“道”不同,亦相为谋--基于语料库的第一个《庄子》英译本中“道”的翻译

Balfour’s Translations of"道"in his The Divine Classic of Nan-Hua;Being the Works of Chuang Tsze,Taoist Philosopher--A Corpus-based Approach

1881年,巴尔福(Frederic Henry Balfour)出版了世界上第一个《庄子》英语全译本。长期以来,中外译界对此译本贬多褒少,认为译文有许多不准确甚至错误的地方。笔者汉英对照阅读了此译本,一方面,基本认同译界对巴尔福译本的评价;另一方面,发现巴尔福对《庄子》“道”的翻译颇为用心,许多地方可圈可点。本文基于第一手材料,自建语料库,通过实例对比分析,从语言、文化层面详细探讨了译本中“道”的三个最高频译文Nature、Doctrine、Way的得失,认为巴尔福译“道”基本上是从西方宗教、神学的角度对“道”的多重阐释,为当时的读者初步理解“道”做出了贡献。

Balfour’s translation The Divine Classic of Nan-Hua;Being the Works of Chuang Tsze,Taoist Philosopher is the first complete English version of Chuang Tzu(《庄子》),which has received much more negative comments than positive ones since it was published.This paper attempts a corpus-based approach to his translations of"道",arguing that,though there are many mistranslations in Balfour’s version,his translations of"道"paved a good way for his contemporary English readership to understand the most important and elusive concept of Taoism,and they are noteworthy and praiseworthy.