论文关键词:国际贾易实务;直译法;意译法;翻译技巧
论文摘要:本文基于当前国际贸易实务双语教学和商务英语翻译的研究,重点考察了国际贸易专业领域中翻译法的应用。国际贾易实务英语翻译尽管离不开意译法,但直译法的应用也有一定的广度。本文采用实例分析法探讨了这两种翻译法在国际贾易实务英语翻译中的具体应用,对国际贸易实务双语教学和商务英语翻译类课程教学创新均具有一定的理论意义和应用价值。
1、引言
当前国内很多高职院校都开设了国际贸易实务专业,而相关课程的双语教学也开展得如火如茶。本文拟从国际贸易实务英语文本中选取一些现代商务英语例句和对应的翻译进行分析,阐明观点。
2、在国际贸易实务翻译中直译法的应用
直译法是指在不违背译入语文化背景的前提下,在译入语中完全保留原文语言词语的指称意义。在国际贸易实务英语中,直译法的使用频率较高,这是因为英汉两种语言存在较高的相似度,远胜于其差异性,通过直译法既能维持原文的形式又能基本传达原文所要表达的内容。举以下术语为例:
Most-Favored-Nation Clause最惠国条款
protective tariff保护性关税
non-tariff trade barriers非关税贸易壁垒
export encouragement policies出口鼓励政策
foreign direct investment外国直接投资
net net weight净净重
symbolic delivery象征性交货
back to back L/C背对背信用证
income tax所得税
再参见下列短句的翻译:
(1)In many countries tobacco is a government monopoly.在许多国家烟草是政府的专卖品。
(2) The product is an ideal new material.本产品是一种理想的新型材料。
(3) Please return the defective samples.请退回不良的样品。
(4) Trade mark is a legal term.商标是个法律术语。
(5) Transport packing must be safe and reliable to protect the packed goods suitable for shipment.运输包装必须安全可靠,保护包装产品适于装运。
以上所列举的实例清楚地显示,英语原文和汉语译文之间能找到基本对应的用词。换句话说,所翻译的短语和句子在意义和形式上或在深层结构和表面结构上都和原文达到了完全一致,是典型的直译法应用。下面再列举几个较长的句子:
(6) Even with no comparative cost differences and no potential economies bf scale, trade can benefit both countries if demand conditions differ.即使不存在比较成本差异及潜在的规模经济,但如果需求情况不同,贸易也会使双方获利。
(7) Services are becoming more and more important in the economics of both industrialized and developing countries。服务业在工业国家和发展中国家的经济中变得越来越重要。
(8) For example, the most recent round of trade negotiations (the Uruguay round) is expected to increase the volume of world trade by at least 9% and perhaps as much as 24%.例如,最近的一轮贸易谈判(乌拉圭回合)将提高至少9%的世界贸易量,也许高达24%。
(9) Exporter, in order to gain experience and polish their skills, should concentrate at first on selling to one or two key markets only.出口商为了获得经验和完善技能,起初应集中在一两个主要市场销售。
(10) Packing can be divided into transport packing(usually known as outer packing) and sales packing(usually known as inner packing).包装可分为运输包装 (通常称为外包装)和销售包装(通常称为内包装)。
从以上实例可以看出,译者同样遵循了直译法的原则,在对原文形式和意义充分领会的基础上,对原文词序仅作微调便再现了原文所传递的信息。直译法不仅应用于国际贸易实务英语句子的翻译,还可在段落翻译中找到实例。例如:
(11) CIF: COST, INSURANCE AND FREIGHT (…named port of destination).“COST, INSURANCE AND FREIGHT (…named port of destination)”means that the seller delivers when the goods pass the ship’ s rail in the port of shipment。The seller must pay the costs and freight necessary to bring the goods to the named port of destination BUT the risk of lost of or damage to the goods, as well as any additional costs due to events occurring after the time of delivery, are transferred from the seller to the buyer。
要妥善翻译以上段落,译者需要把握其主题和文体。通读全段,它的内容是对CIF术语下定义,文体正式,包含一些术语和不同类型的句子。出现的主要术语有:
cost成本
insurance保险
freight运费
the port of shipment装运港
the named port of destination指定目的港
risk风险
deliver/delivery交货
要忠实传递原文信息除了熟悉以上在汉语中也较常见的术语外,译者需要充分理解该段落的难点。首先,译者可将结构较复杂的句子进行分解,区别主从句,把握其中的关键词,理清每个分句的主语、谓语(表语)及宾语,对句与句之间的逻辑关系了然于胸。然后,译者应谨慎地选择确切的单词、词组或短语以及句型去忠实地再现它们。对例(11)详析如下:
A. "COST, INSURANCE AND FREIGHT ("""named port of destination),, means that the seller delivers when the goods pass the ship’ s rail in the port of shipment.
该句的主语是引号内的三个国际贸易常用术语,意思是“成本、保险加运费”。状语从句用来指明时间和地点。pass the ship’ s rail即cc越过船舷”。
B. The seller must pay the costs and freight necessary to bring the goods to the named port of destination BUT the risk of lost of or damage to the goods, as well as any additional costs due to events occurring after the time of delivery, are transferred from the seller to the buyer.
尽管该句看着较长,但实际上却是两个并列分句构成,采用的都是最基本的SP结构。but前的分句是主动语态,主干为The seller must pay the costs and freight.(卖方必须支付成本和运费)。主语是the seller(卖方),谓语动词由must加pay构成,necessary to bring the goods to the named port of destination(运送货物到指定目的港所需的)是后置定语成分,用来修饰宾语the costs and freight(成本加运费)。
but后的分句是被动语态,主干为The risk as well as costs are transferred(风险和费用被转移)。该分句主语较长,即the risk of lost of or damage to the goods, as well as any additional costs due to events occurring after .the time of deliveryo as well as将该句主语的两个部分连接起来,状语成分due to events occurring after the time of delivery说明费用发生的原因,其中现在分词结构occurring after the time of delivery(发生于交货后)用来限制性修饰events(各种事件)。
通过分析和充分理解之后,例(11)可翻译如下:
CIF:成本、保险费加运费(.··…指定目的港)。“成本、保险费加运费(.··…指定目的港)”是指在装运港当货物越过船舷时,卖方即完成交货。卖方必须支付运送货物到指定目的港所需的成本和运费,但交货后货物丢失或损坏的风险,及由于各种事件造成的任何额外费用,均由卖方转移给买方。
显然,以上段落还是体现了直译法的应用。所谓直译法,并不是机械地去重现原文,而是在保持原文意义的基础上,尽可能保留原文的词序和风格。当然,直译法也允许如适当增词、词类转换等翻译技巧的灵活应用。直译法要求译者对译入语中所对应的单词、词组和句子进行更为审慎的选择。
因此,直译法适用于国际贸易实务英语翻译,因为国际贸易实务英语用词通常较正式,不常采用带文学色彩的修辞手段,也极少使用意义较特殊或必须通过意译法才能“传神”的成语、俗语等。
3、在国际贸易实务英语翻译中意译法的应用
意译法是指因受译入语与原文社会文化差异的局限,译者不得不舍弃原文的字面意义,以求译文与原文的内容相符和主要语言功能相似的方法。从国际角度看,英语为国际贸易活动的通用语言,国际贸易是商品、服务和生产要素的国际间转移,其中所产生的事物或情境并不是总能在汉语里找到适度对应的词句,英汉两种语言所存在的差异性使意译法不可或缺。基于此,宏观上来讲,意译法在国际贸易实务英语翻译中处于重要地位。