程蒙蒙

一、翻译适应选择论的内涵

生态翻译学从生态学的角度对翻译活动进行研究，认为翻译是译者对翻译生态环境适应和选择的活动。[1]76译者要多维度地适应翻译生态环境，做出同翻译生态环境相适应的选择。其中多维度包括语言维度、文化维度、交际维度。翻译生态环境是指作者、作品、译者、译文、出版商、译入语读者之间动态的、互联互动的整体。[2]胡庚申教授指出，翻译过程可以分为两个阶段：第一个阶段是以原文为主导的翻译生态环境对译者的选择，也可理解为译者对翻译生态环境的适应；第二个阶段是以译者为主导的翻译生态环境对译文的选择。由此可见，译者具有双重的身份，一方面翻译过程受翻译生态环境的选择和制约，另一方面译者作为翻译生态环境对译文进行选择和支配。[2]翻译过程的机理如图1所示。

图1 “适应”与“选择”的翻译过程

二、《咏白海棠》原作及两个英译本简介

咏白海棠(一)

薛宝钗

珍重芳姿昼掩门，自携手瓮灌苔盆。

胭脂洗出秋阶影，冰雪招来露砌魂。

淡极始知花更艳，愁多焉得玉无痕?

欲偿白帝凭清洁，不语婷婷日又昏。[3]491-492

杨宪益译文：

For the sake of the flowers the door is closed by day,

As I go to water the pots with moss overgrown;

Immaculate its shadow on autumn steps,

Pure as snow and ice its spirit by dewy stone.

Only true whiteness dazzles with its brightness;

Can so much sadness leave a flawless jade?

Its purity rewards the god of autumn,

Speechless and chaste it stays as sunbeam fade.[4]539

霍克斯译文：

Guard the sweet scent behind closed courtyard door,

And with prompt watering dew the mossy pot!

The carmine hue their summer sisters wore

These snowy autumn blossoms envy not—

For beauty in plain whiteness best appears,

And only in white jade is found no spot.

Chaste,lovely flowers!Silent,they seem to pray

To autumn’s White God at the close of day.[5]416

咏白海棠(二)

林黛玉

半卷湘帘半掩门，碾冰为土玉为盆。

偷来梨蕊三分白，借得梅花一缕魂。

月窟仙人缝缟袂，秋闺怨女拭啼痕。

娇羞默默同谁诉？倦倚西风夜已昏。[3]492-493

杨宪益译文：

Half-rolled the bamboo blind,half-closed the door;

Crushed ice serves as mould for jade pots.

Some whiteness from the pear-blossom is stolen,

Some of its spirit winter-plum allots.

The goddess of the moon sews a white gown,

The maid’s weeping in autumn chamber never ends;

Silently,shyly,with never a word of complaint,

She reclines in the autumn breeze as night descends.[4]540

霍克斯译文：

Beside the half-raised blind,the half-closed door,

Crushed ice for earth and white jade for the pot,

Three parts of whiteness from the pear-tree stolen,

One part from plum for scent(which pear has not)—

Moon-maidens stitches them with white silken thread,

And virgins’tears the new-made flowers did spot,

Which now,like bashful maids that no word say,

Lean languid on the breeze at close of day.[5]417

《红楼梦》第三十七回，探春提议，宝玉和众姐妹一拍即合成立诗社，《咏白海棠》乃开社之作，共得诗六首。……