“文质”的现代转化问题——兼论传统译论的价值和现代阐释

Interpreting Wen versus Zhi in Modern Translation Terminologies——On the Value and Reinterpretation of Traditional Chinese Translation Theories

"直译"作为翻译方法直到二十世纪初西学东渐过程中才出现在中国古籍中,而和直译相对的"意译"则始终没有出现。这说明传统译论中只有"文质"之争,而始终没有形成"直译"与"意译"的对立。文质和直译意译关注的是类似的现象,实际讨论过程中涉及到同样的基本问题,但不直接等同于直译意译。一方面要承认直译意译是翻译理论中的普遍问题,另一方面要充分认识直译意译这一译论基本问题在中国传统译论中的特殊表现形态。

In traditional Chinese classics, Zhiyi （literal translation） does not appear until early 20th century and Yiyi （free translation） is never used as a translation method in opposition to Zhiyi. This indicates that in traditional Chinese translation theories there was a Wen versus Zhi dichotomy instead of literal versus free translation opposition. As in literal versus free translation dichotomy Wen versus Zhi opposition touched on similar theoretical issues, but it does not entirely identify with literal versus free translation. Literal versus free translation is a universal topic of world translation theories but in the course of interpreting traditional Chinese translation theories enough attention should be paid to the distinctive social-cultural characteristic of Chinese translation terms.