, had a staff of about 20. Everyone of us wrote, including not only the reporters and editors, but also the typesetters, proofreaders and reference-library people. (張培基,2007b: 303)
以上原譯文中的everyone of us用法有誤。根據(jù)英語(yǔ)的表達(dá)習(xí)慣,everyone絕不可以跟“of ”,而必須使用every one of的結(jié)構(gòu)(趙振才,2005: 440)。例如:
(1)Has everyone brought their exercise books? 每個(gè)人都帶來(lái)了練習(xí)本嗎? (Summers, 2005: 586)
(2)The police questioned everyone in the room. 警方盤(pán)問(wèn)了房間里的每一個(gè)人。(Hornby, 2004: 585)
(3)He read every one of my scripts. 他讀了我的每份手稿。(Sinclair, 2000: 230)
(4)There are 16 students and every one of them passed. 共有16位同學(xué),每個(gè)人都通過(guò)了考試。(Summers, 2005: 586)
因此,原譯文宜改為:The former Xinhua Daily, where we used to work, had a staff of about 20. Every one of us wrote, including not only the reporters and editors, but also the typesetters, proofreaders and reference-library people.
2.5 resort to the use of force的搭配錯(cuò)誤
原文:它弄得焦急了,竟有用起暴力來(lái)。
譯文:Finally, in desperation, he resorted to the use of force. (張培基,2007b:70)
以上原譯文中的resorted to the use of force有誤。resort to 是固定搭配,作“訴諸;求助于;依靠”解,其后直接跟sth. 或doing sth. (Hornby, 2004: 1478), 筆者認(rèn)為其后不可再跟the use of, 否則,就會(huì)犯redundancy(贅言)錯(cuò)誤。例如:
(1)They felt obliged to resort to violence. 他們覺(jué)得有必要訴諸暴力。(Hornby, 2004:1478)
(2)When polite requests failed, Paul resorted to threats.禮貌請(qǐng)求無(wú)效后,保羅就進(jìn)行威脅。 (Pearson Education Limited, 2003: 1228)
(3)Many homeless teenagers resort to stealing when their money runs out. 許多無(wú)家可歸的少年錢(qián)用完后只得去行竊。 (Ibid.)
(4)In the end, we had to resort to brute force to get the door open. 最后,我們不得不訴諸武力把門(mén)打開(kāi)。(Crowther et al., 2003: 332)
(5)John resorts to lying whenever hes in trouble. 每當(dāng)約翰陷入困境,他就靠說(shuō)謊來(lái)應(yīng)付。(戴煒棟,2003: 1402)
因此,原譯文宜改為:Finally, in desperation, he resorted to force.
2.6 impossible of being broken的搭配錯(cuò)誤
原文:所以,古人說(shuō):習(xí)之難改也甚矣。當(dāng)然,這是說(shuō)難改,不是說(shuō)不能改。
譯文:Thats why the ancients say,“Old habits die hard.”Nevertheless, it doesnt mean that habits are impossible of being broken.(張培基,2007c: 64)
以上原譯文中的impossible of being broken有誤。根據(jù)英語(yǔ)的表達(dá)習(xí)慣,impossible常用于It is impossible (for sb.) to do sth. 句型中(Pearson Education Limited, 2003: 726),也可用于Sth./Sb. be impossible to do. 的句型中(趙振才,2005: 642),在此結(jié)構(gòu)中,動(dòng)詞用主動(dòng)式,不用被動(dòng)式。在英語(yǔ)中,無(wú) be impossible of 這樣的搭配。例如:
(1)It is impossible to predict the future. 不可能預(yù)測(cè)未來(lái)。(戴煒棟,2003: 871)
(2)It is impossible (for us) to come. (我們)無(wú)法來(lái)。(Summers, 2005: 876)
(3)The twins are so alike it is impossible to tell them apart. 這對(duì)雙胞胎極其相似,不可能把他們區(qū)分開(kāi)來(lái)。(Rundell, 1997: 660)
(4)Sam had screwed the lid on so tightly the jar was impossible to open. 山姆把罐蓋擰得很緊,罐子已無(wú)法打開(kāi)。(Ibid.)
(5)That child is impossible to control. 那個(gè)小孩管不住。(李在銘,1995: 259)
(6)He is impossible to work with. 不可能和他共事。(趙振才,2005: 642)
因此,原譯文宜改為:Thats why the ancients say,“Old habits die hard.”Nevertheless, it doesnt mean that habits are impossible to break.也可改為:Thats why the ancients say,“Old habits die hard.” Nevertheless, it doesnt mean that it is impossible to break habits.
2.7 beyond/contrary to ones expectation的搭配錯(cuò)誤
原文:誰(shuí)知道事實(shí)卻出乎意料之外。
譯文:Unfortunately, the result was contrary to everybodys expectation. (張培基,2007a: 280)
原文:它的話是我完全料不到的。
譯文:That was totally beyond my expectation.(張培基,2007c: 74)
以上原譯文中的expectation用法有誤。根據(jù)英語(yǔ)的表達(dá)習(xí)慣,名詞expectation前, 如不跟all或ones等連用時(shí),往往用名詞單數(shù)形式,但其前有all或ones等修飾時(shí),則往往要用名詞復(fù)數(shù)形式expectations (Summers, 2005: 594)。 例如:
(1)We thought John would do well, but he has succeeded beyond expectation/our expectations. 我們已料到約翰會(huì)干得很出色,可是他的成就比我們預(yù)期的還高。(Summers, 2005: 594)
(2)Against all expectations, she was enjoying herself. 完全沒(méi)有想到她過(guò)得非??旎?。(Hornby, 2004: 596)
(3)The building was completed on time, contrary to expectation. 與預(yù)期相反, 該樓房按時(shí)完工。 (Crowther et al., 2003: 278)
(4)Contrary to everyones expectations Michael won the competition. 與大家的預(yù)期相反,邁克爾贏了比賽。(Rundell, 1997: 447)
(5)What should you do when an employees performance is disappointing and below expectation? 當(dāng)一個(gè)員工的表現(xiàn)令人失望,低于期望,你該怎么辦? (Crowther et al., 2003: 278)
(6)The scheme has produced results way beyond expectation. 該方案產(chǎn)生的結(jié)果遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)超出預(yù)期。(Ibid.)
(7)He had been successful beyond his expectations. 他根本沒(méi)想到會(huì)成功。(Ibid.)
因此,原譯文宜分別改為:1. Unfortunately, the result was contrary to everybodys expectations.
2. That was totally beyond my expectations.
2.8 be strict with sth.的搭配錯(cuò)誤
原文:有些時(shí)候他的確使人怕的,因?yàn)樗麑?duì)工作是嚴(yán)厲的,雖說(shuō)在一切生活上是馬馬虎虎,不過(guò)這些受了很兇的批評(píng)的同志卻會(huì)更愛(ài)他的。
譯文:Sometimes he is really stern and forbidding because, though lax about things in his own personal life, he is very strict with work. Those who have been harshly criticized by him will nevertheless love him all the more. (張培基,2007c: 99)
原文:如今,她不能勞動(dòng)了,可是對(duì)兒子的勞動(dòng)成果,也絕不放松一針一線。
譯文:Now she is too old to work, but she is very strict with my performance. (張培基,2012: 251)
以上原譯文中的 strict with用法有誤。根據(jù)英語(yǔ)的表達(dá)習(xí)慣,be strict with 后要跟sb., 而be strict about/in/on后則跟sth.(王文昌,1988: 1624)。例如:
(1)Mom and Dad were always very strict with us kids. 爸爸媽媽過(guò)去一直對(duì)我們很?chē)?yán)格。 (Pearson Education Limited, 2003: 1442)
(2)They are very strict with their children. 他們對(duì)孩子很?chē)?yán)格。(Summers, 2005: 1747)
(3)You seem too strict with your young ones. 你對(duì)自己的孩子視乎太嚴(yán)格了。(王文昌, 1988: 1624)
(4)The hospital is quite strict about visiting hours. 醫(yī)院對(duì)探視病人的時(shí)間很?chē)?yán)格。(Pearson Education Limited, 2003: 1442)
(5)Shes very strict about things like homework. 她對(duì)作業(yè)之類(lèi)的事要求非常嚴(yán)格。(Hornby, 2004: 1748)
(6)He is strict in [on] the observance of the rules. 他嚴(yán)格遵守規(guī)則。(王文昌,1988: 1624)
因此,原譯文宜分別改為:1. Sometimes he is really stern and forbidding because, though lax about things in his own personal life, he is very strict about/in/on work. Those who have been harshly criticized by him will nevertheless love him all the more. 2. Now she is too old to work, but she is very strict about/in/on my performance.
2.9 It is banned to do sth.的搭配錯(cuò)誤
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Abstract: Generally speaking, it is comparatively easier to avoid making mistakes in vocabulary and grammar when it comes to translating Chinese into English. However, collocation mistakes would most likely appear when a translator is not careful enough about the English collocations. This paper points out some collocation mistakes in the series of translated Selected Modern Chinese Essays, analyzes the causes for these mistakes through a multitude of examples and corrects the corresponding mistakes.
Key words: modern Chinese essays; English translation; collocation; mistake; correction
作者簡(jiǎn)介:顧祖良,男,學(xué)士,常熟理工學(xué)院外國(guó)語(yǔ)學(xué)院副教授。主要從事英語(yǔ)詞匯學(xué)、語(yǔ)法學(xué)、寫(xiě)作和漢英翻譯研究。
通訊地址:江蘇省常熟市南三環(huán)路99號(hào)常熟理工學(xué)院外國(guó)語(yǔ)學(xué)院,郵編215500
E-mail: gzl9080@163.com
(責(zé)任編輯:胡德香)