中译英|这些年,旅外大熊猫到底经历了什么?(3)
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这些年,旅外大熊猫到底经历了什么?(3)
那几年,最令乔治难忘的是一只名为珍珍的成年大熊猫。当时,乔治在距熊猫营地不远的地方遇见了珍珍,她蜷着身体坐在一块布满青苔的大岩石上,脑袋低垂,嘴埋在交叠的前臂里。乔治不断地靠近它,等候着它的回应——珍珍偶尔会换个姿势,侧睡或趴睡,有时起身抓痒或赶走脸上的苍蝇。「她抬起头,满不在乎地看看我,转背对我,斜倚着身子,照旧睡觉。她无视我存在的态度中,带着惊人的自信和无比的自由。」
熊猫的自由、神秘令乔治终生难以忘怀。在《最后的熊猫》一书中,他如此写道:「对熊猫而言,自由就是在山林环绕的竹海中平静地生活。它们不能调整自身来迎合我们,它的需求无法妥协。」
【参考译文】
What happened to the giant pandas while traveling abroad?
During those years, an adult panda named Zhen Zhen was the most unforgettable for George. She was found by George not far from the panda camp curling up on a mossy boulder, with her head hanging low and mouth buried in crossed forearms — she was sleeping. As George kept approaching her, waiting for her response, Zhen Zhen would occasionally switch positions, sleeping on her side or stomach. Only when intending to scratch an itch or shoo away a fly from her face, would Zhen Zhen get up sometimes. "Once she lifted her head, glanced at me indifferently, then turned her back and reclined to resume her nap, ignoring my presence, all with full assurance and at her will."
Pandas exude an air of freedom and mystery which has profoundly impressed George. Thus in his book The Last Panda, he so writes, "For pandas, there exists no freedom other than the peaceful security of bamboo shaded by forest. It cannot adjust its existence to ours, it cannot compromise its needs."
注:第二段最后两句的参考译文摘自《最后的熊猫》英文原文。
Alfredo,清纯男高体验卡仅剩几个月到期
Ithil,男,胡辣汤爱好者
Yuqing,女,理想主义体验派,经济学人读者
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【翻译解析】
1.“……她蜷着身体坐在一块布满青苔的大岩石上,脑袋低垂,嘴埋在交叠的前臂里。”
本次翻译段落包含许多动作描写,如本句中的“蜷”“低垂”“埋”“交叠”等,生动形象地突出了大熊猫憨态可掬的特质(bushi)。在参考译文中,这一系列动词分别对应“curl up”“hang low”“bury”和“cross”,虽然均为小词,但用在这里都比较准确。同时,这些词均以非谓语的形式在译文中出现,显得比较丝滑。细心的读者还会发现,本句译文中多了“she was sleeping”这一层在原文中并未直接体现出的意思,这样处理可以更好地承上启下(因为珍珍在睡觉,所以乔治靠近并等候回应;她的各种姿势其实都是在描写睡觉)。
2.“珍珍偶尔会换个姿势,侧睡或趴睡,有时起身抓痒或赶走脸上的苍蝇。”
前半句中值得积累的词组有“换个姿势switch positions”和“侧睡或趴睡sleep on one’s side or stomach”。虽然依旧是连续的动作描写,但后半句的译文在句式上作了一些改变,使用了倒装,译为“Only when intending to scratch an itch or shoo away a fly from her face, would Zhen Zhen get up sometimes.”这样处理不仅可以丰富句式,还能更清晰地点出“珍珍一般来说都在睡,很能睡,除非是挠痒赶虫,不然不会起”这层意思。
3.「她抬起头,满不在乎地看看我,转背对我,斜倚着身子,照旧睡觉。她无视我存在的态度中,带着惊人的自信和无比的自由。」
前半句中可以学到的表达有“抬起头lift one’s head”“满不在乎地看glance at sb. indifferently”“转背(对某)turn one’s back”“斜倚着身子recline”。同时在细节处理上,①珍珍“抬起头,满不在乎地看”其实是偶然的瞬间性动作,因此在译文中加上“once”会更准确;②前四个动作其实都是珍珍为“照旧睡觉”所作的准备,因此加上“to”能让译文更有逻辑性,更具画面感;③“惊人的自信和无比的自由”一句,考虑到“confidence”过于常见且第二段中将不可避免地出现“freedom”,为避免重复,最终译为“all with full assurance and at her will.”
4.“熊猫的自由、神秘令乔治终生难以忘怀。”
这句话的句式非常简单,但如果直接译为“Pandas’ freedom and mystery have profoundly impressed George”未免会显得不够清晰准确。因此,参考译文的处理是“Pandas exude an air of freedom and mystery which has profoundly impressed George.”通过连接词组“exude an air of”和“an air of freedom and mystery”使译文行文更流畅,意思表达更清晰形象。