语言语境分析在应用文本翻译中的运用研究

2014-09-25 01:16赵新明
卷宗 2014年8期

赵新明

摘 要:在應用文本的翻译过程中,语境分析能力是影响译者翻译水平的重要因素之一。本文将以外宣文本的翻译为例,从语言语境角度讨论译者容易出现的翻译失误,并分析其产生原因,帮助译者了解应用文本翻译中语境分析的重要性。

关键词:应用翻译;语言语境分析;外宣文本

1 引言

应用翻译又称实用翻译,国外的相应提法有practical translation, applied translation或pragmatic translation。对于应用翻译的定义,许多学者都作了分析和研究。法国翻译理论家Jean Delisle认为:“以传达信息为根本目的,运用语用学的原则来翻译实用性文本。它特别区别于传达有较强感情意义和文学意义的文学翻译。(转引自方梦之,2008:前言)应用翻译几乎包括文学及纯理论文本以外的人们日常接触和实际应用的各类文字,涉及对外宣传、社会生活、生产领域等方方面面。(方梦之,2008:前言)具体的包括科技、经贸、新闻、法律、旅游、广告、政论等各类应用文本。

语言语境(linguistic context)又称上下文语境,主要指语言本身所构成的语言使用环境,包括词、短语和语句以及篇章之间的关系等。通过对上下文的分析,可以帮助译者从语言意义方面来推断相对应的语义,排除语言信息传递过程中的很多歧义。翻译过程中要首先保证词语译得正确,段与段之间句子安排得当,文气贯通,逻辑明晰,再注重段与段之间的连接及全文的流畅。(李运兴,2003:100)只有进行语境分析,才能准确理解和传达原文中的词语、短语及语句等语言单位的意思,从而选择出适合于语境的译文。

2 应用文本翻译中的语言语境分析

2.1 词汇的选择

语言语境对于确定词汇意义和译文中的选词甚至结构的选择都有重要的作用。英国语言学家费斯(郭琳,2011:81-82)认为,“每一个词用在新的语境中就是一个新词”。只有根据语言语境即上下文语境才能理解单词、短语和语句的意思。在进行翻译时,我们就必须把握词汇的涵义并作出最佳的选择。请看以下例句:

例1:2003年11月23日,在奥地利首都维也纳金色大厅,正在举办中国著名歌唱家宋祖英的个人演唱会,当演唱会进入尾声,一首中国湘西民歌《马桑树儿搭灯台》响彻了金色大厅。

初译:On November 23rd, 2003, the Golden Concert Hall, Vienna, Austria. The personal concert by Song Zuying, the world-renowned Chinese soprano. As the concert was drawing to an end, a Xiangxi folk song named A Lampstand on the Mulberry Tree resounded through the golden hall.

定稿:November 23rd, 2003, the Golden Concert Hall, Vienna, Austria. A solo vocal concert by Song Zuying, the world-renowned Chinese soprano. As the concert was drawing to an end, a Xiangxi folk song named A Lampstand on the Mulberry Tree resounded through the golden hall.

笔者初译中 “personal”的涵义为“opinion, quality, or thing belongs or relates to one particular person rather than to other people,” 而定稿中的“solo”一词涵义是 “a piece of music or a dance performed by one person.” 可以更准确的表达此意。定稿的选词应要优于初稿。因此,译者应当根据具体的语言语境体味出词汇的内涵意义。

例2:或许是多年不唱,或许是气氛不对,胡桂香已经唱不出当年哭嫁的味道了,不仅周围的人笑,就连自己也会哭着哭着哭笑了。而在漫长的岁月里,那一曲曲悲歌,常常令听者无不为之动容。

初译:Hu Guixiang can no longer sing exactly like she did in the past, possibly because she has not practiced for a long time or she feels awkward to perform before strangers. As she sings, the folks around her start laughing, and eventually she cant help but burst into laughing too. Nonetheless, in the old days these sad crying songs always moved the listeners to tears.

定稿:Hu Guixiang can no longer sing exactly like she did in the past, possibly because she has not practiced for a long time and she feels awkward performing in front of strangers. As she sings, the folks around her start giggling, and eventually she cant help but burst into laughing too. Nonetheless, in the old days these sad crying songs always moved the listeners to tears.

中英文都有表达不同类型的“笑”,中文一般是在其前加上相应的形容词,如“微笑”、“哈哈大笑”等,英语中的笑则是不同的单词,“laughing”的意思一般是“比较大声的笑或是嘲笑”。我们通常只要看到“笑”很自然就会翻译成“laughing”。定稿中用了“giggling”(咯咯的笑)使得笑的方式更具体了,也表现了少数民族地区人们在陌生人面前想笑但又感觉羞涩的性格,这也和下文中情境语境有些关系了。

任何一种语言中都存在著大量的近义词。它们在意义和用法上的相近丰富了语言的表达形式,但其细微的差别影响我们对语言的正确使用。所以,在专业翻译的过程中,译者需要根据译语的语言语境来调整自己的表达方式,使译文用词符合译语的表达规范。

2.2 短语的搭配

搭配(collocation)指的是语言系统内各个语言成分的同现和组合,是语言语境的重要组成部分。词典中的意义解释可以帮助我们理解某个词语的基本意思。但是在具体语境的影响下词义是会发生演变的,和不同的词汇搭配以后,它的词义就会受到相邻词语的制约,从而才能明确其意义。

不同的语言中都有不同的规则来制约词汇的搭配。在应用翻译中, 我们需要根据短语的搭配关系来确定词汇的意义,不可忽视原文的干扰而产生了不恰当的搭配, 这将会影响意思的传达效果。如下例:

例3:如今哭嫁早已成为了历史,青年男女的婚姻大事已经掌握在了自己手中,土家人的婚礼也越来越喜庆,再想听到哭嫁歌已不那么容易了。

初译:The custom of crying songs has already become a history. Today, the young Tujia people decide their own marriage, and their wedding ceremonies have become more happy and joyful. Its rare to hear people sing the crying song now.

定稿:The custom of crying songs has already passed into history. Today, the young Tujia people decide their own marriage, and their wedding ceremonies have become more happy and joyful. Its rare to hear people sing the crying song now.

从中文表达上看,哭嫁的风俗成为历史是说得通的,而在英语表达中“to become a history”还是比较少,我们从become的涵义“enter or assume a certain state or condition”可以看出become是一个短暂性动词。定稿中使用了“to pass into”这个词组就是一个延续性的动词词组,更符合了译语的表达逻辑。

2.3 句子的衔接

衔接是将语句聚合在一起的语法及词汇手段的统称,是语篇表层的可见现象(李运兴,2001:132)。胡壮麟(1994)从不同角度对语篇中的衔接做了详细的介绍,如结构衔接的替代、省略和同构关系;逻辑连接的按语义范畴的添加、转折、因果和时空;按抽象逻辑语义范畴区分的详述、延伸、增强等。

衔接是实现谋篇机制的重要手段,它是一种在小句间及其以上单位间把概念意义和人际意义组成整体的谋篇意义关系。译者应掌握源语和译语的衔接手段,并能熟练运用。认识和把握好语篇中的衔接,无论理解原文还是生成译文的过程中,都有着非常重要的作用。请看下例:

例4:哩哩美在临高方言中是夸赞女性美丽的意思。而哩哩美渔歌的歌词内容也大多以情歌为主。

初译:Lee-Lee-Mei is an expression praising the female beauty in the Lingao dialect. And the lyrics of these songs in general are about love and romance.

定稿:Lee-Lee-Mei is an expression praising the female beauty in the Lingao dialect. Accordingly, the lyrics of these songs are generally about love and romance.

由于东西方思维方式的差异,语言表达不同,汉、英语句式结构有很大的不同。汉语的结构在形态上属于隐性逻辑。英语则是语法关系配合制约严谨、形态标记明显、逻辑关系外显。初稿中没有把上下文的关系展现出来,定稿中增加一个连接词“accordingly”,就把上下文内在逻辑的因果关系表现出来了。

例5:……? 千百年来,在这曾经的蛮荒之地,他们又是如何繁衍生息?有趣的是,这些问题的答案竟然掩藏在古老的方言民歌之中。

初译:And for thousands of years how they have survived and lived on an island that was once desolate and wild. Interestingly, the answers to our questions lie in those ancient folk songs sung in various Hainan dialects.

定稿:…, or how they have survived for thousands of years on an island that was once desolate and wild. Interestingly, however, the answers to our questions lie in the ancient folk songs sung in various Hainan dialects.

本句中的中文的逻辑关系也如例句4一样不明显,这就需要译者能够从中文的字里行间看出它们逻辑关系类型,定稿的译文增加了“however”,就把上下文的转折关系显现出来。

例6:近年来随着文化交流日益频繁,很多土家族古老的传统已经不容易看到。湖南永顺县双凤村因为地处偏远,交通不便,土家族传统的生活习俗在这里得到很好的保留。

初译:In recent years when cultural exchange is thriving, many Tujia old traditions have faded away. Located in Yongshun County of Hunan Province, the village has few connections with the outside world, and Tujia peoples traditional lifestyle is very well-preserved.

定稿:In recent years as cultural exchange has increased, many Tujia old traditions have faded away. But Shuangfeng Village is an exception. Located in Yongshun County of Hunan Province, the village has few connections with the outside world, and Tujia peoples traditional lifestyle is very well-preserved.

就初稿的译文本身来说,可以说在词汇、语法等语言层面上都没有错,但问题在于第二句中没有与前一句的关系联系上,汉语重意合,英语重形合。因此,译文就显得很突兀,缺乏连贯性。定稿中增加了一句过渡句,这样就使得上下文的逻辑关系能逐步推进。

对一个有意义的可接受的语篇来说,它在语言各层次(如语义、词汇、句法、语音等)的成分都可以表现出某种程度的衔接,从而是说话人在交际过程中所欲表达的意图贯通整个语篇,达到交际目的(胡壮麟, 1994:180)

2.4 段落的连贯

连贯(李运兴,2001:160)是词语、小句、句群在概念、逻辑上合理、恰当地连为一体的语篇特征。 连贯性原则要求语篇段落中各句都要前后衔接,时空顺序明晰,逻辑推进层次分明。如下例:

例7:当听到这歌声,时光仿佛在刹那间倒流千年。那古朴的旋律引领着我们穿越了历史。

大约2000年前,一支汉朝的军队在伏波将军马援的率领下登陆海南,他们在岛的西北部分散驻扎。这些地方后来成为了历代朝廷派军戍守海南的常驻地。

初译:As the song unfolds, its primitive and simple tune seems to bring us back to the ancient time.

Over 2000 years ago, an army of Han Dynasty led by Ma Yuan, the illustrious Fubo General, landed ashore on the island and camped separately in the northwestern fields. In the successive dynasties, these camping sites turned into regular garrison posts.

定稿:As the song unfolds, its primitive and simple tune seems to bring historical scenes from two thousand years ago to life.

Back in the Han Dynasty, an army led by Ma Yuan, the illustrious Fubo General, landed on the island and set up camps throughout the northwestern plains. In the succeeding dynasties, these camping sites turned into regular garrison posts.

原文前一段中“引領着我们穿越了历史”就为下文中2000年前汉朝所发生的历史事件。初译中“to bring us back to the ancient time”和“over 2000 years ago”的关系不够明确,前者的时间不一定是后者的时间。定稿的译文很巧妙地把“历史”和“2000年前”的时空关系连接起来,自然地引出下文。例句8中的情况“like this”也起到了同样作用。

例8:这里当年是湘西的政治文化中心,土家族民歌里描述了老司城当时的繁荣景象。

【歌曲】土家族山歌《颂古》土家族茅古斯传人摆手歌传人彭祖模演唱。

初译:Laosicheng used to be the political and cultural center of Xiangxi region. Tujia people describe the citys prosperity in a folk song:

Tujia Folk Song: An Ode to the Ancient Time

PengZumo, a local singer for Maogusi Dance and Hand-Waving Song

定稿:Laosicheng used to be the political and cultural center of Xiangxi region. Tujia people describe the citys prosperity in a folk song like this:

Tujia Folk Song: An Ode to the Ancient Time

PengZumo, a local singer for Maogusi Dance and Hand-Waving Song

从上述语言语境不同情况可以看出,任何一种语境下的分析,都是为了能够准确理解并清晰地传达原文的意思,让译文读者阅读流畅。

3 结语

本文主要以外宣文本的汉英翻译为例,探讨了语言语境分析在应用文本翻译中的运用。笔者认为翻译和语境有着十分密切的关系,语言语境是不可或缺的部分。译者要树立起高度的语境意识,对原文进行深入分析,把握原文的真正意图,正确理解词义、短语和语句,这样才能保证高质量的翻译, 实现英汉两种语言之间有效的转换。

注释

本文中例句均选自国新办电视宣传系列片《寻找天籁》,初译为笔者的译文,定稿是经专业译审和外籍审校校对后的译文。

参考文献

[1]方梦之. 2008. 英汉-汉英应用翻译综合教程[M]. 上海:上海外语教育出版社.

[2]李运兴. 2001. 语篇翻译引论[M]. 北京:中国对外翻译出版公司.

[3]郭 林. 2011. 论语境在翻译中的重要作用[J]. 语文学刊(4):81-82.

[4]胡壮麟. 1994. 语篇的衔接与连贯[M]. 上海:上海外语教育出版社.