(单词翻译:单击)
意合法和形合法 翻译理论与实践
形合法(hypotaxis)是指句子与词的组合在外部形态上有明显的标记,当形态标记不充分的时候,还可用其他语法手段来显示词组、句子、句群中各成分之间的相互关系;而意合法(parataxis)是指词与词、句子和句子之间的组合往往在外部形态上没有明显的标志,而主要依靠意义上的关联来"粘合".英语和汉语属于不同语系,在句法上各具特色,大相径庭。尽管两种语言中均有形合法和意合法,但总的来说,英语句法形式要求比较严格,是重形合的语言,各种语法范畴在其中都有全面的体现,如有较明显的形态标记、较鲜明的词类及丰富的连词等。英语的形合手段多种多样,主要运用连词、关系代词或关系副词,此外还使用分词、动名词、介词短语和不定式。较之英语,汉语却没有严格意义的形态变化,没有显形的词类分别,是重意合的语言。汉语句子除依靠意义去组合外,还有一套句法联系手段,如采用语序、词语本身、词汇接应、结构平行、重叠形式、重复、推理和非推理等"粘合"手段进行意合。对汉语语句的理解常常是靠对语义关系的敏感性和语境达到的,而不是求助于话语的形式完备。由于英汉两种语言在形合法和意合法上的差别,因此英译汉时可根据实际情况分别采用意合法或形合法。
一.采用意合法
由于英语的句式重形合.汉语的重意合,所以英译汉时许多具有形合特点的英语句式有必要转换成具有意合特点的汉语句式。翻译如果一味拘泥于原文的形式,保留其形合的特点,往往会使译文罗嗦、不自然,形成翻译腔。
试比较下面各英文例子的两组汉语译文:
(1) He spoke so well that everybody was convinced of his innocence.
a. 他说得那么好听,以至于每一个人都相信他是无辜的。
b. 他说的那样好听,谁都相信他是无辜的。
(2) If you turn to the left, you will find our institute at a distance.
a. 如果你向左转弯, 你就可以远远看到我们学校。
b. 向左转弯就可以远远看到我们学校。
(3) I can't trust him, because he is not honest.
a. 因为他不老实,所以我不相信他。
b. 他不老实, 我不相信他。
(4) We took off and flew over the city and slowly gained height.
a. 我们起飞了并且飞过城市并且慢慢飞高。
b. 我们起飞了,飞过城市,慢慢飞高。
(5) The cat ate the mouse that ate the malt that lay in the corner of the house.
a. 猫吃了那只吃了放在房子角落里的麦芽糖的耗子。
b. 猫吃了耗子,耗子吃了放在房子角落里的麦芽糖。
以上英语句子中的各个成分(如词、词组、分句)之间都有连接词(so that; if; and; because; that)来表示相互之间的逻辑关系,结构形式比较严谨。通过比较各例的两个汉语译文,我们就会发现:译文a保留了原文的重形合的特点,因而显得生硬罗嗦,"翻译腔"十足;而译文b舍弃了原文的重形合的特点,采用汉语意合的方法组合句式,即将原文的连接词略去,然后按汉语的表达方式对原句进行必要的改组(先发生的事情先讲, 后发生的后讲,消除原先形合的痕迹),因而译文读起来更符合汉语的表达习惯。由此看来,许多英语句子的翻译只有完全摆脱英语原文形合结构的束缚,采用汉语意合法来组词成句、组句成篇,才能使译文流转自如,简明通顺。而要做到这一点,译者必须先将原文的思想内容融会于心,然后根据汉语的语言特点,略去语意上显得多余、表达上感觉繁琐或可有可无的词或词组,用规范和地道的汉语译出原文。以下是采用意合法翻译的各种类型的句子:
A. 简单句
(1) I was too tired to talk with you. 我很累,不能同你说话。
(2) We never meet without a parting. 有聚就有散。
(3) He lived neither for fame nor for personal gains. 他活着不为名不为利。
B. 并列句
(1) We have studied English for a year and we can act English. 我们学了一年英文, 已经能够演英文剧了。
(2) The door was opened, and the audience came crowding in. 门开了,观众一拥而入。
(3) And with this, and a proud bow to his patrons, the Manager retires, and the curtain rises.领班的说到这里,向观众深深的鞠了一躬,退到后台,幕起。
C. 复合句
(1) When I was reading a book, she came in. 我正在看书,她进来了。
(2) I'll let you know as soon as it is arranged. 一安排好就通知你。
(3) It has been a long time since I saw you. 好久不见了。
(4) As she talked on she got more and more excited. 她越讲越兴奋。
(5) I knew nothing about it until he told me. 他告诉我了我才知道。
(6) Come when you are free. 有空就来。
(7) If winter comes, can spring be far behind? 冬天来了, 春天还会远吗?
(8) He was a free-will agent and he chose to do careful work, and if he failed, he took the responsibility without subterfuge.他是个自有主意的人,干活就要认真干好, 没干好, 他就承担责任, 决不借故推委。
(9) There was something remarkable in his manner of doing so, though I could not have said for my life what.他这一举一动我总觉得有点奇特,奇特在哪里我又说不上。
(10) Whatever you like to eat, just tell me.想吃什么, 只管告诉我。
(11) A wind blows so bitterly that the orphanage boys reach the door with fingers stiff in an agony of numbness. 在呼啸的寒风中, 孤儿院的男孩将一份份牛奶端到育婴房去, 一天得跑两趟呢。 他们走到门口时, 手指冻得僵硬, 一点儿都不听使唤。
(12)) At daylight I was half wakened by the sound of chopping. Again it was so even in texture that I went back to sleep. 第2天黎明时分, 一阵劈柴声搅得我似醒非醒。 那拍子依然不紧不慢, 又把我带回梦乡。
(13) The cook turned pale, and asked the housemaid to shut the door, who asked Brittle, who asked the tinker, who pretended not to hear.厨子的脸发起白来, 要使唤丫头把门关上, 丫头叫布利特尔去,布利特尔叫补锅匠去,补锅匠却装着没听见。
二.采用形合法
意合法虽然是汉语的主要特征, 但这并不意味着英语的形合句译成汉语时统统得用意合法。事实上现代汉语也具有形合的特征,所不同的只这一形式特点不及意合法那么显著而已。汉语中有不少表示因果、目的、转折、条件等逻辑连接词或起关连作用的副词,如"由于、因此、以至、与其……不如、既…又…、只要.…就.…、才…"等,它们能使汉语句子成分和句子与句子之间的逻辑关系更加清晰,不易产生歧义。含有这些连接词的句子与一些意合句相比措辞上显得更加正式、语气更加庄严。英译汉时,如果采用意合法来翻译会造成句意费解、逻辑白明,就可采用形合法来翻译。
例如:
(1) I can't tell you anything when you won't listen. 既然你不听, 我就什么也不对你说。
(2) She has her weakness, but that doesn't mean she is not qualified for the job. 她有缺点但这并不是说她不能胜任这项工作。
(3) You don't have to worry as long as we are here. 只要我们在你就别担心。
(4) Since I shall be here again tomorrow, I won't wait any longer. 反正我明天还来, 现在就不等了。
(5) Hardly had we started off when it began to rain. 我们刚要出发就下雨了。
(6) Elsie, flushed with pride, happiness, and the sweet champagne and already looking more of a Dulver, was compelled to respond. 埃尔西由于骄傲、喜悦, 又喝了几杯甜香槟酒而脸色通红, 更像达尔佛家的人了。现在她只好站起来致答词。
(7) In the 1950s most Americans believed parents should stay in an unhappy marriage to avoid damaging the children.在50年代, 多数美国人认为, 做父母的即使婚姻不美满, 也要维持下去, 以免伤害孩子。
其次,我们还可以采用形合法翻译英语中一些带有意合特征的句子或汉语与之"形似"的句子。
(1) A clear conscience laughs at false accusations. 只要问心无愧,别人的指责可以一笑置之。
(2) Winter finds out what summer lays by. 到了冬天才知道夏天储存东西的重要。
(3) His youth got him off. 由于他年轻, 他得到了宽恕。
(4) With all his shortcomings, he was a conscientious worker.尽管他有缺点, 但工作却是勤勤恳恳的。
(5) The book sells well. 书卖得好。
(6) The cloth needs cleaning. 衣服要洗了