【原文】
敦煌莫高窟(Dunhuang Mogao Caves)坐落于中国西部甘肃省。这些石窟刻于距离敦煌东南方向25公里处鸣沙山的悬崖上。敦煌莫高窟是规模最大、保存时间最长的佛教(Buddhist)艺术宝库,现存735个洞窟,壁画(frescoes)4万5千多平方米。这些壁画展现了佛(Buddha)的形象和活动以及人与神之间的关系。敦煌壁画中的舞蹈人物是全人类的一颗璀璨的宝石。敦煌莫高窟在1987年被列入世界遗产名录(World Heritage List)。
【解析】
1.第2句中的定语“距离教煌东南方向25公里处鸣沙山的”较长,故将其处理成后置定语按英文的表达习惯,把相关性强的词语放一起,故将“鸣沙山”后置于cliff,但如果把on amount called Mingsha 直接置于 on a cliff后,则读起来不顺秘,故把on a mount called Mingsha置于句末。
2.第3句中的“现存735个洞窟,壁画4万5千多平方米”如果译为there now exist…, and…,则句型结构是松散,宜将其处理成伴随状语,用with more than 45,000 square meters of frescoes in 735 caves 来表达,更能体现出壁画和洞窟的关系。
3.翻译倒数第2句“教煌壁脚中的舞蹈人物是全人类的一颗璀璨的宝石”时,先译出主要结构(dancing images are a jewel),“敦煌壁画中的”作主语的后置定语,用in Dunhuang frescoes来表达,“全人类的” 作宾语的后置定语,译作for all human beings.
4.最后一句中的“被列人世界遗产名录”可译为was listed on the World Heritage List.但这种译法会产生两个list,根据英语避免重复用间的表达习惯,宜直接套用介词短语on the list来表达。
【译文】
Dunhuang Mogao Caves are located in western China's Gansu Province. These caves were cut a cliff 25 kilometers southeast to Dunhuang, on a mount called Mingsha. Dunhuang Mogao Caves are regarded the biggest and the longest preserved Buddhist art treasures, with more than 46,000 square meters of frescoes in 735 caves. Dunhuang frescoes display Buddha's images and behavior, and the relationship between Buddha and men. Dancing images in Dunhuang frescoes are a brilliant jewel for all human beings. Dunhuang Mogao Caves was on the World Heritage List in 1987.
【原文】
唐三彩(Tricolor-glazed Pottery of the Tang Dynasty)是一种著名陶瓷(pottery)。它的诞生可以追溯到唐朝以前。“三彩”是多彩的意思,并不是只有三种颜色。唐三彩吸取了中国国画和雕塑(sculpture)的技巧,成为 一种风格独犄的艺术品。它以造型生动、色彩丰寓而著称。唐代是一个繁荣昌盛的时代,唐三彩就盛行于此时。 在那时唐三彩不仅在国内风行一时,而且还闻名于海外。
【解析】
1.第2句中的“追溯到……”用动词词组date back to来表达,该词组用主动语态,后接名词或名词短语。如果用trace back to,则用被动语态。“唐朝以前”应理解为“唐朝以前的时期”,故翻译时要采取“增译”法,表达为the time before the Tang Dynasty.
2.第4句中的定语“中国国画和雕塑的”较长,故将其处理成后置定语,用介词短语of Chinese painting and sculpture来表达。仔细分析后发现,“成为一种风格独特的艺术品”表结果,故用不定式to form a unique style of arts来表达,作结果状语。
3.倒数第2句“唐代是一个繁荣昌盛的时代,唐三彩就盛行于此时”如果逐字对译为the Tang Dynasty was a time of prosperity, and the pottery was popular at this time则显得生硬、冗长。这里“此时”指的就是唐代,可用when引导时间状语从句,将两分句结合起来使句子结构更紧凑。
4.最后一句可套用not only...but also句型:“在国内”和“于海外”作状语置句末,分别用at home和abroad来表达。
【参考译文】
Tricolor-glazed Pottery of the Tang Dynasty is a kind of famous pottery. Its birth could date back to the time before the Tang Dynasty. "Tricolor" means a lot of colors rather than just three colors. The pottery absorbed the techniques of Chinese painting and sculpture to form a unique style of arts. It is known for its vivid figures and rich colors. The Tang Dynasty was a time of prosperity when the pottery was prevailing. At that time, tricolor-glazed pottery of the Tang Dynasty was not only popular at home, but also well-known abroad.
【原文】
中国人每天都在使用筷子(chopsticks),这在很多外酬友眼里似乎是一个奇迹。历史记载表明筷子的使用已有3000年的历史。在古代,富人用金子制成筷子以显示其富有。筷子还有其他功能,比如过去人们用银制的筷子检查他们的食物是否被人投了毒。现在,许多外国朋友在访问中国的时候都使用筷子。据说,尼克松(Nixon)总统到中国访问时,在欢迎宴会上也使用了筷子。
【解析】
1.第1句后半句的“这”指代前半句的内容,故后半句可处理成which引导的非限制性定语从句。
2.第2句中的“筷子的使用已有3000年的历史”可译为the use of chopsticks has a history of years.不过前面的“历史记载”译为historical record,英语的表达习惯忌讳重复用词,而historical是history 的派生词,故换种说法,译为dates back to three thousand year age.
3.第3句中的“以显所其富有”可用不定式短语to display their wealth表达,作目的状语,比they were rich表达更简洁些。
4.最后一句的主要结构为“尼克松总统也使用了筷子”,时间状语“到中国访问时”和地点状语“在欢迎宴会上”后置。而在英语的表达习惯中,时间状语常位于地点状语后,故译为at the welcoming banquet when he visited China.
【参考译文】
Chinese people use chopsticks every day, which seems a wonder to many foreigners. Historical records show that the use of chopsticks dates back to three thousand years ago. In ancient times, the rich used gold chopsticks to display their wealth.Chopsticks have many other functions as well.In the past, for example, people used silver chopsticks to see if their food was poisoned.Nowadays many foreign friends try to use chopsticks when they visit China. It's said that President Nixon also used chopsticks at the welcoming banquet when he visited China.