摘要本文是一篇关于关于将爱尔兰戏剧《翻译》汉译成适合广大中国读者阅读的中文译本的翻译实践报告。
在当前英国脱欧的历史背景下，爱尔兰和北爱尔兰的边境问题成为当下国际社会密切关注的一个时事热点。
而爱尔兰戏剧《翻译》讲述了19世纪80年代一批英国皇家工程兵受英国政府派遣，在多尼戈尔郡的一个爱尔兰语社区进行地貌测绘，并将爱尔兰语地名全部翻译为英语地名的殖民史实。
通过阅读《翻译》，读者可以了解到爱尔兰19世纪的这段被大英帝国殖民统治的历史，有助于理解当前英国脱欧背景下爱尔兰热点问题的历史缘由。
在翻译剧本《翻译》之前，译者做了译前准备工作，针对剧本中的理解难点进行了分析，通过查询有关文献，发现剧本中影响译者和读者理解的很多词汇都属于文化专有项的范畴。
译者根据艾克西拉和诺德关于文化专有项的定义以及纽马克关于文化专有项的分类方法对戏剧《翻译》里出现的文化专有项进行了归类,将戏剧中出现的文化专有项分为三大类别，即地理生态，物质文化和组织机构。
然后根据戴维斯提出的七种翻译策略，以举例分析的方式阐述了译者如何利用这七种策略进行翻译实践。
接着通过举例分析了戏剧《翻译》中三大类别的文化专有项的翻译思路及其对应翻译策略。
综上所述，本文从文化专有项的翻译策略和思路来分析了爱尔兰戏剧《翻译》的翻译过程，为后面的译者在戏剧翻译方面提供了一种参考方法。
关键词：《翻译》；爱尔兰戏剧；布莱恩·弗里尔；文化专有项；AbstractThis is a translation report on the English-Chinese translation of the Irish drama Translations, which analyzes how the translator translated this drama into a target text in simplified Chinese that is readable for ordinary Chinese readers. In the context of Brexit, the Ireland border issue is currently an international hot topic that has attracted attention across the globe. The Irish drama Translations tells about h er Majestey‘s Government sending a group of royal engineers to County Donegal in Ireland to carry out the ordnance survey of this area and change all the geographic names of this county into anglicized and standardized versions in the 1880s. (Qi Yaping 2010:119) By reading Translations, readers can gain an overview on Britain‘s colonization of Ireland i n this period, which helps them understand the historical causes of the Ireland border issues.Before starting the translation task, the author made many pre-translation preparations. By studying the source text, the author found most of the unreadable terms belong to Culture-specific Items. Based on the definition of Culture-specific Items by Aixelá and Nord, as well as the classification method by Newmark, the author classified the Culture-specific Items in Translations into three main categories, ecology, material culture and organizations. By studying the seven translation methods proposed by Davies, the author analyzed each translation strategy through case studies. Then the author analyzed the translation of the three categories of Culture-specific Items in drama Translations and relevant translation strategies employed. Above all, the author of this report explored the translation of Irish drama Translations from the perspective of Culture-specific Items, which could provide later translators a reference on drama translation.Keywords：Translations; Ireland Drama; Brian Friel; Culture-specific Items;CONTENTSCHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION (1)1.1 Brief Introduction to the Translation Task (1)1.2 Target Readers and Requirements of the Client (2)1.2.1 The Target Readers (2)1.2.2 Requirements Proposed by the Client (2)1.3 Purpose and Significance of the Translation Task (3)CHAPTER TWO PRE-TRANSLATION (4)2.1 Convert Format of the Source Text (4)2.2 Analysis of the Source Text (7)2.2.1 Historical Background of the Drama Translations (7)2.2.2 Plot and Characters of the Drama Translations (7)2.2.3 Lexical Features of the Source Text (9)2.2.4 Syntactical Features of the Source Text (10)2.3 Culture-specific Items and Their Translation Strategies (11)2.3.1 Definition of the Culture-specific Items (12)2.3.2 Division of Culture-specific Items (13)2.3.3 Translation Strategies and Methods (14)CHAPTER THREE THE TRANSLATION PROCESS (22)3.1 Translation of the Culture-specific Items on Ecology (22)3.2 Translation of the Culture-specific Items on Material Culture (23)3.3 Translation of the Culture-specific Items on Organizations Terms (25)3.3.1 Translation of Religious terms (25)3.3.2 Translation of Administrative Terms (26)3.4 Summary (27)CAPTER FOUR POST-TRANSLATION (28)CONCLUSION (29)BIBLIOGRAPHY (30)ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS (33)Appendix (34)CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION1.1 Brief Introduction to the Translation TaskSince the late 19th century, Irish drama has played an important role in modern theatre literature in the transmission of ideas and ideology. In the 1960s, the famous Irish playwright Brian Friel emerged with his well-known Field Day Theatre Company. Both audience and critics rapidly acknowledged his dramas. Among his acclaimed dramas, Translations is a typical drama that focuses on language and communication, with its theme concerning the relationship between language, identity, politics, history and religion. (Castro, 2013) In order to introduce this drama to Chinese readers, Professor Li Chenjian entrusted the translation task of Translations to author of the report in 2016. Translating this drama from English to Chinese is an attempt to bring Chinese readers a new vision of Irish society in the 19th century. It is also the first time this drama has been translated into Chinese.To complete this translation project, the author of this report needs to complete the following tasks:1) convert the source text from pictures of JPG format into a whole WORD document;2) edit the converted source text to prepare it for translating;3) explore the historical background and playwright‘s creat ion ideas of this drama;4) pre-read the whole text to get an overview of the language features as well as difficult sentences;5) upload the prepared source text to the online translation software Jeemaa and completing the translation process;6) review and revise the translated target text in the online database;7) export the first draft of the translation;8) add footnotes to some difficult words and sentences;9) discuss with Professor Li about the words and sentences that need to be revised;10) revise the target text according to the discussion and read through the revised text to finalize the translation.1.2 Target Readers and Requirements of the ClientBefore starting this translation task, the report author carefully studied the requirements of Professor Li as well as the target readers and previewed the source text of the translation task in order to select proper translation strategies and translation methods accordingly.1.2.1 The Target ReadersAccording to Professor Li, the target readers are general Chinese readers who are interested in theatre literature but tend to, or can only, read Chinese books. As there is no plan to stage this drama in China so far, the performability of the target text is not considered here. That is, the actors or performers of this drama are not included in the target readers. This decides the purpose of the translation task, which is to provide the ordinary Chinese readers an Ireland drama in Chinese for reading. Therefore, this translation purpose helps to select proper translation methods accordingly.Based on our current education syllabus, ordinary readers who have completed their high school education could have the ability to appreciate a drama, either on stage or on the page. However, not everyone who completed high school education is familiar with Irish History or Culture. To provide readers an accessible translation, footnotes should be added to some Culture-specific Items in the target text.1.2.2 Requirements Proposed by the ClientTo achieve a better translation of this drama, Professor Li has proposed some requirements for the target text. The requirements are as follows:1）The source text should be the authoritative version of Translations as given in theformat of JPG.2）The layout of the target text should be consistent with that of the source text.3）The language of the target texts shall be plain and simple Chinese.4）The target text should be suitable for reading rather than staging.5）Footnotes should be added to some Culture-loaded words or sentences.6）The finalized version of this translation task should be ready for printing.1.3 Purpose and Significance of the Translation TaskAccording to the demands of the target readers and the translation requirements by Professor Li, the purpose of this task is to provide the Chinese readers a Chinese version of the Ireland drama Translations.By reading Translations, the Chinese readers can gain an overview of Irish society in the 19th century. As the target text language is plain and smooth simple Chinese, general readers can read it as either a literary story or a historical legend. In the context of Brexit, reading this drama can also provide readers a historical view for the current Ireland border issues.On the other hand, the target text of this drama can also provide other translators with a reference for drama translation. During the translation process, the translator has made great efforts to translate the Culture-specific items in the source text. Davies‘ translation strategies are employed to make the translation more accurate and readable. This kind of target reader-oriented translation is also a good example for similar drama translation in the future.Besides, the author also learnt a lot on the translation strategies of drama translation during the translation process of this drama, as well as the connection between translation and culture studies, which is worth a further study.CHAPTER TWO PRE-TRANSLATIONAs mentioned before, this is the first time this drama has been translated into Chinese. Neither print nor electronic versions of this drama can be obtained in China. The source text provided by the client are pictures of the original drama in JPEG format. To start this translation task, several steps are required, including transforming the source text of Translations into an editable WORD document from these JPG format pictures, analyze the source text and select proper translation strategies and methods.2.1 Convert Format of the Source TextThe original source text is a file of pictures of the Translations in the JPG format. Just as shown in Fig. 2.1 a), it is non-editable. Therefore, the pictures should be converted into an editable WORD document first. A software named ABBYY was applied here.Fig. 2.1 a) one picture of the Translations in the JPG format After converting, the words in the pictures were kept in a WORD document. Then the WORD document was exported from the ABBYY. But the layout of the exported text was not the same as the original copy. There were mistakes in spelling, extra punctuation marks andsentences with missing words, as is shown in Fig. 2.1 b).Fig. 2.1 b) exported text in the WORD documentThe next step is to edit the exported text, correct spelling mistakes and add missing words according to the original pictures of the drama text. After that, the format of the revised text should also be reset to make it consistent with that of the source text. Then the text is ready for translation. As is shown in Fig.2.1 c), the layout of source text is now the same as it is in the original book.Fig. 2.1 c) reset source text that is ready for translation During the pre-processing of the source text, all the editing and typing should be carefully carried out according to the JPG format pictures. When it is completed, the first copy of this processed source text should also be checked sentence by sentence according to the original copy for several times to ensure it is accurate. After several proof readings untilalmost no mistake can be tracked, the source text is ready for translation. The next step is analyzing the source text.2.2 Analysis of the Source TextAs one of Brian Friel‘s representative dramatic works, Translations tells a story that happened in Baile Beag in County Donegal in Ireland in August 1833, which is based on actual historical events. To prepare for the translation task, an analysis of this drama is conducted on its historical background, plot and characters as well as its language features.2.2.1 Historical Background of the Drama TranslationsIn 1824, the British Parliament produced the first Ordnance Survey map of Ireland, which was intended to map and replace every Gaelic name by a translated English equivalent, or a comparable-sounding one in English. At the same time, the educational system in Ireland began a significant transformation. Gradually, all local Irish-speaking schools (the hedge schools) were replaced with national schools where English became the only language of instruction. Through this reform, the British clearly aimed to anglicize, or possibly even ―civilize‖ the Irish population. They also had more practical purposes, of course: taxation, penetration, and ultimately, domination (Reinares & Barberan, 2007:9)2.2.2 Plot and Characters of the Drama TranslationsBefore introducing the plot, profiles of the main characters are listed as follows according to their introduction in the drama. The introduction of the characters helps the reader to gain a quicker and better understanding of the drama plot. Therefore, this part should also be added to the target text as a reference.2.2.2.1 Introductions of the Main CharactersName IntroductionHugh The headmaster of a small hedge school housed in an old barn. He frequently drinks a large amount, but he is by no means drunk. (Brian Friel, 1996: 397) He isa consummate Irish storyteller and educator. He appears egocentric, but isabsolutely charming and astute.Manus Hugh‘s older son, Manus serves as his father‘s unpaid assistant at the hedge school, though he frequently takes the class because of his father‘s drinkinghabits. He is searching for a headmaster position of his own.Owen Hugh‘s younger son. He is now working in the English Army, as a part-time, underpaid, civilian interpreter. His job is to ―translate the quaint, archaic tongueyou people persist in speaking into the King‘s good English‖. (Brian Friel, 1996:404)Maire Manus‘s fiancée, a strong-minded and adventurous woman. (Brian Friel, 1996: 387) She wants to learn English. She is also heroine of the love triangle Manusand is involved in a romantic relationship with Manus and the Lieutenant.Lieutenant Yolland A British soldier working with Owen on the renaming of the Donegal countryside for the Ordnance Survey. Though he does not speak Gaelic, he is fascinated with the Irish countryside and fantasizes about settling down in Baile Beag. His disappearance at the end of this drama brings the drama to a climax.Captain Lancey Lieutenant Yolland‘s commanding officer. Lancey is the British captain leading the local Ordnance Survey efforts.Sarah A student in the hedge school, she has such a serious speech defect that she is considered dumb. (Brian Friel, 1996: 383) Only Manus sees her potential andteaches her slowly, painstakingly, to speak. She lives with an intensity borne ofthe need and inability to communicate.Jimmy Jack Known as the ―Infant Prodigy,‖ Jimmy Jack is a perpetual bachelor in his sixties.He lives in one set of clothes and rarely washes. Eccentric and benignly mad, heis fluent in Greek and Latin. He lives alone and comes to evening classes at thehedge school partly for the company, and partly for the intellectual stimulation.(Brian Friel, 1996: 383)Doalty An open-minded, open-hearted, generous and slightly thick young man. (Brian Friel, 1996: 389-390)Bridget A fresh young girl, ready to laugh, vain, and with a country woman‘s instinctive cunning. (Brian Friel, 1996: 390)Table 2.2.1 Main characters2.2.2.2 Plot of the TranslationsThe drama Translations was set in a hedge-school in the small town of Baile Beag, an Irish speaking community in County Donegal in the summer of 1833. Hugh O'Donnell was the headmaster of a hedge school, a kind of rural school in Ireland that provides basiceducation to farm families. Manus, Hugh's older son, helped his father to teach in the hedge-school. Hugh insisted on teaching in Irish, even though he knew that their language Gaelic would inevitably be replaced by English. Owen was Hugh‘s younger son, who came back to the town with the Royal Engineers, Captain Lancey and Lieutenant Yolland, who were sent to Baile Beag by the government to remap the Irish countryside and change place names into anglicized and standardized versions. One of the engineers, Lieutenant Yolland was then captivated by Irish culture and believes the work they were doing was an act of destruction. Besides this, a love triangle developed among Manus, Yolland and Maire, a strong-minded and adventurous woman in the village. Yolland disappeared mysteriously, and Manus left town, broken-hearted. Owen realized he must remain true to his roots and decided to join the Irish resistance. The drama ended ambiguously, with no solution to the stories, which keeps readers and audience in suspense.The plot of Translations revolves around two main events. First, the arrival of a platoon of Royal Engineers, Lancey and Yolland in Baile Beag. Second, the imminent abolition of the local hedge school, which was run by the schoolmaster Hugh; and its substitution with the new state-run national school and, consequently, the substitution of Irish for English as the teaching language of the Irish speaking community. (Randaccio 2013:115)2.2.3 Lexical Features of the Source TextAs analyzed by the translator before starting the translation task, the most unique lexical feature of the drama Translations is it contains many Gaelic words which are not easy to understand even for English-speakers, such as, poteen (爱尔兰玻丁酒), aqua vitae (―生命之水‖蒸馏酒) and aul fella (老朋友). Besides, there are also many Greek and Latin words and sentences in the drama. As their relevant English translation has been given in the Appendix of the source text, these languages are not going to be discussed here.Besides, there are also many slangs that use some simple words but difficult to understand, such as the preposit ion ‗off‘ from the following sentences.MAIRE：Honest to God, I must be going off my head. I‘m half-way here and I think to myself, ‗Isn‘t this can very light?‘ and I look into it and isn‘t it empty.（梅尔：天哪，我一定是疯了。
