对翻译定义、原则和标准的再思考

本文结合种种翻译现实活动,对曾有的一些典型的翻译的定义、原则和标准进行简要分析,指出它们的局限性和适用范围,提出:能包容一切语际翻译现象的翻译定义应该是:根据特定的目的,把一种语言的话语行为或文本转换成另一种语言的话语行为或文本,而不能给予更多的描述和限定。文本翻译的原则和标准是一个以忠实和对等为核心的动态多元体系,其中“忠实”和“对等”随着翻译的文本类型和翻译目的而变化,呈现出不同程度的忠实和不同层次的对等。

Based on various translation activities carried out in daily life, this article briefly analyzes the limitations and suitable domains of the definitions, principles and standards of translation that ever existed and points out that the most appropriate and all encompassing definition of inter-lingual translation should only be simplil＇ied as： “express what is said or written in another language” without any more description and modification. The principle and standard of translation is a dynamic pluralistic system revolving around faithfulness and equivalence. There are different degrees of faithfulness and multi-levels of equivalence according to the varied text genres and translation purposes.