A Comparison of Chinese Versions of doctor zhivago

This paper is the second part of the Chinese version of doctor zhivago, focusing on comparing several Chinese versions.

Doctor zhivago is one of my favorite foreign novels. I have read several versions of the translation and downloaded all the original texts from the Russian website with the help of Xi Bing. Because I am used to reading printed books with type, I am not used to reading in front of the screen for a long time. So I have never read the original carefully except occasionally checking it. Last year, after the client bought the Russian version published in 2007 in Moscow, he spent several months reading the original slowly in his spare time and compared many paragraphs with the Chinese version. Through comparison, it also changed the original view on Chinese translation. Originally, I thought that the translations of Lan Yingnian and Zhang Bingheng published by People's Literature Publishing House and Li Gang and Yi Gang published by Lijiang Publishing House were the best versions. Now I think it can only be said to be a better version, because the best version has not been translated and published.

Compared with the original, it is found that all Chinese versions fail to fully translate the wonderful descriptions in the original, lack the charm of the original, and fail to be similar in shape and spirit. The author of doctor zhivago is a poet and novelist. In his masterpiece, which took eight years of painstaking efforts, there are many wonderful descriptions and ingenious brushstrokes, and great efforts have been made in choosing words and making sentences. In particular, the 25 poems attached at the end of the book are both lyrical and philosophical, and even the best tips and interpretations of this book. Unfortunately, all Chinese versions not only have some translation errors, but also are difficult to understand because they have not got rid of the foreign language framework. Now, let's give some examples from some notes recorded during reading to illustrate the problem of Chinese translation.

When reading in contrast, the quoted Chinese translation is:

① The illustrated book doctor zhivago published by People's Literature Publishing House in 2006 was translated by Lan Yingnian and Zhang Bingheng. This translation has been printed many times and published in the name of Foreign Literature Publishing House, Lijiang Publishing House and People's Literature Publishing House.

(2) The Nobel Prize in Literature series doctor zhivago published by Lijiang Publishing House 1986 translated by Li Gang and Yi Gang;

③ doctor zhivago, published by Hunan People's Publishing House 1986, translated by Gu Yaling and Bai Chunren.

The original text used for comparison is:

④ бориспастрнак: "докто?"

In the following references, these three versions will be denoted by ①, ② and ③ respectively, while the original file will be denoted by ④.

Although I still have Dr. Chivago translated by Mr. Huang Yande published by Taiwan Province Visual Publishing Company, after consulting the English version, I found that this translation is based on the English version, so I didn't quote this translation.

First, there are obvious mistakes in translation without understanding the original text.

Unfortunately, several versions have this problem, but only a few.

I. Chapter I, Section V

1, "Every time you walk a certain distance, the same number of sparrows will fly out of the hydrangea in front, so that the fence can chirp harmoniously" (① Page 16, line 1).

2. "Every few steps they take, at the same time interval, a group of sparrows of the same size fly out of the hydrangea, and the trees are full of sparrows, making a peaceful chirp" (② Page 10, line 7).

3. "Every few steps, the same number of sparrows will fly out of the bushes, and there are countless birds inside. There are chirps in hydrangeas "(③ Page 8, under five lines).

Some of these three versions are translated into "a group of sparrows with the same number"; Some translated as "a group of sparrows of the same size"; Some translated as "the number of sparrows is the same". It's really puzzling. Can it be said that the author counted every group of flying sparrows? Can you count? Can you see that sparrows are all the same size? Can it be said that sparrows are also troops, shifts, platoons and even formations? You have to fly out so much smoke every time? And they are all 1.7 meters? If the author really writes like this, it must be a failure. In fact, the original text of this paragraph is: "перднимиавнымста" (④ page 24, line 2). The following is a reference translation:

"When two people walk about the same distance, there will always be a sparrow flying out of the hydrangea in front. There are many sparrows hiding in the flowers and the chirping of birds. "

B, chapter II, section 19

1, "They came to the street as if they had recovered from a serious illness and could not adapt to the fresh air at once. The crisp and clear space gently scatters a round and smooth sound that seems to have been processed by a lathe. " (① Page 52, line 6).

2. "When they walk into the street, just like after their illness, they feel that the air has completely changed. The cold, seemingly tamed vast space is submissively rounded and crisp, as if it had been planed in all directions on a lathe. " (② Page 64, line 8).

When they came to the street, the air outside was very different, as if they had just come out after a long illness. The ice and snow decorated the surrounding area into an emerald palace. This sound seems to be metal beads rolling in all directions in the cold air. " (③ Page 63, line 10).

There is no problem in translating the first two sentences of the three versions, but "the smooth sound like being machined by a lathe" and "the gunshot like being planed by a lathe" are confusing. The sound is invisible, invisible and intangible. How to use lathe to process or plane, smooth and round? Is it possible that the sound will be round or square or even triangular? As for "ice and snow decorate the surrounding area into a jade palace." Sounds like metal beads "and I don't know where it came from. According to which original translation? The original text of this paragraph is:

"Онивышли наулицу инеузнали воздуха как после долгойболе-зна。 морозное, каподорехраад.

"подорехраздёланное" means "well done". And "круглый" means both "circle" and "circle". In terms of lathe processing, of course, it refers to the roundness and smoothness of the car, but when it comes to sound, it should mean "after special processing, there is no sharp and particularly round sound." Therefore, this passage seems to be translated into "

"They came to the street, just like after a long illness, and they couldn't adapt to the fresh air outside. Crisp, clear and clean space, it is easy to spread the sound that has become particularly round and crisp after special treatment to all directions.

To sum up, after reading this article, I have come to the following conclusion: Now, neither Lan Yingnian's version nor Zhang Bingheng's version, including other versions published in the market, have reproduced the charm of the original, so they are all imperfect and even bruised. However, personally, I feel that the language literariness of this version you are talking about is still remarkable, but you should still be faithful to the original.

The above is my opinion for your reference!