中西方文化与汉英翻译的文本比较（英汉传神翻译欣赏与训练）

（本号每周分享英语学习和英汉翻译的独有经验，欢迎关注。）

什么是传神翻译？

文学翻译贵在“传神”。所谓“传神”，就是把原文的意思表达得非常准确，意境展现得非常逼真、鲜活，让人读后产生一种拍案叫绝的冲动。要实现这一目标，除了具备深厚的语言功底，学习和掌握一定的翻译技巧也是非常有益的。

01 英汉传神翻译欣赏

怎样翻译下面的英语句子？怎样翻译才比较传神？

If and when we got to the Moon, we would have to be on intimate terms with what we found on and beneath the surface.

相关段落和背景信息：

宇航员作者介绍了他们为什么要进行地质学考察和训练。

Training continued nonstop, although we weren't quite sure for exactly what. We all went up to Boston for some MIT familiarization on computer guidance systems, then over to Bend, Oregon, for more intensive geology training. If and when we got to the Moon, we would have to be on intimate terms with what we found on and beneath the surface.

中西方文化与汉英翻译的文本比较（英汉传神翻译欣赏与训练）(1)

（宇航员在月球；NASA图片）

难点分析和翻译技巧：

这里的难点有两个：一是准确而又简洁地翻译if and when这个句子，二是准确地理解和翻译be on intimate terms with这个习惯用语。

“If and when we got to the Moon”这个句子非常简洁，既表达了可能性，又表达了真实性。但能不能把它准确而又简洁地翻译出来，那就看我们的汉语功底了。

关于第二个难点，Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary给出了如下的释义：

Be on intimate terms: to have a close relationship（建立密切的关系）。

试译：

尽管我们也不太清楚到底是为了什么，但训练一直在持续进行着。我们都到位于波士顿的麻省理工学院，来熟悉计算机制导系统。再到俄勒冈州的本德市，进行更加强化的地质学训练。要是我们真的登上了月球，我们就得熟悉在月球表面和下面发现的东西。

这里的“要是我们真的登上了月球”就翻译得非常到位和传神。

02 英汉传神翻译训练

怎样翻译下面的英语句子才比较传神？

They were not about to let some astronaut "wish list" further complicate the program's already staggering costs and tight schedules.

相关段落和背景信息：

宇航员作者介绍了他们与飞船建造工程技术人员之间的矛盾。

In our opinion, they also showed little or no interest in astronaut suggestions. Just because we had already flown in space and would be the pilots to fly their new creation did not make us experts in their eyes. The North American Aviation engineers were working under immense pressure and were not about to let some astronaut "wish list" further complicate the program's already staggering costs and tight schedules.

中西方文化与汉英翻译的文本比较（英汉传神翻译欣赏与训练）(2)