中国古诗词中数词的英译-以许渊冲的英译本为例_英语论文

On Translation of Numericals in Ancient Chinese Poetry--Based on the Version of Xu Yuanchong

摘要

数词是中国古诗词中十分独特的语言现象，数词的翻译也历来是古诗词翻译的一个重点和难点。中西文化的差别和数词功能的差异也加大了古诗词数词翻译的难度。很多学者从模糊性、文化内涵、修辞等视角对数词进行了研究。

许渊冲，从事文学翻译长达六十余年，出版的译作多达一百五十多部，涵盖中、英、法语种。他主要翻译了大量中国古诗词，并形成了他自己译诗的方法和理论,总结为“美化之艺术，创优似竞赛”。许渊冲为中国的古诗词翻译做出了巨大的贡献。因此，通过分析许渊冲的英译本来研究中国古诗词中数词的翻译是很合理的。

本篇论文以许渊冲的英译本为例，收集和选择许渊冲译作中具有代表性并含有数词的诗词句，从归化和异化的角度，结合许渊冲的五大翻译策略，分析和研究诗歌中数词的翻译策略。

研究结果总结如下：

一、真实具体数词的翻译应当采用直译的方法；而对于模糊数词，归化和异化的结合是很明智的，它能够更容易地传达诗歌的意境美；归化适用于特殊数词的翻译，包括具有修辞功能的数词和含有文化内涵或典故的数词。因此，译文能够更加易懂，并能够帮助目的语读者理解。

二、当原语文化和译语文化对数词的理解一致时，可以采用归化的方式来满足目的语读者的需求。当原语文化和译语文化对数词的认知未必一致时，两种文化之间便产生了间隙。这时，在没有严重的理解障碍的前提下，可以采用异化的方法，使目的语读者领略异域文化。在大多数情况下，必要的归化和异化相互结合能够使译文更加传神达意。

关键词：数词翻译，古诗词，许渊冲

Abstract

Numeral is a unique linguistic phenomenon in ancient Chinese poetry, and the translation of numericals is constantly a major and difficult issue in translating ancient poetry. The differences between Chinese and Western culture and the different functions of numericals also enhance the difficulty of numerical translation. And numericals have been studied by many scholars from the perspective of fuzziness, cultural connotation, and rhetoric. 

Xu Yuanchong (XYZ), has been engaged in literary translation for more than 60 years, and has published more than 150 works of translation in Chinese, English and French at home and abroad. He mainly translated a large number of ancient Chinese poems and has formed his own translation theory and method, which is concluded as “art of beautifulization” and “creation of the best as in rivalry” (美化之艺术，创优似竞赛). Xu Yuanchong has contributed his share to the numerical translation in ancient Chinese poetry. Therefore, it is sensible to study numerical translation in ancient Chinese poetry through the analysis of XYZ’s translation. 

This paper collects and chooses representative poems with numericals in XYZ’s translation and analyzes and studies the translation strategies of numericals from the perspective of domestication and foreignization. 

The results of analysis are as follows: 

Firstly, literal translation is often adopted in the translation of real specific numericals to express the real meaning; as to the translation of fuzzy numericals, combining domestication and foreignization is wise and it is easier to realize the beauty of poetry conception; domestication is applicable to the translation of special numericals, including numericals with rhetorical functions and numericals with cultural connotations or allusions. Thus, the version will be easily understood and can help the appreciation of readers in the target language.

Secondly, when source culture has the same understanding about numericals in the target culture, it is necessary to employ domestication to meet the demand of the readers in target culture. While source culture is not necessarily consistent with target culture in the aspect of numericals, there is a great gap between two cultures. In this case, provided that there is no excessive comprehension obstacle, foreignization is feasible to enable readers in target culture to appreciate alien culture. In most instances, combination of domestication and foreignization is essential to make translation more vivid and faithful.

Key Words: Numerical Translation, Ancient Poetry, Xu Yuanchong

Contents

Ⅰ. Introduction 1

II. Literature Review 2

2.1. Translation of Numericals and Ancient Poetry 2

2.1.1. Domestication and Foreignization 2

2.1.2. Numerical Translation 4

2.1.3. Translation of Ancient Poetry 4

2.2. XYZ’s Translations and Theories 5

2.2.1. Translations 5

2.2.2. Theories 6

III. Numericals in Ancient Chinese Poetry 9

3.1. Characteristics of Numericals 9

3.2. Classification of Numericals 9

3.3. Functions of Numericals 10

IV. Translation Strategies of Numericals in Ancient Chinese Poetry Based on XYZ’s Version 13

4.1. Translation Strategies of Real Specific Numericals 13

4.2. Translation Strategies of Fuzzy Numericals 13

4.3. Translation Strategies of Special Numericals 15

V. Conclusion 18

Bibliography 20