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冲击波英语专八系列:翻译之汉译英--哲学类(1)

2013-01-12来源:互联网

人的一生好比马拉松赛跑。人人都有最后一圈,这一圈通常属于人生道路漫长的老人。七老八十的人,穿过艰难的世途,穿过芸芸众生,穿过重重障碍,于是到了人生的最后一圈。

这一圈路程有长有短,跑得有快有慢。有的人稳健有力,从容不迫;有的人歪歪扭扭,步子不正;有的人拖拖沓沓,蹒跚不前。也有跑入歪道的人,或跑不快还要挡道的人,或不按竞赛规则乱跑的人,都是注定要失败的。

谁能跑好这最后一圈,谁就是胜利者。

背景介绍

本篇选自著名散文家何为的随笔《最后一圈》。作者把人生的晚年比作马拉松长跑的最后一圈,鼓励老年人保持晚节,跑好最后一圈,力求老有所为,发挥余热。文章条理清晰,但翻译上的一些细节做来并非易事,如原文四字格的翻译,便是本篇的难点。

难点解析

1. 好比:be likened to。

2. 人生道路漫长的老人 :意译为  “the aged who have already seen much of life”。

3. 七老八十的人 :译为  “septuagenarian and octogenarians”比 “someone whose age is in the seventies or eighties”更为简洁。

4. “穿过艰难 的世途 ,穿过芸芸众生 ,穿过重重障碍”这三个排 比是此篇 的难点之一 , 不可直译 ,须意译 ,且注意动词  “穿过”的三种不 同表达 。

5. 穿过艰难 的世途 :即  “经历迂 回曲折或艰难 的人生之旅” ,故译为  “experiencing the twists and turns of life’s j ourney”  (twists and turns 是成语 ,意为  “迂 回曲折”、  “艰难” )。

6. 穿过芸芸众生:即“遇见各式各样的人”,故译为 “meeting human beings of all descriptions ”。

7.穿过重障碍:即“经受一次又一次的险阻碍”,故译为“going through one obstacle after another”。

8.  第二段 四字格翻译较多,是本篇翻译的另一个难点。“稳健有力,从容不迫”译为  “run  with  firm  and  steady  steps and  self-possession (self-possession:the trait of resolutely controlling your own behaviour沉着,泰然自若 )。

9. 歪歪扭扭,步子不正:译为“run very unsteadily and out of step”(out of step作“步调不一致”、“不合拍”解)。

10. 拖拖沓沓 ,蹒跚不前 :译为“be sluggish and run with faltering steps”(sluggish :行动迟缓的、迟钝的;faltering :unsteady in speech or action 蹒跚的、支吾的 )。

11. 跑入歪道:意译为  “resort to dishonest practices”(resort to:依靠,求助于;诉诸 )。

12. 谁能跑好这最后一 圈 :译为  “Whoever acquits himself well on the last lap ”(acquit oneself well :表现 良好 )。

参考译文

Human life can be likened to the marathon race. All people, especially the aged who have already seen much of life, have the last lap. Septuagenarians and octogenarians are on the last lap of their lives after experiencing the twists and turns of life’s j ourney, meeting human beings of all descriptions and going through one obstacle after another.

The last lap may be long or short; the runners may be fast or slow. Some may run with firm and steady steps and self-possession; some may run very unsteadily and out of step; some may be sluggish and run with faltering steps. What is worse, some may resort to dishonest practices; some, being slow themselves, may purposely stand in the way of others; some may run without adhering to the rules of the competition. Such people are doomed to failure.

Whoever acquits himself well on the last lap is a winner.

选自 《英译中国现代散文选3 》