《实用翻译教程》学习辅导书 笔记及习题(回译练习)【圣才出品】

第11章回译练习

11.1 复习笔记

回译，就是对译文进行再次翻译，把自己或别人的译文翻回原文，这种翻译方法在英语里被称为back translation。通过回译来检验译文的准确性。

篇章的回译要比句子的回译难一些，既要考虑到每一个字、词、句的准确性，又要顾及到通篇的风格。

回译练习也是翻译实践的一个重要组成部分。

11.2 翻译示例汇总

一、中国古诗回译

I live by the Long River near its source,

While you reside farthest down its course

You and I drink water out of the same stream.

I haven’t seen you, though daily of you I dream.

When will this river water cease to run?

When shall I not love you, the way I do?

I only wish our two hearts would beat as one;

You wouldn’t disappoint me in my love for you.

参考译文一：

我住长江头，君住长江尾巴。

日日思君不见君，共饮长江水。

此水几时休，此恨几时已？

只愿君心似我心，定不负相思意。参考译文二：

源头之水伴我行，长江尾端是你径。你我共饮一江水，念你想你未见归。何时江水不再流，何日爱你到尽头。只愿两心共沉浮，不负爱你有心人。参考译文三：

长江之源是我家，长江之尾你长大。有缘共饮一江水，无缘相见思断肠。何时此水不东流？何时我才熬到头？但愿两心长相印，慰我痴痴不剪情。参考译文四：

只恨我住长江头，可叹君住长江口。你我共饮长江水，日夜思君不聚首。此水何时能倒流，此情此爱何时休？只愿君心似我心，不负奴家满心愁。

二、汉译英作品回译

A pretty kick-up①has been the order of the day again in our compound lately, for a life has been lost.

But this isn’t the way to open the ball②. We should go the whole animal.

First, a few words about myself. I’m a fortune-teller. Once I was a vender of sour dates, groundnuts and what not③. But that was ages ago. Now I keep a fortune-teller’s stall on the side-walk and can scrape up three or five dimes a day at best. My old gal④had long kicked up her heels⑤. My son’s a ricksha⑥-boy. That’s what he’s. We two, father and son, hang our hats⑦at a south-facing room in the Liu’s compound.

Besides the room we occupy there are twenty more rooms in the same compound. How many families live there, only God knows. Those who occupy two rooms are quite few. Besides, they are always on the go⑧. I haven’t got such a good memory as to remember all that. When people meet, they greet each other with a “How do you do?”just to show their good neighborly feelings. But if they should cut each other dead⑨, nobody would care. When one’s knocked about⑩from pillar to⑪ post for his bread⑫ day in and day out⑬, he won’t find ginger⑭ enough for gas⑮ and gaiters. Of course, there’s those who are all jaw⑯ like a sheep’s head among us. But one can hardly be in a mood for rag⑰-chewing when one’s guts⑱cry cupboard.

The Wang family occupies two rooms. Old Wang and I are considered the genteel folk in the compound. Gentility be hanged⑲!

【参考译文】

这两天我们大院里又透着热闹，出了人命。

事情可不能由这儿说起，得打头来。

先交代我自己吧。我是个算命的先生，我也卖过酸枣、落花生什么的。那可是先前的事了。现在我在街上摆卦摊儿；好了呢，一天也抓弄三毛五毛的。老伴儿早死啦，儿子拉洋车。我们爷儿俩住着柳家大院的一间北房。

除了我这间北房，大院里还有二十多间房呢。一共住着多少家子，谁说得清？住两间房的就不多，又搭上今儿个搬来，明儿个又搬来，我没那么好的记性。大家见面，招呼声“吃了吗？”透着和气，不说呢，也没什么。大家一天到晚为嘴奔命，没有工夫扯闲盘儿。爱说话的自然也有。可得先吃饱啦。

王家住两间房。老王和我算是柳家大院最“文明”的人了。“文明”是三孙子！

【解析】

1. kick-up：有了问题，出了毛病

2. open the ball：作为开头

3. what not：诸如此类的东西

4. old gal：（口）老伴

5. kicked up one’s heels：（俚）死

6. ricksha：人力车，黄包车

7. hang one’s hats on：指望，依靠

8. on the go：（口）忙个不停

9. cut sb dead：不理睬某人

10. knock about：（口）漂泊，游荡

11. from pillar to post：四处奔走着，到处碰壁地，