再论汉日成语互译的原则和方法

On the Principles and Methods for Chinese-Japaneseand Japanese-Chinese Idioms Translation

成语是一种语言成熟与否的标志之一。中日两种语言有着许多互补性和易互换性,由于这种过于亲密的互借互补因素的存在,给它们之间的互译工作造成了极大的困难。关于汉日成语的互译问题,重点应弄清它们在互译过程中显现出的难译性和不可译性,并找出最理想和有效的翻译原则和方法。对此,首先要对汉日成语的语言形态形成认识,把握其共性;其次,汉日成语互译可粗分为直译型、变形译型、意译型;最后,是不可译问题,因成语自身有着丰富的内涵,部分成语具有不可译性,是进行翻译作业时难以逾越的一大障碍,有待于更深入的研究。

The development of Chinese and Japanese idioms has been a part of the social and cultural history of each country. Due to the close relationship between the two languages, there are many cases in which the two languages are mutually exchangeable and complementary. The existence of such phenomena produces translation difficulties which are less likely to appear in the translation between another two languages.When we try to do Chinese-Japanese and Japanese-Chinese translation of idioms, there are so-called rules and methods of literal translation and free translation.Eg. Literal Translation:(Chinese)晴耕雨读QINGGENYUDOU (Japanese)晴耕雨SEIKOUUDOKUNature-transforming/Structure-transforming Translation:(Chinese)东施效颦DONGSHIXIAOPIN(Japanese)みにうSHIKAMININARAUFree Translation:( Chinese)半斤八两BANJINBALIAN (Japanese)团栗の背比べDONGURINOSEIKURABEThe existence of some part untranslatable is the biggest problem unsolved and a major challenge as well.Eg.untranslatable:( Chinese)过五关,斩六将GUOWUGUAN ZHANGLIUJIAN (Japanese)带に短しにしOBINIMIJIKASHITASUIKININAGASHIJust as translation should follow the existing rules, we should also try to stay close to the connotation during the translation of idioms. When it is considered able to convey the original meaning successfully, we may just as well try to translate with the original ″foreignness.″ In the Chinese-Japanese and Japanese-Chinese translation of idioms, literal translation is preferable. As for certain part not translatable, annotations can be used if possible. The biggest issue unsolved is: What should be done if annotations can not be achieved? That is a problem that calls for further study.