儒家经典英译中的训诂问题

Problems with Exegeses in Translating Confucian Classics

在儒家经典英译中,许多西方译者对于典籍中的古汉语字句缺乏足够的训诂功夫,致使译文产生了不少错误;对于典籍中的器物、典制等的历史文化元素,有的译者疏于考证其社会历史背景,以现代文化取而代之,造成了历史或文化错位。长期以来,这种现象对儒家经典翻译传播已经产生了相当大的负面影响。在当前中国文化走出去的历史诉求下,只有树立训诂意识,并通过严格的训诂解决这些问题,才能准确翻译和传播儒家思想文化,并让中国文化真正和有效地"走出去"。

Translating classics correctly means good understanding of the archaic meaning of the originals. When translating Confucian classics, many of the translators made less efforts than necessary in exegesis of the archaic Chinese, resulting in variation and even errors in their versions. In the dimension of history and culture, many of them were inefficient in consulting related classics to clarify the historical backdrop of the cultural artifacts, institutions and systems, etc. so that they often replace them with their modem cul- tural likes. In the long run this has exerted heavy influence on the transmission of Confucianism in the western world. In today＇s pursuit of ＂Let the Chinese culture go overseas＂, precise exegesis is urgently needed in effectively translating and transmitting Confucianism.