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《美国编辑的基本常识——董鼎山》 -英语技巧与实例-英汉互译实用教程

2023-01-20 分类：新概念英语第四册 阅读(112) 评论(0)

美国编辑的基本常识——董鼎山

Ill-Informed US Newsmen ——Dong Dingshan
 
🔥背景知识：董鼎山(1922- )，浙江宁波人，1945年毕业于上海圣约翰大学，1947年赴美，获密苏里大学新闻学硕士学位，曾任报刊编辑、纽约市立大学教授，为著名美籍华裔作家。《美国编辑的基本常识》是他写于1989 年4月的一篇随笔，选自他的散文集《温馨上海 悲情纽约》(2002年5月由上海辞书出版社出版)。
 
 🎈题目「美国编辑的基本常识」可译为US Editors Lacking in General Knowledge，但不如 Ill-Informed US Newsmen简练、确切婉转，其中Ill- informed的意思是「不了解情况的」
 
《纽约时报》一位编辑日前来了电话，叫我将一篇文章中的“延安窑洞”(The Yan’an caves) 一词解释一下。
The other day, an editor of The New York Times called me to inquire about “the Yan’an caves”, a phrase he had come across in one of my articles.
 🎈 the other day/morning/evening/week那天，那天早上，那天晚上，那个星期（用于指说话前不久的日子）
 🎈a phrase he had come across in one of my articles是the Yan’an caves的同位语，起补充说明的作用。其中，he had come across in one of my是增译成分，表意更明确，清楚地指出是编辑对我所投稿件中的‘某一表达’不甚理解。
 
这个电话立时引起我一阵感慨：美国编辑的年轻(及其对时事历史知识的简陋)反映了我自己的老年。
It struck me immediately, for the young American editor with his ignorance of current affairs and historical events was a reflection of my own old age.
 🎈struck的原形是strike，此处表示「突然想到，猛地意识到，一下子想起(想法或念头)」，搭配为… strikes sb。此外，occur也有类似的用法，例如：Did it occur to you last week?上星期你就产生这想法了?
 🎈反映了was a reflection of
 🎈（对……的）无知ignorance of
 
我的文中所讨论的是市上一本新出版的埃德加-斯诺传记。
The article I had written was about a recently published biography of Edgar Snow.
 🎈Edgar Snow (1905-1972), US journalist and writer known for his book Red Star over China.
 🎈中文里几乎百分之八九十的定语都是前置，而英文里前置和后置则都很常见，如此句「我的文中」处理为后置定语，译作The article I had written。又，「所讨论的是」意同「是关于」，现译作was about。
 
我曾指出，斯诺的《西行漫记》在1938年出版时，曾驱动了无数理想主义的知识青年前往“延安窑洞朝圣”(Make pilgrimages to the Yan’an caves)，帮助了毛泽东革命的成功。
I pointed out therein that Snow’s Red Star over China, published in 1938, served to spur innumerable aspiring young Chinese intellectuals to make pilgrimages to the Yan’an caves, thus contributing to the success of the Chinese revolution.
 🎈therein为副词，表示「在那里，在其中」，此处意同in my articles。
 🎈「理想主义的」意即「渴望崇高目标的」「有理想的」，译为aspiring。
 🎈thus是增译成分，补充中文未明确写在纸上的逻辑关系。
 
那位青年编辑的不解此词用意，令我憾惜那份大报资深老编辑的逐一消逝。
The young American editor’s failure to understand the said phrase made me lament the fading out of elderly senior members on the editorial staff of the renowned newspaper.
 🎈failure to或fail to可表否定意义，大家注意积累。
 🎈the said phrase意为「上述词语」，其中said是形容词。 
 🎈「……令我憾惜那份大报资深编辑的逐一消逝」译为…make me lament the fading out of elderly senior members on the editorial staff of the renowned newspaper，其中fading out作「逐渐离去」解，含有「逐一」的意思，不必另在前面加gradual等。又「大报纸」可按「知名报纸」「有声望的报纸」译为renowned newspaper，或按「主要报纸」译为major newspaper。
 
美国新一代编辑对中国现代史的生疏并不是近年来的事。
That the new generation of American newsmen are unfamiliar with modern Chinese history is by no means something new.
 🎈决不；一点也不by no means，暗含强调的意味。
 🎈「近年来的事」译作了something new，和something that happened in recent years相比较更为简单直当。
 
十年之前，我替该报专论版(OP-ED page)写了一篇有关我初返祖国的经历。编辑打电话来问我文中“法租界 (French Concession)一词是什么意思。
Ten years ago, after I sent in an article for the OP-ED page of The New York Times recounting experiences of my first visit to my motherland, the editor phoned me to ask about the meaning of “the French Concession”.
 🎈of The New York Times是增译成分，补充知识背景，方便读者理解。
 🎈recounting experiences of my first visit to my motherland作an article的后置定语。
拓展
英语句子中的定语分前置定语和后置定语两种。……但在很多情况下，这些后置定语与其所修饰的中心词之间却插入了谓语，状语，同位语，插入语或另一个定语等，使两者割裂开来。造成这种分隔的原因是多种多样的,但主要是为了使句子结构保持匀称平衡，避免头重脚轻，另一方面为了表达的主题思想更加突出醒目，读起来更加舒展流畅。
 
我的解释不能说服他的犹疑。
My explanation, however, failed to bring him round.
 🎈「我的解释不能说服他的犹疑」译为My explanation, however, failed to bring him round，其中to bring … round作「说服」解，是习语。
 
他说读者不会了解，为了安全起见，他要把“法租界”改为“法侨区”(French Quarter)，我勉强的同意。
He said readers had difficulty understanding it and therefore suggested, for safety’s sake, “the French Quarter” as a substitute for “the French Concession”. I agreed, but with reluctance.
 🎈「他说读者不会了解」译为 He said readers had difficulty understanding it，在difficulty后面也可加介词in。
 🎈「法租界」英语称为the French Concession，其中Concession指从前列强强迫旧中国在通商都市内「租借」给他们作进一步侵略的据点。
 🎈Quarter作「地区」解，因此the French Quarter的意思是「法国人居住区」
 🎈为了……for…’s sake/for the sake of
补充
（梁实秋《学问与趣味》）只是‘无所为而为’solely for its own sake
形式主义 the practice of formalities for formalities’ sake
 
又有一次，该报书评周刊一篇讨论海伦·福斯特·斯诺的《我在中国的年头》的书评中把张学良称呼为“共党少帅”(The Communist Young Marshal)。
Another time, in the newspaper’s weekly book review, an article on Helen Foster Snow’s My China Years addressed Zhang Xueliang as “Communist Young Marshal.” 
 🎈Helen Foster Snow (1907 1997), better known by her journalistic pen-name Nym Wales, was the former wife of Edgar Snow. She moved from Utah to China in her twenties to become an author and journalist.
 🎈「一篇讨论…的文章」译作 an article on…。on或of是介词，可表示「书、讨论或观点关于，涉及」。如弗朗西斯·培根著作《论学习》，其标题译为Of Studies；老舍的《养花》译为On Growing Flowers。
 
张学良怎是共产党？我去信更正。他们把我的更正信发表。
How could he be a Communist? So I wrote them to rectify the mistake and they had my letter published.
 🎈怎么会，怎能，怎么能够; 怎么可能 how could，带有惊讶、无法相信的感情色彩。
 🎈So是增译成分，补充出逻辑关系。
 🎈had my letter published是have …done的结构。
 
该报的认真态度是名闻世界的，但是编辑的缺乏常识是不是我们所可谅解? 
The New York Times is world-famous for its conscientiousness, but a lack of general knowledge on the part of its editors is nevertheless unpardonable.
 🎈常识general knowledge、common sense
 🎈on the part of 就……而言；对……而言；由……所作出。
例句
This bill is not a compromise but a full-fledged capitulation on the part of the legislative branch to executive claims of power. 
这个法案，并不是个妥协的产物，而是立法部门对行政部门抓权要求的全面投降。（on the part of后的名词如果该名词是不定指的，或是这个所有主或主体在文字上比较长，或者虽然短但需要突出，则可以采取on the part of的形式。）
 🎈此句最后的部分为问句，处理时变反问句为陈述句，交代作者的真正意图。梁实秋《学问与趣味》一文中也有相似的处理：「在学问上焉能不有收获？」，「焉能」即「怎能」，这句话为反问句。转换成陈述句为：It’s but natural for a man of such devotion to have great scholarly achievements.
 
美国一般报刊当事者对中国情况（即使是现在，到处多的是“中国通”）的无知是相当普遍的，
Those in charge of the American press are often found ignorant of things in China although the country is said to abound in “China hands”.
 🎈take charge of与in charge of：
一、含义不同
take charge of照管；监理；担任
in charge of负责；主管二、侧重不同
take charge of 是「开始 管理，接管」的意思，侧重动作。
in charge of表示「某人负责或照管某人/物」，侧重状态。
 🎈those后接定语的六种情况：
1、+形容词（短语），此时通常可视为一个省略的定语从句（即定语从句省略了“用作主语的关系代词+系动词be）。
例句
There was public outcry from those opposed to abortion. 
反堕胎人士公开大声抗议。
2、+现在分词（短语），此时those与其后动词是主谓关系。
例句
All those appearing on the register must notify the authorities of any change of address. 
登记簿上的地址变更必须通知相关机构。
3、+过去分词，此时those与其后动词是被动关系。
例句
The church service is a memorial to those killed in the war. 
教堂里举行的仪式是为纪念战争中牺牲的人们。
4、+不定式短语，此时those后动词表示将要发生的情况。
例句
I’m going to sort these old books into those to be kept and those to be thrown away. 
我打算把这些旧书分成要留下的和要扔掉的两类。
5、+介词短语，此时通常可视为一个省略的定语从句（即定语从句省略了“用作主语的关系代词+系动词be）。
例句
There is no alternative for those with no car of their own. 
没有私家车的人就没有选择余地。
6、+定语从句，此时分人（who）、物（which），有时也可用that、whose、in which等引导。
例句
The disease is more likely to strike those whose immune systems are already below par. 
这种病更容易对那些免疫系统低于正常水平的人构成威胁。
 🎈前文提到「对……的无知」ignorance of…，此处译作be ignorant of。
 🎈China hands中国通：This term originally referred to 19th-century merchants in the treaty ports of China, but came to be used for anyone with expert knowledge of the language, culture, and people of China. In 1940s America, the term “China Hands” came to refer to a group of American diplomats, journalists, and soldiers who were known for their knowledge of China and influence on American policy before, during, and after World War II.
 
例如他们常把中国人的姓氏名字前后倒置，至于电视新闻广播员更是缺乏时事修养，
For instance, they often don’t know how to put Chinese surnames and given names in the right order. TV news broadcasters are even more ill- informed about the current affairs.
 🎈「例如」除了for example还有很多种表达，比如此处的for instance。注意替换使用。
 🎈「全名」是full name，「姓」可以表达为surname或family name或last name，「名」可以表达为first name或given name.
 🎈ill-(用于形容词和过去分词等前)表示「坏」「差」「不够…」,如ill-disciplined children.
 🎈欠管教的孩子。此外，could ill afford to wait any longer中，can ill afford to do表示「承受不起，负担不起」，是惯用搭配。
 
不止一次，我听到他们把“中华人民共和国”与“中华民国”混为一谈。
I’ve more than once found them mix up “the People’s Republic of China” with “The Republic of China”.
 🎈混淆，弄混，弄错 mix up A （with B）
例句
People often mix me up with other actors.
人们常常把我同其他演员弄混。
Depressed people may mix up their words.
心情抑郁的人可能会前言不搭后语。
 🎈虽然某种意义上，「中华人民共和国」与「中华民国」皆可称中国，但其政治象征、时代意义是完全不一样的。（补充一个小点，翻译时碰见国家名，在同一语境下，不能在把「美国」译成the United States of America时，却只把中国译成China。正式程度要相对应，America对China， USA对PRC。）
 
当然，1949年以后出生的人现在也有四十岁了。
US editors born after 1949, the year when the People’s Republic of China was founded, are now in their forties.
 🎈「1949年以后出生的人现在也有四十岁了」译为US editors born after 1949, the year when the People’s Republic of China was founded, are now in their forties，其中the year when the People’s Republic of China was founded是增译成分，以便和后面「上海在解放前」相配合。
 🎈在某人四十多岁的时候in one’s forties
全盛时期 at the height of；in one’s prime/heyday
 
有的则根本不能体会上海在解放前的情况。
Some of them have little knowledge of what Shanghai was like in China’s pre-liberation days.
 🎈them指代前文提到的「1949年以后出生的人」。又，little表示否定意义。
 
有一个杂志编辑与我争论“外滩” 一词的英文字。
One American editor got into a heated argument with me about the English equivalent of Waitan in Shanghai.
 🎈heated为译者根据自己理解添加的成分，指出「我」和杂志编辑在此事上的分歧之大。
 🎈Waitan, known as the Bund in English, is a stately street and important landmark of Shanghai located along the Huangpu River.
 🎈equivalent,也可译作counterpart，即我们常说的「对应表达」，对于在另一种语言中没有counterpart的表达，对其进行翻译是具有相当大的挑战性的。
 
他不解我为何要用Bund（他说Bund对他而言，是战前美国一个仿德国纳粹团体的取名）。
He wondered why I should insist on using the word “Bund”, saying that as far as he knew, it referred exclusively to a pro-Nazi organization in the pre-war US.
 🎈「不解」按「想知道」之意译作wondered why…
 🎈… why I should insist on …中，should表示说话人的感情，如惊奇、愤怒、失望等等。
 🎈as far as he knew(据他所知)
as far as I’m concerned
in my opinion
for my part(就我而言、对我来说)
to my mind(在我的经验中/在我看来)
 
殊不知英国经商者早已在印度殖民地用了这个字，后来用在上海的外滩，意谓“沿着江海的河堤”。
He didn’t know that the word, first used by British merchants in India during its colonial days to mean “an embanked road along a waterfront”, was later also used to refer to Waitan in Shanghai.
 🎈first used by ……to mean an embanked road along a waterfront：现代语法则把这种对某个词、短语或句子作解释补充的成分，称为补充语（supplement）。补充语包括插入语在内，但不限于插入语。非限制性定语、非限制性同位语、分词作状语等都囊括在补充语的项下。其特征是有逗号与句子隔开，其功能是对句子中的某个词、短语或整个句子做补充解释。
 
这位编辑终把Bund改为Waterfront，把我所要想形容的昔年上海繁华的外滩，一改而予人以冷落零乱印象的“码头”，完全失却了原意。
He finally chose “the Waterfront” in preference to “the Bund”, which was a misrepresentation giving the picture of a desolate and messy dock instead of the erstwhile thriving Shanghai Bund as I had intended to describe.
 🎈而不是in preference to…。此处也可换作rather than。
 🎈 misrepresentation：前缀mis- (用于动词和名词前，构成新的动词和名词)表示「坏的」「错误的」「糟糕地」「不当地」。如misreport报道有误、 the misuse of official funds滥用公款。
 
凡此种种，只不过表明新闻界也是后浪推前浪，老的退休，新的当家。在此情形下，我们这些上了年纪的撰稿者好似失去了知音。
Evidently the young have replaced the old to play a leading role in the US press, and ageing newspaper contributors like me seem to have lost, much to our regret, our understanding friends.
 🎈后浪推前浪the young have replaced the old to play a leading role in…
 🎈「……我们这些上了年纪的撰稿者好似失去了知音」译为…and ageing newspaper contributors like me seem to have lost, much to our regret, our understanding friends，其中much to our regret也是増译成分，意即「非常遗憾」，原文虽无其词而有其意。「知音」译为 understanding friends，其中 understanding 的意思是「有识别力的」，也可译为friends who knew our worth，但含义不尽确切。
 
🔥必背词汇
informed      adj.有知识的，了解情况的，见多识广的
英义
Someone who is informed knows about a subject or what is happening in the world.
例句
Informed people know the company is shaky.
了解情况的人知道该公司状况不佳。
 
biography     cn.人物传记
英义
A biography of someone is an account of their life, written by someone else.
例句
Boswell’s biography of Johnson
博斯韦尔写的约翰逊传
 
therein       adv.在那里，在其中
英义
Therein means contained in the place that has been mentioned.
例句
By burning tree branches, pine needles, and pine cones, many not only warm their houses but improve the smell therein.
许多人在家里烧树枝、松针和松果，不但给房子取暖，还改善了屋里的气味。
 
lament      v.为…悲痛，哀叹，痛惜
英义
If you lament something, you express your sadness, regret, or disappointment about it.
例句
Ken began to lament the death of his only son.
肯开始对独子的死悲痛不已。
 
renowned       adj.有名的，有声望的
英义
A person or place that is renowned for something, usually something good, is well known because of it.
例句
James was renowned as a forward thinker.
詹姆斯以其前瞻性的思想而负盛名。
 
🔥重点表达
延安窑洞The Yan’an caves
其对时事历史知识的简陋his ignorance of current affairs and historical events
反映了我自己的老年was a reflection of my own old age.
朝圣Make pilgrimages to
帮助了毛泽东革命的成功contributing to the success of the Chinese revolution
不解此词用意failure to understand the said phrase
美国新一代编辑the new generation of American newsmen
法租界 French Concession
说服to bring … round
为了……for…’s sake/for the sake of
共党少帅The Communist Young Marshal
常识general knowledge、common sense
就……而言；对……而言；由……所作出on the part of
负责；主管in charge of
姓surname或family name或last name
名first name或given name.
把“中华人民共和国”与“中华民国”混为一谈mix up “the People’s Republic of China” with “The Republic of China”
在某人四十多岁的时候in one’s forties
上海在解放前的情况what Shanghai was like in China’s pre-liberation days
后浪推前浪the young have replaced the old to play a leading role in…
知音understanding friends
 
🔥复盘测试
延安窑洞
其对时事历史知识的简陋
反映了我自己的老年
朝圣
帮助了毛泽东革命的成功
不解此词用意
美国新一代编辑
法租界
说服
为了……
共党少帅
常识
就……而言，对……而言，由……所作出 
负责，主管
姓
名
把“中华人民共和国”与“中华民国”混为一谈
在某人四十多岁的时候
上海在解放前的情况
后浪推前浪
知音
  
🔥表达对比
「替代」有几种表达？
 
他说读者不会了解，为了安全起见，他要把“法租界”(改为)“法侨区”(French Quarter)，我勉强的同意。
He said readers had difficulty understanding it and therefore suggested, for safety’s sake, “the French Quarter” as a substitute for “the French Concession”. I agreed, but with reluctance.
 
凡此种种，只不过表明新闻界也是后浪(推)前浪，老的退休，新的当家。在此情形下，我们这些上了年纪的撰稿者好似失去了知音。
Evidently the young have replaced the old to play a leading role in the US press, and ageing newspaper contributors like me seem to have lost, much to our regret, our understanding friends.
 
吃饭而不求学问，三年五年后，你们都要被后来少年(淘汰)掉的。 
If you give up studies while holding a job, you will in a couple of years have had yourselves replaced by younger people.
 
它完全可以(替代)医生。
It eliminates a need for a doctor altogether.
 
他的职位被别人（替代）了。
His position has been superseded by others. 
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未经允许不得转载：帕布莉卡 » 《美国编辑的基本常识——董鼎山》
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