王佐良的翻译思想研究

广西师范大学硕士研究生学位论文A Study of Wang Zuoliang’s Views on Translation王佐良的翻译思想研究院、系：外国语学院年级：2002级研究生学科专业：英语语言文学研究方向：翻译理论与实践导师姓名：袁斌业教授研究生姓名：黄晓云完成时间：2005年4月AcknowledgementsI‘d like to take this opportunity to thank all those who helped me write this thesis. First of all, with heartfelt gratitude, I express my deepest thanks to my tutor, Prof. Yuan Binye whose insightful suggestions and valuable instructions on my thesis and repeated scrupulous revision of several drafts of my manuscript contribute to the completion of my graduation thesis. But for his assistance, my graduation thesis would not have been completed. I am obliged to him for all the help he has offered me in various ways in the past three years.I am also indebted to all the teachers who imparted lots of knowledge to me, especially to Bai Jingze, Zhou Liangren and Zhang Xianglin who gave lectures on translation.Last but not the least, my deep thankfulness extends to all my classmates for the encouragement and support during the process of writing my thesis.王佐良的翻译思想研究研究生:黄晓云导师:袁斌业专业:英语语言文学方向:翻译理论与实践年级:2002级摘要本论文研究的是翻译家王佐良的翻译思想。

王佐良先生是我国外语界的老前辈，对外国文学的研究做出了重大的贡献，对翻译理论和实践的探索也建树颇多，他的译作不仅有诗歌和散文,还有小说和戏剧，尤其是对彭斯诗歌的研究和翻译在国内堪称一流。

其翻译思想丰富而深刻，涵括文化，文体等多个方面,值得人们的深入研究。

本文第一部分介绍了人们对王佐良的翻译思想研究，指出现有研究的不足之处。

第二部分介绍王佐良的生平和在翻译方面取得的成就。

王佐良很早就涉足翻译，曾将《雷雨》译成英文。

50年代参加《毛泽东选集》的翻译工作。

其翻译理论的探索主要收集在《翻译：思考与试笔》和《论新开端：文学与翻译研究集》。

第三部分重点描述王佐良的翻译思想。

王佐良从民族文化建构的角度评价翻译的作用，认为如果去掉翻译，每个民族的文化将大为贫乏；整个世界也将失去光泽。

他觉得一部作品要靠读者来完成，读者的因素应该考虑进去。

他在评论严复的翻译时，认为严复的目的是吸引心中特定的读者――19世纪末二十世纪初的士大夫，因此严复调动各种手段来打动他心中的读者，成功地翻译了《天演论》等著作。

他是20世纪80年代中国文化翻译研究的积极倡导者。

1984年和1985两年王佐良先后发表了《翻译中的文化比较》和《翻译与文化繁荣》两篇文章，论述了文化和翻译的关系。

他强调译者要成为文化意义的人，因为译者处理的是个别的词，面对的则是两大片文化。

我们应该进而探讨翻译的文化意义和历史作用，或者更进一步把翻译同比较文化这个新学科结合起来。

王对文化和翻译关系的研究同西方翻译研究的文化转向几乎是同步的，所以他的观点是具有前瞻性的。

同时他在这方面的研究在我国具有广泛而深远的影响。

另外，王把文体学的研究和翻译研究结合起来，为当今把文体学和翻译研究结合起来铺路。

七八十年代中国的翻译研究注意吸收其它相关学科的新成果，不少新理论被引进翻译理论中，王佐良是较早作出尝试的人。

1979年，他发表了《词义·文体·翻译》，运用文体学的知识解决一些翻译问题。

王佐良先生在这方面的著作有《英语文体学引论》、《英语文体学论文集》等。

他讨论了语域和变异等概念，认为翻译和文体学有着密不可分的关系。

一个好的翻译不能不注意到两种文字的文体风格。

关于诗歌翻译，王佐良是从诗艺和语言的角度来看待诗歌翻译的，语言处于活跃状态时有利于翻译。

同时他认为要以诗译诗，形式上尽量接近，而诗的意境，形象和比喻都很重要，有时可以做必要的变通以保持整首诗的效果。

同时他认为只有诗人才能把诗译好。

诗人译诗有利于他的诗歌创作。

本论文第四章主要用王佐良翻译的《雷雨》和《我的爱人像朵红红的玫瑰》来观照王佐良的翻译思想。

翻译思想来自实践，同时指导翻译实践的。

从王佐良的翻译我们可以更深刻地了解其翻译思想。

第五章指出王的翻译思想中值得商榷的地方。

他的观点只有诗人才能译好诗歌值得商榷。

诗人译诗有其优势。

但是，在诗歌翻译的第一阶段主要依赖于外语的水平，而且诗人在翻译当中若不区别翻译和创作的界限，容易把翻译变成创作。

关键词：王佐良翻译作用译文读者文化文体诗歌翻译A Study of Wang Zuoliang’s Views on Translation Postgraduate:Huang Xiaoyun Supervisor:Yuan Binye Major: English language and literature Speciality:Translation Theory and Practice Grade: 2002AbstractThis thesis studies Wang Zuoliang‘ views on translation.Wang Zuoliang is a famous figure in foreign languages circle in China. He has made great contribution to foreign literature research. He has achieved outstanding accomplishment in translation theories and translation practices. His translations include poems, essays, novels and drama. His translation and study of Robert Burns are regarded as first-rate level at home. His views on translation are rich and profound, covering culture and stylistics etc. His views on translation deserve our thorough study.In the first part of the thesis, the author presents an overview of studies on Wang Zuoliang‘s translation ideas and points out the shortcomings of the present studies.In the second part, the author introduces Wang‘s life and his translation achievements. Wang started translation practice in his early years. He has translated Thunderstorm into English. In 1950s‘, he participated in the translation of Selected Works of Mao Zedong. Most of Wang‘s papers on translation are collected in Translation: Experiments and Reflections and A Sense of Beginning: Studies in Literature and Translation.In the third part, the author mainly describes Wang Zuoliang‘s views on translation. From the perspective of the construction of national culture, Wang evaluates the role of translation, thinking that the whole world would become shabbier without the splendid translations of literary works from all nationalities. He thinks that works is completed by readers and the factor of target text readers should be taken into account. When commenting on Yan Fu‘s translation, he thinks that Yan Fu‘s purpose is to attract the attention of scholar-bureaucrats at the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of 20th. So Yan Fu used various means to touch the readers. As a result, Yan Fu successfully translated Huxley‘s Evolution and Ethics. Wang is an active participator in translation studies from cultural perspective. In 1984 and 1985, Wang Zuoliang published Cultural Comparison in Translation and Translation and Cultural Prosperity to discuss the relation between culture and translation. He emphasizes that a translator should be aware of cultural differences, for what a translator deals with is separate word while the translator is actually faced with two different cultures. We should probe further into the cultural significance of translation and the historical role of translation or further combine translation with comparative culture, a new subject. Wang‘s study of the relation between culture and translation is almost at the same time when cultural turn took place in western translation studies. So his views are far-sighted. And his research on cultural studies in translation has produced profound and far-reaching impact. Besides, Wang combines the study of stylistics with translation studies and paves the way for today‘s study of the combination of stylistics and translation studies. In 1970s and 1980s, many new fruits of research of other relevant subjects were introduced into Chinese translation studies and many new theories were introduced into translation theories. Wang is one of the forerunners who made trials.In 1979, he published Sense, Style, Translation, using the knowledge of stylistics tosolve some problems in translation. His works on this aspect are Papers on English Stylistics and An Introduction to English Stylistics. He discusses the concepts ofvariety and deviation etc. and Wang has the view that translation is closely relatedwith stylistics. The style of the two languages cannot be neglected in good translation.On verse translation, Wang Zuoliang viewes verse translation from the perspective ofpoetic art and language. When the language is active, it is beneficial to translation. Atthe same time, he thinks that verse should be translated into verse. The form should bekept by all means while the artistic concept and the images and metaphors are equally important. When necessary, alternative methods should be adopted to keep the wholeeffect of the poem. He affirms that only poets are qualified to render verse well. Onthe other hand, verse translation is helpful to verse creation.In the fourth part of the thesis, the author uses Wang Zuoliang‘s translations of Thunderstorm and A Red, Red Rose to further analyze Wang‘s views on translation.His views on translation come from practice and can serve as a guidance in translation.From his translation, we can get a deeper understanding of his views on translation.In the fifth part, the author mentions one point open to question. Wang‘s viewpoint―only poets are qualified to render verse well‖ is questionable. Poets do have some advantages in verse translation. But the first stage of verse translation depends mainlyon the level of foreign language and if a poet cannot distinguish the boundary of verse translation and verse creation, he is prone to turn translation into verse creation.Key words: Wang Zuoliang the role of translation target text readers culture stylistics verse translationContentsAcknowledgement (ⅰ)Abstract inChinese (ⅱ)Abstract in English (Ⅳ)Ⅰ Introduction (1)1.1 An overview of studies on Wang Zuoliang‘s translation ideas (1)1.2 The significance of the research (2)ⅡWang Zuoliang’s Life and His Translation Achievements (3)Ⅲ Examining Wang’s views on translation (5)3.1 The important role of translation in the construction of national culture (5)3.2 Concern for the target text readers (8)3.3 Views on the combination of cultural studies and translation studies (10)3.4 Combination of stylistics with translation studies (12)3.5 Wang‘s views on verse translation (15)Ⅳ Examining Wang’s views from his translation practices...................... . (18)4.1 The translation of Thunderstorm (18)4.2 The translation of A Red, Red Rose (24)Ⅴ One Point Open to Question (28)5.1 Poets may not have advantages in the comprehension of foreign language (28)5.2 Excessive creation by poet translators will violate the nature of translation (29)5.3 Two typical examples run counter to Wang‘s view (30)Ⅵ Conclusion (34)Bibliography (36)Ⅰ Introduction1.1An overview of studies on Wang Zuoliang’s translation ideasWang Zuoliang is a famous figure in Chinese translation circle. And he has made outstanding accomplishment in translation theories and translation practices. Inheriting the fine tradition of Chinese translation studies and constantly combining new subjects with translation studies, Wang has put forward some incisive views on translation. So far some researches have been conducted on Wang Zuoliang‘s views on translation. Liu Lihua in her article A Study of Wang Zuoliang’s Thought on Translation affirms that a study of the translator, including his purposes, methods and his aptitude, is an indispensable part to the translation theory in our country and Liu Lihua probes into Wang Zuoliang‘s thought on translators and intends to indicate its instructional significance to our country‘s translation theories. Yi Lixin in Translating Verse as Verse, Poets Translating Poetry----A Study of Wang Zuoliang’s Verse Translation gives a brief introduction to Wang Zuoliang‘s ideas about verse translation, and points out that his ideas can be summed up as ―translating verse as verse, poets translating poetry‖. He holds the view that Wang puts his ideas into practice and the circles of translation particularly verse translation of today will get much inspiration from his original ideas. Hu Dexiang and Zhou Weijun through Wang‘s book Translation: Experiments and Reflections observe Wang‘s views on translation and Wang‘s translation practice. They think that prose translation can better reflect Wang‘s views on translation, so they analyze Wang‘s translation of William Cobbett‘s Rural Rides. Zhang Jianjia in Synopsis of Translation Viewpoint of Professor Wang Zuoliang introduces briefly Wang‘s viewpoints on translation, including Wang‘s views on translation, cultural translation and poetry translation. Among the research papers, one paper written by Guo Zhuzhang merits our great attention. Guo Zhuzhang in his book A Series of Studies in Translation Masters analyzes Wang‘ s views on translation and his translation practice. Guo uses a whole chapter to study Wang‘s views on translation in details. Wang Bingxin in his book analyzes Wang‘s viewpoints and his historical achievement in translation. The above-noted articles touch upon Wang‘s views on translation but most of them are not detailed and systematic studies.The current thesis tries to make a systematic and more thorough study of the famed professor‘s translation ideas including his viewpoints on the role of translation in the construction of national culture, readers in target text, the combination of cultural studies and translation studies, the combination of stylistics and translation studies and verse translation. The paper also points out that Wang‘s view ―only poets are qualified to render verse well‖ is open to question.1.2 The significance of the researchProfessor Wang Zuoliang attaches great importance to translation practices. In the course of his translation practice, he gradually forms his views on translation. The study can help us to have a better understanding of Wang Zuoliang‘s translation ideas and translation practice. Now it has been widely accepted that the celebrated translators, scholars and their views on translation are an important part of establishing Chinese translation studies. By the study, the author hopes to do something useful for the effort.Ⅱ Wang Zuoliang’s life and his translation achievementsWang Zuoliang, an eminent expert on English and American literature and an accomplished translator, was born in Shangyu county, Zhejiang province in 1916. Through many years of hard work, Wang Zuoliang became one of the most distinguished translators in China.Wang Zuoliang spent his childhood in Wuhan city with his father who was an office clerk in a small company. And he studied in Ningbo primary school in Hankou and Boone School, a missionary school run by Christianity in Wuchang. In Boone School all the courses except Chinese were taught in English. Therefore he laid solid foundation for his later studies of language and literature. When he graduated from Boone School, he intended to go to university. But his father went bankrupt and he managed to support himself to continue his studies. In 1935, Wang Zuoliang entered Tsinghua University. Among his classmates were Li Funing, Xu Guozhang, Zhou Jueliang, Zha Liangzheng who became well-known experts on foreign language and literature later in China. When studying in Tsinghua University and South-West Associated University, Wang learned philosophy from Jin Yuelin and He Lin, literature from Wu Mi and Qian Zhongshu. He also learned from some famous scholars such as Zhu Ziqing, Wen Yiduo and Pan Guangdan. In the year of 1947, Wang Zuoiliang became a postgraduate of Oxford University, majoring in British literature in the 17th century.Wang Zuoliang started his translation very early. He translated Thunderstorm in his early years. He once said, ―I do like translation. Sometimes, when I finished a ‗research‘ paper, I always feel that I‘d rather translate a foreign writer‘s works than to comment on him, which may be beneficial to the readers.‖(王佐良, 1989: 92) Wang‘s translations include essays, drama, prose and poems. Wang‘s translation of William Cobbett‘s Rural Rides and Francis Bacon‘s essays are praised by many people. And his verse translation are seen in Robert Burns: Selected Poems, Love and Liberty and Selected Translations of British Poems. In the early 50s‘, he participated in the translation of Selected Works of Mao Zedong.Considering the role of translators, Wang thinks, ―They (translators) are the able people of recreation. They bridge different cultures. Their effects turn translation into a kind of heroic cause.‖ (王佐良，1989: 17) Wang is just the person who makes great effects in translation. In the course of translation, he has accumulated much experience and brought forth many novel and useful ideas on translation. He is one of the scholars who carries out translation studies from the perspectives of stylistics and culture, which brings new approaches to the translation studies in 1970s‘ and 1980s‘.Most of his papers on translation studies are seen in his works: Translation: Experiments and Reflections and A Sense of Beginning: Studies in Literature and Translation.His views on translation are valuable and still useful today and they deserve our thorough research.Ⅲ Examining Wang’s views on translationWang Zuoliang‘s views on translation touch upon many controversial problems in the contemporary translation studies. He inherits the excellent tradition of Chinese translation studies and proposes his far-reaching and penetrating views on translation, which will undoubtedly enrich the repertory of Chinese translation studies.3.1 The important role of translation in the construction of nationalcultureWang Zuoliang holds that the literary translation is beneficial to any national literature and culture. He points out, ―Translation benefits the very fabric of any national literature, indeed, any culture. It does something more than opening new windows; it helps rejuvenate a culture, in a way that touches the very inner being of it, by giving its languages a shakeup and a sharpening so that it becomes sensitive and alive again.‖(Wang, 1991: 86) ―Indeed, the whole world would become shabbier without the splendid translations of literary works from all nationalities.‖(Wang, 1991:86)Talking about the tremendous impact translation in the 20th century has brought to China, Wang expresses his idea as follows, ―Indeed, the whole movement championing vernacular literature around 1919 got its inspiration from the translation of foreign literary works. The English Romanticism and Whitman helped to usher in Chinese vernacular poetry, Ibsen and Shaw gave the Chinese ideas about a new kind of drama, and Western and Eastern European writers supplied models for the new fiction.‖ (Wang, 1991: 83)In Wang‘s opinion, translation helps to construct national culture. Translation plays an irreplaceable role in the construction of national culture and Chinese cultural modernization. It is convincingly argued that translation leads people who have no knowledge of the other language to the culture which they would never experienceotherwise and translation expands the culture and expressions of their own language. The May Fourth Movement ushered in Chinese new literature and Chinese cultural modernization. One remarkable feature during May Fourth Movement was the abundant translation of foreign literary works. Because culture covers many things, my discussion in this part only focuses on the impact translation produces on Chinese language and Chinese literature, the two integral parts of Chinese culture.With translation, one language may import grammar and modes of expression. One only needs to mention the translation boom around May Fourth Movement. In a long period of time, Chinese language develops in a relatively static culture while around 1919 Chinese language experienced radical changes. Under the influence of learning from the west, translation boom took place in the early years of 20th century. Since it was carried out through language, undoubtedly, translation would produce a great impact on Chinese language. One noticeable influence exerted by translation was Europeanization of Chinese language. Around May Fourth Movement, the classical Chinese was dismissed and replaced by vernacular Chinese. Nonetheless, vernacular Chinese was regarded too vulgar to express complicate modern thoughts. Since the new thoughts were from western countries, so the language expressing such thoughts should be learned from western languages. As a result, Europeanization became a remarkable feature in Chinese language history around May Fourth Movement. Europeanization helps vernacular Chinese to establish itself as writing language. Translation not only introduces the contents of the original to readers, but also helps to create modern Chinese. The fact that Baihua in the 1930s‘ were more mature than that in the period of May Fourth Movement could be attributed to the European elements. Europeanization is closely related with literal translation, that is, the imitation of western sentence structure and expressions which on the one hand results in some fresh expressions and grammatical innovation, on the other hand produces some negative impact. Due to the translation, many new expressions are created. For example, many words translated from foreign languages are contained in Chinese language. At first, they are awkward-sounding and strange. Through historical testing, some are kept and become an integral part of Chinese language, and some are eliminated. For instance, ―咖啡‖(coffee) ―坦克‖(tank) ―逻辑‖(logic) ―幽默‖(humor) are originated from translation. Europeanization also influences Chinese language in terms of sentence level. For example, in traditional Chinese, subordinate clause is followed by main clause in many sentences. Europeanized sentence order, commonly accepted in Chinese today, is characteristic of the main clause followed by subordinate clause. For example, “我把这本书拿走了，如果你不介意的话。