目的层次论观照下中国经典歌曲英译的可传唱性

Singability in English Translation of Chinese Songs through the Lens of Skopos Hierarchy

中国经典歌曲对外传播有赖于翻译行为的推动。译好中国经典歌曲,是"讲好中国故事,传播好中国声音"的重要途径。近年来,有诸多中国经典歌曲被陆续译成英文,这些歌曲在英语世界产生了重要影响。然而,就如何更好地将中国经典歌曲译成英文所进行的研究,似乎还不多见。本研究基于德国功能翻译理论目的层次论和"五项全能原则"提出了中国歌曲英译的"可传唱性层次"以及运用"原文信息再现"、"自然性处理"和"可传唱性调整"等原则来指导中国经典歌曲英译,可以更为有效地助力"讲好中国故事,传播中国声音"的战略目标。

The popularization of classic Chinese songs in a foreign country is secured only through translation. Successful translation of classic Chinese songs is one of the effective ways for realizing the goal of "successfully telling China’s stories and making China’s voice heard in other countries". Recent years have seen many classic Chinese songs being translated into English,and these songs have exerted impact upon the English-speaking world. Studies on how to better translate these songs into English, however, seems to be scarce. Based on the hierarchy of skopos and the "pentathlon principle", the present paper proposes a "singability hierarchy" guideline and caters for the need to fulfill the strategic goal of "successfully telling China’s stories and making China’s voice heard in other countries" through reproducing the sense of the original lyric, adapting the translation both verbally and musically, and realizing the singability.