2012年5月31日 星期四

Life is no ‘brief candle’

 尹仲容先生1949.7.17致沈怡:" .......在檢討之中  知人私其所私之風氣瀰漫中國  蓋知對人無  Cooperation對事無 Coordination   非虛言也.......最近閱Vogt 的The Road to Survival 雖屬於悲觀 然係確有見地之書......" (《尹仲容先生年譜初稿》頁100 已更正作者及書名)
沈怡是尹仲容的摯友沈雲龍編著《尹仲容先生年譜初稿》收他的"跋" 
文末引蕭伯納的:"
他忙碌得不想到死  他為生活的目的而欣賞
      生活不是殘燭 而是光亮的火炬
把握著這一煞那
       要使它盡量發光傳遞給後一代!"*
* 翻譯有點改動原文可能是
I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake.
Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me. It is sort of a splendid torch which I have a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it over to future generations”.

2012年5月28日 星期一

“interpreter” v translating



Friendly Ump: Japanese Ballplayer Wins at Supreme Court

Associated Press
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito
The legal team of former Japanese professional baseball player Kouichi Taniguchi hit a home run at the U.S. Supreme Court, as a dictionary-wielding Justice Samuel Alito ruled for a 6-3 majority that Mr. Taniguchi’s interpretation of the word “interpreter” was correct.
As we have reported, Mr. Taniguchi lost a suit against a hotel in Saipan over an injury he suffered in 2006 when his leg fell through a wooden deck. A 1978 federal law says the victor in such cases can recoup the cost of “interpreters” from the loser. The question before the Supreme Court was whether the hotel could bill Mr. Taniguchi about $5,000 for its costs translating written documents in connection with the case.
Justice Alito said translating documents doesn’t count as interpretation. His reasoning relied heavily on dictionaries current in 1978, most of which defined an interpreter as one who translates oral communication. The Oxford English Dictionary included a definition of an interpreter as one who translates “books or writings,” but described that definition as obsolete, Justice Alito wrote.
The decision proved again that noted appeals court Judge Richard Posner of Chicago is a power hitter at the Supreme Court. While other appellate courts had found that “interpreter” includes translators of written material, Judge Posner ruled otherwise in 2006, prompting the Supreme Court review to resolve the conflict. Justice Alito cited Judge Posner’s comment that no one would refer to the translator of the Iliad and the Odyssey as an English-language “interpreter” of those works. Chief Justice John Roberts and justices Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas and Elena Kagan joined the majority.
Three dissenters offered a different interpretation. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, joined by justices Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor, said it was hard to distinguish between interpretation and translation. She cited the example of a linguist being asked to read aloud a sight translation of a document in court.
Justice Ginsburg said the law was “not so clear as to leave no room for interpretation,” and she said she preferred to reach an outcome that would harmonize with the existing practice in most federal courts of allowing the costs for written translation.
In a court full of legal arcana, this case was simple enough for anyone with a dictionary to play along. Offer your interpretation in the comments.

2012年5月26日 星期六

記憶 藝術之touch and precision梁思成與 林徽因


我利用Amazon 的有限文本對照林徽因與梁思成 (費慰梅台北 時報出版 2000)
起碼史景遷的序文沒譯好
只舉末段為例


我們記得的當然是我們想記得的,而不是只要發生了就會記得住。*如果願意的話,我們可以把那些過往全擱在心裡頭。那是梁 思成在文化大革命中噩夢般的情景:他 的脖子上掛塊黑板,坦承「叛國」,木然面對周遭的譏笑,臉龐籠罩著一層「無盡的羞辱」。但我要感謝費慰梅,對我來說,那些情景都被另一幅畫面所取代:我看 到小思成在日本海邊偷潛下水,伸出小手想去揪自以為是的康有為的鬍鬚,以及思成那些嚴謹、優美的圖畫和書法。我還看到,不是在 1955 年寒冽的北京死於肺結核,來不及看到最後一堵龐大的古城牆轟然倒塌的徽音;而是在 1932 年北京舊家,孩子和友朋的笑鬧聲在客廳裡迴響著,徽音燦笑如花,書桌上放著未竟的詩稿,腦海裡卻跳動著在未來幾個月中去考察未知的古老廟宇的計畫。我還看 到,思成和徽音一塊兒乘火車、坐卡車,甚至搭驢車碾過人跡罕至的泥濘小徑,直到爬上了中國歷史的樑架之間,指尖沿精巧的木工細紋撫摩而過,讚嘆那已經永遠 失落了的藝術內涵與精緻**。 1993 年 11 月 8 日 耶魯大學



*我們能記得的,當然,是 我們想記得的,以及源頭資料的有無或詳簡

**touch and precision 精致又精密



讀 第一部
Preparations 翻譯成"啟蒙" 不太好

第一章"梁家長子"    莊子的典故事應該有白話文給讀者參考 (頁7)

 葉公子高將使於齊,問於仲尼曰:「王使諸梁也甚重,齊之待使者,蓋將甚敬而不急。匹夫猶未可動,而況諸侯乎!吾甚慄之。子常語諸梁也,曰:『凡事若小若 大,寡不道以懽成。事若不成,則必有人道之患;事若成,則必有陰陽之患。若成若不成而後無患者,唯有德者能之。』吾食也,執粗而不臧,爨無欲清之人。今吾 朝受命而夕飲冰,我其內熱與!吾未至乎事之情,而既有陰陽之患矣;事若不成,必有人道之患。是兩也,為人臣者不足以任之,子其有以語我來!」仲尼曰:「天 下有大戒二:其一,命也;其一,義也。子之愛親,命也,不可解於心;臣之事君,義也,無適而非君也,無所逃於天地之間。是之謂大戒。是以夫事其親者,不擇 地而安之,孝之至也;夫事其君者,不擇事而安之,忠之盛也;自事其心者,哀樂不易施乎前,知其不可奈何而安之若命,德之至也。為人臣子者,固有所不得已, 行事之情而忘其身,何暇至於悅生而惡死!夫子其行可矣!丘請復以所聞:凡交,近則必相靡以信,遠則必忠之以言,言必或傳之。夫傳兩喜兩怒之言,天下之難者 也。夫兩喜必多溢美之言,兩怒必多溢惡之言。凡溢之類妄,妄則其信之也莫,莫則傳言者殃。故法言曰:『傳其常情,無傳其溢言,則幾乎全。』且以巧鬥力者, 始乎陽,常卒乎陰,大至則多奇巧;以禮飲酒者,始乎治,常卒乎亂,大至則多奇樂。凡事亦然。始乎諒,常卒乎鄙;其作始也簡,其將畢也必巨。夫言者,風波 也;行者,實喪也。風波易以動,實喪易以危。故忿設無由,巧言偏辭。獸死不擇音,氣息茀然,於是並生心厲。剋核大至,則必有不肖之心應之,而不知其然也。 苟為不知其然也,孰知其所終!故法言曰:『無遷令,無勸成。』過度,益也。遷令、勸成殆事,美成在久,惡成不及改,可不慎與!且夫乘物以遊心,託不得已以 養中,至矣。何作為報也!莫若為致命。此其難者。」
 http://www.amazon.com/Liang-Lin-Partners-Exploring-Architectural/dp/0812220404/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1#reader_0812220404
此處英文對原作的解釋和解釋的中文翻譯上都待商榷



由於本譯書將"參考資料"略去 所以我們不知道文中的話梁啟超父子的問答和家信 是否參考過原文
 
不用讀原文    或許可知道翻譯還原的問題:

"梁任公先生年譜長編初稿" 不是 "梁啟超年譜"  梁任公先生年譜長編初稿

"清華學校" 不是"清華學堂" (頁10)

"畢業紀念冊"  yearbook不是"年刊" (頁11)





Wilma Fairbank,"Liang and Lin: Partners in Explor...

Wilma Fairbank,"Liang and Lin: Partners in Exploring China's Architectural Past" 梁思成與林徽音──探索中國建築的伴侶

 


有時候 譯者加注 想幫讀者了解 卻可能出錯
本書中對沈從文的譯注就是一例
沈先生沒在故宮任職過   解放後的"職務" : (Wikipedia)

 1950年1978年北京中國歷史博物館任文物研究員;1978年1988年中國社會科學院研究所任研究員。






2012年5月23日 星期三

Fortune 和 Aspiration ,《天生英哲》(Yankee from Olympus)

今日世界出版社的《天生英哲》(Yankee from Olympus), 1944, 香港1962年初版--採用《讀者文摘》的摘要版 , 1975年八版



這本書的結尾  引下述演講詞 HOLMES' 1884 MEMORIAL DAY SPEECH 
黑體字部分:

But, nevertheless, the generation that carried on the war has been set apart by its experience. Through our great good fortune, in our youth our hearts were touched with fire. It was given to us to learn at the outset that life is a profound and passionate thing. While we are permitted to scorn nothing but indifference, and do not pretend to undervalue the worldly rewards of ambition, we have seen wih our own eyes, beyond and above the gold fields, the snowy heights of honor, and it is for us to bear the report to those who come after us. But, above all, we have learned that whether a man accepts from Fortune her spade, and will look downward and dig, or from Aspiration her axe and cord, and will scale the ice, the one and only success which it is his to command is to bring to his work a mighty heart.
思果先生的翻譯是:
"不管一個人是從幸運女神那兒接受了他的鏟子低下頭去挖土 或是希女神那兒接受了他斧頭和繩往冰上爬 唯一屬於他的成功在於做事要有一顆剛毅的心。"


 我對翻譯的一些看法: 這牽涉到神話"希望女神"的翻譯,可商榷。Aspiration是與"幸運"對比 或許是"努力女神"。"努力" (自力奮鬥)即 action of desiring and striving for something"....
我根據Shorter O.E.D   ,"aspiration"詞句 的一句 B. Bainbridge的
 "His entire life, with its small triumphs and disasters, its boundless hopes and aspirations for the future."
 其中hopes 和 aspirations是 對比

 末句"唯一屬於他的" 或許可改成"唯一他能控制的,就是成功在於做事要有一顆剛毅的心。"..




2012年5月19日 星期六

加油添醋的翻譯: 古代藝術與儀式


加油添醋的翻譯

英文
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17087/17087-h/17087-h.htm
中文
http://www.books.com.tw/exep/prod/lookinside.php?item=CN10114787



古代藝術與儀式 E. H. Gombrich, Review of Dora and Erwin P...

2012年5月14日 星期一

〈通訳〉たちの幕末維新 I can speak Dutch

〈通訳〉たちの幕末維新 (木村直樹さん)

 

表紙画像 著者:木村直樹  出版社:吉川弘文館 価格:¥ 2,940

 

 

[文]石田祐樹  [掲載]2012年04月22日

 ■転換する時代を生き抜く力

 嘉永6(1853)年6月。浦賀沖にやって来たペリー艦隊に、最初に接触した日本の通訳・堀達之助は「I can speak Dutch(私はオランダ語を話すことができる)」とまことにみごとな英語で言った――と米国側の記録は記している。
 堀の言葉は、当時の日本の通訳の語学力を端的に示したものだ。英語はわかるが、自由に使いこなせるのはオランダ語である、と。開国と英語の時代へ、大きく転換していくことを予感させる象徴的な一言だ。
 その後、堀は投獄されたり、開成所(のちの東大)教授のまま箱館へ派遣されたりし、明治27(1894)年、72歳で大阪に没した。
  この本は、堀をはじめ、幕末維新を生き抜いた長崎のオランダ語通訳(通詞(つうじ))たちの群像を描いている。英語も学び、欧米の思考法を身につけて大審 院院長(今の最高裁長官)になった者や、新政府に仕えた者、活版印刷技術の導入にかかわり印刷業を始めた者……。「肉声を伝える史料が少なくて苦労しまし た」と言うが、記録を突き合わせ、墓地を探すなどの積み重ねが実を結んだ。
 高校時代、ベルリンの壁が崩れるのを見て「国家の枠組みはどう成り立っているのか」と興味を持った。東大史料編纂(へんさん)所の助教となった今は熊本・細川家の文書を活字化する『大日本近世史料』の編集と、自らの研究の「二足のわらじ」を履く。
 「語学だけでなく、技術はどんどん変わり、すぐ使えなくなります。でも、それまでに身につけてきたものと、精神のしなやかさでしのいでいける。何もない時代にここまでやれる人たちがいた、ということを知れば、勇気が出てくると思います」
    ◇
 吉川弘文館・2940円

2012年5月4日 星期五

a kind of freemasonry/ 省略

原野長宵 (今日世界 1964再版) 為什麼要這樣翻譯My Antonia 此書我在40年前台中USIS 沒借讀湯新楣的翻譯還不錯引言特好"里"等不一致
不過小可討論的問題還很多 譬如說第一段末"一種自然間的友情"



LAST summer I happened to be crossing the plains of Iowa in a season of intense heat, and it was my good fortune to have for a traveling companion James Quayle Burden—Jim Burden, as we still call him in the West. He and I are old friends—we grew up together in the same Nebraska town—and we had much to say to each other. While the train flashed through never-ending miles of ripe wheat, by country towns and bright-flowered pastures and oak groves wilting in the sun, we sat in the observation car, where the woodwork was hot to the touch and red dust lay deep over everything. The dust and heat, the burning wind, reminded us of many things. We were talking about what it is like to spend one's childhood in little towns like these, buried in wheat and corn, under stimulating extremes of climate: burning summers when the world lies green and billowy beneath a brilliant sky, when one is fairly stifled in vegetation, in the color and smell of strong weeds and heavy harvests; blustery winters with little snow, when the whole country is stripped bare and gray as sheet-iron. We agreed that no one who had not grown up in a little prairie town could know anything about it. It was a kind of freemasonry, we said.

接下來的翻譯  省略很多(紅色全省去)
When Jim was still an obscure young lawyer, struggling to make his way in New York, his career was suddenly advanced by a brilliant marriage. Genevieve Whitney was the only daughter of a distinguished man. Her marriage with young Burden was the subject of sharp comment at the time. It was said she had been brutally jilted by her cousin, Rutland Whitney, and that she married this unknown man from the West out of bravado. She was a restless, headstrong girl, even then, who liked to astonish her friends. Later, when I knew her, she was always doing something unexpected. She gave one of her town houses for a Suffrage headquarters, produced one of her own plays at the Princess Theater, was arrested for picketing during a garment-makers' strike, etc.
小說
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/242/242-h/242-h.htm

2012年5月2日 星期三

快活快活罷;別相信還早哩。

 胡適日記全集 7: 1934-1939 p.458
1938.1.5
Colonel Newell 家的小石碑上有

Enjoy yourselves, it's later than you think.
( 原文Enjoy yourselves, It's later than you think.)

胡適的譯文刻在背後
他重譯為

 
快活快活罷;別相信還早哩。