道德观念,对于人们可能并不陌生,而道德判断,则有些新颖,似乎颇具学术味道。

其实,在任何社会里,都离不开道德判断,它不过是对道德观念的一种具体体现与应用。

概括而言,道德判断可以理解为特定社会中一种以文化为依托的判断;即对社会上的一些作为或不作为,甚至意识、动机乃至性格等的对错、善恶、得失等所形成的观点所作出的评估。因社会文化的不同,道德判断也是多样的。

在西方传统文化里,个人首先被看作是独立的存在,具有各种权利和行为自由,同时也对自己的行为全权负责。然而,不同个体之间的利益又会发生冲突,如何解决?这就需要遵守维护相互间利益的社会契约原则。

背景介绍

本篇节选自林巍的《道德判断》。这是一篇带有学术论文性质的杂文。对于这一类型作品的翻译,既不能像学术论文那样对待,也不能完全等同于一般性散文,而是要在二者之间把握一种度。

难点解析

1. “道德观念”译为“moral”。“道德批判”译为“moral judgment”。

2. “对 ……并不陌生”:即“对 ……熟悉”,译为“be familiar with”。

3. “颇具学术味道” :译为 “a bit academic”。其中“a bit”的意思是“有一点儿”。

4. 第二段 “其实,在任何社会里,都离不开道德判断,它不过是对道德观念的一种具体体现与应用 。”译为“As a matter of fact, moral judgment, as a specific manifestation of morality, is deeply rooted in any society.”。其中“manifestation”的意思是“体现、表现”。短语“be deeply rooted in...”解释为“根深蒂固于……”。

5.“以文化为依托的”:即“受文化所限的”,译为“culture-bound”。这种“名词+形容词”的复合词,在翻译中使用,可使译文变得更为简洁 。类似结构的还有:snow-topped:峰峦积雪的;apple-green :苹果绿的;snow-white :雪白的。

6.“作为或不作为”:译为“action or inaction”。

7. “对错 、善恶、得失”:译为 “right or wrong, good or bad, beneficial or damaging”或 “right or wrong, good or evil, gain or loss”。

8. “因社会文化的不同,道德判断也是多样的。”可译为英语条件句“Moral judgments are naturally diversified given the cultural differences across societies.”。其中“given”作“考虑到……”解,相当于“taking into consideration”。

9. 最后一段第一句“……个人首先被看作是独立的存在 ,具有各种权利和行为自由,同时也对自己的行为全权负责。”的主干部分是“个人首先被看作是独立的存在”,“具有 ……同时也对 ……全权负责”是次要信息,故译文将其译为分词短语和形容词短语结构 ,用以具体说明。

10. “独立的存在”:译为“independent entities”,其中“entity”本意为 “实体、存在”。

11. “具有” :译为“be endowed with”。例如 :Americans are endowed with a world-class tertiary educational system second to none. 美国人仍拥有无人能比的世界级高等教育体系。

12. “发生冲突”:译为“be at odds with”,此短语本意为“与……争执,意见不一致”。

13. “这就需要遵守维护相互间利益的社会契约原则。”是汉语中典型的无主语句型,这里可以翻译成被动语态,译为“The principle of social contract is thus required to uphold interests based on consensus.”。

参考译文 
Everybody is familiar with the term “moral”, but not “moral judgment”which seems to be novel and a bit academic. 

As a matter of fact, moral judgment, as a specific manifestation of morality, is deeply rooted in any society. 

Generally speaking, moral judgments may be understood as culture-bound evaluations in a society, that are the assessments or opinions formed as to whether some action or inaction, intention, motive or character is right or wrong, good or bad, beneficial or damaging. Moral judgments are naturally diversified given the cultural differences across societies. 

In traditional western culture, individuals are primarily viewed as independent entities endowed with a set of natural rights, freedom and responsible for their actions. Different individual interests, however, may be at odds with each other from time to time. In resolving these conflicts, the principle of social contract is thus required to uphold interests based on consensus. 

选自《中国翻译》