肖 姝
(海南大學(xué)應(yīng)用科技學(xué)院,海南???571101)
海南省人民政府網(wǎng)英文版若干問題剖析
肖 姝
(海南大學(xué)應(yīng)用科技學(xué)院,海南???571101)
建設(shè)國際旅游島,需要從各個方面提升國際形象。地方政府網(wǎng)不僅是地方政府發(fā)布信息,提供網(wǎng)上服務(wù)的平臺,也是地方政府對外宣傳的重要窗口。隨著政府網(wǎng)越來越多地承擔(dān)形象展示、對外交流的使命,推進(jìn)政府網(wǎng)站國際化建設(shè)已受到越來越多的關(guān)注。就海南省人民政府網(wǎng)英文版中出現(xiàn)的若干問題,逐一分析并提出相應(yīng)的改進(jìn)意見,旨在從微觀的角度為英文版的改進(jìn)提供參考,使之進(jìn)一步完善,成為受眾廣、信息量大、影響力強(qiáng)的國際化網(wǎng)站。
海南省人民政府網(wǎng);英文版;錯誤分析;國際化
2009年末,國務(wù)院發(fā)布了《國務(wù)院關(guān)于推進(jìn)海南國際旅游島建設(shè)發(fā)展的若干意見》,海南國際旅游島建設(shè)上升為國家戰(zhàn)略。隨后,《海南國際旅游島建設(shè)發(fā)展規(guī)劃綱要》出臺,《綱要》中提出海南將從生態(tài)、文化、餐飲、住宿、交通、旅游、購物和文娛八個方面進(jìn)行國際化改造,爭取到2020年,旅游服務(wù)設(shè)施、經(jīng)營管理和服務(wù)水平與國際通行的旅游服務(wù)標(biāo)準(zhǔn)全面接軌,初步建成世界一流的海島休閑度假旅游勝地。為了提升海南國際形象,使之成為一個面向世界的國際化旅游目的地,海南省人民政府推進(jìn)政府網(wǎng)站國際化建設(shè)。
海南省人民政府網(wǎng)英文版(以下簡稱“英文版”)是政府網(wǎng)站的一個重要組成部分,其現(xiàn)有信息除了滾動新聞外,主要涉及旅游、投資、留學(xué)等,內(nèi)容涵蓋自然地理、風(fēng)土人情、文化習(xí)俗、交通設(shè)施、政府職能、新聞、國際旅游島建設(shè)、博鰲亞洲論壇等許多方面[1]。網(wǎng)站內(nèi)容簡明扼要,欄目條理清楚,瀏覽也方便,說明其設(shè)計下了很大功夫。特別是一些有中文對應(yīng)的欄目,英文版并沒有按中文逐字對譯,而是以清楚表達(dá)出中文的內(nèi)容為原則,避免了冗長的譯文,增加了英文的可讀性。這是其可取之處。但另一方面,英文版內(nèi)容略顯單薄,在地名、路名、旅游景點(diǎn)及名勝古跡名稱、術(shù)語及數(shù)字中出現(xiàn)了一些與中文不一致的情況或翻譯錯誤;同時,有的譯文質(zhì)量欠佳,表達(dá)重復(fù)累贅,句子缺乏邏輯,結(jié)構(gòu)不完整,行文不流暢,甚至存在語法錯誤;有的譯文沒有對原文的常識錯誤進(jìn)行糾正,譯者沒有發(fā)揮應(yīng)有的主觀能動性。鑒于政府網(wǎng)站國際化程度對當(dāng)?shù)匦蜗笈c城市品牌的影響舉足輕重,現(xiàn)將目前英文版中的若干問題加以分析,提出相應(yīng)的改進(jìn)意見,目的在于改進(jìn)政府英文網(wǎng),進(jìn)一步提升城市與地方的國際形象。
海南省人民政府網(wǎng)站英文版是人們了解海南的重要信息渠道,是展示海南形象的重要窗口,但英文版有些欄目的內(nèi)容重復(fù),或缺詞少句,或信息混亂。這些錯誤不僅有礙讀者理解,也有損網(wǎng)站的形象?,F(xiàn)以介紹Population&Nationalities的部分為例。
Population&Nationalities
The total population is 8.450 5 million(as at the end of 2007).
orthern and coastal parts of the island.According to a census in 2004,the Han people Hainan has long been inhabited by the Han,Li,Miao and Hui peoples,among whom the Li people are the earliest settlers.Most of the Li,Miao and Hui peoples live in the central and southern parts of the island,including Qiongzhong,Baoting,Baisha,Lingshui,Changjiang,Sanya and Wuzhishan.The Han people are mainly concentrated in northeastern,northern and coastal parts of the island.According to a census in 2004,the Han people Hainan has long been inhabited by the Han,Li,Miao and Hui peoples,among whom the Li people are the earliest settlers.Most of the Li,Miao and Hui peoples live in the central and southern parts of the island,including Qiongzhong,Baoting,Baisha,Lingshui,Changjiang,Sanya and Wuzhishan.The Han people are mainly concentrated in northeastern,northern and coastal parts of the island.According to a census in 2004,the Han people account for 82.7%of the total whereas the people of other nationalities account for 17.3%.
此段不足200字的介紹,近一半為重復(fù)內(nèi)容,第一個單詞orthern(應(yīng)為Northern)就漏掉一個字母,也許是沒有仔細(xì)校對造成的?!皁rthern and coastal parts of the island”與主題完全無關(guān),置于句首,匪夷所思;“According to a census in 2004,the Han people Hainan has long been inhabited by the Han,Li,Miao and Hui peoples,among whom the Li people are the earliest settlers.”一句的從句與主句之間沒有任何邏輯聯(lián)系,因為漢族長期以來與黎、苗、回族共居,黎族是海南最早的居民,并不是2004年人口普查才得出的結(jié)論。而“the Han people Hainan has long been inhabited by the Han,Li,Miao and Hui peoples”這一句也存在語法和表達(dá)錯誤。正確的表達(dá)應(yīng)該是“The Han people in Hainan have long inhabited with Li,Miao and Hui peoples”。
全文中還有多處誤拼,如:在Tourist Resources欄目下,“swimming in the sea or bathing on the beach is possible for most time of the year”中“bathing”應(yīng)為“sun-bathing”;此外,注釋不足也是一個問題,如介紹天涯海角(The Ends of the Earth)的歷史沿革部分,涉及到清朝的雍正和宣統(tǒng)年間的事件,譯者只注明了清朝的年代,卻未注明雍正和宣統(tǒng)的年代,對“CHEN Zhe”和“FAN Yunti”為何人也未作任何注解:“Records show that the‘The End of the Earth’was written and carved by Chenzhe during the Yongzheng years of Qing dynasty(1644—1911)and that Fanyunti wrote the‘Giant Pillar in the South China Sea’during the Xuantong years of the Qing dynasty”。因注釋不足而造成的欠額翻譯(undertranslation)對缺乏中國歷史文化背景知識的國外讀者無疑會產(chǎn)生理解障礙,影響文化傳播的效果。
英文版中還有文不對題、文不對圖、數(shù)據(jù)前后不一致的情況。如在“government”欄目中介紹海南省政府一文的標(biāo)題為“Brief Introduction To Hainan Province Government”,內(nèi)容卻五花八門,涉及海南省的建省沿革,管轄范圍及面積、氣候、動植物、礦物資源等無關(guān)政府的內(nèi)容,卻沒有介紹代表社會公共權(quán)力的立法、行政、司法等公共機(jī)關(guān)或享有行政權(quán)力的政府組織體系。如將此部分標(biāo)題目改為“A Profile of Hainan Province”,也許更能概括文章的內(nèi)容。在“About Hainan”欄目下的圖片展示中,題為“Qiongzhou Bridge”的配圖卻是世紀(jì)大橋;在“Specialty”中分別介紹的“Passion Fruit”和“Eggfruit”的配圖實為同一種水果。在“About Hainan”中介紹“Geographical Location”時,對海南島面積的表述為“The island covers a land area of 35.4 thousand square kilometers and has a maritime area of about 2 million square kilometers”,而在“Investment Climate”中,海南島面積的表述為“With Haikou as the provincial capital,Hainan has a land area of 3.4 million square kilometers and a sea area of 2 million square kilometers”;在“Brief Introduction To Hainan Province Government”中的表述又為“The province has an area of 34 000 sq km,an average temperature between 22 and 26 degrees centigrade and an annual rainfall of 1 600 to 2 000 millimeters.”不難查出,海南島及西沙、中沙等島嶼的總面積約為3.5萬平方公里,單海南島的面積約為3.4萬平方公里,因此以上三處的表述均有錯。對于海南省的面積,整個英文版前后數(shù)據(jù)不一致,且沒有一處的表述正確,這不僅會讓外國讀者困惑,更讓地方政府網(wǎng)的權(quán)威性受到懷疑。正確的表述應(yīng)為“The Hainan island covers a land area of 34 000 sq km…”或“The province has a total area of 35 000 sq km…”
英文版在Climate欄目中提到“流域面積”時用了“Valley”一詞:“The three largest rivers,namely,the Nandu,Changhua and Wanquan Rivers,have a total water surface of over 3,000 square kilometers and their valleys cover more than 10,000 square kilometers.雖然不少英漢詞典上標(biāo)明“valley”也有“流域”的意思,但那只指河流兩側(cè)的山谷,不指全部流域,所以最好改用“drainage area”。同樣,與海南旅游密切相關(guān)的“環(huán)島游”早已是普及的常用術(shù)語,英文版中的“Visitors joining an around the island tour will have a chance to enjoy the genuine flavours of Hainan’s four famous dishes”將在島上的“環(huán)島游”誤譯為“an around the island tour”,變成了“繞著島在海中旅游”,豈不成了笑話。正確的譯文應(yīng)該是“a tour round the island”。
在介紹海南特產(chǎn)魚茶時,英文版把原海南黎族苗族自治州政府所在地,海南中南部的歷史名城通什(Tongza)譯成了“Tongshi”District。(Hainan Fish Tea——This tea is popular amongst the Li& Miao Minorities around the Tongshi District of Hainan)。這樣的誤譯,如果出自不了解海南情況的譯者,也許還能理解,但出現(xiàn)在海南省人民政府網(wǎng)上就不應(yīng)該了。
至于涉及國家立場、政治性強(qiáng),敏感度高的地名,翻譯時更應(yīng)具備“政治頭腦和政治敏感”[2]。西沙、中沙、南沙群島自古以來就是中國的領(lǐng)土,也是海南省的所轄之地。對中國地名的翻譯,應(yīng)采用拼音拼寫法。因此正確的翻譯應(yīng)當(dāng)是Xisha,Zhongsha,Nansha而不是借用國外的名稱。盡管在“Geographical Location”和“Administrative Division”欄目下,這些地名采用了拼音或拼音加注的方法(The jurisdiction of Hainan covers Hainan Island,the Xisha(Paracel)Islands,the Zhongsha(Macclesfield)Islands and the Nansha(Spratly)Islands as well as the surrounding maritime areas;Administration Office:Administration Office for Xisha Islands,Zhongsha Islands and Nansha Islands),但英文版中多次把西沙、中沙、南沙群島直接譯為Paracel Islands,Macclesfield Islands and Spratly Islands。如在“Investment Climate”欄目中有“Hainan Province was established in April 1988 and its jurisdiction covers Hainan Island,Paracel Islands,Macclesfield Islands and Spratly Islands,as well as more than 240 islets and the surrounding sea territories”,“The jurisdiction of Hainan covers Hainan Island,Paracel Islands,Macclesfield Islands and Spratly Islands as well as their surrounding water areas”;介紹西沙群島部分有這樣的表述:“Paracel Islands is the only way between Chinese mainland and Southeast Asia and Indian sea route”;旅游觀光欄目介紹西沙群島部分有“Paracel Islands are located about 180 sea miles to the southeast of Hainan Island.Together with Dongsha,Zhongsha and Nansha Islands,they are the south tip of China”.維基百科對 Paracel Islands的解釋是“The Paracel Islands,also called Xisha Islands(西沙群島)in Chinese and Hoàng Sa Islands in Vietnamese,is a group of islands under the administration of Hainan Province.The People’s Republic of China,Vietnam and the Republic of China(Taiwan)also claim sovereignty of these islands”.國外都知道“Paracel Islands”在中國稱為“西沙群島”,為何我們自己還要用外國名稱呢?正如“釣魚島”在英文表達(dá)中我方一直使用拼音“Diaoyu Islands”而不使用日方稱的Senkaku Islands(尖閣列島),用拼音可以表明我們鮮明的立場。因此這類涉及領(lǐng)土、主權(quán)等話題的翻譯尤其要有政治敏感性,特別是在政府官網(wǎng)中,更應(yīng)確保術(shù)語正確。合格的譯者應(yīng)具有“縝密的邏輯思維、嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)?shù)墓ぷ鲬B(tài)度和解決問題的能力”[3]。
英文版許多欄目旨在“對外介紹、宣傳本地的投資環(huán)境,讓外國人、特別是外國商人了解本地的政務(wù)、經(jīng)濟(jì)、文化、城市建設(shè)等,以吸引更多的游客和外國投資”[4]。這些信息大多為一般情況陳述,很少變化,無須不斷更新,因此不同于即時新聞。即時新聞由于受時間限制,加上一些新的術(shù)語尚未有定譯,其譯文只要主要信息準(zhǔn)確,存在一些表達(dá)欠地道或術(shù)語不準(zhǔn)確等小問題是可以原諒的。而海南省人民政府網(wǎng)英文版主要涉及海南的自然地理、旅游景點(diǎn)、風(fēng)土人情、文化習(xí)俗、交通設(shè)施、招商引資、政府職能等較固定的內(nèi)容,是人們了解海南情況的重要信息源。這些信息的英文表達(dá)必須準(zhǔn)確、專業(yè)、地道,才能具備較強(qiáng)的可讀性,從而喚起外商潛在的投資興趣或吸引更多海外游客。準(zhǔn)確、地道的表達(dá)不僅能使政府網(wǎng)更專業(yè)、權(quán)威,同時也有助于打造地方的國際化形象。英文版中除語法、拼寫等低級錯誤外,一些不地道的表達(dá)主要是受漢語思維和語言形式的影響。具體體現(xiàn)在表達(dá)繁瑣,累贅;句子結(jié)構(gòu)松散,邏輯不清;沒有正確使用平行結(jié)構(gòu)以及搭配不當(dāng)?shù)确矫?。下面將分別舉例分析。
1.表達(dá)繁瑣、累贅
避免重復(fù)是英語的一大特色。小到單詞,大到句子,凡是意義相同或部分相同的詞語,均在回避之列。因此若遇到諸如對仗、刻意渲染、文字冗長,甚至過度夸張等典型中式話語特色的原文,譯者應(yīng)當(dāng)從受眾信息需求出發(fā),盡量使用簡介、明了的語言,避免繁瑣、累贅的表達(dá)。繁瑣、累贅的表達(dá)是政府英文網(wǎng)中較突出的問題,如:
1)With high-class environment,high-class service,high-class order and high-class management,miraculous and beautiful Coconut Grand View Garden welcomes you!
重復(fù)及堆砌的形容詞顯然是受漢語影響,英譯中重復(fù)的“high-class”以及“miraculous”等夸張之詞會給讀者留下“大而空”的印象。
2)“There also exist large number of fishes around the island including 400 kinds of coral fishes and oceanic fishes.”(Paracel Islands)
此句中“coral fishes and oceanic fishes”意義重復(fù),純屬累贅表達(dá)。
2.句子結(jié)構(gòu)松散,邏輯不清
漢語屬于意合句,詞與詞、句與句等語言單位之間的結(jié)合主要憑借語義上的關(guān)聯(lián),即“注重隱性連貫,注重邏輯事理順序,注重功能、意義,注重以神統(tǒng)形”[5]53。漢語句子強(qiáng)調(diào)按時間順序、和邏輯因果的次序排列,形態(tài)上往往不分主次,多采用小句,常形成流水句。漢語意合的特點(diǎn),使其“語法意義和邏輯聯(lián)系常隱含在字里行間”[5]54。由于英語是高度形式化和嚴(yán)密邏輯性的語言,在漢譯英的轉(zhuǎn)換過程中應(yīng)把原文中隱含的邏輯關(guān)系明晰化,句式結(jié)構(gòu)也應(yīng)當(dāng)轉(zhuǎn)化為符合英語行文方式的結(jié)構(gòu)。英文版中很多地方明顯受漢語的影響,句式松散,較隨意,句與句之間缺乏邏輯或邏輯不清楚,從而導(dǎo)致表達(dá)不地道。請看下面諸例。
3)We will use the strength of the entire province,start with a down-to-earth attitude,renovate reform breaking titles,implement scientifically and efficiently,strive to create a holiday paradise for Chinese and foreign tourists,and build the homeland of happiness for Hainan people.
這一句明顯照搬中文的英譯簡直讓人不知所云。漢語動詞使用較多,在句中幾乎沒有什么限制,而英語句法嚴(yán)謹(jǐn),一般一個句子只有一個動詞(用作謂語)。此句顯然受原文流水句的影響,整體結(jié)構(gòu)松散,大量動詞堆砌且句子間缺乏關(guān)聯(lián)。除此以外“renovate reform breaking titles”為何意?“implement scientifically and efficiently”中“implement”為及物動詞,卻沒有賓語;“and build the homeland of happiness for Hainan people”中“the homeland of happiness”應(yīng)為“a homeland of happiness”。此外,英文中也包含許多畫蛇添足的修飾語。
再看這一句:
4)Hainan has a tropical monsoon climate.Its average annual temperature is 22~26℃ and the temperature is coldest in January and February when it still remains at around 16℃ ~21℃.
此句邏輯關(guān)系不清楚,建議重組如下,邏輯關(guān)系可以清楚得多:“Hainan enjoys a tropical monsoon climate with an annual average temperature of 22~26℃.Even in the coldest days in January and February,the temperature still remains at around 16℃ ~21℃”。
5)The fresh water in the island are purified from the rain water so keep saving water in mind.
此句完全由漢語移植而來,既不符合英文的句法結(jié)構(gòu)也不符合語法規(guī)則。
6)The pectoral fins are very strong and wide like the wings of dragonflies.
用蜻蜓的翅膀來比喻寬大而強(qiáng)壯的魚的胸鰭不妥,既不符合邏輯,也不符合常識。
3.并列成分結(jié)構(gòu)不平行
英語句子多形合,同等重要、并列的成分(思想、概念)等要用同類的語言單位表現(xiàn),構(gòu)成平行結(jié)構(gòu)(parellelism)。平行結(jié)構(gòu)是一種修辭手法,可以使句子前后保持平衡和協(xié)調(diào),結(jié)構(gòu)緊湊,從而增加語言的連貫性。這是英文寫作中應(yīng)遵循的一條重要原則。具有平行功能和平行意義的成分不使用平行結(jié)構(gòu)也是該英文網(wǎng)中較常見的錯誤,現(xiàn)再舉幾例。
7)Flights to and from Hainan
Train Travel to Hainan
Travel by Bus in Hainan
Travel by Boat in Hainan
這是英文版介紹“Transportation”部分列舉的四種交通途徑。其中,“Flights”用的是復(fù)數(shù),“Train,Bus,Boat”卻用單數(shù),顯得很不一致??梢哉{(diào)整為:
By Plane
By Train
By Bus
By Boat
或次之(因為英文忌重復(fù),重簡潔)。
Flights to and from Hainan
Trains to and from Hainan
Buses to and from Hainan
Boats to and from Hainan
另外,所列第四種交通工具用“boat”一詞不確切,因為實際是定期班船,應(yīng)該用“l(fā)iner”。
8)Activities available include tasting fresh tropical orchard fruits,visiting farms,fishing,sampling seafood,wilderness picnics,watching tropical crop processing,purchasing local specialities and so on.
此句中并列的賓語均使用動名詞短語,唯獨(dú)“wilderness picnics”是名詞詞組,違背了平行原則。而且句中“sampling seafood”也屬于不地道的表達(dá),品嘗海鮮不是海鮮抽樣,用“tasting,having,enjoying”更符合英文的表達(dá)習(xí)慣。
4.搭配不當(dāng)
9)This freshly caught seafood is sold by fishermen and their prices are not expensive.
英語中價格只能說“l(fā)ow”或“high”,貨物才有“cheap”和“expensive”之分,因此建議將此句可以更改為“This freshly caught seafood is sold by fishermen and their prices are not high”,或“… and they are not expensive”.
10)There are other rarely seen plants including symbiotic and parasitic species along with“strangling vines”and many more.(有許多難得一見的植物現(xiàn)象,如“共生”、“寄生”、“絞殺”等。)
這里的“symbiotic and parasitic species”指兩種植物類型,而與之并列的“strangling vines”卻是普通名詞,且指一種具體的植物,結(jié)構(gòu)上顯得不平衡。
11)We warmly welcome the friends from home and abroad to come to Hainan for tourism,investment and work,creating hand in hand a more prosperous and beautiful Hainan!
首先,此句中定冠詞the有問題,難道只歡迎某些特定的客人?此外,英語一般不說“welcome sb to do sth”。正確的表達(dá)應(yīng)該是“We warmly welcome friends at home and abroad to Hainan for sightseeing…”或“Friends at home and abroad are welcome to Hainan for sightseeing,investment and work…”
隨著全球化的加快和深化,政府網(wǎng)站在國際外交與涉外服務(wù)方面的作用與日俱增。“將政府網(wǎng)站作為城市發(fā)展的重要發(fā)聲渠道、將網(wǎng)絡(luò)媒體作為城市形象的展示和推廣平臺逐漸成為全球化趨勢”[6]。中國社會科學(xué)院信息化研究中心主任汪向東在“把握國際新動向,推進(jìn)政府網(wǎng)站國際化”一文中指出:“我國政府網(wǎng)站國際化程度測評工作今后的發(fā)展方向,是在完善外文版語言形式測評的同時,加強(qiáng)對內(nèi)容國際化的測評”[7]。建設(shè)國際旅游島,海南正受到國際社會越來越多的關(guān)注,海南政府網(wǎng)英文版應(yīng)當(dāng)與時俱進(jìn),不僅要做到內(nèi)容豐富,信息準(zhǔn)確,術(shù)語規(guī)范,還要表達(dá)地道,這樣才能成為既具專業(yè)性又具權(quán)威性的信息源,才能真正發(fā)揮政府網(wǎng)站的作用,促進(jìn)海南與外國友人的交流與溝通,加快海南融入全球化軌道的步伐,從而提升海南國際旅游島之國際形象。
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Studying the Errors in English Version of the Website of People’s Government of Hainan Province
XIAO Shu
(College of Applied Science& Technology,Hainan University,Haikou 571101,China)
Good international image needs to be raised all-around in the construction of International Tourism Island.Website of local government,while being an access to official information and on-line service,also plays an important role in its external publicity.It is becoming increasingly committed in good image building and external communicating,so enhancing the internationalization of government website comes into growing recognition.This paper analyzes some errors in English version of the website of People’s Government of Hainan Province and suggests improvements and references microscopically to perfect it into an internationalized website with wide visitors,massive information and powerful influence.
the website of People’s Government of Hainan Province;English version;error analysis;internationalization
H 059
A
1004-1710(2012)04-0068-06
2011-09-15
肖姝(1967-),女,四川威遠(yuǎn)人,海南大學(xué)應(yīng)用科技學(xué)院副教授,主要從事文化與翻譯研究。
[責(zé)任編輯吳曉珉]