对外宣传材料之英译策略举隅

王立童

(兰州博文科技学院外国语学院，甘肃 兰州 730101)

一、引言

改革开放以来，随着国家经济和文化事业的蓬勃发展，社会各单位，包括企业和事业单位，与境外相关领域增进交流的呼声日益高涨。与此同时，对外宣传材料便成为扩大单位影响力的必要手段。然而，欲达到良好的宣传效果，首要任务便是保证外宣材料的英译质量。但由于重视程度不够，英译工作把关不严，在为对外宣传材料配备英文译本时，英译质量往往不尽如人意，难以达到预期的宣传效果。

对外宣传材料的英译应当努力追求让外国人不仅看得懂，而且看了觉得舒服，产生吸引力，要有继续看下去的念头。由于汉英两种语言在遣词造句方面差异悬殊，对外宣传材料势必要进行一番创作，其必然导致对原文进行整合和重新编写，也会增加或删减原文的相关文字和内容。要使得整合和增删得当，则要在具体的翻译过程中，根据实际需求而采取一些适当的翻译策略。值得注意的是，每个译者面对的宣传文字材料的特点各不相同，所采取的策略或方法应以适用为前提。一般情况下，在外宣材料的英译过程中人们通常会用到以下翻译策略:①引经译典，力求通俗；②删繁就简，拆卸八股；③整合原文，另起炉灶[3]。(何刚强，2015:100)

二、引经译典，力求通俗

通常来讲，为体现自身历史之悠久，多数单位在对外宣传时，会追溯回顾，引经据典自然是少不了的，所以，典故或名句常见于中文文本之中。对于中国读者来说，因其深谙自己的文化，理解起来不会有太大问题。但这样的文字一经翻译成英文后，外国读者却很难理解。因为脱离上下文语境后，这样的名句典故会让西方的英文读者茫然失措，不知所云。因此，译文务必力求通俗易懂。如例1:

寒山寺，位于苏州阊门外枫桥镇上，距城约3.5千米，初建于501～519年(六朝时期梁代的天监年间)，原名妙利普明塔院。

相传，贞观年间(627～650)，名僧寒山和拾得两人由天台山来此处主持，改名为“寒山寺”。唐代诗人张继的一首《枫桥夜泊》诗:“月落乌啼霜满天，江枫渔火对愁眠。姑苏城外寒山寺，夜半钟声到客船”，使寒山寺名闻遐迩，成为蜚声中外的游览胜地。

(朱一飞、汪涵昌《中国文化胜迹故事》)

Hanshan Si or the Cold Mountain Temple is located in a small town named Fengqiao Zhen or Maple Bridge on the outskirts of Suzhou，at a distance of some 3.5 km from Chang Gate.First built between A.D.501 and A.D.519 in the Liang Dynasty of the the period of the Six Dynasties in Chinese history，it was initially named Miaolipuming Tayuan which presumably is a transliteration of a Sanskrit phrase.

It is said that in the Tang Dynasty(618～907)two famous monks from Tiantai Mountain in today's Zhejiang Province were given charge of the temple and the name was then changed to Hanshan Si.Interestingly，it was perhaps the poem entitled Mooring by Fengqiao at Night by Zhang Ji the Tang poet that made the temple a widely known tourist attraction in the world.Zhang Ji's poem runs as follows，as translated by Wu Juntao:

The crows caw to the falling moon；The frosty air fills the sky.

The fisher's lights gleam，the maples croon；With much sorrow I lie.On the outskirts of Suzhou Town；From Han Shan Temple，Hark!

The midnight vesper bells come down，Wafting to the rover's bark.[1]

(孙俪、巫漪云译)

原文中引用了唐诗《枫桥夜泊》，只因寒山寺与这首古诗渊源颇深。寒山寺的“寒山”就其字面意思可理解为肃寒之山，有冷落肃杀之意象。安史之乱爆发后，诗人张继避乱于苏州城外，素有远志的他，眼见破败的现实，深感国家和自己的命运未卜，内心充满痛苦和怀疑。在这黑暗之夜，寒鸦啼鸣，飞霜满天，只有江边的枫树和零星的渔火与诗人相对，正当诗人怀揣愁绪难眠之时，城外寒山寺的钟声涉林渡水而来，声声叩打着诗人孤冷的心扉。此首诗因其含蓄深沉的意境流传甚广，寒山寺也自然因这首七绝而闻名于世。译文通俗易懂，再现了诗人的处境和心境，不免叫人为之感叹[4]。

三、删繁就简，拆卸八股

鉴于中英两种语言在行文习惯上的差异，对中文里的套话空话、陈式化语言要尽可能精简。较为切实可行的操作方法就是要应用“删繁就简，拆卸八股”的翻译策略。顾名思义，“删繁就简”就是要将影响译文流畅，语义重复的内容或一些琐碎细节性文字一概省去，不作翻译。如例2:

四川盖碗茶之所以与众不同，除了选用茉莉花茶、龙井、碧螺春等上品茶叶外，关键在于它的茶具；茶具中最有说道的又数茶盖。茶盖的好处真不少，一是茶沏好后盖上它，可以很快地泡出茶味。二是可以用它将茶碗上漂浮的茶末和泡沫刮去，便于看茶、闻茶、喝茶。三是顾客需要立即饮茶时，还可以用来凉茶。即将茶盖反扣过来，倒入茶汁，茶很快凉下来，便于快饮解渴。盖碗茶具中还有“茶船”，就是一种铅制的小碟儿，用以托茶，茶船托着茶碗，既不会烫着桌面，又便于端茶。这样，茶碗、茶盖、茶船三位一体，相得益彰，既实用，又美观，构成了一组艺术品。

盖碗茶茶具中，那把倒提着的铜壶也别有讲究。四川人认为铁壶或铝壶烧出来的水，味道不佳，只有铜壶烧出的水，纯真甜美，喝起来其味无穷，铜壶的保暖性能又胜过铁壶、铝壶，有利于为顾客倒茶添水。

(王从仁，2000:111-112)

Besides using high-grade tea such as jasmine tea，Dragon Well tea and“Biluochun”tea(both green tea)，what sets“gaiwan”tea apart is the tea set:a handleless teacup，a lid and a saucer，which is where“gaiwan”tea got its name，for“gaiwan”means“lidded teacup”.The most interesting part is the lid.It has many uses:First，it preserves the fragrance of tea in the cup；second，it can be used to skim off some tea dust and foam；and third，when you need to drink tea immediately after it is made，you can place the lid upside down and pour tea into it so that the tea will quickly cool down.The saucer，known locally as“tea boat”，is leaden and protects the table surface from being damaged by the hot bottom of the teacup as well as making it easier to lift the teacup.

The copper kettle used for“gaiwan”tea is another unique item.The Sichuan people believe that water boiled in an iron or aluminum kettle does not taste good.The copper kettle，which will retain the natural，sweet taste of water，is the best.Besides，a copper kettle holds the heat better than iron and aluminum.[2]

(Tran.Zhang Shaoning)

译文对原文中的五处信息作了省译处理，其中四处如“便于看茶、闻茶、喝茶”“便于快饮解渴”“喝起来其味无穷”“有利于为顾客倒茶添水”均为语义重复，故省译。另外，译文已将茶碗、茶盖、茶船三者的主要功能介绍清楚，至于“……茶碗、茶盖、茶船三位一体，相得益彰，既实用，又美观，构成了一组艺术品”属于次要信息，亦作出省译处理。

四、整合原文，另起炉灶

翻译过程中比较理想的情形是顺着原文逐句译出，但实难如愿。汉英两种语言的差异致使句式更换或语序调整在翻译过程中屡见不鲜，“另起炉灶”是比较适用的翻译策略。如例3:

江苏是历史悠久、人文荟萃的文化强省，也是中国率先发展的经济和科技强省。近年来，江苏省与Y国友好交往日益密切，各领域合作不断加强，双方关系“越走越近”，亮点不断，精彩纷呈。

Among all Chinese provinces，Jiangsu is known for its long history and rich culture.It also excels in economy and high technology.Recent years have seen closer exchanges and cooperation between Jiangsu and Y in a wide range of areas.Relations between Jiangsu and Y have created a catalogue of highlights.

中文第一句的句子结构是“江苏是……，也是……”，为使译文地道规范，英文将其处理成两个句子来表达，且在第一个句子中舍弃了“文化强国”一词，而以具体信息“悠久的历史”和“丰富多彩的文化”来呈现。既然是“强省”，则肯定是“率先发展的”，即“经济和科技走在前列”，因此，在第二句中，英文将其整合为:“It also excels in economy and high technology.”译文处理得干净利落。中文第二句中的“友好交往日益密切”“合作不断加强”“关系‘越走越近’”以及“亮点不断，精彩纷呈”均属于前后同义，译文“另起炉灶”，做了合并翻译。如例4:

太极拳源于湖北省的武当山。它涵盖着中国哲学之精髓，蕴藏着博大精深之玄机，变化无穷，奥妙之至。

河北省永年古城是太极拳中兴之乡，太极拳在这儿发展、传播。走出神州，风行全球。一代宗师杨露禅、武禹襄、李亦裕在这块养育他们的土地上，为太极拳的改造、发展、成熟、传播付出了艰辛的努力，做出了不可磨灭的贡献。

在武术界，有“陈家拳，杨氏传”之说。杨露禅是永年古城南关人。他三下河南陈家沟，拜陈氏第十四世传人陈长兴为师，刻苦习拳18年之久，深得太极精髓，成为陈氏门徒中的佼佼者。杨露禅学成后返回永年故里。开场授拳，后又进京传授太极拳术，从此，太极拳便由杨露禅传播开来。杨露禅演练太极，大胆创新，改进陈氏拳法，为适应更多人健身的需求，改编了拳套动作。

Taijiquan，a kind of traditional Chinese shadow boxing，originates from Mount Wudang of Hubei Province.It contains the essence of Chinese philosophy and hoards the extensive and profound mysteries of a myriad of changes.Hence it is marvelous to the utmost.

The county seat of Yongnain，Hubei Province is the place that has given a new lease on life totaijiquan.From here，taijiquan has been developed and transmitted.It has gone out of China，becoming popular throughout the world.By the end of the Qing Dynasty，there had emerged three great masters，namely，Yang Luchan，Wu Yuxiang and Li Yiyu.Natured by the land，they have made their strenuous efforts to the reform，development，maturity and propagation oftaijiquan，and added indelible contribution to it.

Among martial arts circles，there is a saying that the Chen'squanwas handed down by the Yangs'Yang Luchan was born at the southern Gate of the ancient city of Yongnian.He had been to Chenjiagou three times and formally acknowledged Chen Changxing，the descendant and inheritor of the 14thgeneration of Chens'，as his master.There he practiced and learned assiduously the boxing arts for 18 years，penetrating deep into the essentials oftaijquan.Finally he became an outstanding figure among Chen's disciples.After the completion of his learning，he went back to his native place of Yongnian County.There he began to teach boxing in an open arena as his profession.Later he entered Beijing to pass on his boxing arts oftaiji.Thenceforth，taijiquanwas more and more popularized.In his display and practice of taiji，Yang Luchan was bold in blazing new trails and making innovations based on Chen's boxing arts.To fit in with the needs of body exercises and training，Yang Luchan reformulated the whole set of movements in taiji.[2]

首段译文第一句补充说明“太极拳”是什么，便于英语读者理解。第二句，中文由四个小分句构成，且呈“分—总”关系，“奥妙之至”总括前三个小句的句意。译文将其整合成两个分句，用两个指称代词“it”衔接，使译文简洁明了，再现了原文的功能和意义。第三段中第二句，译文将其拆分成两个分句。前一分句先补充时间:清末时期，后介绍三名宗师的姓名。后一分句使用指称代词“they”衔接，用一整句表明三位宗师贡献之大。第三段中，译文“另起炉灶”，对原文既有整合，又有拆分，表达条理清楚，语义明确，符合英语行文习惯。

五、结语

总而言之，对外宣材料的翻译工作需要有高深的学识，此项工作需要译者能够高屋建瓴地审视原文，要有合理的想象及另辟蹊径的翻译风格。当然，译者扎实的英语写作基本功也是不可或缺的。