林巍
【原文】
Parties and Presidency (I)
[1] Why does the American presidency alternate between Republicans and Democrats? It’s not a requirement but it does seem that way. [2] Technically, any party can win a presidential election, but American politics favor a two party system. [3] Although the Founding Fathers made no mention of parties in the constitution—and in fact argued against the idea in The Federalist Papers, (they called them “factions”)—parties emerged almost immediately in the young republic. [4] Since then, the Republicans and Democrats have become the two major parties and used their power to make a third party winning the White House highly unlikely. [5] The country doesn’t like one party in power too long and when that party isn’t cutting it, they run to the other party.
【點(diǎn)評(píng)】
美國(guó)建國(guó)二百余年來,雖歷經(jīng)風(fēng)雨,但終歸穩(wěn)定、繁榮、強(qiáng)大,基礎(chǔ)在于其政治制度。
就題目而言,多數(shù)參賽者譯成了“政黨與總統(tǒng)”,但presidency不是 president,其義為the position of being the president or the period of time during which someone is president,即“總統(tǒng)/主席職位”或“總統(tǒng)制”,如:①one of the leading candidates for the presidency(總統(tǒng)職位的主要候選人之一)②He was already preparing his run for the presidency.(他已經(jīng)開始為參選總統(tǒng)做準(zhǔn)備了。)③The European Union’s rotating presidency passed from Sweden to Belgium.(歐盟輪值主席國(guó)由瑞典換成了比利時(shí)。)還有參賽者譯成“美國(guó)兩黨和總統(tǒng)選舉”,則有些“過”了,因美國(guó)不只有兩黨,還有如茶黨(Tea Party)之類的小黨,而presidency也不等于“總統(tǒng)選舉”(presidential election)。有些參賽者漏譯或部分漏譯題目。本段標(biāo)題不妨譯為:黨派與總統(tǒng)制(一)。
[1]中,首句參賽者多譯成“為什么美國(guó)總統(tǒng)總在共和黨與民主黨之間輾轉(zhuǎn)?”“為什么共和黨和民主黨會(huì)在美國(guó)總統(tǒng)的位置上輪流坐莊?”“為何美國(guó)總統(tǒng)不是來自共和黨就是民主黨?”等,其中對(duì)于alternate的拿捏似可更到位些,如“輪流擔(dān)任”。次句大都譯成“雖然沒有明文要求,卻是一貫的作風(fēng)”“表面看這像是制度要求,事實(shí)上不是”“表面上看是黨派需要,其實(shí)不是”等,其中的requirement顯然不只是“要求”,如:① Patience is a requirement in teaching.(耐心是教學(xué)的必備條件。)②Nevertheless, in most cases the “federal” requirement poses little difficulty.(不過,在大多數(shù)情況下, “聯(lián)邦”的規(guī)定很少遇到麻煩。)③Evidence of basic proficiency in English is part of the admission requirement.(英語基本熟練是入學(xué)條件之一。)此處可譯為“規(guī)定”。而it does seem that way,語氣可稍加強(qiáng)。故此部分不妨譯為:為什么共和黨人和民主黨人會(huì)輪流擔(dān)任美國(guó)總統(tǒng)?這雖不是規(guī)定,但似乎確實(shí)如此。
[2]中,Technically,容易譯成“從技術(shù)上講”“嚴(yán)格來講”等,其實(shí)對(duì)于該詞的理解可更加寬泛些,如:① Technically he was still the chairman, although he was on his way out and I was running the company.(雖然他即將離任,而且當(dāng)時(shí)是由我管理公司,但他名義上仍然是董事長(zhǎng)。)②The tomato is technically a fruit.(從專業(yè)上講,番茄是一種果實(shí)。)③As the governing power of a sovereign nation, the U. S. government is technically responsible only to the American people.(美國(guó)政府是一個(gè)主權(quán)國(guó)家的行政權(quán)力機(jī)構(gòu),從理論上講,它只對(duì)美國(guó)人民負(fù)責(zé)。)此處不妨譯為“理論上講”。favor大都譯成了“偏愛”“傾向”“青睞”等,但其一般意思是an advantage to the benefit of someone or something,如:①The outcome was in his favor.(結(jié)果對(duì)他有利。)②The French say they favor a transition to democracy.(法國(guó)人說他們傾向于向民主過渡。)③You did us a great favor by disposing of that problem.(你解決了那個(gè)問題,可算是幫了我們一個(gè)大忙。)但 favor a two party system,可譯成“傾向于兩黨制”,亦可為“實(shí)屬兩黨政治”。故此句不妨譯為:理論上講,任何一方都可贏得美國(guó)總統(tǒng)大選,但美國(guó)政治實(shí)屬兩黨制。
[3]中,對(duì)于這一長(zhǎng)句,很多參賽者都按原文句式譯成:“雖然開國(guó)先驅(qū)們并沒有在憲章中論及多黨問題——且事實(shí)上,聯(lián)邦黨人文集中(他們稱其為‘派系’)還載有他們針對(duì)該思想的爭(zhēng)論——在年輕的共和國(guó)建立之初,幾乎同時(shí),多政黨就出現(xiàn)了。”“雖然開國(guó)元?jiǎng)撞o在憲法中提及政黨——事實(shí)上他們反對(duì)聯(lián)邦政府文件中的這種觀點(diǎn)(他們稱其為‘派系’)——之后政黨幾乎瞬間出現(xiàn)在了這個(gè)初立的共和國(guó)之中?!薄氨M管美國(guó)的開國(guó)元?jiǎng)讉冊(cè)谥贫▏?guó)家憲法的時(shí)候并未提及‘政黨’——實(shí)際上,從《聯(lián)邦黨人文集》看來,他們甚至還反對(duì)這一概念,而是使用‘派別’一詞——然而,在這個(gè)年輕的共和國(guó),政黨仍然立刻就產(chǎn)生了?!逼渲械膖he Founding Fathers,可譯為“開國(guó)元?jiǎng)住薄皠?chuàng)建者”,faction為 “派系”等都沒問題,但no mention of parties、argued against the idea、parties emerged almost immediately等值得推敲,特別是對(duì)于破折號(hào)的使用和其中的內(nèi)容,則可作些更靈活的處理,如可用括號(hào)代替,以更自然:盡管美國(guó)的創(chuàng)建者們?cè)趹椃ㄖ胁⑽刺峒啊包h派”(事實(shí)上他們?cè)凇堵?lián)邦黨人文集》中據(jù)理反對(duì)這一概念,將其稱為“派系”),然而,政黨與年輕的共和國(guó)幾乎相伴而生。
[4]中,對(duì)于winning the White House,容易譯成“贏得白宮”“贏得大選”,固然不錯(cuò),然而此處的win譯為“入主”更貼切。“入主”,一般詞典沒有收入,但顧名思義,“入”是由外到內(nèi),“主”是掌管權(quán)力或成為財(cái)物的所有者。此句似可譯為:自此,共和黨和民主黨便成為兩大主要政黨,他們利用其權(quán)勢(shì),使得第三方很難入主白宮。
[5]中,The country (doesn’t like one party in power too long),似乎是“國(guó)家”,但推敲起來,國(guó)家怎么會(huì)“不喜歡”?國(guó)家是由“民眾”組成的,特別是在民主國(guó)家,指的是“選民”。對(duì)于cut it在此處的翻譯, 應(yīng)當(dāng)說需費(fèi)斟酌:其本義是“切開”“斷開”,但不宜機(jī)械理解,而可作相應(yīng)變通,如 emulators just don’t cut it, 不是“模擬器不能切斷它”,而是“模擬器不能替代它”,而 when that party isn’t cutting it,可理解為“該政黨政績(jī)不佳”。they run to the other party,怎么體現(xiàn)run to?實(shí)際是通過投票。綜合而言,該句不妨譯為:美國(guó)民眾不喜歡某個(gè)政黨長(zhǎng)期執(zhí)政,若該黨政績(jī)不佳,選民便會(huì)轉(zhuǎn)而投票給另一政黨。
應(yīng)當(dāng)說,對(duì)于美國(guó)黨派與總統(tǒng)制的認(rèn)識(shí),不但是理解當(dāng)代美國(guó)也是做好相關(guān)翻譯的基礎(chǔ)。
【優(yōu)勝者】
溫丹萍(廣東)? ? 鄧文佳(上海)? ? 張小琴(北京)? ? 張建英(云南)