卡尔·莱希尔的《玛纳斯》英译本评析

Critical review of Karl Reichl's English translation of Manas

卡尔·莱希尔是第一个英译我国《玛纳斯》史诗的西方学者。文章从译本外部与内部进行评析,涉及翻译的原则和目标、译者模式、译本的形式特点、柯尔克孜词语的注释与翻译、柯尔克孜文化内容的处理等方面。研究发现:忠实性和可读性是莱希尔追求的翻译原则和目标;“并行翻译、母语者参与”的译者模式最大程度地保障了译文的忠实性和可读性;自由体诗歌形式缺失了原文的韵律,而提供原文的双语版本有助于扩大译本的受众;对柯尔克孜词语进行灵活注释和翻译,但注释缺乏全面性;对柯尔克孜文化内容阐释不足,有时还会丢失原文的文化意象。

Karl Reichl is the first western scholar to translate the Manas epic recorded in China.This paper makes a review of his English translation from external and internal perspectives,including translation principle and purpose,translator mode,textual form,annotation of Kirghiz words,and interpretation of the Kirghiz culture.The findings show that,faithfulness and readability are the principle and purpose pursued by Reichl;the translator mode of“parallel translation and edited by native speaker”intends to achieve them to the greatest extent;free verses fail to present rhymes of the original,but the bilingual text can largely expand the readership;some important Kirghiz words are not annotated,which leads to incomprehensibility;the Kirghiz culture is explained insufficiently and some cultural images get lost in the translation.