庞德“三诗”翻译思想探微——以《诗经》英译为例

Exploring Ezra Pound’s Melopoeia, Phanopoeia and Logopoeia in His English Translation of Shijing

声诗、形诗和理诗“三诗”是庞德翻译思想中的重要概念。但庞德对“三诗”翻译的阐述留有很多空白,只有通过考察他的翻译实践,才能充分揭示该译论的内涵和价值。目前对“三诗”的研究多在理论层面,较少结合庞德的译作进行阐发。本文以庞德《诗经》英译本为案例,通过对译者行为、译文文本的考察,探究“三诗”在庞德翻译实践中的具体表现。研究发现,对“三诗”译论的理解不可局限于字面意思:一方面,对“不可译”的声诗和理诗,庞德分别表现出积极和消极的翻译态度;另一方面,对“完全可译”的形诗,庞德的翻译受其独特汉字观的影响,包含许多个性化的解读。庞德的译论和实践对如何在典籍翻译中发掘中西文明之间的共同点,跨越文明之间的异质性很有启发。

The melopoeia, phanopoeia and logopoeia, as proposed by Ezra Pound, constitute an important theory of translation. Yet due to a lack of elaboration, a close examination of Pound’s translation practice is required to attain a better understanding of this theory and its use. Currently,most studies focus on a theoretical perspective, while few includes an analysis of his translation works.This research has made such an effort exploring his translational behavior and product, and identified some unique ways of translating melopoeia, phanopoeia and logopoeia in Shijing. As is shown, Pound’s translation theory should not be taken literally. On the one hand, Pound adopted a positive attitude towards the translation of melopoeia and a negative one towards logopoeia, though both are considered untranslatable. On the other hand, the way he renders phanopoeia, which “can be translated intact,” has a subjective dimension based on his unique understanding of Chinese characters. Pound’s translation theory and practice shed light on how to find some common ground and transcend heterogeneity between China and the West in classics translation.