桐城传统与严复、林纾的文雅译风

Tongcheng School and the Elegant Translation of Yan Fu and Lin Shu

严复和林纾是晚清翻译西学的两大代表人物,严复以译述西方社会科学著称,林纾则因域外文学转译名世,二人国学根基深厚,古文功底扎实,译述文彩斐然,经典耐读。就翻译文本风格而言,二人均受到桐城派的直接影响,他们援用桐城古文来翻译西文书籍,推崇义法,讲求理路,行文雅致,取得了较高的翻译成就,译文风靡一时,在近代翻译史上影响深远。

Yan Fu and Lin Shu were two representatives of major translations introducing western learning into China in the late Qing Dynasty. Yan Fu is known for translation of western social science while Lin Shu is noted for translation of western literature, and both are steeped in Chinese classics and ancient Chinese language. Also, their translated works are striking in style and worth reading. It is assumed that both translators were much influenced by Tongcheng School and tended to translate western works by means of ancient Chinese language, focusing on meaning, logic and elegance. Hence, they have been influential in modern translation history.