中文小说译介渠道探析

Study of the Channels for Translating Chinese Fictions into English

中国小说的英译活动在19世纪末初具规模,20世纪下半叶有了长足发展,英译发起方和渠道更加多样化:不仅有中国大陆的"译出",也有英语国家的主动"译入";不仅有官方资助的,也有大学出版社、非政府机构和个人自发组织的。由于现有研究对各类译介渠道的梳理和探索尚不充分,本文通过考察20世纪50年代以来出版的中文小说英译本,将其分为官方组织、学术引导、商业驱动和个人主持四种类型。经分析和比较国内外的中文小说英译活动,笔者认为各类赞助人的译介目的和组织方式有所不同,其译介形式对翻译选材和策略也有相应的影响。

It was towards the end of the 19th Century that a considerable number of Chinese fictions were translated into English. Since the latter half of the 20th Century, translation efforts have made headway, via diversified channels,i, e. China＇s ＂exporting＂ and English-speaking countries＇ ＂importing＂ ;translation sponsored by govern- ment institutions, university press, NGOs and individuals, etc. While existing studies are insufficient in laying bare the different natures of translation activities, this paper ex- amines the English translations of Chinese fictions pub- lished since the 1950s, and divides the translation channels into four types：government-sponsored translation, transla- tion for academic interests, translation for commercial publication, and translation out of individual initiatives. By analyzing and comparing the ways that Chinese fictions are rendered into English in both China and overseas, the author argues that various types of patrons conduct trans- lations projects differently out of their respective aims, and accordingly, the channels of translation affects the se- lection of the source materials and translation strategies.