“Transzendental”:含义与中译问题再议

“Transzendental”:The meaning and Reconsideration of Its Chinese Translation

关于“transzendental”,中译“先验”的最大问题在于,它是对一个概念的含义解释,而不是对它的词义翻译。在“transzendental”的词义中既不包含“先”的意思,也不包含“验”的意思。它只是哲学家在一个特定时期和特定语境中赋予它的一个特定含义。如果这个概念的含义赋予和含义变化还有长长的前史和可能更长的后史,那么用立足于这个特定含义解释的翻译来统一它的译名,只能是一种以偏概全的权宜之计。“先验”远不能概括“transzendental”概念的所有问题。“Transzendental”概念是哲学的基本概念,对“transzendental”概念的中文翻译需要回到翻译的正轨上来。

Apropos the Chinese version of“Transzendental”,“先验”,the biggest problem is that the translation is a meaning interpretation rather than a verbal translation of the concept.In the verbal meaning of Transzendental,there is neither“previous(先)”nor“experience(验)”.It is merely a particular meaning given to Transzendental by a philosopher in a particular period and context.Notably,when the meaning giving and meaning variation of this concept have a long history and maybe a longer coming history,to seek the unity of its translations on the basis of the meaning interpretation at stake would be nothing but a one-sided expenditure.In the long run,most“Transzendental philosophers”,e.g.,Schelling,Husserl,and others,and their relevant“Transzendental thoughts”would,alas,be consigned to oblivion under the shadow of Kant’s concept of“先验”,which is unfair to them.What’s more,due to the fact that Transcendental is by no means a concept passing by without any significance but“a fundamental philosophical concept the history of which made prominent once and again the ever-changing destinies of philosophy”,there must be more than one or two philosophers who are involved in here.On this account,the Chinese translation of Transcendental needs to get back on track which,I sincerely believe,will occur sooner or later.