陈荣捷与刘殿爵的《老子》英译本之争

A Debate between Wing-tsit Chan and D.C.Lau on the Translation oiLao Tzu

陈荣捷与刘殿爵就《老子》英译展开了争论。此番争论彰显了陈荣捷和刘殿爵各自的翻译思想、批评思想和学术思想。本文以陈荣捷和刘殿爵各自翻译的《老子》译本为基础,结合二者争论的原始资料,详细梳理争论的内容,分析译本的实质和争论的原因。研究发现,陈荣捷的《老子》英译是“学案式”哲学研究,而刘殿爵的译本面向大众传播。陈荣捷和刘殿爵在翻译思想、翻译原则和对待目标读者方面的差异是导致争论的主要原因。

Wing-tsit Chan and D.C.Lau debated about the translation of Lao Tzu.The debate demonstrated their respective thinking about translation,translation criticism and academic views on translation.Based on the English translations oiLao Tzu by Wing-tsit Chan and D.C.Lau,combined with an inquiry into the basis of their arguments,this article analyzes the nature of their translations and the reasons for their disagreements,finds that Wing-tsit Chan's The Way of Lao Tzu-Tao-te ching is a philosophical study,while D.C.Lau's Tao Te Ching is aimed to a popular audience.The differences between Wing-tsit Chan and D.C.Lau in translation principles,their understanding of translation,and their considerations of target readers are the main reasons for the debate.