《红楼梦》是一部古典文学名著,研读《红楼梦》英译本,不但利于英文读者了解中国传统文化,也为中国的英语学习者和翻译爱好者提供了不可多得的学习素材。一个小小的“笑”,便大有乾坤。 翻译“笑”,能有几种译法?最为常见的为“laugh”或“smile”。 但一个“笑”,单在中文里就有诸多衍生“大笑”、“偷笑”、“窃笑”、“咯咯笑”、“皮笑肉不笑”等等。 英文同样如此,常见的关于笑的单词有:beam, chortle, chuckle, cackle, giggle, grin, laugh, smile, snigger, titter等。 下面我们就来看看《红楼梦》中的例子。 贾母笑道:“你不认得他,他是我们这里有名的一个泼皮破落户儿,南省俗谓作辣子,你只叫他凤辣子就是了。 “You don’t know her yet. ” The Lady Dowager chuckled. “She’s the terror of this house. In the south they’d call her Hot Pepper. Just call her Fiery Phoenix”.
这句是贾母向林黛玉介绍王熙凤时的语言,当时的心情是开心的。 贾母形容王熙凤看似贬低实则确实褒扬,也体现了贾母和王熙凤之间比较亲近的关系。 - 2 - 宝玉笑道:“你倒比先越发出息了,倒象我的儿子。”贾琏笑道:“好不害臊!人家比你大四五岁呢,就替你作儿子了?” “You’ve grown very handsome since I saw you last.” Pao-yu grinned. “You could almost be my son.” “For shame!” Chia Lien chortled. “ Your son? He’s four or five years older than you.”
原文贾芸最伶俐乖觉,听宝玉这样说,便有心攀附,认宝玉为父也无妨。 宝玉笑道时,译者选用“grin”表明宝玉只是开个小玩笑,不甚在意。 而贾琏笑时,则选用“chortle”,贾琏何尝不知道贾芸的小心思,却没有点破,用玩笑的方式回应。 - 3 - 刘姥姥也笑道:“我们庄稼人,不过是现成的本色,众位别笑。”鸳鸯道:“中间‘三四’绿配红。”刘姥姥道:“大伙烧了毛毛虫。”众人笑道:“这是有的,还说你的本色。” “We country people can only talk about the things we know,” said Granny Liu, laughing herself. “You mustn’t make fun of me.” Yuan-yang continued, “‘Three and four,’ green and red, in the center.” “A big fire burns the hairy caterpillar.” The others chortled, “That’s right. Go on in your own way.”
刘姥姥是乡下人,言行举止没有那么多规矩,此处用“laugh”十分符合个人身份。 而众人笑道,选用“chortle”,是被刘姥姥惹笑了。 - 4 - 周瑞家连忙道:“我的娘,你见了他,怎么倒不会说了,开口就是你侄儿?我说句不怕你恼的话,便是亲侄儿,也要说和软些。那蓉大爷才是他的正紧侄儿呢,他怎么又跑出这么个侄儿来了?”刘姥姥笑道:“我的嫂子,我见了他,心眼儿爱还爱不过来,哪里还说的上话来了?” “Gracious me!” exclaimed Mrs. Chou. “What possessed you when you saw her to keep on about ‘your nephew’? At the risk of offending you I must say this: Even if he were a real nephew you should have glossed it over. Master Jung, now, he’s her honest-to-goodness nephew – where would she get a nephew like Pan-erh?” “My dear sister!” Granny Liu beamed. “I was struck all of a heap at sight of her and didn’t know what I was saying.”
此处刘姥姥因之前说了逾矩的话,所以笑声减弱,但内心仍然十分欢喜,所以此处使用“beam”十分恰当。 |
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来自: 昵称22998329 > 《英文》