五、漢語成語翻譯的多樣性
例:歡天喜地
1)寧榮兩處上下內外人等,莫不歡天喜地。(曹雪芹:《紅樓夢》,第十六回)
Then high and low alike in both mansions were filled with joy.
2)那小廝歡天喜地,答應去了。(曹雪芹:《紅樓夢》,第三十九回)
The boy assented and made off in high spirits.
3)我才已經和他母親說了,BANNED已經歡天喜地應了。(曹雪芹:《紅樓夢》,第七十二回)
I've spoken to Chaixia's mother and she's consented gladly.
4)兩個小頭目聽了這話,歡天喜地,說道:“好了!眾人在此少待一時。”(施耐庵:《水滸傳》,第十七回)
The junior officers were delighted.“Excellent,” they said. “Just wait here a little.”
5)不論歸遲歸早,那婦人頓羹頓飯,歡天喜地服侍武松,武松倒過意不去。(施耐庵:《水滸傳》,第二十四回)
Whenever he returned home,whether early or late,Golden Lotus had food ready.She served him with obvious pleasure.It rather embarrassed him.
6)得蒙差遣,歡天喜地,收拾槍刀。(施耐庵:《水滸傳》,第六十三回)
Happy with their mission,they gathered their weapons.
7)石寶得勝,歡天喜地,回城中去了。(施耐庵:《水滸傳》,第九十五回)
The victorious Shi Bao returned to Hangzhou in jubilation.
8)他們沒有殺人的罪名,又償了心愿,自然都歡天喜地的發(fā)出一種嗚嗚咽咽的笑聲。(魯迅:《吶喊》中的《狂人日記》)
Then they can enjoy their hearts’ desire without being blamed for murder.Naturally that delights them and sets them roaring with laughter.
漢語成語“歡天喜地”形容非常高興,其中“歡”和“喜”表示高興,“天”和“地”表示“非常”的意思,并非真正表示“天地”。這是漢語文學作品中常用的成語之一。像這樣的成語并不能根據(jù)其字面意思來翻譯,“天”和“地”不能譯成,heaven和earth。這條成語可根據(jù)原文的實際含義來翻譯:to be highly elated。我們也可用對等的英語成語來翻譯:to go into raptures;to be in high glee。上面8個例句中的“歡天喜地”采用了8種不同的譯法,充分顯示了多樣性譯法的優(yōu)越性:1)were filled with joy;2)in high spirits;3)gladly;4)were delighted;5)with obvious pleasure;6)happy;7)in jubilation;8)delights。
在采用多樣性翻譯方法時,可參考英語的和漢語的同義詞詞典,也可參考英漢和漢英詞典。比如,在翻譯漢語成語“大驚小怪”時,我們可以先參考英語同義詞詞典,查fussy這一基本詞條,同時再參考漢英成語手冊,查“大驚小怪”的各種英譯。綜合以上兩類詞典里的相應詞語和詞組,“大驚小怪”就會有大量的多樣性譯法:
(1)be surprised or alarmed at sth quite normal
(2)be surprised or alarmed at sth perfectly common
(3)make a fuss about nothing
(4)make unnecessary ado about trifles
(5)make a fuss about(sth)
(6)fuss about[over]sth[trifles]
(7)much ado about nothing
(8)much[great]cry and little wool
(9)a flurried[hurried]ado about trifles
(10)get alarmed for[about]nothing
(11)get nothing for nothing
(12)get all stirred up over nothing
(13)make a terrible to-do about sth
(14)a storm in a teacup
(15)a tempest in a teapot
(16)a teapot tempest
(17)a tempest in a barrel
(18)a tempest in a bucket
(19)create about(it)
(20)like a hen with one chick[chicken]
(21)alarmism
(22)fussy
(23)get jittery for nothing
(24)great alarm at a little bogey