語境·文本·文化·文體——語境與典籍翻譯的三重關注

蔣堅松,陳 惠

(湖南師范大學外國語學院,湖南長沙 410081)

語境·文本·文化·文體
——語境與典籍翻譯的三重關注

蔣堅松,陳 惠

(湖南師范大學外國語學院,湖南長沙 410081)

作為一種深層次的文化交流,典籍翻譯關涉依照優先次序傳遞源文本的字面意義、文化內涵和文體特征,而語境在典籍翻譯的這種三重關注中起著舉足輕重的作用。從《壇經》的英譯中,探討理解和傳達過程中的語境問題,著重傳達語境信息的若干原則和方法,包括把語境信息直接融入譯文,通過增譯、插入、注釋提供必要的文化背景,揉合異化的內容和傾向歸化的語言和形式,利用譯語的文學資源等。

典籍翻譯;語境;《壇經》

一

翻譯策略的選擇離不開對目標讀者的定位和對其閱讀動機的分析。關于譯文讀者的分類,中外一些作家、批評家、翻譯家、譯論家有過不同的標準和辦法。就典籍翻譯來說,從方便翻譯操作出發,為了使目標更加明確,不妨根據有無相關知識以及閱讀的動機和方式將譯文讀者分為兩大類:“仔細的(準)專家讀者”(the careful(quasi-)expert reader)和“隨意的一般讀者”(the casual general reader)。第一類讀者包括對原作或原作者有一定研究或感興趣的人,對中國文化、中國文學、中西比較文學或比較詩學有一定研究或感興趣的人,以及從事中國典籍翻譯及其研究的人。第二類讀者包括尋找書中的東方式智慧和思想啟迪的人,對書中的內容和異質文化感興趣的人,以及因為好奇或為了消遣而偶然涉獵的人。

典籍翻譯,除非是特別針對某一部分讀者的翻譯(或節譯、編譯、改寫),應該主要是針對第一類讀者的全譯。滿足了第一類讀者的需要,一般也就滿足了第二類讀者的需要,反之則不然。而要做到這一點,就要全面關注文本意義、文化內涵、文體特征,而且這種關注要貫穿理解和傳達的全過程。在影響這個過程的諸多因素中,語境是一個關鍵因素。先說理解。理解是翻譯的第一步,也是翻譯的基礎。用一句法國譯者愛說的話來說就是:“翻譯就是理解和使理解?！?Traduire,c’est comprendre et faire comprendre.)斯坦納曾談到把漢語譯成西方語言時語境對于理解的重要:“任何語法書和詞典對譯者都沒有多大幫助。只有最全面的語言、文化意義上的語境,才能確定含義?！盵1]奈達也認為:“在理解和復制話語意義中出現的最嚴重的錯誤大都是沒有考慮語境造成的?！盵2]關于漢譯外的理解問題,沈蘇儒認為有語言本身的因素,也有文化因素?！叭绻枪糯?即使是上一個世紀)的著作或資料,那么在語言及文化兩方面的理解難度就更大?！盵3]語境,包括語言語境和非語言語境(情景語境、文化語境),對于準確、充分理解典籍的文本意義、文化內涵,乃至其文體風格所傳達的文學、詩學和美學信息,都有十分重要的作用。

二

(一)語言語境(linguistic context)。語言語境即文本上下文(verbal context)。文本上下文對于理解的作用,在于表明指示詞(deictics)的所指對象,為交際過程中沒有言明的話提供背景,特別是排除詞語的歧義。忽視文本上下文可能造成理解錯誤或者根本不理解?！恫烁T》中的句子“故君子閑時要有吃緊的心思,忙處要有悠閑的趣味”,有個英譯本①[明]洪應明《菜根譚》,保羅·懷特譯(漢英對照),新世界出版社2000年版,第8、19頁。的譯文是:“Likewise,the accomplished man must engage in mental strife while unoccupied,and enjoy repose while exerting h imself”。原文中“忙處”與“閑時”相對,“忙”(occupied,engaged)只是“不閑”,不一定就是“exerting h imself”(“盡力”)?！癳njoy repose while exerting h imself”也令人費解。

文本上下文幫助理解,不只是涉及詞義,也涉及語法意義。同一譯本中,可以“遠害全身”的譯文是“(thatway,)one preserves oneself from distant dangers”?！斑h”和“全”都是使役動詞,“遠害”和“全身”是兩個并列的動賓結構,在語法意義的理解上可以互為參照?！斑h害”的意思是“使(本來可能近在身邊的)傷害遠離自己”,而在譯文中卻成了“遙遠的危險”(“distant dangers”),與原意相去甚“遠”。

(二)情景語境(situational context)。情景語境即交際情景,它能提供語言語境沒有提供的有關交際的信息?！秹洝分杏幸欢卧?一個英譯本作了如下處理:

次日,祖潛至碓坊,見能腰石舂米,語曰:“求道之人,為道忘軀,當如是乎!”

Next day the Patriarch came secretly to the room where the rice was pounded.Seeing that Iwasworking there with a stone pestle,he said to me:“A seeker of the Path risks his life for the Dha rma.Should he not do so?”①[唐]惠能《壇經》,黃茂林英譯(漢英對照),湖南出版社1996年版,第18頁。

這段話中,“腰石舂米”(腰上綁著石頭舂米,意在增加身體的重量,容易把碓踩下去)和“為道忘軀”(指惠能為在五祖處一邊干活一邊追求佛法而不顧惜身體)互為情景,彼此提供了理解的線索。但譯者顯然沒有理解原文的意思,從譯文不但看不出“腰石舂米”和“為道忘軀”的邏輯聯系,而且“腰石”沒有譯出,“忘軀”也成了“冒著生命危險”(即使是腰上綁著石頭舂米也不至于有生命危險)。這段話也許可以改譯如下:

The next day,the Patriarch went to the dui husker-room without being noticed.Seeing me pounding rice with a stone strapped to my waist,＊he sighed:“A seeker of the Dao hesitates not to torture his body for its sake.So this is what he does!”

＊i.e.to add to his weight with which to force down one end of the balance beam so as to lift the heavy stone pestle on the other end.

(三)文化語境(cultural context)。文化語境是交際的文化背景,往往具有鮮明的地域和民族特征。文化語境既可以影響對指稱意義的理解,也可以影響對語用意義的理解。例如下面這段選自《聊齋志異·嬰寧》的文字的譯文:

竊聞山中有草,名“笑矣乎”。嗅之,則笑不可止。房中植此一種,則合歡、忘憂,并無顏色矣。若解語花,正嫌其作態耳。

Ihave heard of a herb in the hills called“laughing grass,”the smell of which makes one laugh without stopping.A plant of this sort in the house would beat all other flowers.②CyrilBirch.ed.Anthology of Chinese Literature.Ⅱ.New York: Grove Press,1972年版,第180頁。

這是小說結尾“異史氏曰”(The author’s comment)中的一段話。在這里,蒲松齡把一片率真、笑聲不斷的嬰寧比作令人忘憂的“笑草”,稱其勝過其他有類似作用的花草。合歡、忘憂作為花草名,既有指稱意義,又有語用意義(據說它們分別有息忿、解憂的作用)。而“解語花”則非真花,原指楊貴妃,后用來比喻聰明美麗、善解人意的女子。典出《天寶遺事》:“太液池千葉白蓮開,帝與楊妃共賞,指謂左右曰:‘爭似此解語花?！彼未鷱埾鹊脑~:“花若勝如奴,花還解語無”,《紅樓夢》第19回回目的“情切切良霄花解語”(指襲人規勸賈寶玉,襲人本來姓花),都是用的此典。譯文用“all other flowers”來概括“合歡、忘憂”,又回避了“解語花”一句,損失了若干字面意義和豐富的文化意蘊。試作以下彌補:

…A plant of this sort grown in the chamber would beat some other flowers with areputed soothing effect.As for the“flower capable of speech”＊,one may in all likeliness find her coyness not in very good taste.

＊AnepithetonceusedbyEmperor Xuanzong of the Tang dynasty(618-907)for his favouriteconcubineYangYuhuan,whomhe commended as being better than all the blooming lotus flowers in the palace pond.The metapor has since been for an intelligent and understanding beautiful woman,ofthe紅顏知己beautiful sou lmate type,for example.

三

再看傳達。語境在傳達中的作用,一是幫助譯者準確、充分地理解原文,作為成功傳達的基礎,情況已如上述;二是在譯文中提供必要的語境,幫助譯文讀者理解譯文。提供的方式可以將語境信息直接融入對應的譯文,也可以用增詞、加括號解釋、加頁下注等方式提供補充信息。下面的例子選自筆者英譯的《壇經》。

師振錫卓地,泉應手而出,積以為池。

No sooner had he prodded the ground with his staff,jingling the metal rings attached to its top,than water gushed out,to fo rm a pool in no t ime.(增詞)

一眾聞法,歡喜作禮而退。

The se rmon over,all rejoiced,respectfully saluted like Buddhists(i.e.put their pa lms together with a slight inclination of the head), and withdrew.(加括號解釋)

如果需要提供更充分的語境,則用頁下注,例子見下文。

在傳達的過程中,語境的考慮涉及文本、文化、文體三個方面,現分別加以說明。舉例仍來自《壇經》的英譯。

(一)文本意義。文本意義在這里指文本的字面意義,包括詞匯意義(指稱意義、語用意義)、語法意義、修辭意義。文本意義的語境因素主要靠融入對應的譯文中。這里的語境可以是直接的文本上下文。例如“法”根據不同的文本上下文譯成the Dha rma,doctrine,(system of)teaching,approach(to the Dha rma),method (of practice)等。也可以是比較遠的上下文,甚至是整個語篇。例如《壇經》的篇名“行由”、“頓漸”、“宣詔”、“付囑”等分別根據各篇的內容譯成“Origin and Experiences”、“The Sudden -Gradual Divide”、“ Imperial Favour”、“Last Counsel and Admonishment”,而沒有拘泥于原篇名的字面意義。

(二)文化內涵。影響中國典籍翻譯的文化語境因素可能涉及1)生態文化,2)物質文化,3)觀念文化,4)人文文化,5)社會文化,6)宗教文化,7)語言文化,以及8)一些不易歸類的其他文化因素。[4]這些因素的文化內涵可以影響對文本的充分理解,需要在翻譯中擇要傳達,傳達的主要方式是加注。例如

1.生態、地理

……辯取衣分為三,(一披塑像,一自留,)一用棕裹瘞地中。

…which[the robe]the latter[Fang Bian] partitioned into thirds…one to be buried in the ground after he had wrapped it up with fibrous pa lm leafing.＊

＊棕or棕片pieces of the broad fibrous base part of the pa lm leafstalk,which,tough and partly waterproof,were used in fo rmer t imes to make蓑衣rain capes and斗笠conic rain hats for fa rmers andfishe rmen,especiallyinthe morerainy southern part of China.

2.生產、生活(用具)

惠能退至后院。有一行者,差惠能破柴踏碓。

Icomplied and withdrew to the backyard, whereanuntonsured monktold metosplit firewood and tread the dui grain husker＊.

＊碓dui grain husker,an apparatus for husking rice and other grains,or,as in this case, for polishing husked rice by removing the seed coat(a dubious practice by modern nutrition standards).It consists of a stone pestle and its matching stone mortar,the fo rmer fixed on one end of a beam balanced on a support,and is worked see-saw fashion by alternately treading down and releasing the other end.

3.宗教、信仰

誰知火宅內,元是法中王。

Within the burning house＊,who would have thought,

Is the king of the Dha rma to be sought.

＊A reference to one of the“seven parables”in《法華經》The Lotus Sutra.“The burning house”,from which its owner tempts his heedless children bythedevice ofthethreekinds of carts—goat,deer,and bullock,especially a white-bullock cart,is a symbol of mundane existence,from which Buddhasets h imself to deliver the beclouded people.

(三)文體特征。從語言學的觀點看,文體就是語言使用,屬于索緒爾(F.Saussure)所稱的“言語”(parole)的范疇,其實質是“從語言的全部功能中作出的選擇”[5],涉及詞匯、句法、語篇等層次。

《壇經》是中國化、簡易化、大眾化的佛經(毛澤東曾說過它“是老百姓的”)①張鐵軍《毛澤東談禪宗六祖慧能:法寶壇經是老百性的》, (china.com.cn 2008)。。了解《壇經》的這個背景,有利于傳達它那種從整體上說通俗、質樸、略帶古語色彩的口語化的語言風格。例如

祖云:“如是如是,以后佛法由汝大行。汝去三年,吾方逝世。汝今好去,努力向南。不宜速說,佛法難起?！?/p>

“Quiteso,quiteso,”assentedthe Patriarch.“Henceforth,the Dha rma will thrive through you.Three years after you go from here,Ishall depart this life.Fare you well,and strike south as hard as you can.Do not start preaching too soon,for the Dha rma takes t ime to catch on.”

某些特定的交際情景,決定了某種特殊的文體,例如武則天和唐中宗對惠能的詔示。翻譯時,將原文的內容和交際情景融會于心,以語言的“合適性”(appropriateness)為目標,自行裁度,“取便發揮”,“不斤斤于字比句次”(嚴復:《天演論·譯例言》):

朕請安、秀二師,宮中供養,萬機之暇,每究一乘。二師推讓云:“南方有能禪師……可請問彼?！?/p>

今遣內侍薛簡,馳詔迎請。愿師慈念,速赴上京。

Although,since we invited Masters Hui An and Shen Xiu to abide in the palace and receive our offerings,we have often found t ime after our imperial duties toacquaint ourselves withthe teaching of the Buddha Vehicle,Their Reverences have for their part,out of gracious modesty, recommended for our counsel Dhyana Master Hui Neng of the South…

In consideration of the above,we hereby dispatch Eunuch Xue Jian as the bearer of this Edict to invite His Holiness,who we trust will generously favour us with an early visit to the capital.

除語言外,文學作品的形式和技巧也屬于文學文體研究關注的內容。文學形式和技巧,例如詩歌的形式和韻律,能透露有關文學傳統、詩學規范和審美趣味的信息,應該通過譯文適當的形式和技巧來傳達。在翻譯下面臥龍禪師的偈和惠能應答的偈時,就保持了兩偈唱和式的押韻方式和針鋒相對的措辭:

(臥輪偈)

臥輪有伎倆,能斷百思想。

對境心不起,菩提日日長。

A rare power in me e’er you find

To banish thoughts of every kind.

For thoughts occasion prompts not;nay,

How Bodhi grows,if you don’tmind!

(惠能偈)

惠能沒伎倆,不斷百思想。

對境心數起,菩提作么長。fair,

A rare power in me ne’er you find

To banish thoughts of any kind.

For thoughts occasion sure prompts;pray,

How growsBodhi,＊if you don’tmind?

＊Being constant,Bodhi neither“becomes”nor ceases,neitherwaxes norwanes.

翻譯詩歌等文學作品,還有譯文的接受語境問題。為了便于接受,可以借鑒譯語的文學傳統,利用譯語的詩歌資源,借用(和改造)譯語的詩歌形式和手法。下面這首偈的翻譯,就用押頭韻的成對同(近)義詞(steady and square,free and fair,clean and clear,barren and bare)、尾韻(end rhyme)(spare,bear,ne’er)、頭韻(alliteration)(如steady,square, spare)、中間韻(internal rhyme)(如square, spare)來對應原文的疊字(兀兀、騰騰、寂寂、蕩蕩)和押韻(惡、著):

兀兀不修善,騰騰不追惡。

寂寂斷見聞,蕩蕩心無著。

Steady and square,all good spare.

Free and fair,no evil bear.

Clean and clear,neither see nor hear.

Barren and bare,mind abides ne’er.

下面這段譯文借用了英詩的視韻(eye rhyme)(deny,charity)、跨行詩句(run-on line)(最后兩行)的詩歌手段和英雄偶句體(the heroic couplet,抑揚格五音步,每兩行押韻)的詩歌形式:

……

苦口的是良藥,逆耳必是忠言。

改過必生智慧,護短心內非賢。

日用常行饒益,成道非由施錢。

菩提只向心覓,何勞向外求玄?

聽說依此修行,西方只在目前。

…

Whattastesbittercorrect medicinemay prove;

Whatsoundunpleasant wordsthat men improve.

You bring forth wisdom mending faultyways,

The hiding which a worthlessmind betrays.

In daily dealings e’er yourself deny,

Though Buddhahood lies not in charity.

Within the mind isBodhi found forsooth:

What need to seek without the mystic truth?

You here who mark and follow this advice

Will see before your eyes a paradise.

以上做法是為了在譯文形式中增添一些接受語境的本土元素,使譯文比較接近讀者的欣賞習慣,讓讀者在豐富知識、啟迪智慧、體驗異質文化的同時,獲得一定的審美愉悅。

[1]STE INER G.After Babel:Aspects of Language and Translation [M].Shanghai:Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2001:376.

[2]N IDA E.Language and Culture:Contexts in Translating[M]. Shanghai:Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press,2001: 125.

[3]沈蘇儒.論信達雅——嚴復翻譯理論研究[M].北京:商務印書館,1998:208.

[4]蔣堅松,彭利元.文化語境與中國典籍翻譯——關于一個研究課題的思考[J].中國外語,2006(2):72-75.

[5]LEECH G,SHORT M.Style in Fiction:A Linguistic Introduction to English Fictional Prose[M].London and New York:Longman,1983:38.

Context,Text,Culture and Style:Context and the Triple Concern of the Translation of Chinese Classics

J IANG Jian-song,CHEN Hui

(Foreign Studies College,Hunan No rmalUniversity,Changsha410081,China)

As deep-level cultural exchange,the translation of Chinese classics entails conveying,in order of priority, the literalmeaning,cultural connotation and stylistic features of the source text,a triple concern in which context plays a vital role.Using illustrationsmainly from the English translation of The Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch,this study addresses the issue of context in the processes of comprehension and expression,highlighting some principles and methods of transmitting contextual information.These include merging contextual information directly in the target version,providing necessary cultural background through addition,parenthesis and annotation,reconciling foreignization in terms of content and largely domestication in terms of form and language usage,and tapping the literary resources of the target language.

translation of Chinese classics;context;The Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch

H059

A

1008-2395(2010)01-0134-04

2009-10-10

蔣堅松(1942-),男,湖南師范大學外國語學院教授,博士研究生導師,主要從事文學、典籍翻譯和英國文學研究。陳惠(1967-),女,湖南師范大學外國語學院副教授,博士研究生,主要從事文學翻譯、典籍英譯和口語與口譯研究。