汉英自谦语的对比研究与翻译 ——基于林语堂作品的语料分析

论文摘要

在中外交流领域中,汉语自谦语是具有重要研究价值的内容。而如何实现自谦语的汉英翻译更是个值得探讨的问题。一直以来,很少有学者撰文对此进行专门讨论,本文试图在此领域作个初步的尝试。文章通过详细分析林语堂先生的部分主要作品,在充分的语料研究的基础上,具体探讨了自谦语的定义和表现形式,汉英自谦语在句法、语意和语用方面的区别,以及自谦语在英汉互译过程中的对等形式,在自谦语翻译实践中可供选择的翻译策略和翻译方式等。林语堂先生作为一位学贯中西的学者和翻译家,其在东西方文化交流以及汉英翻译理论和翻译实践领域中所取得的辉煌成就,对我们今天的翻译研究具有十分重要的意义和价值。论文通过多方面的综合考虑,具体选取了林语堂先生的两部主要作品《京华烟云》和《浮生六记》作为直接的案例研究对象。这两部作品,一部是现代版的英文小说,一部是历史文记的汉英翻译,两部作品均饮誉全球,具有深远而广泛的语言和文化影响力,具有典型的代表性。文章以许余龙博士的对比语言学观点为架构,对自谦语在汉英两种不同语言以及古代汉语和现代汉语这两种不同语言变体之间进行了对比和比较分析。论文从自谦语的定义和分类入手,着重探讨了自谦语在英汉互译,尤其是汉英翻译过程中的对等形式和翻译方式;文章研究了Peter Newmark的语义翻译理论在自谦语翻译实践中的具体应用,以诸多实例具体讨论了文学直译手法在自谦语翻译实践中的可取之处;并进一步探讨了林语堂先生在自谦语翻译过程中的策略运用。论文具体回答了以下三个问题:(1)英汉语言中是否都存在“自谦语”;(2)如果存在,那么英汉语言中的自谦语是否可以实现互译和跨语际交流;(3)如果上述两个问题的答案都是肯定的,那么该如何实现自谦语的汉英互译。通过研究,我们发现:汉英语言中均存在广义上的“自谦语”,但汉英自谦语之间也存在着非常明显的区别。具体的,汉语自谦语侧重于动词或动词短语的运用,英语自谦语则侧重于形容词或形容词短语的运用;汉语自谦语,尤其是古代汉语中的自谦语言比英语自谦语的词化程度高;汉语语言重视自谦策略,特别是自贬和自我否定策略的应用,而英语语言则只重视礼貌原则的应用。在翻译理论和翻译实践方面,传统的理论认为汉语自谦词语的翻译往往具有不可译性或在翻译的内容和形式上采用模糊的折中策略。但通过论文中详细的语料对比研究表明,汉英语言中的自谦语完全可以通过否定词、贬义词和特定句式等具体的翻译形式来实现互译。而恰当的文学直译手法不仅可以有效的实现跨文化交流,实现汉英语际间的互通,而且能够比较成功的保留源语言的语言特色和文化魅力。

论文目录

• Acknowledgements
• 摘要
• Abstract
• Chapter 1 Introduction
• 1.1 Lin Yutang: his works and his contributions
• 1.1.1 Lin Yutang’s life experience
• 1.1.2 Lin Yutang’s translation theory and practice
• 1.1.3 Lin Yutang’s written works
• 1.2 Objectives and organization of this study
• 1.2.1 Basic concepts and objectives of the thesis
• 1.2.2 The scope of the study and the thesis structure
• Chapter 2 Definition and Classification of Self-modest Terms
• 2.1 Definition of “Ziqian Yu”in Chinese and their examples
• 2.2 Definition of self-modest terms in English and their examples
• 2.3 A classification of self-modest terms and their functions
• 2.3.1 Linguistic forms of self-modesty
• 2.3.2 Strategies for expressing self-modesty
• 2.3.3 Reference of self-modest terms
• Chapter 3 Methodology of the Study
• 3.1 Selection of the texts and collection of the data
• 3.1.1 Case study
• 3.1.2 Sampling study
• 3.2 Methods used in data analysis
• 3.2.1 Comparative study
• 3.2.2 Contrastive study
• 3.3 Qualitative research and quantitative research
• 3.3.1 Qualitative research
• 3.3.2 Quantitative research
• Chapter 4 Comparison and Contrast of Self-modest Terms in Chinese and English
• 4.1 Comparison in Syntax
• 4.1.1 More verbs used in Chinese
• 4.1.2 More adjectives used in English
• 4.2 Comparison in Semantics
• 4.2.1 High degree of lexicalization in Chinese
• 4.2.2 Low degree of lexicalization in English
• 4.3 Comparison in Pragmatics
• 4.3.1 The concept of modesty in Chinese
• 4.3.2 The concept of politeness in English
• 4.4 Summary
• Chapter 5 Equivalent Translation of Self-modest Terms between Chinese and English
• 5.1 Equivalent translation
• 5.1.1 C-E translation in Six Chapters of a Floating Life
• 5.1.2 E-C translation in Moment in Peking
• 5.2 Partial equivalent translation
• 5.2.1 C-E translation in Six Chapters of a Floating Life
• 5.2.2 E-C translation in Moment in Peking
• 5.3 Non-equivalent translation
• 5.3.1 C-E translation in Six Chapters of a Floating Life
• 5.3.2 E-C translation in Moment in Peking
• 5.4 Summary
• Chapter 6 Peter Newmark’s Translation Theory and Its Practical Implication for the Translation of Self-modest Terms
• 6.1 Peter Newmark and his translation theory
• 6.2 Practical Implication of Newmark’s translation theory
• 6.2.1 Literal Translation
• 6.2.2 Faithful Translation
• 6.2.3 Free Translation
• 6.3 Strategies used for translating self-modest terms in Lin Yutang’s Works
• 6.3.1 The use of negative terms
• 6.3.2 The use of disparaging terms
• 6.3.3 The use of syntactic structures
• 6.4 Summary
• Chapter 7 Conclusion
• 7.1 Major findings of the study
• 7.2 Significance of the study
• 7.3 Limitations of the study and suggestions for further research
• Bibliography
• Appendix I List of Lin Yutang’s Works
• Appendix II Selected Texts of Self-modest Terms