第七讲 直译与意译

Free translation is an alternative approach which is used mainly to convey the meaning and spirit of the original without trying to reproduce its sentence patterns or figures of speech. This approach is most frequently adopted when it is really impossible for the translator to do literal translation.
Purposes of literal translation

To convey the phenomenon in the SL To retain the “exotic flavor” in the SL

Examples



to shed crocodile tears 掉鳄鱼的眼泪 to be armed to teeth 武装到牙齿 chain reaction 连锁反应

literal translation refers to the translation that a translator tires to keep the original form and meaning, including meaning, structure, style, figure of speech, etc.


But all English sentences cannot possibly be translated literally. So we may need other ways to deal with the original sentences in translation.
Free Translation




6) The talk about raising taxes was a red flag to many voters. 意译：关于增税的谈论激怒了许多选民。
Appreciate the following poem by literal translation

再别康桥
徐志摩

轻轻地我走了， 正如我轻轻地来；
Translation Methods Literal & Free Translation



“The central problem of translating has always been whether to translate literally or freely.” —Peter Newmark The translators and scholars in the world are constantly exploiting them, some scholars think that all translators should stick to the two methods, some suppose there are utterly no methods in translation, and different people have different understanding of the methods.

wk.baidu.com
我读到他的信时既惊又喜，惊的是他还健 在，喜的是他一直没有忘记我。
Literal Translation and Word-for-Word Translation

From the examples above, it seems that the version is the word-for-word translation. But it’s just a coincidence. Because all the people own the same globe and resources and have experienced similar developing procedures, it is understandable and reasonable that they have certain similarities in some aspects.
Exercises



1) Last night I heard him driving his pigs to market. 译： 昨夜我听见他酣声如雷。 2) He is being a good boy now. 译： 他现在正乖着呢。





3) They ran away as fast as their legs could carry them. 译：他们跑得象他们的腿所能载他们的那 样快。 译： a. 他们飞快逃命，只恨爹娘没给生出四条腿。 b. 他们拼命奔逃，连吃奶的力气都用上了。
Exercises



One country, two systems 一国两制 gentlemen’s agreement 君子协定 纸老虎 paper tiger
Some Situations Suitable for Literal Translation

1. Total equivalents (完全对等)
Features of literal translation


SL-oriented Faithfulness to the original content and style Retaining original form as much as possible (including the main sentence structures/patterns, figures of speech, images, etc.) Ease and smoothness in expression
Features of Free Translation


TL-oriented Faithfulness to the original content Ease and smoothness in expression Necessary changes to the original form (including the main sentence structures or patterns, rhetorical devices, images, etc.)


When there are total equivalents in both the languages, we may use literal translation. E.g.

2. Though the expressions in two languages are different, we can find the equivalents in the tone of the both languages. In this case we prefer to use the method of literal translation.(某些句式两种语言表达方式不 同，但总的语气基本对应，仍可采用直 译。)

1. Partly as a result of the recently increasing demand, wholesale tea prices have almost doubled. 结果

部分原因来自于日益增长的需求，导致茶 的批发价几乎翻了一翻。原因

2. I read this letter with both surprise and excitement, surprise because he is still around, excitement because he didn’t even forget me.




Free Tr.: to mainly convey the meaning and spirit of the original without trying to reproduce its sentence patterns or figures of speech; alternative method of literal tr.; it’s also known as sense-for-sense translation





2. Many of his ideas are especially interesting to modern youth. 他的许多思想对当代青年特别有趣。(×) 他的许多观点，当代青年特别感兴趣。 3. 好好学习，天天向上 Good good study, day day up！(×) Study hard and you will make progress every day.


那河畔的金柳， 是夕阳中的新娘。 波光里的艳影， 在我的心头荡漾。


The golden willows by the riverside Are young brides in the setting sun. Their reflections on the shimmering waves Always linger in the depth of my heart.



Literal Tr.: not to alter the original words and sentences; to strive to keep the sentiments and style of the original; it takes sentences as its basic unit and the whole text into consideration at the same time in the course of translating; it strives to reproduce both the ideological content and style of the entire literary work and retain as much as possible the features of speech and such main sentence structures or patterns as SV, SVO, SVC, SVA, SVOO, SVOC, SVOA.
我轻轻地招手， 作别西天的云彩。

Saying Good-bye to Cambridge Again


Very quietly I take my leave; As quietly as I came here; Quietly I wave good-bye, To the rosy clouds in the western sky.


4) Justice has long arms. 译：法律有长胳膊。 译： 天网恢恢，疏而不漏。
5) Their language was almost unrestrained by any motive of prudence. 意译：他们几乎爱讲什么就讲什么， 都没 有顾及到什么谨慎不谨慎的问题。




4. 哪 里！ 哪 里！ Where! Where! (×) Thank you. (It’s very kind of you to say so.)
5. We saw an acrobat standing on his head. (×) 我们看见一个杂技演员正站在他的头上。 我 们看见一个杂技演员正在倒立。

Actually, literal translation is not Word-forWord Translation, the latter is dead translation. Examples: 1. It was an old and ragged moon. 那是一个又老又破的月亮。(×) 这是一弯下弦残月。