论《牡丹亭》英译策略的运用和局限

Abstract

要翻译中国古典戏曲, 译者必须要处理中西戏剧在文化上的差异, 让两地文化接轨,涵化与异化翻译是跨文化翻译中普遍应用的翻译策略之一, 惟此等策略能否完全消除中西文化差异, 让原文及原文化在译文中全面地展现, 这是一个值得探讨的问题。文章通过比较三种《牡丹亭》 英译本, 探讨中国古代戏曲《牡丹亭》 中的名称、文化词汇、诗词及声情翻译, 并窥豹涵化及异化翻译策略的运用和效能。透过原文及三种译文的比较, 不难发现涵化及异化的翻译策略在一定程度上可以淡化中西文化差异, 可是译者必需注意两者的具体应用及平衡。 To translate classical Chinese operas into English, translators have to deal with cultural differences between the Chinese and Western drama in an attempt to close the gap between the two. Acculturation and foreignization are the two translation strategies commonly used in cross- cultural translations, but whether they can eliminate cultural differences completely and fully present the original texts and culture in the translated version are still worthy of discussion. By comparing the three English versions of The Peony Pavilion, this paper investigates the translation of names, cultural vocabularies, poems and modes of music that appear in the ancient Chinese opera, and takes a peep into the use of acculturation and foreignization. Based on the contrast between the original text and three translated versions, the paper argues that the two translation strategies can desalt cultural differences between the Orient and West to a certain extent, but translators have to pay attention to the specific use and balance of the two.