钱钟书先生“化境”说之我见

My View on Mr Qian Zhongshu's "Sublimation Theory"

20世纪60年代,钱钟书先生提出"化境"说。这是继严复"信、达、雅"翻译标准之后对中国传统翻译理论的又一大发展。80年代,钱钟书先生把"化境"作为文学翻译的"最高理想",此后,翻译界学者对"化境"的阐释和研究都极力推崇这一主张。然而,从钱先生"化境"说的内涵可以看出,"化"中存在着一些不可避免的"讹",全部的、彻底的"化"是不可能实现的理想。因此,笔者认为将"化境"定为翻译的最高理想具有一定的时代局限性,显然欠妥,"化境"说只能是继"信、达、雅"之后的又一新的翻译标准。本文从"化境"的内涵、"化境"与"笔补造化"翻译思想以及与"信、达、雅"翻译标准的关系来论证这一观点。

＂Sublimation Theory＂, put forward by Mr Qian zhongshu in 1960s is a great development after the three translation standards of ＂faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance＂ advocated by Yan fu; Since Mr Qian zhongshu viewed the ＂sublimation＂ theory as the highest ideal of translation, almost all the scholars in translating circle have been in favor of his viewpoint when interpreting the theory. However, based on the connotation of ＂sublimation＂ as he himself explained, there exists some inevitable ＂misinformation＂ in ＂sublimation＂ and it is an unlikely ideal to have complete and thorough ＂sublimation＂. Therefore, the author of this paper comes to the conclusion that it fails to keep pace with the times to view ＂Sublimation Theory＂ as the highest ideal in translation and it can only be another new translation standard after Yan fu＇s ＂faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance＂. The paper is meant to expound the viewpoint respectively from the connotation of ＂Sublimation Theory＂, and its respective relationships with the translation thought of ＂sublimation through translator＇s creativity＂ and with the translation standard of ＂faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance＂ proposed by Fan fu.