贴切传神搞翻译:野心还是抱负?

同一个英语名词或形容词，在不同的场合有不同的概念: 有中性的，有贬抑的，也有褒扬的。因此，对于原文的精神一定要吃准。      例如，有这样一则故事:

      There were once three sons of a wealthy businessman. Whenever they met, the two eldest, who were twins, used to quarrel about which of them should be his father's heir. The youngest, who was not in the least ambitions, took no part in their arguments.

      这里，ambition是个多义词，可以译成“抱负”也可以译成“野心”，选择哪一个，体现了译者的价值观。从整体情景来看，显然，原作者对小儿子是褒扬的、赞同的。所以，应采用后一种译法:

      “小儿子丝毫没有野心，他可不参与他们的争执。”

      在故事的结尾处，作者又提到了小儿子:

      But the youngest brother was able to fulfil his own modest ambition. With the capital he had saved, he converted the house into an orphanage.

      同样，这儿译成“小儿子达到了他的野心”，还是“实现了他的抱负”呢？显然，从上下文来看，应当是褒扬的，该译成:

      “但是，小儿子却实现了他那质朴的抱负。”

      因此，同样的一个词，译者因不同的理解，不同的观点，不同的价值观，就会使用不同的译法。当然，一切须视上下文整体情景而定。

   下面的两组句子，可以用来训练我们对于选词的把握:

      1. It was mid-August and the subject for discussion was the future of Rommel（隆梅尔将军）and his Africa Corps.

      2. They predicted the youth would have a bright future.

      3. John was an aggressive salesman who did his job quite well.

      4. Hitler pursued an aggressive policy after he seized power.

参考答案:

1. 当时是八月中旬，他们讨论的议题是隆梅尔将军及其非洲军团的下场。

      2. 他们预言，这个年轻人会有一个锦绣前程。

      3. 约翰是个积极肯干 的推销员，他工作干得很出色。

      4. 希特勒夺取政权之后便推行侵略 政策。