【新语丝电子文库(www.xys.org)(www.xys2.org)】 ———————————————— 打假很重要,提高自身语言修养也重要 奇鹄 近来,“牛津女孩吴杨”事件在网上沸沸扬扬,人们早已对新语丝揭露的种种骗 局,深恶痛绝,拍手称快。11月23日笔者看到新语丝刊登的牛津 St.Hugh学院院 长 Mr.Derek Wood 的英文原文信件,深为同胞汗颜。同时,也看了“一个天才 是怎么被虚构出来的”一文(特约记者卢荡,本报记者马宁 2001年11月23日北 京青年报),其中恰好有对上述英文原件的译文,一对比,发现该文中多处译句 随心所欲,胡添乱译。翻译要像打假那样,事实求是,切不可乱添原文中没有的 意思,曲解作者原意,误导读者。 在此,列举乱译胡添的两句: 1. 译文第一段,其中: “这条消息还宣称基于她史无前例的优异成绩,牛津大学破格授予她博士学位并 且颁发给她同样打破牛津校史记录的每年6万英镑的奖学金”。 原文:“The claim is made that, in recognition of this outstanding achievement, the University has conferred a doctorate upon her, and awarded her a scholarship of 60,000 a year, also believed to be a record amount.” 这里“outstanding achievement”就是“优异成绩”,哪来“史无前例的”的 意思?“the University has conferred a doctorate upon her,”意思是“牛 津大学已授予她博士学位”,又那来“破格”之意?可能译者以为后面一句“ also believed to be a record amount”隐含着另一“破格”之意,错了,它指 的是前面一句“...making her the first student in the 800 year history of the University to achieve such a result.” 这句原文意思是:“有种说法是,为表彰她优异成绩,牛津大学授予她博士学位, 并且颁发给她每年6万英镑的奖学金,也被认为是破记录的金额”. 2. 译文第五段,其中: “需要说明的是我们的学生并不住在宿舍里,每个学生都有自己的房间,而且我 们的图书馆是24小时开放的。因此,关于学生不得不到卫生间和走廊学习的说法 与牛津大学的实际情况差距很大。” 原文: "Our students do not sleep in hostels or dormitories. Each student is assigned a study-bedroom of his or her own, and our College Library is open 24 hours a day. The idea that a student has to work in the corridors or toilets bears no relation to the realities of life in an Oxford college." 这里译者根本不理解“hostels”和“dormitories”的原意. Hostel - building in which (usual cheap)food and lodging are provided for students, certain group of workers, the homeless, travellers etc 即廉价住所或招 待所; Dormitory - (British)sleeping-room with a number of beds, 即与单 人房间相对的“多人房间”。更莫名其妙的是译者竟把“The idea that a student has to work in the corridors or toilets bears no relation to the realities of life in an Oxford college”, 译成“关于学生不得不到卫 生间和走廊学习的说法与牛津大学的实际情况差距很大”, 这里 idea - fancy or imagination; vague notion, 明明是“想象”,那有“说法”之意. 原文意思是:“我们的学生不住在廉价住所或多人房间。每个学生都有自己的房 间,并且我们学院图书馆24小时开放.那种某个学生不得不在卫生间和走廊学习 的想象与牛津大学下属学院的实际生活情况毫无关系(或毫不相干).” 其他一些小的错误不一一列举.“出师之前,先利其器”,希望打假的同时,也要 提高自身语言修养. 切不可胡添乱译,授人以笑柄. 2001.11.26 +++++ 附原中文译文,我的中文译文及英文原文如下: “一个天才是怎么被虚构出来的”一文中的译文: 最近全世界有很多华文报纸都宣称中国学生吴杨在我学院取得优异的学术成绩并 且大规模地报道此事,我对这条新闻很关心。这条消息说吴杨在两个学科的11门 考试中都取得了满分,打破了牛津大学800年的校史记录。这条消息还宣称基于 她史无前例的优异成绩,牛津大学破格授予她博士学位并且颁发给她同样打破牛 津校史记录的每年6万英镑的奖学金。报道此事的中文报纸说这条消息最早刊登 在伦敦的《太阳报》上。这些报道在很多方面都有失实之处。   事情的真实情况是:1999年10月吴杨被我学院录取,攻读数学专业学士学位。 她报到后不久就转到了一个数学与计算机的联合专业。在第一学年结束后的第一 次考试中,她参加了5门功课的考试,取得了很好的成绩,和她的许多同学一起 被列为第一等级。因此关于她参加了11门功课的说法是不确实的,她在所有功课 中都取得满分的说法更是不可能的。   为了表彰吴杨在第一学年取得的优异成绩,学院授予她一个每年60英镑的奖 学金,并不是6万英镑。而且,牛津大学并没有授予她博士学位。在牛津大学, 任何人在没有修完第一学位并且进行一段时间的研究工作以及提交相当水平的博 士论文之前,都不可能获得博士学位。   吴杨在我学院第二学年的学术表现同样很令人满意,遗憾的是由于一些资金 问题,她不得不休学一年。我们很欢迎吴杨在2002年10月能继续回到牛津读书, 完成她后两年的学士学业。   有一些报道中提到吴杨为了不打扰室友,深夜到卫生间和走廊刻苦攻读。需 要说明的是我们的学生并不住在宿舍里,每个学生都有自己的房间,而且我们的 图书馆是24小时开放的。因此,关于学生不得不到卫生间和走廊学习的说法与牛 津大学的实际情况差距很大。   伦敦的《太阳报》也从来没有发表过这样的报道,我担心中文报纸的读者被 严重误导了。我学院一贯欢迎中国学生到这里深造。我们与很多中国知名大学都 保持着很好的学术联系,我们这里有很多最优秀的博士生都来自中国。与中国的 友好往来令我们引以为豪,希望这条不真实的报道不会影响到我们的关系。   St.Hugh's 学院院长Derek Wood 我的中文译文: 有关一个中国学生--吴杨小姐,据称在本院学业成功的报道,在全球许多中文 报纸上流传甚久,对此我很关心。这些报道意思是,她在两个学科的11门考试中 都取得了满分,成为牛津大学800年的校史中第一位取得这样成绩的学生。有种 说法是,为表彰她优异成绩,牛津大学已授予她博士学位,并且奖给她每年6万 英镑的奖学金,也认为是破记录的金额. 有些中文报纸称这一报道最早刊登在伦敦的《太阳》报上。 这些报道在许多方面是虚假的。事实是,1999年10月吴杨被我学院录取为本科生, 攻读数学专业学士学位。来本院后不久就转学数学与计算联合学士课程。在第一 学年结束后的第一次考试中,她参加了5门功课的考试,取得了优秀成绩,和她 的许多同学一起被列为一等。说她参加了11门功课是不正确的,并且说她在所有 功课中都取得满分也是不正确的。 为了表彰吴杨在第一学年取得的优秀成绩,学院奖给她一个每年60英镑的奖学金, 不是6万英镑。牛津大学没有授予她博士学位。没有修完第一个学位课程并且成 功地完成了下一阶段研究和提交博士论文之前,任何人都不能获得博士学位。 吴杨在我院第二学年的学习仍令人满意,但由于筹措学费上的困难,已离开牛津 一年。我们期盼她在2002年10月能返回到本院,以完成她后两年的本科学业。 有一些报道又说吴杨为了不打扰室友,深夜不得不在卫生间和走廊攻读。我们的 学生不住在廉价住所或多人房间。每个学生都有自己的房间,并且我们学院图书 馆24小时开放.那种某个学生不得不在卫生间和走廊攻读的想象与牛津大学下属 学院的实际生活情况毫不相干。 伦敦《太阳》报,从来没有刊登过这样的报道,我担心中文报纸的读者被严重误 导了。我院欢迎更多中国学生来这里深造。我们与一些中国著名大学有着密切的 联系,这里有很多才华出众的来自中国的毕业生正在攻读博士学位。与中国的往 来令我们自豪,希望这种误导的传闻不会损坏已有的关系。 英文原文: I am concerned to learn that a story has been circulating in numerous Chinese newspapers throughout the world about the alleged academic successes of a Chinese student at this College, Ms Wu Yang. The stories suggest that she obtained full marks in eleven subjects in two disciplines, making her the first student in the 800 year history of the University to achieve such a result. The claim is made that, in recognition of this outstanding achievement, the University has conferred a doctorate upon her, and awarded her a scholarship of 60,000 a year, also believed to be a record amount. The Chinese newspapers have stated that this story was first published by The Sun newspaper in London. These stories are false in many respects. The facts are that Wu Yang was admitted as an undergraduate at this College in October 1999 to read for a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics. Shortly after she arrived she changed her course, and registered for a joint honours degree in Mathematics and Computation. In her first examination, at the end of her first year, she took five papers and did sufficiently well to be placed in the First Class, with many other students. It is not correct to say that she took eleven subjects, and not correct to say that she obtained full marks on all her papers. In recognition of her success at the end of her first year the College awarded her a College Exhibition, which is a prize entitling her to a payment of 60 a year, not 60,000. The University has not awarded her a doctorate. Nobody is awarded a doctorate until they have completed a first degree course and then have successfully completed a further period of research and submitted a thesis worthy of a doctorate. Wu Yang continued to work satisfactorily on the second year of her course but, because of funding difficulties, has withdrawn from Oxford for a year. We look forward to welcoming her back in October 2002, when she can complete the third and final year of her undergraduate studies. Some of the stories also suggest that she had to study late at night in the toilets and in the corridors so as not to disturb her hostel mates. Our students do not sleep in hostels or dormitories. Each student is assigned a study-bedroom of his or her own, and our College Library is open 24 hours a day. The idea that a student has to work in the corridors or toilets bears no relation to the realities of life in an Oxford college. The Sun newspaper in London has never reported such a story, and I am concerned that readers of Chinese newspapers have been seriously misled. The College welcomes many students from China to study here. We have strong links with some of the most famous universities in China and a significant number of our most able students are Chinese graduates studying for doctorates. We are proud of our connections with China and hope that this misleading story will not damage that relationship. DEREK WOOD QC 21 November 2001 ———————————————— 【新语丝电子文库(www.xys.org)(www.xys2.org)】