暧昧的抵抗——论严复对On Liberty的翻译操纵

An Ambivalent Resistance: On Yan Fu's Translation and Manipulation of On Liberty

严复将约翰·密尔的On Liberty译为《群己权界论》时,对原著中蕴含的西方文明话语采取了既部分接受又暧昧抵抗的策略。严复对On Liberty的翻译操纵具体体现在:将密尔相对僵硬的文明观转化为动态的文明观,将密尔原著中文明/野蛮清晰的分界线模糊化,抽去密尔心目中实行自由主义所必备的文明要件,从而消解了原文中强烈的欧洲文明中心论色彩。

Yan Fu adopted an ambivalent translation strategy when he embarked upon the translation of John Mill＇s On Liberty, partly accepting and partly resisting the discourse of civilization imbued in the book. He endeavored to soften John Mill＇s rigid notion of civilization, blur the unambiguous division between civilization and barbarianism in the original, and dodge the prerequisites for liberty proposed by John Mill. All these efforts, to some extent, disintegrated John Mill＇s superiority of European civilization.