【作者】 任伟；

【导师】 张基佩；

【作者基本信息】 四川大学 ， 外国语言学及应用语言学， 2005， 硕士

【副题名】以《孟子》为例

【摘要】 随着国家新闻出版署牵头的大中华文库系列中国古典外译作品工作的陆续出版,中国译者长久以来的将中国经典由中国人自己有系统的译介到英语世界的工作似乎有了实质性的进展。而在第一辑出版不久,就获得了第五届国家图书奖,似乎更是证实了该系列的成功。然而,第一辑的出版到现在已有六年,时至今日,国外学者的研究的参考书目中该系列的名字鲜有出现,而销售量也上不去。无论从学术上还是以经济标准来衡量,都没有达到预期的效果。是什么环节出了问题,是翻译的质量问题还是编辑过程中的失误?如果国外已经有权威译本,中国学者还要不要推出自己的译本?在对外译介中国经典作品时,中国译者究竟要不要参与,如何参与? 本文拟以第一辑中的《孟子》为研究对象,来探讨以上问题,文章分为五章。 第一章,介绍孟子生平,思想,以及《孟子》的艺术特色,《孟子》英译的简要回顾,三位主要译者介绍,以及选取这三种版本的理由。 第二章,从语言和文化两个层面对三种译文进行比较,讨论译作如何重现原文的艺术特色。 第三章,从复译理论出发,以大中华文库《孟子》实际为复译,而探求作为复译,大中华文库版本的得与失,从而探讨复译版本间的关系,以及复译时应该采取的态度。更多还原

【Abstract】 With the consecutive publication of the Chinese classics under the collective title Library of Chinese Classics (LCC), substantial progress seems to have been made in the systematic translation and introduction of* the Chinese classics to the English-speaking world. It is indeed encouraging for Chinese translators to see the task being headed by the General Administration of Press and Publication and fulfilled mainly by the Chinese translators and publishers, which has been a long-cherished dream of many Chinese translators. What’s more, the success and significance of this series was confirmed when they were granted an award at the Fifth National Book Awards, soon after the publication of the first issues. However, things turned out to be not so optimistic. Six years have passed by since the first issues were published in the year 1999, but seldom can the issues be found in the reference materials of the research both home and abroad. Meanwhile, the series turns out to be a failure in the market. Therefore, the series actually fail to live up to the expectations both academically and economically. The warm acclaim they received in the beginning and the lack of enthusiasm in the present academic circle forms a sharp contrast. What is it that has caused the above-mentioned problem? Is the quality of the translation poor? Or is there something wrong with the editing? Should Chinese translators produce their own versions when there are already well-established versions available abroad? Should the Chinese participate in the translation and introduction of Chinese classics? If they should, then what role will they play?The present article intends to inquire into these problems by studying Mencius, which is among the first issues of the LCC publication. The article is composed of five chapters in addition to an introduction and a conclusion.Chapter One is an introduction to Mencius, his thoughts, artistic features ofMencius, and a brief history of its translation in the English-speaking world. In this chapter information is also provided for the three versions of Mencius to be analyzed.Chapter Two analyzes the problems caused by classical Chinese when the Chinese classics are translated. And then proceeds to see how well these three versions have conquered these problems. In addition, problems are also analyzed from a cultural perspective and then the strategies of the three translations are studied to see how they have recreated the original.Chapter Three studies the LCC version as a retranslation by first presenting theories concerning retranslation and then proceeding to study its merits and demerits in comparison with the two earlier versions: namely Legge’s and Lau’s. Then the chapter is concluded by a summary, which intends to offer some suggestions as to the attitudes and ways when decisions have to be made whether a retranslation is justified, or if it is to be done, how the work may be carried out more effectively.Chapter Four studies annotations of the LCC version in comparison with the other two versions and examines the problems in the preface and introduction to the LCC version. Patronage is introduced in this chapter to account for the problems and is viewed as a two-edged sword.In Chapter Five, with the LCC version of Mencius as a case study, the author points out that there are great differences between dreams and realities. Then different voices concerning the translation and introduction of Chinese Classics are introduced and reflected on. The chapter goes on to study respective advantages and disadvantages of Chinese translators and their foreign counterparts, the significance of the participation of the Chinese patronage and eventually comes to the conclusion that more attention should be paid to how (the translation and introduction ofChinese classics can be done more effectively) than to who (is the one to do the job). Conclusion: The main reason for the failure of the LCC version of Mencius to live up to the initiators’ expectations is not so much translation-quality-related as editing-associated, although as a retranslation the LCC version could have done better. China is noted for its long history and has much to introduce and translate to the foreign countries. Thus, the participation of Chinese publishers as well as translators is essential so as to offer the foreign readers a comprehensive picture of what China and the Chinese culture are like. In cases where well-established versions exist, the Chinese translators may focus on a critical study and provide corrections to possible errors or constructive translations where different interpretations may co-exist; in cases where there are no translations or the translations are of poor quality for the works that we cherished, efforts should be made to translate or retranslate. The quality of such translations or retranslations may be guaranteed by strengthened cooperation between Chinese translators and their English-speaking counterparts. Such being the case, the introduction and translation of Chinese classics can be further promoted by cooperation between the publishers home and abroad.更多还原