笔者以翻译教学为业，闲时兼作译匠。今年来，常杂务缠身，比如每年需为翻译试卷命题，还有阅卷等等。上海交通大学外国语学院2001年招收硕士研究生的翻译试卷的阅卷工作刚结束不久。 春寒料峭。闭门阅卷两日，头昏眼花之际，头脑始终不得清闲，从目前英语专业翻译教学的现状，联想到译界的种种争辩，困惑不断，思绪翩至。至尽仍萦胸绕怀，挥之不去。现作如下简单整理：

一、理论与实际 这是一个恰成对照的怪现象： 译界热衷于译论的探讨，或曰争论，热闹非凡，你方唱罢我登场，如公婆反目，互不相让。 出版界译作的质量每况愈下，误译拙译叠现，无“错”不成译；英语专业的翻译教学质量令人失望，硕士研究生的入学考试的翻译也难见佳译。 10多年前，译论家们从国外搬来一门新兴学科 --- 翻译学（science of translating）。他们将这门新兴学科的任务描绘成“揭示翻译过程的客观规律，对翻译程序和方法进行客观的、科学的描写，并使之公式化、模式化，使之成为指导翻译行为的指南和客观真理”。迄今为止，不但“客观规律”没有找到，反而发现许多根本性的问题尚未解决，比如：“翻译”、“翻译研究”、“翻译科学”、“翻译学”几个基本范畴问题就没有形成统一的认识。另外，“翻译”是个多义词，它可以指翻译行为（translate or interpret）、翻译过程（translating）、翻译学科（translation discipline）、翻译结果（version）、翻译事业（translation cause）、翻译者（translator or interpreter）。（杨自俭2000.4）进而，人们又发现，science of translating本身含义是多元的。它可以是：翻译科学、翻译的学问、翻译技巧研究。 “翻译是科学还是艺术”也是译界争论不休的一个命题。到头来，有人指出：翻译，或曰语际转换，是人的主观活动，译者的主观活动过程，根本无客观规律可循。此时，争论的旁观者们突然醒悟：争论双方不就是“盲人摸象”寓言故事所嘲讽的对象吗？ 鸡犬之声虽相闻，翻译教学依旧坐冷板凳，没有也不可能从那些远离翻译实践的争论中获益；学生的翻译能力依旧过独木桥，没有也不可能有整体的大踏步的进步。 请看汉译英的事实： 原文：中年的包装主要是修复岁月的磨损，如果中年的生命依然丰满而有开拓与自信，便会化解成独特的气质，你会依然风采逸秀。 考生译文1： the decoration of the adult is to repair shortcomings caused by the age. if you’re still in good shape and full of confidence and aggressiveness. you’ll still be like a youth. and you’ll still have your special character. 小析：原文中的“包装”是否能用decoration？shortcomings用词是否欠妥？英语讲究用词的搭配，repair和shortcomings的搭配是否规范？“生命依然丰满”如何理解？是否能译成you’re still in good shape？“风采逸秀”体现了汉语是一种意境性很强的语言，它是否能译and you’ll still have your special character？ 考生译文3： the package of middle-aged people is to restore the damage of time. if your life is still colorful and full of courage and self-confidence, the damage of the time may turn into special characters. then you are still beautiful. 此译更让笔者惊诧！restore the damage of time的意思是“恢复时间所造成的损害”。汉语说“恢复疲劳”，意思是“消除疲劳”，难道汉语的这种不合逻辑的表达也进入了英语吗？而且，the damage of the time may turn into special characters一句更有“呓语”色彩。 应试者皆已获得学士学位，不少还具有多年的大学英语教学经验。假设真的如某些译论家所预言的那样，翻译存在着“指导翻译行为的指南和客观真理”，应试者早就应或多或少地获得了这种“真理”，其笔下怎能出现如此译文？又如： 原文：包装的高手在于不留痕迹，外在的一切应与自身浑然一体，这时你不再是商品，而是活生生的人。 考生译文： when the real people packages himself, he will not leave any track of being packaged. he will be harmonious the outside things with himself. then you not a thing, but a human alively. “包装的高手”被译成the real people！native speakers能理解he will be harmonious the outside things with himself的含义吗？ 更有甚者，在以下译文之中，竟然出现catched一词！ the youth have tremendous energy, that is graceful and appealing, blessed by god. any package is not needed and even does worse to the beauty of youth. however, the good time of youth goes too fast to be catched! 以上例证并非个别的、零星的。笔者的统计是：50%左右的应试译文存在较多或较严重的语法错误；70%左右的应试译文缺乏基本的翻译技巧，见词译词、见句译句，深受汉语影响；80%左右的应试者文体概念淡薄。 美国的翻译理论家奈达博士是西方译论家中唯一使用过翻译科学（science of translating）的人。他在60年代曾经有过建立翻译科学的设想。在他所著的toward a science of translation（《走向翻译科学》）（1964）一书中，他试图运用乔姆斯基（n. chomsky）的转换生成语法的原理，通过深层结构的分析，探索语际转换的客观规律，从而建立翻译科学。但他这一尝试未能取得成功。语际转换的规律也未能找到。因此，在他1974年出版的the theory and practice of translation（《翻译理论与实践》）一书中就宣称：翻译不是科学，而是艺术。从此，他放弃了建立翻译科学的设想，再不提“翻译科学”（science of translating）一词。1998年，他在答《外国语》记者问时，又重申了这一论点，认为翻译不可能成为科学。重温奈达以下言论，笔者尤感亲切： it certainly is true that one cannot become a good translator without translating, even as a person cannot become a good swimmer without getting into the water. but theories should be built on practice, but many statements about the theory of translation are highly abstract and loaded with irrelevant terminology. without examples of precisely what is meant by general principles couched in academic language, it is no wonder that students become disappointed with statements on translation theory. accordingly, i am sympathetic with those who find little or no help in books on translatology. if a person clearly understands a process, it can always be described in simple words. too often big words are employed to hide failure in understanding. 毫无疑问，一个人没有翻译的实践是不可能成为好的翻译家的，正如游泳一样，不下水不能成为好游泳者，理论必须建立在实践的基础之上。但是，现在有许多翻译理论都是高度抽象性的，充满了许多毫不相干的术语。用学术语言表达普遍的原理，而没有实践的例子阐释其确切的含义。无怪乎学生们看了这些理论文章要感到失望了。因此，我非常同情那些对于翻译学的书籍感到用处不大，或者毫无用处的人们。如果一个人确切理解了一个程序，总是可以用简单的语言把它表达出来。空洞的大话，往往是用来掩盖思想认识上的无知。 

二、科学与艺术 翻译是科学还是艺术？ 争论的参与者都是认真的、严肃的。可是，他们万万没有想到，争辩的结果无情显示：双方均为局部真理者。他们，在译界旁观者的眼中，演绎了或正在演绎“盲人摸象”的现代寓言故事。因为，抱象腿者，高呼大象是圆柱体；摸象耳者，坚信大象是扇形的！ 语言有其独特的规律。比如，英汉句法的一道“分水岭”是：汉语重意合，英语重形合。局部真理者问：这不是规律吗？这不就是“科学”吗？ 可惜，这种规律太零星散乱了！更糟的是，即使是这样的规律，也并不是像自由落体的运动规律那样颠扑不破的。 当发现者还没来得及为这个“规律”欢呼雀跃，这个“规律”就已经被打破了。比如： 原文：你的美充满了安详与淡泊，因为你真正地生活过。（形合）英译：they have really lived their lives which now arrives at a complacent stage of serenity indifferent to fame or wealth.（意合） 这句英译，打破了所谓汉语重意合，英语重形合的“规律”，简直是“反其道而行之”！ 局部真理者称：翻译是艺术！ 翻译，确实常常是一种创作，译笔需要驰骋的想象，斐然的文采和深远的意境。这不是“艺术”又是什么呢？如： 原文：中年的包装主要是修复岁月的磨损。译文：packaging for the middle-aged is primarily to conceal the furrows ploughed by time. 两相对照，我们不得不叹服英译之成功。译文和原文对比，意境更悠远，文采更灿烂。局部真理者完全可以振振有辞地反诘：翻译，不是“艺术”还是什么？ 且慢，这种陶醉是短命的。翻译，毕竟不是创作！译者即使神思飞越，才华过人，被原文“牵住鼻子”，其“创作”舞台毕竟有限，演绎余地毕竟促狭。 当译论家们还来不及下所谓“翻译即艺术”的结论时，许多难句的翻译已经让他们摇首兴叹，无法“艺术”了。比如： 原文：如果中年的生命依然丰满而有开拓与自信，便会化解成独特的气质，你会依然风采逸秀。 此句汉语表达颇有文采。但是，如何英译“风采逸秀”？这可是个难题。因为汉语是一种意境性极强的语言，它依靠词组的整体感应，在朦胧中传达信息，在疏放中透出美感。而英语则是一种逻辑语言，汉语表达侧重整体性，对“整体”中的某个单词可以说不清，道不明，如“风采逸秀”中的“风”和“逸”。但是，英语可不行，每个单词都必须有个明确的说法或交代。因此，“风采逸秀”的英译就艺术不起来。上句只得“科学”地译成：if you still enjoy enough life's exuberance to retain self-confidence and pursue pioneering work, you are unique in your natural qualities, and your charm and grace will remain. 

三、最高标准与最低标准 严复提出“信达雅”之时，并无意将它“册封”为翻译标准，不过是一种慨叹，叹出了翻译的理想境界，或曰“最高标准”而已。“信达雅”尽管被讨论了百年，但译界始终没有对它作深层次的探究。直到1990年，高校英语专业高年级教学大纲才把英汉互译的评分标准中的“忠实”（实为“信”）分为信息、语气与文体风格三项内容，把“通顺”（实为“达”）分为断句、句式、选词、句子间呼应和文采等6个项目。此后，人们期待着如何结合翻译教学实际，再就这些标准细作演绎，可是，10多年来，竟无下文。被译界奉若“玉律”的奈达的dynamic equivalence（由于dynamic equivalence过去常常被人误解，后改用functional equivalence）也失之笼统而让译者有相当的距离感。 学习翻译，不学“信达雅”是不可想象的。但是，笔者认为，投入翻译的最高标准的大讨论之前，不如作些现实工作，比如从我国译界的实际出发，从翻译教学中常见的“不合格译文”出发，总结出若干翻译的“最低标准”。使初学者从消灭“不合格译文”做起，一步一个脚印地迈向翻译的“最高境界”。 我们是否可以制定如下“最低标准”： 1.减少错译 原文：包装的高手在于不留痕迹，外在的一切应与自身浑然一体。译文：to have a good command of image perfection means a piece of work without any artificial trace and that the internal and external features are becoming one. 注：包装的高手≠to have a good command of image perfection。image perfection为错译。 2.避免漏译 原文：人该年轻时就年轻，该年老时就年老，这是与自然同步，这就是和谐。和谐就是美，反之就是丑。和老年人在一起就像读一本厚厚的精装书，魅力无穷，令人爱不释手。译文：be young when you are young and be old when old. being together with old people is like reading a thick deluxe edition of a book, which has so much enchantment. 注：原句中的“令人爱不释手”该译未译。 3.译笔严谨 原文：老年人，如果你生命的河流正常地流过，流过了平原高山和丛林，那么你是美的。你的美充满了安详与淡泊，因为你真正地生活过。译文：being an old people, like the rivers of your life having naturally passed many places, you’re beautiful, for your beauty is full of peace and caring nothing, and for you are now living a true life. 注：“流过了平原高山和丛林”不能被马虎地简化成：passed many places。 4.表达正确 原文：青年有着充盈的生命的底气，她亮丽诱人，这是上帝赐予的神采，任何涂抹都是多余的败笔，青春是个打个盹就过去的东西。译文：young man are full of vigor of life with attractive billiant colors. this kind of spirit is authorized by god. rendering any excessive decoration is a failure. but, youth is so transient as to pass away after a catnapping. 注：authorized by god/ rendering any excessive decoration均含搭配错误。 5.吃透原文： 原文：老人的白发像高山的积雪，有种仙境之美。译文：the gray hair is like the accumulated snow on the mountain. it makes you feel in the heaven. 注：译文让“天下老人”费解：头发变白了，老人就因此有“上天”的感觉？ 6.识别文化： 原文：青年有着充盈的生命的底气，她亮丽诱人，这是上帝赐予的神采，任何涂抹都是多余的败笔，青春是个打个盹就过去的东西。译文：the youth have glorious energy of life. it is beautiful and attracting and that is the glittering which god gives. any color will be the feet of the snake. youth will pass by during dozing. 注：“多余的败笔”令译者联想到了“画蛇添足”的汉语成语，因此，就有了any color will be the feet of the snake之怪译！ 7.挽留形象 原文：青年有着充盈的生命的底气，她亮丽诱人，这是上帝赐予的神采，任何涂抹都是多余的败笔，青春是个打个盹就过去的东西。译文：youth is full of energy and vigor. she is beautiful and charming. her beauty and charm are given by god. to them, any make-up is redundant. youth passes quickly. 注：译文何等干脆！“青春是个打个盹就过去的东西。”被译成youth passes quickly。翻译到了此种地步，倒省事不少! 8.不造涩词 原文：老年人，如果你生命的河流正常地流过，流过了平原高山和丛林，那么你是美的。你的美充满了安详与淡泊，因为你真正地生活过。译文：as to the old man, as long as your river of life ever flows through plains, mountains and jungles naturally, you are beautiful, calmness and ease abunds in your beauty, for you have lived a genuine life. 注：译者以abunds译原文的“充满”，如此“生造”，有其“道理”：英语里有形容词abundant，意思是“丰富的，充裕的”，去掉后缀-ant，即得动词abund！ 

四、直译意译与“能译” 直译和意译，是理论，又是技巧，值得探讨研究。但是，对初登译途者恐怕不能一上来就大谈特谈直译意译。谈多了，会给人一种印象，好像译途坦荡，障碍全无，轻巧得拿来可译，只剩下直译和意译的选择问题。其实，在直译意译之前，还有一个是否“能译”的问题，这个问题议论得太少，被痛心地忽略了！就像运动会有预赛和决赛两个层次，预赛没有通过，如何参加决赛？“能译”问题尚未解决，遑论其他？ 对于“能译”，可以有两种分析： 1.对汉语原句的理解困难 译界的“理解困难”多指英语难句，殊不知“理解困难”近年来已呈向汉译英的范畴蔓延之势，人们对汉语原句的理解常陷于困顿。硕士研究生入学试卷，越来越多地出现这方面的问题。 2000年上海交大硕士研究生入学考试翻译试卷有这样一句：太华之高不知几千仞，惜未能裹粮往登焉。 35%左右的考生不能正确理解上句的含义。其译文如下： ① i do not know how high hua mountain is and i felt regretful that i could not climb on it, because of lacking enough food. ② we didn’t know how tall the hua mountain was. it was a pity that we couldn’t climb it because we hadn’t enough food. ③ i felt regretful for not having a big dinner before mounting it. ④ the mountain taihua was so high that i didn’t realize it until i felt hungry… ⑤ huashang mount is too high to be measured and i regretted not to climb it. ⑥ the height of hua shan mountain is really beyond my imagination. i regretted that i had climbed without carrying food. ⑦ the mountain was so high that our food could not be sufficient to support our trip to the top. ⑧ and it is a pity that i’m unable to go to climb it with food. 2001年的入学考试的汉译英原文现对比较简单，但是，仍有20%左右的应试者对以下一句原文感到困惑。 原文：人只要真正找到了自己，就找到了品牌，就找到了恰当的包装。 此句字面意义很明了，但是内涵却异常丰富。这种“矛盾”在很大程度上体现了汉语的特点。若译者未能先得其赅意，而急于思考“直译”还是“意译”，岂不误事？从以下译文看，译者很可能未能读懂原句。 ① as long as one finds himself indeed, he finds a brand and finds his proper package. ② only when people discover true oneself, he finds the brand, and the appropriate package as well. ③ he, who can see oneself, can find the brand, and the proper package. ④ it is not difficult for people to find the right brand and the right package when he can find himself. 以上四译“依样画葫芦”，均为拙译。 2. 英语语感及修养的不足 对“人只要真正找到了自己，就找到了品牌，就找到了恰当的包装。”一句，《教你如何掌握汉译英技巧》（世界知识出版社1999年版，陈文伯著）提供的译文是：as long as one finds where one stands, one knows how to package oneself, just as a commodity establishes its brand by the right packaging.（p.314） 译者对原文的理解不存在问题，但是，其英译在native speakers看来，仍然不能接受。bill hofmann教授对原译修改如下： as long as one finds where one stands, one knows how to package oneself, just as a commodity establishes its value by being true to its character and enhances its brand by virtue of the right packaging. bill hofmann教授还就此修改特作如下说明： i have made a few changes in brackets. with the exception of the very last line, i have changed only a word or phrase. i have suggested a revision in the last line that seems more logical to me. “能译”的两种情况（无论是对汉语原句的理解困难，还是英语语感及修养的不足）都告诉我们，语言修养与所谓直译意译的关系是“皮”与“毛”的关系，皮之不存，毛将焉附？遗憾的是，我们的译界却长期以来轻“皮”重“毛”。 陆谷孙教授的一段话，语重心长，同样让我们感到亲切： 当年的译家多是严沧浪所谓的“不涉理路，不落言筌”一类的实践家，译笔所至，英蕤窈窕，元气淋漓，但若被问及何种理论指导实践，在往往语焉不详。杨必先生就说过，她译《名利场》并不需谙习任何理论，只靠文字功力和小说文学的修养，尤与一遍又一遍熟读《红楼梦》有关。 

 
五、英语与汉语 “对于中国学生最有用的帮助是让他认识英语和汉语的差别。”这是吕叔湘先生的一句忠告。笔者认为，英汉对比研究近10多年来，在我国蓬勃展开，取得了丰硕的成果。但是，令人遗憾的是，这种对比研究居然很少与翻译“搭界”。《英汉对比研究论文集》（1990年上海外语教育出版社版）收入了论文43篇，其中与翻译“搭界”的仅3篇。《英汉语研究与对比》（华东理工大学出版社1997年版）一书中几乎没有涉足翻译。人们不禁要问：英汉对比研究的目的是否为了研究而研究？梳理英汉之异同的目的究竟何在？ 从宏观言，英汉对比研究应该纳入译论研究之范畴，英汉互译，如参天大树，应扎根于英汉对比之沃土中，从英汉对比（从宏观到微观）中汲取养分！翻译实践证明了这一点。如： 原文：人如商品要包装，但切忌过分包装。夸张包装，要善于展示个性的独特品质。在随意与自然中表现人物的个性美，重要的是认识自己，包装的高手在于不留痕迹，外在的一切应与自身浑然一体，这时你不再是商品，而是活生生的人。考生译文： man, like commodities, need package, not too much package. one couldn’t be exaggeratedly packaged. the particular quality of his personality should well be presented. it is important to oneself and the cleverer people in package never leave a trace, everything outside is combined with oneself in a thorough way. at that time, you are no more a commodity, but a live man. 用林语堂先生的话来形容上译，可以说是“字卧纸上”。译文如染重病一般。原因何在？一个显豁的原因是译文缺少支撑句子的骨架，即connectives。译者尚缺乏英汉对比时凸现的parataxis和hypotaxis句法之异的意识。 英汉对比，英语构词的灵活性和创新性也格外引人注目。但是译者对英语的构词特征缺乏深刻认识，在英译时难以潇洒地加以运用，致使译文在遣词上显得灰暗，缺乏应有的亮色。如： 原文：老人的白发像高山的积雪，有种仙境之美。 考生译文： 1. the gray hair is like the accumulated snow on the mountain. it makes you feel in the heaven. 2. the white hair of the old man is like the snow accumulated on the tip of the mountains, which possesses a beauty of fairyland. 3. snow-accumulated mountain is like the old person’s white hair, they are so beautiful. 50%以上的译文使用了动词accumulate，似乎不用此动词，就无法表达“高山的积雪”！能够活用snowcapped这一构词的考生不足5%。 英汉对比，在遣词上的一个强烈的反差是前者竭泽而渔般地使用词汇的转义（connotation），而后者在循规蹈矩地“守用”词汇的本义（denotation）。因此，汉译英时候，我们的译文常常难以展现英语遣词原本泼辣而又生动的风采。如： 原文：中年的包装主要是修复岁月的磨损。 其中的“磨损”二字的英译，几乎100%的考生不知用英语词汇的connotation，而照直译来，如译： damage/destruction/loss/wear and tear/trauma/injury等等。没有一个考生能活用英语名词furrows（本义：犁沟；转义：皱纹）： packaging for the middle-aged is primarily to conceal the furrows ploughed by time. 附：上海交通大学外国语学院英语系2001年招收硕士研究生的翻译试卷 汉译英原文： 人如商品要包装，但切忌过分包装。夸张包装，要善于展示个性的独特品质。在随意与自然中表现人物的个性美，重要的是认识自己，包装的高手在于不留痕迹，外在的一切应与自身浑然一体，这时你不再是商品，而是活生生的人。青年有着充盈的生命的底气，她亮丽诱人，这是上帝赐予的神采，任何涂抹都是多余的败笔，青春是个打个盹就过去的东西。中年的包装主要是修复岁月的磨损，如果中年的生命依然丰满而有开拓与自信，便会化解成独特的气质，你会依然风采逸秀。老年人，如果你生命的河流正常地流过，流过了平原高山和丛林，那么你是美的。你的美充满了安详与淡泊，因为你真正地生活过。老年人不要去染白发，老人的白发像高山的积雪，有种仙境之美。人该年轻时就年轻，该年老时就年老，这是与自然同步，这就是和谐。和谐就是美，反之就是丑。和老年人在一起就像读一本厚厚的精装书，魅力无穷，令人爱不释手。　　人只要真正找到了自己，就找到了品牌，就找到了恰当的包装。 参考译文： a person, like a commodity, needs packaging, but going too far is absolutely undesirable. a little exaggeration, however, does no harm when it shows the person's unique qualities to their advantage. to display personal charm in a casual and natural way, it is important for one to have a clear knowledge of oneself. a master packager knows how to integrate art and nature without any traces of embellishment, so that the person thus packaged is no commodity but a human being, lively and lovely. a young person, especially a female, radiant with beauty and full of life, has all the favor granted by god. any attempt to make up would be self-defeating. youth, however, comes and goes in a moment of doze. packaging for the middle-aged is primarily to conceal the furrows ploughed by time. if you still enjoy enough life's exuberance to retain self-confidence and pursue pioneering work, you are unique in your natural qualities, and your charm and grace will remain. elderly people are beautiful if their river of life has been, through plains, mountains and jungles, running its course as it should. they have really lived their lives which now arrives at a complacent stage of serenity indifferent to fame or wealth. there is no need to resort to hair dyeing--- the snowcapped mountain is itself a beautiful scene of fairyland. their looks change from young to old synchronizing with the natural ageing process so as to keep in harmony with nature, for harmony itself is beauty, while the other way round will only end in unpleasantness. to be in the elderly’s company is like reading a thick book of deluxe edition that fascinates one so much as to be reluctant to part with it. as long as one finds where one stands, one knows how to package oneself, just as a commodity establishes its value by being true to its character and enhances its brand by virtue of the right packaging. kylepluto按：我在网上找到了另一个译本，似乎就是《教你如何掌握汉译英技巧》（世界知识出版社1999年版，陈文伯著）提供的译文： "packaging" a person 　　a person, like a commodity, needs packaging. but going too far is absolutely undesirable. a little exaggeration, however, does no harm when it shows the person's unique qualities to their advantage. to display personal charm in a casual and natural way, it is important for one to have a clear knowledge of oneself. a master packager knows how to integrate art and nature without any traces of embellishment, so that the person so packaged is no commodity but a human being, lively and lovely. a young person, especially a female, radiant with beauty and full of life, has all the favor granted by god. any attempt to make up would be self-defeating. youth, however, comes and goes in a moment of doze. packaging for the middle-aged is primarily to conceal the furrows ploughed by time. if you still enjoy enough life's exuberance to retain self-confidence and pursue pioneering work, you are unique in your natural qualities, and your charm and grace will remain. elderly people are beautiful if their river of life has been, through plains, mountains and jungles, running its course as it should. they have really lived their lives which now arrives at a complacent stage of serenity indifferent to fame or wealth. there is no need to resort to hair-dyeing-the snow-capped mountain is itself a beautiful scene of fairyland. let your looks change from young to old synchronizing with the natural ageing process so as to keep in harmony with nature, for harmony itself is beauty, while the other way round will only end in unpleasantness. to be in the elder's company is like reading a thick book of de luxe edition that fascinates one so much as to be reluctant to part with. as long as one finds where one stands, one knows how to package oneself, just as a commodity establishes its brand by the right packaging. 

 本文转自great job的博克