王之涣《登鹳雀楼》四英译本评析

时间:2021-08-31

  导语:《登鹳雀楼》是唐代著名诗人王之涣(688-742)所作的五言绝句,是唐诗最具有代表性的作品之一,对于中国人来说,该诗可谓妇孺皆知。如今, 很多学者也将其译成英文,传播到西方国家。

  An Ascent to Stork Hall

  The setting sun behind the mountains glows,

  The muddy Yellow River seawards flows.

  If more distant views are what you desire,

  You simply climb up a storey higher. (徐忠杰译)

  On the Stork Tower

  The sun beyond the mountains glows;

  The Yellow River seawards flows.

  You can enjoy a grander sight

  By climbing to a greater height. ( 许渊冲译)

  On the Stork Tower

  The mountain is eating away the setting sun;

  Going seawards the Yellow River is on the run.

  If you desire to have a good and boundless sight,

  Come to the upper storey, by climbing one more flight! (吴钧陶译)

  Upward

  Westwardthesun,endingtheday’s journey in a slow

  descent behind the mountains. Eastward the Yellow River, emptying into the sea. To look beyond, unto the farthest horizon, upward! Up another storey! (翁显良译)

  一、专有名词的处理

  全诗涉及到的专有名词有两处,一是鹳雀楼,一是黄河。四个译本中,三位译者徐忠杰、许渊冲、吴钧陶采用的都是直译+意译的方法,将鹳雀楼译为stork+hall或者stork+tower, 翁显良则另辟蹊径,未正面翻译名称,而将题目内容整体处理,取其意项,译为Upward!

  对于第二个专有名词黄河的处理,四位译者意见基本统一,三位直接采用标准译法the Yellow River,只有徐译在标准译法前又加入了解释性形容词muddy,进一步说明黄河之名的实质,不过徐采用此译主要意图可能并非认为确有解释的必要,而是出于格式上同其第一句setting sun 对仗的考虑。