我和北大图书馆  2
Peking University Library and I  2

季羡林
Ji Xianlin

| 译文摘自张培基《英译中国散文选二》

我当时是东语系的主任,虽然系非常小,没有 多少学生,一些公要办,所以也并不太闲。可是我一有机会,就遁入我的研究室去,“躲进小楼成一统”,这地方是我的天下。我一进屋,就能进入角色,潜心默 读,坐拥书城,其乐实在是不足为外人道也。
As head of the Department of Oriental Languages, I was busy with meetings and official duties although the said Department had a relatively small enrollment. In spite of that, I would withdraw at the first opportunity to my research room to enjoy the privacy of having a place all to myself, a place where I was my own master. As soon as I entered the room, I began to live my part as an avid reader sitting among a roomful of books. The great pleasure I enjoyed at the moment was beyond description.

要点
1,“东语系”即东方国家的语言,东方语言文学系包括蒙、朝、日、越、暹罗、印尼、缅甸、印地、阿拉伯等语种,译为oriental languages
2, “系非常小,没有 多少学生”可以直译,但不如the said Department had a relatively small enrollment简洁,其中the said 意为“上述的”
3,“可是我一有机会,就遁入我的研究室去,’躲进小楼成一统’,这地方是我的天下。”译为In spite of that, I would withdraw at the first opportunity to my research room to enjoy the privacy of having a place all to myself, a place where I was my own master.其中at the first opportunity,意即“一有机会”=as soon as possible
4, “躲进小楼成一统”语出鲁迅的《自嘲》:” 躲进小楼成一统,关管他东夏与春秋”意为不管外界的干扰,不顾外界的风云变换,坚持自己的立场,此处作者只取了字面的含义,即“享受悠然独处小屋的乐趣”译为enjoy the privacy of having a place all to myself
5,“我一进屋,就能进入角色,潜心默读,坐拥书城,”译为As soon as I entered the room, I began to live my part as an avid reader sitting among a roomful of books,其中把“进入角色”译为to live my part,这是英语成语,意为“淋漓尽致地扮演一种角色”,注意本句也是意思整合之后译
6,“不足为外人道”意即“无法用语言形容”,译为beyond description

综述:注意第二点和第五点。

我回国以后,由于资料缺乏,在国外时的研究工作,无法进行,只能有多大碗,吃多少饭,找一些可以发挥自己的长处 而又有利于国计民生的题目,来进行研究。北大图书馆藏书甲全国大学,我需要的资料基本上能找得到,因此还能够写出一些东西来。如果换一个地方,我必如车辙 中的鲋鱼那样,什么书也看不到,什么文章也写不出。
Upon my return to China, I had to discontinue, for lack of reference materials, the research I had been doing abroad. I had to adapt to the new circumstances by working only on themes most familiar to me and having direct bearing on national economy and the people’s livelihood. As Peking University Library boasted the largest collection of books of all university libraries in the country, I was able to write with materials available to me. Otherwise, with no access to books I needed, I would have accomplished nothing at all, like a fish stranded in a dry rut.

要点
1,“多大碗,吃多少饭”根据上下文,意译为adapt to the new circumstances(适应新形势)
2,have direct bearing on意为“与…有直接关系”。
3,“北大图书馆藏书甲全国大学”即“北大图书馆的藏书量比全国其他大学图书馆都要多”或“北大图书馆拥有全国最大的藏书量”。译为Peking University Library boasted the largest collection of books of all university libraries in the country。
4,“如车辙中的鲋鱼那样”来自典故“涸辙之鲋”,可译为like a fish stranded in a dry rut。

作为全国最高学府的北京大学,我们有悠久的爱国主义的革命历史传统,有实事求是的学术 传统,这些都是难能可贵的,但是,我认为,一个第一流的大学,必须有第一流的设备、第一流的图书、第一流的教师、第一流的学者和第一流的管理。五个第一 流,缺一不可。我们北大可以说具备这五个第一流的。因此,我们有充分的基础,可以来弘扬祖国的优秀文化,为我国四化建设培养德才兼备的人才,对外为祖国争光,对内为人民立功。在这五个第一流中,第一流的图书馆更显得特别突出。北大图书馆是全国大学图书馆的翘楚。这是世人之公言,非我一个之私言。我们为此应该感到骄傲,感到幸福。
As one of the highest institutes of learning in the country, Peking University has a long history of revolutionary patriotism as well as an academic tradition of seeking truth from facts. All that is praise-worthy. However, in my opinion, a first rate university should have facilities, library, teaching staff, scholars and administration of the best quality. Peking University certainly meets the requirement in the five respects. We of this University are, therefore, fully qualified for the job of carrying forward the splendid cultural heritage of our nation and training people of ability and virtue for our country’s modernization drive, thereby winning honor for our country and rendering meritorious service to our people. Our library, in particular, is playing an important role. We are proud and happy that I has been generally acknowledged as the best university library in the country.

要点
1,“实事求是”=seek truth from facts
2, 本段出现次数最多的应该就是“一流的”了,译者分别用了first rate 和后置的of the best quality来表达,后面的“五个一流”用the five respects 代替,巧妙避免了自己再去找对应词~同时也精简了句子
3,“我们有充分的基础,可以来…”即“我们完全有资格去…”译为be fully qualified for the job of
4, 本段许多表述在其他文章里也是很常用的,现总结如下:
①“弘扬祖国的优秀文化”= carrying forward the splendid cultural heritage of our nation
②“德才兼备的人”= people of ability and virtue
③“为祖国争光”= winning honor for our country
④“为人民立功”= rendering meritorious service to our people(“对内”和“对外”的意思已经包含在上下文中,为了句式简洁没有翻译)
5,“翘楚”即“最好的”用the best 即可。

综述:注意日常积累

但是,我们全校师生员工却不能躺在这个骄傲、这个幸福上睡大觉。我们必须努力学习,努 力工作,像爱护自己的眼球一样,爱护北大,爱护北大的一草一木、一山一石,爱护我们的图书馆。我们图书馆的藏书盈架充栋,然而我们应该知道一部一册来之不易,一页一张得之维艰。我们全体北大人必须十分珍惜爱护。这样,我们的图书馆才能有长久的生命,我们的骄傲与幸福才有坚实的基础。愿与全校同仁共勉之。
Nevertheless, we teachers, students and all employees should not be satisfied with the success we have already won. We should study and work hard and cherish, as we do our eyes, our university and everything in it, including its library. We should treasure its rich collection and take good care of each and every copy of the books therein, so that it can long survive intact and forever remain as something for us to be proud of and happy about. Let us encourage each other in our common endeavors.

要点
1,“在这个骄傲、这个幸福上睡大觉”意即“不能就此满足”,译为hould not be satisfied with the success we have already won。
2,“一草一木、一山一石”不用特逐字翻译,其实他的意思就是“北大的一切”,译为everything in it即可。
3,“盈架充栋”形容书籍众多,“我们图书馆的藏书盈架充栋….我们全体北大人必须十分珍惜爱护”即“我们北大人必须爱护图书馆那丰富的藏书,爱护每一本书每一页纸”。
4,“共勉”即“共同努力,共同鼓励”,译为Let us encourage each other in our common endeavors。

综述
本文难度适中,曾经作为某校某年MTI的考试题,可见还是值得我们好好鉴赏和分析的。本篇译文在精简句式,转换说法上都做得十分出彩,值得我们学习。

声明:本双语文章的中文评析系沪江英语原创内容,转载请注明出处。中文评析仅代表作者个人观点,如有不妥之处,欢迎指正。