用功能对等理论解读许渊冲英译诗——以《李白诗选》部分诗歌为例

摘要

本文拟用奈达的功能对等翻译理论解读许渊冲的译作英文版《李白诗选》，选取许渊冲译作《李白诗选》中部分典型的研究个例，从语音，语义，语篇，语用的角度出发，运用功能对等理论的翻译原则对译作进行分析，品位许渊冲先生唯美的翻译艺术，同时证明奈达的功能对等理论对中国的翻译实践，特别是诗歌的翻译具有重要意义，其翻译的原则对衡量译作的优劣具有指导作用。

关键词：功能对等，《李白诗选》，许渊冲

ABSTRACT

This paper aims to apply Nida's functional equivalence theory to the study of the English version of Selected Poems of Li Bai,translated by the well-known Chinese professor Xu Yuanzhong. Some typical poemswill be taken as research examples, and be analyzed from phonetic, semantic, contextual, and pragmatic perspectives. The aesthetic art of Xu Yuanzhong's translation will be appreciated in this way, and it will be proved that Nida's functional equivalence theory is significant to Chinese translation practice too, especially to poetry translation。 its principles of translation also provide a clear guidance tothe evaluation of translated works.

Keywords: functional equivalence。Selected Poems of Li Bai。Xu Yuanzhong

Contents

1.Introduction1

2.Introductions of Xu Yuanzhong and His Translated Work— Selected Poems of Li Bai2

2.1Brief introduction of Xu Yuanzhong2

2.2Xu Yuanzhong's Poetry Translation — Selected Poems of Li Bai2

3.The brief introduction of Function Equivalence of Nida4

3.1Introduction of Nida4

3.2Introduction of Functional Equivalence4

4.Analysis of Xu's Translation of Selected Poems of Li Bai from Functional Equivalence Perspective6

4.1Functional Equivalence in Sound6

4.1.1Rhyme6

4.1.2Meter7

4.2Functional Equivalence in Meaning8

4.2.1Word meaning11

4.2.2Sentence meaning12

4.3Functional Equivalence of Context13

4.3.1Linguistic Context.13

4.3.2Non - linguistic Context13

4.4Functional Equivalence in Pragmatics14

4.4.1Functional Equivalence in Reading Habits14

4.4.2Functional Equivalence in Cultural Transmission15

5.Conclusion16

Acknowledgements17

References18

1.Introduction

Functional equivalence follows the principle of equivalent effect, that is, translation consists in reproducing in the receptor language the closest natural equivalent of the source language, first in terms of meaning, and secondly in terms of style. It attempts to render texts from one language to another, and caters to the receptor's linguistic competence and cultural needs.

Classic Chinese poetry is the gem in the history of Chinese civilization. Chinese language is not burdened with cases, genders, moods, tenses, etc., neither is the classical Chinese poetry. The poets intentionally omitted some parts to break away from the limitation of time and space and leave more room for imagination, turning the individual experience into something that invites people's resonance, which is imbued with artistic characteristics.

Many scholars home and abroad have studied Li Bai's poems, and there is no doubt that Xu Yuanzhong is one of the masters of translating classic Chinese poems into English. Different scholars have different views, and we can not judge them in an arbitrary way. However, impersonally, most of Xu Yuanzhong's translations are always considered as classic. He built a bridge of appreciation between western readers and ancient Chinese poets such as Li Bai.