阳关雪汉译英及翻译日志

阳关雪

我在望不到边际的坟堆中茫然前行，心中浮现出艾略特的《荒原》。这里正是中华历史的荒原：如雨的马蹄，如雷的呐喊，如注的热血。中原慈母的白发，江南春闺的遥望，湖湘稚儿的夜哭。故乡柳荫下的诀别，将军圆睁的怒目，猎猎于朔风中的军旗。随着一阵烟尘，又一阵烟尘，都飘散远去。我相信，死者临亡时都是面向朔北敌阵的；我相信，他们又很想在最后一刻回过头来，给熟悉的土地投注一个目光。于是，他们扭曲地倒下了，化作沙堆一座。

这繁星般的沙堆，不知有没有换来史官们的半行墨迹？史官们把卷帙一片片翻过，于是，这块土地也有了一层层的沉埋。堆积如山的二十五史，写在这个荒原上的篇页还算是比较光彩的，因为这儿毕竟是历代王国的边远地带，长久担负着保卫华夏疆域的使命。所以，这些沙堆还站立得较为自在，这些篇页也还能哗哗作响。就像干寒单调的土地一样，出现在西北边陲的历史命题也比较单纯。在中原内地就不同

The Snow in Yangguan Pass Aimlessly walking along the endless mounds, I was reminded of T.S Eliot’s The Waste Land. Here, the waste land of Chinese history was in front of me: galloping war-horses, thundery roars and flooding blood. I could see a grey-headed mother waiting, a melancholy maiden longing and I could hear a child crying in the night. I could even imagine how the warriors bid farewell to their families, how the general flew into rage with his eyes glaring, and how the army flag was flying against the north wind. But all these images have drifted away like smog with the passing time. I believe that all the warriors were facing north toward their enemies the moment when they died, even though they were so yearning to catch the last glimpse of their homeland in the south. Then, the warriors fell down with regrets and dusted into a waste mound.

I did not know if these waste mounds had been recorded in Chinese history or not. With the passage of time, historical books have being turned over page by page so as these waste mounds have being covered by layers of dust. Chapters about this waste land in voluminous historical books are also radiating with their own charms, for this waste land, after all, was the border area of the past dynasties and vital to territorial sovereignty. That is the reason why these mounds have their own place in the Chinese history and why the recorded history about them is still read by posterity. The history of the north-west border is as monotonous as the barren land there. While in the central plain of China, things are different. Here, even

翻译日志

原文理解

原文从语言到意境都具有极强的文学性，遣词造句繁复跳跃，脱离语法的束缚。这给译者带来许多障碍，首先就是理解上的障碍。要读懂这类文章，需要译者具备一定的文学素养，能读懂作者的弦外之音，与作者产生共鸣。

原文有以下理解难点：

1.“沙堆”

原文多次出现“沙堆”一词，其实“沙堆”指的就是第一句里的“坟堆”。这些沙堆就是阵亡战士的荒坟，因为他们是尸体是自然风化的，自然掩埋的，不是经过埋葬仪式，所以全文都将“沙堆”一词处理为“waste mound（荒坟）”

2.“于是，他们扭曲地倒下了，化作沙堆一座。”

该句中的“扭曲”不太好理解，若直译为字面意思显得很牵强。译者是联系上文来理解该词的。上文提到阵亡的战士临死前向回头看一眼故土，但却最总选择了面向敌阵，这就说明了战士死时心有遗憾，未能看故土最后一眼。所以，这里将“扭曲地倒下”理解为“心怀遗憾地死去”。全局解释为：战士心怀遗憾地倒下，自然风化成一堆荒坟。

3.“史官们把卷帙一片片翻过，于是，这块土地也有了一层层的沉埋。”

这句话是用形象的语言来描述抽象的事情。“史官们把卷帙一片片翻过”说明史官在记录历史，而时间在向前发展；“这块土地也有了一层层的沉埋”说明随着时间的流逝，这些沙堆越积越厚。简而言之，就是作者用“史书的翻过”和“沙堆的累积”这两个意象来表明时间在流逝。在翻译时，最好要保留原文的意象，将“卷帙一片片翻过”、“一层层沉埋”表现出来。

4.“所以，这些沙堆还站立得较为自在，这些篇页也还能哗哗作响。”

这句话也需要联系上文来理解。上文指出西北边陲在历代是军事要地，战略价值意义重大，所以“这些沙堆还站立的较为自在”是在说这些阵亡的战士在历史上有一席之地；“这些篇页也还能哗哗作响”

说明这段历史还有人阅读，还有价值。

翻译策略

根据纽马克的文本类型分类理论，该源文本明显属于“表达型”文本。作者主要通过该文本来表达自己的思绪和心情，所以遣词造句富于表现力。译者在翻译时要透过词句揣摩作者的心情，用对应的目标语来再现作者的心情。所以翻译时主要采取“意译”，即不拘泥于词句的表面意思和形式，而要挖掘其深层的涵义，甚至可以放弃源文的形式而捕捉文字背后的意义与思想，让后用地道的目标语将作者的思想表达出来。

翻译难点及处理方法

1.这里正是中华历史的荒原：如雨的马蹄，如雷的呐喊，

如注的热血。中原慈母的白发，江南春闺的遥望，湖湘

稚儿的夜哭。故乡柳荫下的诀别，将军圆睁的怒目，猎

猎于朔风中的军旗。

这三句话都是作者想象到的战场和后方的景象。译者同样将这三句话按原文顺序翻译，但在后两句加上了主语和谓语，指出这些画面是作者自己的想象，而原文的内容则作为宾语从句，表明是作者想象到或看到的画面。因此译为“Here, the waste land of Chinese history was in front of me: galloping war-horses, thundery roars and flooding blood. I could see a grey-headed mother waiting,

a melancholy maiden longing and I could hear a child crying in the

night. I could even imagine how the warriors bid farewell to their families, how the general flew into rage with his eyes glaring, and how the army flag was flying against the north wind.”

2.我相信，死者临亡时都是面向朔北敌阵的；我相信，他

们又很想在最后一刻回过头来，给熟悉的土地投注一个

目光。

译者将这两句话合为一句，用一个“I believe”总领。因为这两句讲的是同一个对象——战士在临死前的情形，以后有转折关系。因此译为“I believe that all the warriors were facing north toward their enemies the moment when they died, even though they were so yearning to catch the last glimpse of their homeland in the south.”

3.史官们把卷帙一片片翻过，于是，这块土地也有了一层

层的沉埋。

前面分析过，这句话讲的是：时间在流逝，历史在前进，沙堆在累积。所以在保持原文意象的基础上译为“With the passage of time, historical books have being turned over page by page so as these waste mounds have being covered by layers of dust.”

4.所以，这些沙堆还站立得较为自在，这些篇页也还能哗

哗作响。

根据前面的分析，处理词句时应抛掉原文字面的束缚，而关注其文字背后的含义。译为“That is the reason why these mounds have their own place in the Chinese history and why the recorded history about them is still read by posterity.”

5.在中原内地就不同了，山重水复、花草掩荫，岁月的迷

宫会让最清醒的头脑胀得发昏，晨钟暮鼓的音响总是那

样的诡秘和乖戾。

词句中的“山重水复”、“花草掩荫”在英语中没有对应的概念，其实指的就是美丽的自然风景，而“岁月的迷宫”译者将其解读为“寻欢作乐”。所以译为“Here, even the most reasonable man would be fascinated with the beautiful scenery and making merry; and even the morning bell and evening drum sound secretive and grumpy.”