《山海经》英译个案比较研究——兼论中国神话英译原则

The Comparative Study of The Classic of Mountains and Seas in English Translation——And the Principles of English Translation of Chinese Myths

《山海经》是中华创世神话的重要代表,其英译对中国神话的研究和传播具有深刻影响。该文通过对比研究的方法,比较王宏、安妮·比勒尔的《山海经》两英译本在文化负载词、翻译方法及副文本使用等方面的差异,并从语言复杂性、译本受众、翻译动机、译者翻译观4个维度剖析产生差异的原因,总结出适用于中国神话英译的三大翻译原则和重要的翻译策略。

While The Classic of Mountains and Seas is applauded as a paramount representative of the Chinese creation myths, and its English translations have a profound impact on the study and dissemination of Chinese mythology. Through comparative research, the article takes the two English translations from Wang Hong and Anne Birrell as examples to discuss the differences at four aspects including the complexity of language, target audiences, translation motives and translators’ concepts. Based on them, the paper summarizes three major translation principles and a critical translation strategy.