填空题
Read the following two versions of translation adopted from"兰亭集序" , and comment on them according to the following instructions in at least 400 words.(北京航空航天大学2012研，考试科目：综合英语)Instructions:A. Write a passage to compare the two versions of translation and then state your preference.B. Analyze your preferred version by using certain theoretical approach. You should firstly introduce the theory and then use it for your analysis. Chinese version：兰亭集序 夫人之相与，俯仰一世，或取诸怀抱，悟言一室之内；或因寄所托，放浪形骸之外。 虽取舍万殊，静躁不同，当其欣于所遇，暂得于己，快然自足，曾不知老之将至。及其所之既倦，情随事迁，感慨系之矣。向之所欣，俯仰之间，已为陈迹，犹不能不以之兴怀。况修短随化，终期于尽。古人云：“生死亦大矣。”岂不痛哉!English version 1: Preface to the Lanting Collection…With regard to the friendly association of people during their brief life, it might take the form of unbosoming themselves by conversing in a room, or abandoning themselves to things they love, revelling without constraint. The choices are so widely apart, and the temperaments in terms of quiet or boisterous behaviours are most different. When people are glad of their situations and feel contentment with their temporary gains, they are unaware of the approaching old age. But when they are tired of what they pursue as their feelings change with circumstances, then they are filled with melancholy. The things which they used to court with a gay heart become stale in an instant, but not without stirring up their sentiments. Besides, their spans of life, be they Jong or short, are decided by Providence and converge eventually to a common finish. An ancient said, "Life and death are matters of great magnitude. " How could they not be afflicted with sorrow?English version 2: A Sketch of the Gathering at Orchid Arbour…For what men have to do with their fellows during their lifetimes, either fetched from their bosoms and discussed with others in certain rooms or taken from their apprehension and cast aboard far beyond their corporeal frames, although what they adopt or reject are multifariously divergent, being variously different in quietude and tumult, —so when they are glad of what they have come across, well-contented with their state of being so far, living happily in their good fortune, without knowing that old age would soon descend upon them: and when they are tired of the past, their feelings undergo a metamorphosis as the result of the changed state of affairs and sentient responses are produced thereof.What was acclaimed in the past has become during one"s looking ahead up and down things of bygone days: yet one could not help being deeply moved in feelings while touching them in reality. What is more, the length and shortness of life depend on Nature"s decree: they would sooner or later reach finality. As the ancient saying(by Confucius)has it—momentous is the matter of life and death: how awfully painful it is!
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【正确答案】
1、正确答案：A. I prefer the first version due to the following reasons: Firstly, with the use of well-organized sentence structures, it leaves its readers with a positive impression. Secondly, the translator of the first version has a better understanding towards the original text. For example, "俯仰之间" is used to modify the flash of time and can be rendered into "in the twinkling of an eye" or "in an instant" , rather than "looking ahead up and down". Thirdly, the first version is marked with readily understandable words, while the second one perhaps overuses the scientific-sounding vocabulary, which turns to be much obscure. For example, the phrase "revelling without constraint" sounds more natural to a general audience than " cast aboard far beyond their corporeal frames" , and the word "metamorphosis" is often used in biology. In a word, the first version has done a better job in conveying the message of the original as well as its style and readability. B. Chinese and English, belonging to two different language families, have many differences. However, the most important contrast is parataxis and hypotaxis in grammatical structures, which is caused by the different thinking models between the eastern and the western people, the west emphasizing analysis while the east comprehensiveness. Therefore, the translator should give enough consideration to the syntactic differences between hypotaxis and parataxis in translation. Written in ancient Chinese, the above selection from "兰亭集序"is a perfect example of parataxis. In translating it into English, the translator should restructure the sentences according to their structural characteristics and take omission and amplification respectively so as to make the translation natural and fluent, conforming to the style of the original text. In my preferred version, the translator has successfully made appropriate adjustment to the sequence of sentences by way of compression and combination, during which a great many conjunctions and relatives are used so that the translation comes natural and intact in logic. For example, the Chinese character "或" appears no more than twice in the first sentence of the Chinese version, while the translator uses "with regard to" , "by" , "or" as well as the "ing" form of verbs(i. e. revelling)to serve as conjunctions. And these conjunctional words express explicitly both semantic and logical relationships between the several clauses. Therefore, not only the westerners" way of thinking is taken care of, but also the intended meanings of the original author are faithfully conveyed.