翻译的标准:令人生疑的命题

Also on the Definition and Criteria of Translation

目前中国翻译理论界关于翻译的定义,更像是关于某种理想翻译或善译的定义.这种定义的混淆给翻译的讨论带来根本性的困难.翻译的定义不应是规定性的,而应是描述性的.应该相当的宽泛、宽松、宽容,使之能够覆盖诸如林琴南和Fitzgerald等人的工作.于是,那些所谓的翻译标准和"准确"、"完整"、"对应"、"切近"云云,就可以不谈了.

The definitions of translation as given by today's Chinese theoretical circles confuse translation and good translation. This confusion causes fundamental difficulties in translation studies. Definition of translation should be reportative rather than stipulative, and should be made so tolerating as to encompassing the works of such men as Lin Shu and FitzGerald, thus leaving those criteria with their talks about 'exactness','completeness','equivalence' and 'closeness' impertinent.