For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to translate a passage from Chinese into English. You should write your answer on Answer Sheet 2.
中文原文
《西游记》(Journey to the West)也许是中国文学四大经典小说中最具影响力的一部,当然也是在国外最广为人知的一部小说。这部小说描绘了著名僧侣玄装在三个随从的陪同下穿越中国西部地区前往印度取经(Buddhist scripture)的艰难历程。虽然故事的主题基于佛教,但这部小说采用了大量中国民间故事和神话的素材,创造了各种栩栩如生的人物和动物形象。其中最著名的是孙悟空,他与各种各样妖魔作斗争的故事几乎为每个中国孩子所熟知。
参考译文
Journey to the West is perhaps the most influential of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature, and certainly the best known abroad. The novel describes the arduous journey of the renowned monk Xuanzang, who, accompanied by three disciples, traveled through the western regions of China to India to fetch Buddhist scriptures. Although the theme of the story is based on Buddhism, the novel draws on a wealth of Chinese folktales and mythology, creating various vivid characters of both people and animals. The most famous of these is Sun Wukong, whose stories of fighting all kinds of demons and monsters are known to almost every Chinese child.
逐句译法
1. 《西游记》(Journey to the West)也许是中国文学四大经典小说中最具影响力的一部,当然也是在国外最广为人知的一部小说。
参考译法:Journey to the West is perhaps the most influential of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature, and certainly the best known abroad.
主干:《西游记》是……一部(主语策略:原句主语)中文已有明确主语「《西游记》」(《西游记》(Journey to the West)),核心是一个判断句「A 是 B」。英文骨架立为系表结构:Journey to the West is (perhaps) the most influential ... and (certainly) the best known ...,主语 Journey to the West,系动词 is,表语是两个并列的最高级名词短语。
语法点:- 时态回指全篇基调用一般现在时:陈述这部书「现在依然是」最有影响力的一部,is,不用过去时。 - 最高级与冠词「最……的一部」用最高级,最高级前必须加 the:the most influential、the best known/the most widely known。漏掉 the 是高频硬伤。 - 单复数「四大经典小说」是复数 the four great classical novels;主语《西游记》是一部书、单数,故系动词用 is。 - 用词「最广为人知」可译 the best known 或 the most widely known,known 后接 abroad 表「在国外」;避免写成 the most famous 而丢掉「广为人知/知名度」这层意思。
降级处理:两个并列表语合用一个主谓中文是「也许是……最具影响力的一部,当然也是……最广为人知的一部小说」——同一个主语带两个并列判断。英文不必把主语和 is 重复两遍,用 and 连接两个表语即可:is perhaps the most influential ... and is certainly the best known ...,甚至后一个 is 可省。「中国文学四大经典小说中」是范围限定,用介词短语 among the four great classical novels of Chinese literature 作状语后置;「在国外」译 abroad/overseas 作状语。
参考译法:The novel describes the arduous journey of the renowned monk Xuanzang, who, accompanied by three disciples, traveled through the western regions of China to India to fetch Buddhist scriptures.
主干:这部小说描绘了……历程(主语策略:原句主语)主语是「这部小说」(这部小说描绘了),核心动词「描绘」对 describes/depicts,宾语是「……的艰难历程」。英文主干立为 The novel describes the arduous journey...,主谓宾清晰。注意整句真正的中心名词是「历程(journey)」,玄奘那一长串都是修饰这个「历程」的。
语法点:- 时态主句「小说描绘」用一般现在时 describes(小说现在依然在讲这个故事,回指基调);但所描绘的玄奘取经是历史事件,从句/分词所表动作是过去发生的,可处理为 made/took 等一般过去时,或保持在 journey 这个名词里不显化时态。主句现在、被叙述往事过去,这是本篇唯一的时态偏离点。 - 单复数「三个随从」是复数 three disciples/followers,加 s;「取经」的「经」指多卷经文,scriptures 用复数。 - 语态「在……陪同下」用被动式分词 accompanied by(玄奘被随从陪同),英文此处天然用被动,比硬译 with three followers accompanying him 更地道。 - 用词搭配「取经」即「去取/获得佛教经文」,搭配 fetch/obtain/seek Buddhist scriptures;「艰难历程」用形容词 arduous/difficult 修饰 journey。
降级处理:一长串动作降级成定语/状语挂到 journey 上中文「玄奘 + 在三个随从陪同下 + 穿越西部地区 + 前往印度 + 取经」连用多个动词,全是修饰「历程」的。英文只让 describes 当谓语,其余降级:把「历程」具体化为 Xuanzang's journey to India(of/'s 所有格点明是谁的历程、去哪儿);「在三个随从的陪同下」用过去分词/介词短语 accompanied by three disciples/followers 作状语;「穿越中国西部地区」用现在分词或介词短语 crossing/through the western regions of China;「取经」用不定式 to fetch Buddhist scriptures 表目的。绝不照中文用 and 把这些动词一路平铺。
参考译法:Although the theme of the story is based on Buddhism, the novel draws on a wealth of Chinese folktales and mythology, creating various vivid characters of both people and animals.
主干:(虽然……但)这部小说采用素材、塑造形象(主语策略:原句主语)句中有「虽然……但……」让步转折结构。让步分句「故事的主题基于佛教」处理为状语从句 Although the theme is based on Buddhism;主句主语是「这部小说」,主干为 the novel draws on/uses ... material and creates ... characters。注意中文「但」后其实有两个并列动作(采用素材、创造形象),主语同为这部小说。
语法点:- 逻辑连接词「虽然……但……」在英文里只用一个连接词:要么 Although/Though 引导从句,要么主句用 but,二者不可同时出现(中式英语常 Although...but... 连用,是典型错误)。本句用 Although 起头,主句不再加 but。 - 时态全句回指基调用一般现在时:is based on、draws on、creates——介绍这部书一贯的取材与创作特点,用现在时。 - 单复数「各种……人物和动物形象」是复数:various vivid characters;「民间故事」folktales、「神话」myths 多用复数;「素材」material 作「素材」解通常不可数,不加 s。 - 搭配「基于」用 be based on;「采用/取材于」用 draw on/draw upon 或 make use of;「栩栩如生」用 vivid/lifelike 修饰 characters/images。
降级处理:让步从句前置 + 两个并列谓语「虽然故事的主题基于佛教」→ Although/Though the theme of the story is based on Buddhism,作让步状语从句置于句首。主句里「采用了大量素材」和「创造了各种形象」是同主语的两个并列动作,用 and 连接两个谓语:the novel draws on a wealth of Chinese folktales and mythology and creates various vivid characters of people and animals。「中国民间故事和神话的素材」可译 material from Chinese folktales and myths。
4. 其中最著名的是孙悟空,他与各种各样妖魔作斗争的故事几乎为每个中国孩子所熟知。
参考译法:The most famous of these is Sun Wukong, whose stories of fighting all kinds of demons and monsters are known to almost every Chinese child.
主干:最著名的是孙悟空;他斗妖的故事为孩子所熟知(主语策略:原句主语)中文是两个分句。前半「其中最著名的是孙悟空」是判断句,主语「最著名的(一个)」、表语孙悟空:The most famous of these is Sun Wukong。后半「他……的故事几乎为每个中国孩子所熟知」主语是「故事」,谓语「为……所熟知」,主干 the stories ... are known to almost every Chinese child。
语法点:- 语态「为……所熟知」是中文被动,对应英文被动 be known to sb:are known to almost every Chinese child。这是汉语「为/被……所」结构的标准对译,不可漏掉 be。 - 时态回指基调用一般现在时:is、are known——这些故事「至今」仍为孩子熟知,是现状陈述。 - 单复数与主谓一致「各种各样妖魔」复数 various demons and monsters;主语若用 the stories(复数)谓语用 are known,若用 the story(单数)则 is known——主谓须一致,别 stories...is。 - 用词「妖魔」译 demons and monsters/evil spirits;「几乎每个」almost every + 单数名词(every Chinese child,child 用单数);「作斗争」fight against/battle against/struggle with。
降级处理:「他斗妖的故事」名词短语 + 「为……所熟知」转被动后半句中心名词是「故事」,「他与各种各样妖魔作斗争的」整块作定语修饰它:the stories of his battles against various demons and monsters(用名词化 battles,或用定语从句 the stories of how he fights various demons)。「为每个中国孩子所熟知」是中文被动「为……所」,直接对英文被动 are known to almost every Chinese child。两个分句可用分号或独立成句。
词汇与译名提示
《西游记》原文已给出官方英译 Journey to the West,直接沿用,全篇统一,不要自造 Westward Journey 之类。书名用斜体或在正式行文中保持首字母大写即可。
第 1、2 句之间:避免重复书名,用 The novel 承接第 1 句主语已是 Journey to the West,第 2 句中文又说「这部小说」(这部小说描绘了),英文不再重复书名,改用 The novel 承接,既对应中文「这部小说」又避免书名连写两遍。
第 2、3 句之间:让步转折逻辑用 Although 显化中文第 3 句以「虽然……但……」(虽然故事的主题基于佛教,但这部小说采用了大量中国民间故事和神话的素材)承上转折——前句讲取经(佛教题材),本句说虽基于佛教却广采民间素材。英文句首 Although 把这层让步关系显化出来,读者才感到两句的逻辑承接,而非各说各话。
第 3、4 句之间:用 of these 把「各种形象」与「孙悟空」勾连第 3 句末讲「各种栩栩如生的人物和动物形象」(创造了各种栩栩如生的人物和动物形象),第 4 句「其中最著名的是孙悟空」正是从这些形象里挑出代表。英文用 The most famous of these is Sun Wukong,of these 回指上句的 characters,两句无缝衔接,体现「总—举例」的信息流。