英語中 “校長”的幾種譯法

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中文里不論什么學(xué)校的“長”,都叫“校長”,英文里的“校長”的名稱卻有所不同。中小學(xué)(school)的校長,美國英語通常稱為principal,英國英語現(xiàn)在通常稱為head teacher,過去一般稱為headmaster;大學(xué)校長則稱president或chancellor.不過英國大學(xué)的chancellor是虛銜,可以譯成“名譽(yù)校長”,真正的校長是Vice-chancellor.
    下文里的“校長”顯然指大學(xué)校長,應(yīng)當(dāng)譯成university president.接下來,就讓我們看一篇有關(guān)“校長”的文章,以及精彩的翻譯點(diǎn)評。
    常常會(huì)聽到一些大學(xué)校長說“我把學(xué)生當(dāng)自己的兒女看待”,一派慈祥。他也真做得像個(gè)嚴(yán)父慈母:規(guī)定學(xué)生不許穿拖鞋在校內(nèi)行走,上課不許遲到,周會(huì)時(shí)要正襟危坐,睡眠要足8小時(shí),熄燈前要洗澡入廁,清晨6點(diǎn)必須起床做操,講話時(shí)不許口含食物,夏天不可穿短褲上課,看電影有害學(xué)業(yè),看電視有傷眼睛,吃飯之前要洗手,等等等。
    I often hear university presidents say, "I treat my students as if they were my own children," their voices full of fatherly love. And indeed they act just like strict but loving parents, telling the students that they aren't allowed to walk around campus in slippers, that they shouldn't come late to class, that they shouldn't speak with food in their mouths, that they can't wear shorts in the classroom during the summer, that they have to sit up straight and be serious at weekly meetings, that they should get at least eight hours of sleep, that they have to finish using the showers and bathrooms before the lights are turned off in the dormitory, that everyone must get up for morning exercises at six a.m., that going to the cinema too often will interfere with their studies, that watching too much television will ruin their eyesight, that they should wash their hands before meals, and so on and so forth.
    翻譯評析:
    1)常常會(huì)聽到:即“我常常會(huì)聽到”(I often hear……)。漢語的主語常可以省略,而英語句子一般須有主語。
    2)看待:這里可以理解為“對待”(treat……as if……),按字面意思譯成regard……as……也可以。
    3)一派慈祥:“一派……”的意思是“顯出非常……的樣子”,這里可以理解為“話音中充滿……”,譯成their voices full of……或以感嘆句"How……!"的形式另起一句。英語似乎缺乏一個(gè)與“慈祥”完全對應(yīng)的詞,比較接近的有motherly/fatherly, loving, benevolent.“一派慈祥”可以譯成their voices full of fatherly love或How benevolent!.
    4)他:由于前面說的是“一些大學(xué)校長”,英文這里得用they.
    5)做得像:也就是“表現(xiàn)得像”(act just like)。
    6)嚴(yán)父慈母:字面意思是“嚴(yán)格的父親和慈祥的母親”,這里可以理解為“嚴(yán)格而又慈祥的父母”(strict but loving parents)。
    7)規(guī)定:這里用telling比stipulating好。tell本身就有命令、規(guī)定的意思,stipulate則顯得過于正式。
    8)不許:這里的意思是“不被允許”(aren't allowed),但形式上卻沒有任何被動(dòng)標(biāo)記。中文里這種情況很多。
    9)在校內(nèi):不能一看見“在……內(nèi)”就用in.這里的“?!敝浮靶@”(campus),而campus并不跟in搭配。這里好用around campus(在校園四處)。
    10)上課不許遲到:這里的“不許”似乎重點(diǎn)不在于重申一項(xiàng)規(guī)定,而是勸說學(xué)生“不要”,因此宜譯成shouldn't come late to class.
    11)周會(huì)時(shí)……做操:這幾句話由于是肯定句,翻譯時(shí)不妨跟后面的兩個(gè)否定句調(diào)個(gè)個(gè),這樣就把表示禁止句子連在了一起。把表示要求、規(guī)勸、建議的句子連在一起,讀起來更順一些。
    12)周會(huì):每周的會(huì)(weekly meetings)。
    13)正襟危坐:意思就是“身子坐直,態(tài)度嚴(yán)肅”(sit up straight and be serious)。
    14)睡眠要足8小時(shí):意思是“要得到至少/整8小時(shí)的睡眠”(should get at least eight/eight full hours of sleep)。
    15)熄燈前:這里指“在宿舍熄燈前”(before the lights are turned off in the dormitory)。
    16)洗澡入廁:這里的意思應(yīng)當(dāng)是“淋浴完畢,上完廁所”(finish using the showers and bathrooms)。
    17)起床做操:中文是并列結(jié)構(gòu),英文也可以譯成并列結(jié)構(gòu)get up and do morning exercises,但不如將“做操”譯成狀語for morning exercises簡練。
    18)講話時(shí)不許口含食物:也就是“不要在嘴里有食物時(shí)說話”(shouldn't speak with food in their mouths/with their mouths full)。
    19) 穿短褲上課:即“在教室里穿短褲”(wear shorts in the classroom)。
    20)看電影有害學(xué)業(yè):意思應(yīng)當(dāng)是“看電影過多會(huì)影響學(xué)習(xí)”(going to the cinema/movies too often will interfere with their studies)。
    21)看電視有害眼睛:意思也是“看電視過多會(huì)損害視力”(watching too much television will ruin their eyesight)。
    22) 吃飯之前:即“飯前”(before meals)。
    23) 等等等:and so on and so forth或etc., etc..