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旅游英语与翻译实践研究
1.7.1.5 五、夸张及其翻译
五、夸张及其翻译

所谓夸张,就是在表述中故意言过其实,或夸大事实,或缩小事实,目的在于给读者留下深刻的印象。一般说来,旅游文本中的夸张均为“夸大事实”,用于渲染宣传的语气。但是,将英汉旅游材料进行比较可以发现,汉语使用夸张的时候较多,英文旅游材料使用夸张的时候并不多。这并不是说中国人喜欢夸夸其谈,西方人重事实,而是由两个民族的思维决定的。汉语行文讲究辞藻工整,纵横飘逸,重视酣畅淋漓的审美情趣,而西方人更重简洁、严谨。因此,汉语旅游文本中的夸张手法在英译文中要适当删节,在保留原文实质信息的前提下,稍加润色即可。请看下面的例子:

例17:

塔子山公园内的九天楼鹤立鸡群,亭亭玉立,卓尔不凡;你看她层叠有致,舒张有度,俯仰自如,雍容大度,有如贵妇临轩;再看那雕梁画栋,飞檐垂瓴,花窗秀门,真似玉女笑面。

Jiutian Pavilion, located in Tazishan Park, is a splendid pavilion with decorated eaves and tiles.

上面例子的中文原文不仅使用了比喻和拟人的修辞手法,还充斥着很多夸张的表达,但是英文可以只翻译其主要信息。有人也曾将该例翻译成以下文字并拿给外教看,结果外教却对文字的过分凿饰感到不解,继而对文字内容的真实性产生怀疑(杨永贤,2005):

Jiutian Pavilion, located in Tazishan Park, is erecting highly like a crown among roasters; it is gracefully standing there showing its uniqueness in the world; alas, please look at its beautiful neatness while piling up,its flexibility when expanding or shrinking; it resembles a dignified lady standing by window; please look at tile engraved posts, the upturned eaves and weeping tiles as well as its well decorated windows and doors, you would surely associate it with a smiling face of a maid.

例18:

(龙舟赛)表演历史于古今,生传说于纷纭,珠联爱国情操,悲壮色彩,璧合神秘气氛、拼搏精神,动如摧枯拉朽、轰轰烈烈,势若排山倒海,可歌可泣。

The Boat Race, a most exciting group event, is held in memory of Qu Yuan, a patriotic statesman and poet in ancient China.

例18的原文可谓句句夸张,中文读者读后一定会激动不已,跃跃欲试,可是如果直译,势必如例17的直译一样在英语读者群中不但收不到良好的宣传效果,还会适得其反,所以译文对夸张的表达进行了删减,在译出实质性的信息的同时稍加修饰,使用形容词exciting,同时对“龙舟赛”的意义稍做解释。