Explanation of the translation of Qian Zhongshu's classic beautiful text window

Mr. Qian Zhongshu's essay is about the window, but it is not just about the window, but about life and life. In terms of language, "window" continues its consistent money dispatching method. It uses plain words, common words, no long sentences, no complicated structures, and can be easily described and justified, but the theme is tightly held. This feature makes the translation difficult. The translation should always fully consider the above features and try to reflect them in the translation. Next we will take the first two paragraphs of the essay "window" as an example to talk about possible problems in Chinese-English translation.

English Translation:

Window random thoughts on the window

It's spring again, and the window can be opened normally. Spring came in out of the window, and people couldn't sit in the room, so they went out of the door. However, the spring outside the room is too cheap! The sun is everywhere, not as bright as the darkness in the room is broken; the sun is shining in the air, not as angry as it is stirring the room. It also seems trivial and thin, and requires the silence in the house to set off. We understand that spring should be embedded in the window, for example, with a frame.

It is spring again and the window can be left open as often as one wowould like. as spring comes in through the windows, so people -- unable to bear staying inside any longer -- go outdoors. the spring outside, however, is much too cheap, for the sun shines on everything, and so does not seem as bright as that which shoots into the darkness of the house. outside the sun-slothed breeze blows everywhere, but it is not so lively as that which stirs the gloominess inside the house. even the chirping of the Birds sounds so thin and broken that the quietness of the house is needed to set it off. it seems that spring was always meant to be put behind a windowpane for show, just like a picture in a frame.

At the same time, we realized that doors and windows have different meanings. Of course, the door is designed to bring people into the door. However, Windows can also be used for import and export. For example, thieves or lovers in novels like to climb the windows. So the fundamental difference between the window and the door is that no one will come in. If we look at spring, we may say this: with the door, we can go out; with the window, we don't have to go out. The window opened the gap between nature and people, amused the wind and the sun, and made some spring close in the room, so that we could sit down and enjoy ourselves without having to go outside.

At the same time it also becomes clear that the door has a different significance from the window. of course, doors were made for people to pass through; but a window can also sometimes serve as an entrance or as an exit, and is used as such by thieves and by lovers in novels. in fact the fundamental difference between a door and a window has nothing to do with them being either entrances or exits. when it comes to the admiration of spring, it cocould be put this way: a door makes it possible for one to go out, whereas a window makes it possible for one not to have. A window helps to pull down the partition between man and nature. it leads breezes and sunlight in, and keeps part of the spring in the house. it allows one to sit and enjoy the spring in peace, and makes it unnecessary to go looking for it outside.

One-sentence analysis:

Window

Random Thoughts on the window .)

Spring again

It is spring again

There is no main sentence in Chinese, and there is no such sentence structure in English, so it is ...... Sentence Pattern. In the original text, "again" is used at the beginning of the sentence, but if the English language also puts again at the beginning of the sentence, the word is too prominent and the weight is too heavy. Therefore, the word again is placed at the end of the sentence in the translation, which is equivalent to the original "and" at the beginning of the sentence.

The window can be opened normally.

And the window can be left open as often as one wocould like

Use the Terminator the singular noun window to represent all windows. There are several ways to indicate "all" in English: 1) plural nouns, 2) undefined articles A/An + nouns, 3) definite articles + nouns. Here is the third method, with more emphasis on its consistency. "Always open" cannot be translated into "can open often" or "can be opened often". Because the original article is from the perspective of people, people can open windows whenever they want, so one wocould like is used.

Spring comes in out of the window

As spring comes in through the windows

This sentence anthropomorphic spring, and English also uses the same structure. Outside the window: out of the window. However, it is better to use the "in the window" as a process.

People couldn't sit in the room and went out from the door.

So people -- unable to bear staying inside any longer -- go outdoors

The adjective phrase between the broken signs shows why people cannot sit in the house. Bear: tolerable, followed by both the-ing verb and the infinitus verb.

However, the spring outside the room is too cheap.

The spring outside, however, is much too cheap

Here, the "cheap" refers to the sunshine in spring, mostly the base. Similarly, cheap can be used in Chinese and foreign countries.

Sunshine everywhere

For the sun shines on everything

This is connected with the previous sentence, so the connector for is used to explain the cause. It is best not to translate it into the sunshine is everywhere. Because sunshine is not a kind of existence, it is to say that it shines on everything, so shines.

Not as bright as the dark in the room

And so does not seem as bright as that which shoots into the darkness of the house

The use of seem means that the sun is the same outside the house, but the contrast of the environment makes the sun look different. As ...... As indicates the comparison of the sunshine outside the house. That indicates the sun.

The sun is shining lazily everywhere

Outside the sun-slothed breeze blows everywhere

The word outside is added here, because the "house" that will be mentioned later is not included in the word "everywhere. The equivalent word "sun" in English is shine, but shine does not have the usage of compound object, so the sentence is changed. Sun-slothed is a compound word.

It's not as angry as it's boring in the room.

But it is not so lively as that which stirs the gloominess inside the house

The word "dull" is not an adjective but a noun here. Therefore, gloomy and the ending-ness form a noun that represents the State.

It also seems trivial and thin, and requires the silence in the house to set off.

Even the chirping of the Birds sounds so thin and broken that the quietness of the house is needed to set it off

Speaking of thin and broken, rather than broken and thin, is just because of the relationship between speech, words with less syllables are placed in front, and more words are placed in the back, so that the structure is stable and the head is not heavy. You only need to read these words together.

We understand that spring should be embedded in the window, for example, with a frame.

It seems that spring was always meant to be put behind a windowpane for show, just like a picture in a frame

"We understand this" is translated into it seems ......, Because this is a metaphor, translating it directly into English will give people a abrupt feeling, so I use the saying "it seems so. Be meant to be means "originally ......", When always is added, the tone is more in line with the original text, and there is no specific meaning. The Chinese language is "in the window", but the English language cannot be said in a windowpane. windowpane refers to the glass on the window, which is the reason for using behind.

At the same time, we realized that doors and windows have different meanings.

At the same time it also becomes clear that the door has a different significance from the window

It means the same thing as the "Understanding" in the previous sentence. it become clear that is more advanced than it seems that.

Of course, the door is designed to bring people into the door.

Of course, doors were made for people to pass through

The output can be translated into to come out and go in, but the translation into to pass through is compact and refined.

However, Windows can also be used for import and export.

But a window can also sometimes serve as an entrance or as an exit

The two words entrance and exit are more abstract than Door and Window, fully indicating the literal meaning and meaning of "Import and Export.

For example, thieves or lovers in novels like to climb the window.

And is used as such by thieves and by lovers in Novels

The translation uses by thieves and by lovers instead of by thieves and lovers, because they are two types of humans and cannot be put together.

The fundamental difference between the window and the door is that no one will come in.

In fact the fundamental difference between a door and a window has nothing to do with them being either entrances or exits

Compare different between with the different (from) in the previous article: The difference between the two is described by different between A and B, and how a is different from B is described as a is different from B.

Let's say this if we look at Spring.

When it comes to the admiration of spring, it cocould be put this way

When it comes to is a moderate saying, not so formal, but not so casual, meaning "Speaking of Spring ......", Let people look forward to the following.

With the door, we can go out.

A door makes it possible for one to go out

"With a door" cannot be translated into with a/the door, because it does not mean that there is or not, but that there is a door, and people can access the house.

With the window, we don't have to go out.

Whereas a window makes it possible for one not to have

Whereas ....... This is a connector, indicating a comparison or comparison between the two. The sentence pattern here is the same as above, but the not to have to following is an infinitus negative form, and the go out is omitted later.

The window opens the gap between nature and people.

A window helps to pull down the partition between Man and Nature

"With the window, the gap between people and nature can be broken." The window plays a promoting role and cannot be broken by itself, therefore, helps to pull down is used. partition wall. "Diaphragm" is an anatomical word. It uses its extended meaning and cannot be literally translated into diaphragm. That's not the case. Man and Nature: Man refers to the whole human beings, so no naming conventions are needed. Nature is an unmeasurable term.

Teasing the wind and the sun and shutting down some spring in the room

It leads breezes and sunlight in, and keeps part of the spring in the house

Lead: Guiding and guiding. Keep ...... In the House: make it impossible to go out in the house.

Let's sit down and enjoy it, so we don't have to go outside.

It allows one to sit and enjoy the spring in peace, and makes it unnecessary to go looking for it outside

The original article is about "sitting", but in fact "security" should also cover "enjoyment ", it seems that "sitting" and "enjoying" are two words in the word rhythm, and they are in parallel. The translation is translated into sit ...... In peace is equal to moving the inactive point. Note the meaning of several it statements in this sentence. The first it refers to window, and the second it refers to the formal object, which leads to the following go ......, The third it refers to the spring.

(Source: Chuan ShenCommunity, English dianjin editing)