英语翻译中直译法和意译法研究Towards Literal Translation and Liberal Translation

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1、英语语言文学毕业论文英语翻译中直译法和意译法研究Towards Literal Translation and Liberal Translation作者： 班级：学号：导师： 外国语学院Abstract：Because of differences in the source language (SL) and the target language (TL), such as various linguistic structures, literary styles, historical and cultural factors, both literal translation an

2、d free translation have strong points and weaknesses. Literal translation is often given priority in practice. It strictly follows the original text and strives to fully reproduce the original form, content and style of the source language text (SLT). Free translation is also indispensable, but in m

3、ost cases it is adopted as a supplementary method. It lays special emphasis on producing a natural target language text by retaining the original spirit rather than preserving the wording intact of the SLT. As two basic translation methods, both literal translation and free translation play a decisi

4、ve role in translation. The focus of this paper is on the actual application and functions of these two primary translation methods, including their characters, advantages, limitations and inter-relationship. The paper draws the conclusion: both literal translation and free translation are indispens

5、able. They should be employed in a flexible way according to the actual situations.Key Words: literal translation, free translation, source language text, target language text摘要: 直译和意译是两种基本的翻译方法。长期以来，直译和意译之争，是国内外学者讨论的焦点。由于源语与目的语之间存在一些差别，如不同的语言结构、语体风格、历史和文化因素等，直译和意译在实际运用中各有所长、各有所短。直译常被优先考虑使用，因为直译严格遵照

6、原文的模式，充分再现原文的形式、内容与风格。意译是另一不可或缺的主要翻译方法。意译侧重于保留原文的精髓，追求译文的流畅自然性，而不拘泥于保持原文措辞的完整性。直译与意译作为两种基本的翻译方法在翻译中都起举足轻重的作用。因此，本文的重点是探讨直译与意译的实际运用与功能，包括各自的定义、优缺点及相互关系。论文最终得出以下结论：直译与意译都是不可或缺的翻译方法，二者应相辅相成，相得益彰。译者在翻译时应根据实际情况与要求灵活使用。关键词： 直译； 意译； 逐字译； 源语语篇； 目的语语篇 As two basic translation approaches, literal translation

7、and free translation have attracted much attention all the time. The issue of their definitions, functions and relationship has always been an important topic in translation theory. More and more professors in modern times reach the agreement that literal translation and free translation are “twin-s

8、isters”. This paper first discusses the definitions of literal translation and free translation, and then it expounds and illustrates the application of these two major translation approaches. 1. Concepts of Literal Translation and Free Translation1.1 Definition of Literal Translation Literal transl

9、ation, as a notion at the heart of most translation controversies for many centuries, has been given different definitions. Defined by Dictionary of Translation Studies, literal translation is the direct transfer of a source language text (SLT) into a grammatically and idiomatically appropriate targ

10、et language text (TLT) (Shuttleworth & Cowie, 2004:95). According to Barkhudarov (巴尔胡达罗夫) (1969:10), a literal translation can be defined in linguistic terms as a translation “made on a level lower than is sufficient to convey the content unchanged while observing TL norms”. Catford (卡特福德) put liter

11、al translation between word-for-word translation and free translation. In China, translators and scholars also have various interpretations of this translation approach. As an advocator of literal translation, Lu Xun defined it as: Literal translation means faithfulness and expressiveness. It must c

12、ontain two aspects: 1) being easy to understand 2) retaining the manner of the SLT (Zhang Jin & Zhang Ning, 2005:232). Xu Chongxin explained literal translation from the perspective of sentence structure. He regarded sentences as the basic units. For example, if the original text consists of one sen

13、tence only, the target text should be one sentence as well. Professor Liu Zhongde defines literal translation in a relatively complete way: “In the process of translation, literal translation treats sentences as basic units and meanwhile takes the whole passage into consideration; a translator who a

14、ttaches great importance to literal translation does his or her best to reproduce the ideas and writing style of the original work, retaining in the version as many rhetorical devices and sentence structures of the original as possible” (Tan Weiguo, 2005:15). Considering all these scholars definitio

15、ns together, Id like to define literal translation in a few sentences. Literal translation, as the most common and most important translation approach, treats sentences as basic units and meanwhile takes the whole text into consideration. Literal translation preserves in the version both the origina

16、l form and content, including sentence structures, rhetorical devices, writing style and the basic tone, as well as implicit and explicit meaning of the source language text.1.2 Literal TranslationWord-for-word TranslationSince literal translation shares some common features with word-for-word trans

17、lation, many people get them mixed up. Even some dictionaries inter-interpret the former with the latter. But actually they are totally different. Word-for-word translation is exactly the replacement of each individual word of the SLT with a corresponding word in the TLT without reference to the wor

18、d order (Munday, 2001:19). This approach emphasizes vocabulary instead of grammar. That is to say, word-for-word translation only highlights transfer of words and expressions between the two languages instead of the languages themselves. It merely translates word by word stiffly and unintelligibly a

19、nd totally discards the principle of “smoothness” and “faithfulness”. Mao Dun, a noted Chinese scholar, made a distinction between literal translation and the “dead” translation. His points of view are as follows: Superficially speaking literal translation means not to alter the original words and s

20、entences; strictly speaking, it strives to keep the sentiments and style of the original. The meaning of the same word used in a sentence is often somewhat different from its definition in a dictionary. You must try to find a corresponding and appropriate expression for it when you translate somethi

21、ng literally. It would be “dead” translation if you should mechanically move the definition into your translation regardless of whether it is well-collocated or not in the target language. The “dead” translation wont be quite intelligible because words lose their proper places (1992:8). Definitely,

22、since the organization of words in Chinese is different from that in any Western language, it is actually impossible to achieve word-for-word translation in most cases. The so-called literal translation should not be necessarily translated word by word accurately.So strictly speaking, word-for-word

23、translation is an extreme form of literal translation. It is dead, mechanical and automatic.1.3 Definition of Free Translation Like literal translation, free translation also occupies an important place in translation theory. In Dictionary of Translation Studies, free translation is defined as a typ

24、e of translation in which more attention is paid to producing a natural target language than to preserving the source language wording intact (Shuttleworth&Cowie, 2004:62). Comparing it with literal translation, Barkhudarov (1969:11) describes it as a translation “made on a level higher than is nece

25、ssary to convey the content unchanged while observing target language norms”. According to Catford, it is a prerequisite of free translations that they should be unbounded as regards the level on which they are performed (1965:25). In other words, free translation is generally more “TL-oriented” tha

26、n literal translation. It reproduces the matter without the manner and the content without the form of the original (Newmark, 1988:46). Fu Lei, a famous translator in China, said: “I favor free translation, but it does not mean that I totally get rid of the syntax of the source language. No matter h

27、ow novel the sentence structure is, it should conform to the tradition of Chinese.” Professor Liu Zhongde (1994: 173) also gives a detailed explanation of this translation approach: “If translators adopt literal translation to deal with the source text and the translation cant be understood or accep

28、ted by readers, they should give up or change the original form and the figure of speech. At this time, free translation should be adopted to convey the original content and spirit by the use of traditional methods and any appropriate syntax of the target language”.Briefly speaking, free translation

29、 pays less attention to the alterations of the original pattern and the sentence structure. It gives priority to retaining the original spirit and meaning.1.4 Free TranslationRandom Translation Although free translation is not as stiff as literal translation, it does not mean that we can abuse this

30、method at will. No matter which method we may use, the prerequisite is that we must abide by the principle of “Faithfulness, Expressiveness and Closeness”. Only when we keep the meaning and spirit of the original text, can our translation be regarded as proper and appropriate; otherwise, it is merel

31、y “dead” or mechanical translation. Similarly, only when we change the sentence structure but make no addition or omission of the original meaning at will can our translation be regarded as proper free translation; otherwise, it is merely a “random” translation. Beyond its limitation, free translati

32、on would distort the source language text. As a result, target language readers might be misled. 2. Application of Literal Translation and Free Translation2.1 Application of Literal Translation In translation theory, there is a popular saying that “Translate literally, if possible, or appeal to free

33、 translation”. Generally speaking, literal translation is the most common approach and favored by most translators. Then why should we use literal translation as often as we can? What are its characteristics? Does it have any shortcomings? The study of these questions will help us to understand and

34、use literal translation in an appropriate way. First of all, Id like to illustrate the advantages of this basic translation approach. As a translation strategy, literal translation certainly has its uses.People insist upon literal translation normally because they are convinced that this is the best

35、 way to be faithful to the source language text. By trying to reflect every meaningful feature of the original text, they can produce the most accurate version. Lets observe the two examples below.1 A. Still waiting here? Seems you have waited a long time. B. Have to wait. C told me he would come, a

36、nd I have something to tell him. A: 还等在这儿？好像你已经等了很长时间。 B: 不得不等。C对我说他会来，我也有件事要告诉他。2 I would draw a further conclusion, which I believe is central to assessing Chinas future place in the world economy. 我想进一步得出结论，我认为这个结论对于评估中国今后在世界经济中的地位是至关重要的。 The two examples are both rendered into Chinese sentences

37、by means of literal translation. They are both sentences without any figure of speech. Because of the successful reproduction of the sentence patterns, not only the meaning but also the tone of the original is well conveyed in the translation. So, sentence 1 and sentence 2 can be called equivalent v

38、ersions.Rhetoric is often used in the original text so as to make the text lively and vivid. If we adopt free translation, the lively rhetoric of the original tends to disappear, but literal translation can retain the rhetoric and make the target language text as vivid as the original. For instance:

39、 3 Though the colonialists were armed to the teeth, yet the local people still dared to fight with them. 虽然殖民主义者武装到了牙齿，但当地人民仍然敢于同他们战斗。4 He walked at the head of the funeral procession, and every now and then wiped off his crocodile tears with a big handkerchief. 他走在送葬队伍的前头，还不时用一条大手绢抹去他那鳄鱼的眼泪。In sent

40、ence 3, the translator used “武装到牙齿” to interpret the phrase “armed to the teeth”, which not only keeps the metaphor of the original, but also makes it intelligible and acceptable by Chinese readers. Also, in sentence 4 “鳄鱼的眼泪”is used to replace the phrase metaphor “crocodile tears”. From the two typ

41、ical instances, we can see that some English metaphorical expressions have long been absorbed by the Chinese language without undergoing any changes. The two translations above both faithfully convey the form and content of the original. They show that the literal translation is a most desirable app

42、roach in such cases.Literal translation is the most common method in translating two languages that share the same family and same culture (Venuti, 2001:86). Though most languages and cultures exist differently in the world, some of them still share certain similar characters in certain parts. Towar

43、ds their common characters, literal translation is the best way to reflect these features; while towards their different characters, the adoption of literal translation can also help introduce some particular expressions in the SL and create the corresponding concepts in the TL. As a result, differe

44、nt languages and cultures may learn from each other so that they may enrich and supplement themselves. More and more scholars agree that literal translation best reflects the exotic atmosphere in the source language and enriches the target language.Compared with free translation, literal translation

45、 is often more appropriate and useful for translation of some types of writing. For example, it is particularly popular among the translators who deal with classic literature, for they value the form of such texts greatly. People engage in the translation of religious documents prefer this approach

46、as well. The method of literal translation is also favored by translators who deal with translation of technical texts. Furthermore, it plays an important part in the translation of political documents, advertisements, etc (Nida, 1984:78).However, literal translation is not a perfect approach. It st

47、ill has many shortcomings for the following reasons.1. Since no languages are identical, either in the meanings or in the ways the phrases and sentences are arranged, there is no absolute correspondence between any two languages. Therefore, no fully exact translation can be produced. For instance, s

48、onnet is a special literary style. Sometimes its extremely difficult to find the same literary form in TL to fully reflect its features, such as the rhyme or rhythm.2. Although part of the original text may be translated literally, we should realize that the whole is greater than the sum of parts. N

49、o article can be interpreted by literal approach alone. Otherwise, the work must be difficult to understand.3. The more cultural information included in the source language, the fewer possibilities for the translators to adopt literal translation.2.2 Application of Free Translation As mentioned abov

50、e, literal translation is not omnipotent. In many cases, it is difficult or even impossible for translators to finish the interpretation of the source language just by the literal translation method. So we should also seek help from the use of free translation. In the following part, the paper will

51、explore the reasons why free translation should be essential and its advantages as well. 4.2.1. Above all, lets explore the reasons for free translations indispensability from the perspective of the differences in sentence patterns between English and Chinese. We may find that there are two main dif

52、ferences. The first difference lies in the fact that there are more long and complex sentences in English than in Chinese. When we translate a text from English into Chinese, more often than not, it is necessary for us to use the free translation approach which can help us to divide the sentences in

53、to smaller parts more easily. For instance:5 The dust, the uproar and the growing dark threw everything into chaos. (直译) 烟尘、喧嚣，夜色愈深，一切都陷入混乱之中。 (意译) 烟尘滚滚，人声嘈杂，夜色愈深，一切都陷入混乱之中。6 Careful cyclists are in less danger than is commonly believed. (意译) 只要小心谨慎，骑摩托车并不像一般人想象的那样危险。 In these two sentences, free tr

54、anslation is adopted. The translator adds some useful information to Sentence 5 so as to make the expression more appropriate and the meaning more detailed. While in Sentence 2 some changes of the sentence structure are made so as to make the original text translated in accordance with the syntax of

55、 the target language. If we use literal approach, the structure of the sentence will be incomplete and the deep meaning will be unclear. The second difference in sentence patterns lies in the fact that there are more metaphorical sentences in English than in Chinese. Therefore when we translate, it

56、is necessary for us to use free translation to transform some metaphorical sentences into non-metaphorical ones so as to make the meaning clearer and more acceptable. For instance:7 Do you see any green in my eye? (直译) 你看见我眼睛里的绿光了吗？ (意译) 你以为我是幼稚好欺负的吗 8 The thick carpet killed the sound of my footste

57、ps.(直译) 厚厚的地毯消灭了我的脚步声。(意译) 我走在厚厚的地毯上，一点脚步声也没有。 Example 7 is a rhetorical question with a metaphorical expression. It is rendered into a rhetorical question, which is faithful to the original meaning, but does not contain the original metaphor. And the free translation of example 8 is the only versio

58、n that conforms to the habitual expression in Chinese. Comparing the effect of literal translation with that of the free approach, we can find that because some metaphors used in English do not exist in Chinese, the literal translation here is quite ridiculous and unnatural, whereas the free transla

59、tion makes the translated sentences not only correct but also smooth and lively.Besides the differences in sentence patterns, there are also some other reasons for free translation being essential in translation. Firstly, because of the distinctions in history and culture, each language has its own

60、idioms or specific terms. In most cases, it is quite difficult for translators to find the exactly same ones in the target language to substitute for them. For instance: 9 Cast pearls before swine.(直译) 把珍珠扔到猪面前。 (意译) 对牛弹琴。10 Every dog has its day.(直译) 每只狗都有它的日子。 (意译)凡人皆有得意时。 In English, these idioms

61、 are commonly-used and deep-implanted in the native. If we translate them literally, we would produce diversity in their meanings and make the communication incomprehensible. But if we choose the free translation and use similar Chinese idioms to paraphrase them, the interpretation will retain the s

62、pirit of the original so that the target language readers can enjoy the same feelings as the source language readers do.Secondly, the habit of expression is different between English and Chinese. Sometimes, we change the tone of the original context to make it more conformable to the target language

63、. For instance: 11 It goes very much against the grain with me that the name of the witness should ever be suppressed. 不发表证人的名字，实在大大地违反我的本意。 This translation is well done. In English, “go against the grain with somebody” is an idiomatic expression which means “be contrary to ones inclination”. There

64、fore, it cant be translated literally. In addition, the predicate verb in that-clause is in the passive voice, but the translator changes it into the active so that it reads more naturally to the Chinese readers.From the examples listed above, we can see that the advantages of the free translation a

65、pproach are quite apparent. This translation approach makes the original meaning not only smooth and fluent, but also acceptable and conformable to Chinese culture. Furthermore, in most cases, free translation may clearly describe a culture which is taken for granted by the native, but as something strange towards the target language acceptors. So it can enrich the cultures and the languages concerned.But the proper use of free translation has to fulfill the following three principles:1. It is adopt