问答题
Translation Studies as a discipline is in many ways still in a state of flux. Translation can be seen as a point of intersection between many different academic subjects; it is an area in which many other disciplines have legitimately expressed an interest, and conversely one which has provided its own experts with insights which can profitably be shared elsewhere. There is for example a considerable exchange of knowledge, insights and methodologies between Translation Studies and fields as diverse as literary studies, philosophy, anthropology and linguistics; indeed, such is the level of intellectual cross-fertilization that some writers have suggested that the field should be known as an
interdiscipline
. Similarly, there are a number of equally legitimate reasons which scholars have had for pursuing an interest in Translation Studies. For example, some are motivated by highly practical concerns, such as the need to provide future translators or interpreters with training which is of the highest possible quality, the desire to raise the professional profile of translators and interpreters, or the wish to develop increasingly powerful machine translation systems; others, on the other hand, simply seek to provide ever more accurate and comprehensive explanations for certain phenomena in the world about us, without being primarily concerned with the possible practical applications which may accrue. Thus goals and objectives can vary considerably within the discipline. Of course, Translation Studies has been enriched by possessing such a multi-faceted nature. However, at the same time this very nature has meant that there is still considerable lack of agreement on concepts; added to this is the fact that Translation Studies is a relatively new discipline which is in many ways still "finding its feet". The result of such a situation has often been that different branches of the discipline have at times experimented with widely differing methodologies.
(From
Dictionary of Translation Studies
by Mark Shuttleworth & Moina Cowie, 2004, pp. v-vi)
【正确答案】
【答案解析】翻译研究作为一门学科,在许多方面仍处于不断地发展之中。翻译可被视为多个不同学科之间的交汇点,因此,许多其他学科对此表现出了应有的兴趣。从另一方面来看,翻译研究不仅给本学科的专家们提供了用武之地,也使其他学科的专家受益。例如,翻译研究与文学研究、哲学、人类学、语言学等各个领域之间,在知识、认识与方法上有着大量的相互渗透。正因为有知识领域的这种相互渗透,有人就提出应当把翻译研究称作一门“交叉学科”。同样,还有许多其他原因使学者们对翻译研究产生了兴趣。例如,有些人的研究动机主要是为了解决实际问题,其中包括如何为未来口笔译工作者提供优质培训、如何提高口笔译工作者的职业地位以及如何研发出能力不断增强的机器翻译系统。另一方面,也有一些人的研究目的并非是为了应用,而是为我们周围世界的某些现象提供更加准确的解释。不言而喻,学科内部取向不同,目标各异。翻译研究亦因其多面性而变得多姿多彩。但与此同时,这一多面性又意味着人们对形成学科基础的最低限度的基本概念严重缺乏共识。还有一个事实,就是相对而言,翻译研究是一门新兴学科,它在许多方面仍处于“探索”阶段。这种情形所导致的结果往往是,该学科的不同分支有时会运用大相径庭的方法来开展研究。
[解析] Translation Studies as a discipline is in many ways still in a state of flux.
“flux”的意思是“不稳定、流动”,根据句意可译为“翻译研究还在不断地变化发展之中”。
翻译研究作为一门学科,在许多方面仍处于不断地发展之中。
Translation can be seen as a point of intersection between many different academic subjects; it is an area in which many other disciplines have legitimately expressed an interest, and conversely one which has provided its own experts with insights which can profitably be shared elsewhere.
这句话的第一个分号前后的两部分实际上存在一定的因果关系——正是因为翻译研究是一个交汇点,所以其他学科才会对它产生兴趣,因此,翻译时可将这个因果关系用连接词“因此”表达出来。
翻译可被视为多个不同学科之间的交汇点,因此,许多其他学科对此表现出了应有的兴趣。从另一方面来看,翻译研究不仅给本学科的专家们提供了用武之地,也使其他学科的专家受益。
There is for example a considerable exchange of knowledge, insights and methodologies between Translation Studies and fields as diverse as literary studies, philosophy, anthropology and linguistics; indeed, such is the level of intellectual cross-fertilization that some writers have suggested that the field should be known as an
interdiscipline
.
“exchange”的意思是“相互交流”,但是学科之间用“相互渗透”更加准确。“as diverse as”表示“相关学科的范围之广”,参考译文没有使用“广泛”来表达,而使用了“各个领域”,足以表示其范围之广,但是考生若译为“广泛”也没有问题。
例如,翻译研究与文学研究、哲学、人类学、语言学等各个领域之间,在知识、认识与方法上有着大量的相互渗透。正因为有知识领域的这种相互渗透,有人就提出应当把翻译研究称作一门“交叉学科”。
For example, some are motivated by highly practical concerns, such as the need to provide future translators or interpreters with training which is of the highest possible quality, the desire to raise the professional profile of translators and interpreters, or the wish to develop increasingly powerful machine translation systems; others, on the other hand, simply seek to provide ever more accurate and comprehensive explanations for certain phenomena in the world about us, without being primarily concerned with the possible practical applications which may accrue.
这句话句首使用了被动句,若是直接译为被动结构“有些人是被……推动的”,稍显生硬,这里主要是介绍人们进行翻译研究的目的和动机,因此可直接将动词的“motivate”转化为名词,译为“有些人的研究动机是……”,之后列出动机,非常自然。分号前后的部分结构相同,翻译时为了避免重复,可将前面译为“动机”,后面译为“目的”。
例如,有些人的研究动机主要是为了解决实际问题,其中包括如何为未来口笔译工作者提供优质培训、如何提高口笔译工作者的职业地位以及如何研发出能力不断增强的机器翻译系统。另一方面,也有一些人的研究目的并非是为了应用,而是为我们周围世界的某些现象提供更加准确的解释。
Of course, Translation Studies has been enriched by possessing such a multi-faceted nature.
这句话虽然是一个被动句,但其实是要表达翻译研究丰富多彩的原因,因此翻译时不要过分拘泥于原句的句子形态,重要的是表达出作者的写作意图,让语言自然流畅。
翻译研究亦因其多面性而变得多姿多彩。
However, at the same time this very nature has meant that there is still considerable lack of agreement on concepts; added to this is the fact that Translation Studies is a relatively new discipline which is in many ways still "finding its feet".
“this very nature”是指上句的“多面性的特点”。“find one"s feet”字面意思是“找到自己的脚步”,这里要表达的含义是“翻译研究作为新学科还在起步阶段,发展还没有常规原则可以遵循”,因此需要探索出自己的发展道路。因此可译为“探索”。
但与此同时,这一多面性又意味着人们对形成学科基础的最低限度的基本概念严重缺乏共识。还有一个事实,就是相对而言,翻译研究是一门新兴学科,它在许多方面仍处于“探索”阶段。