《兄弟》英译本在英语世界的评价与接受--基于全套英文书评的考察

Evaluation and Reception of Yu Hua's Brothers in the English-Speaking World

2009年1月,美国汉学家罗鹏与周成荫合译的余华小说《兄弟》英译本在美国出版,引起英美评论界的热烈评价。英美评论家普遍认为《兄弟》以荒诞、夸张的手法,"正面强攻"中国当代历史和社会现实,是一部描写文革中成长的一代中国人的"大众史诗",值得翻译、出版和阅读;总体上肯定英译本的质量和语言风格,但也有负面评价,一定程度上会影响《兄弟》在英语世界的传播和接受。

Shortly after the publication of Yu Hua＇ s Brothers co-translated by American sinologists Carlos Rojas and Eileen Cheng-yin Chow in the United States in January 2009, the novel garnered unusually warm critical reception. The critics generally regard the novel, a ＂popular epic＂ created for the generation that grew up in the Cultural Revolution, as worthy of translation, publishing and reading chiefly because it tries to dissect and satirize contemporary Chinese history and society in an absurd and exaggerated style. Meanwhile, the few translation reviews available are mostly appreciative of the quality and language style of the English version though there are occasional negative comments, which will to some extent hamper its circulation and reception in the English-speaking world.