浅谈唐宋词中词牌名的英译[转贴]

[coffeeman]

浅谈唐宋词中词牌名的英译

词是韵文文体之一，又称\"曲子词\"，即歌词。它本来是为配乐歌唱而写的诗。由于它是配乐歌唱的，所以每首词都有或至少曾经有过一个乐谱。每个乐谱都必定属于某种宫调(类似今天的c调、g调之类)，有一定的旋律、节奏，这些东西的总和就是词调。每种词调都有一个名称(如《西江月》、《清平乐》)，这个名称就叫词牌。

　　词始于唐，盛于宋，是一种脍炙人口的文学表达形式，历来为人们所钟爱。为把中华文化中这一绮丽的瑰宝译介到国外，不少译者已进行了大量开拓性的艰辛劳动，其中不乏精美传神叹为观止之作。然而，词的翻译比之散文小说确似更难，尤其是词牌名的翻译。

　　尽管就大多数词作来说，词牌与音乐或词中的内容关系不大，作者填词时，只视哪种词调形式更符合自己的需要，完全可以不去考虑词牌名称的原有含义和原来词曲的内容。因此词牌在一般意义上不过是标明作者依哪一种现成的曲谱进行填词而已。然而将词牌名译成英文时就不能不在传达词牌的神韵和美感的同时考虑它的历史来源和反映在其中的格律了。

　　下面试就词牌的几种常见的英译方法略抒浅见。

　　一、一般性词牌名的译法
　　一般性词牌名没有什么历史典故，或有，但已无从考证，或取自前人的某个词句，或只是一个风雅的名词而已。在这种情况下，按字面意思直译成英文，即可较好地保留原文的风格，传达原文的神韵和美感形象。例如：
　　鹧鸪天 partridge sky
　　踏莎行 treading on grass
　　相见欢 joy at meeting
　　点绦唇 rouged lips
　　满江红 the river all red
　　模鱼儿 groping for fish
　　最高楼 the highest tower
　　疏影 space shadows
　　玉楼春 spring in jade pavilion
　　昼夜乐 joy of day and night
　　西江月 the moon over the west river
　　风入松 wind through pines
　　双双燕 a pair of sparrows

　　二、\"歌\"、\"词\"、\"歌头\"、\"吟\"等词牌名的译法

　　1．常带\"歌\"、\"词\"、\"子\"的词牌，不妨直译成\"song\"，既简单明了，又贴切自然。例如：
　　子夜歌 midnight song
　　洞仙歌 song of a fairy in the cave
　　柳枝词 willow branch song
　　卜算子 song of divination
　　天仙子 song of immortal
　　更漏子 song of water clock at night
　　南歌子 a southern song

　　2．词牌子带\"吟\"一类的较\"歌\"、\"词\"更为典雅，是一种便于吟诵、格调高雅、节奏舒缓的诗体，译成\"chant\"，可以显得庄重端方，因为英语中的\"chant\"多指宗教中的赞美诗或圣歌，意思与\"吟\"很相近。例如：
　　水龙吟 water dragon chant
　　瑞龙吟 auspicious dragon chant

　　3．\"歌头\"意即前奏或序曲，可译成\"prelude\"。例如：
　　水调歌头 prelude to water melody

　　三、\"令\"、\"引\"、\"近\"、\"慢\"等词牌名的译法
　　有一些词牌末带有\"令\"、\"引\"、\"近\"、\"慢\"等术语。\"令\"与酒令有关，是一种比较接近民歌的抒情小曲；\"引\"集歌体与诗体于一身，也是这类诗歌诗曲调的演化；\"慢\"有篇幅较长、语言节奏舒缓、韵脚间隔较大等特点；\"近\"有亲昵、浅显的意思，可能与令、引等一样与曲调有关，指一种篇幅较\"令\"长而又不如\"慢\"曲那么典雅庄重的曲调。从字数上讲，大体上说，\"令\"多半属于\"小令\"范围，\"引\"、\"近\"多半属于\"中调\"范围，\"慢\"则绝大多数是\"长调\"。所以译成英文时可视具体情况译成\"song\"；\"slow
song\"；\"slow tune\"或\"slow，slow song\"。例如；
　　调笑令 song of flirtation
　　唐多令tang duo song
　　祝英台令slow song of zhu ying tai
　　扬州慢 slow tune of yangzhou
　　声声馒 slow，slow song

　　四、\"摊破\"、\"促拍\"、\"减字\"、\"偷声\"等词牌名的译法
　　\"摊破\"(又名\"摊声\"、\"添字\")和\"促拍\"这两个术语都表示在原调基础上加了字、句。而\"减字\"、\"偷声\"则是在原调基础上减少了字句，而另成新调。\"摊破\"和\"减字\"是就字数而言，而\"促拍\"和\"偷声\"是就调而言。所以\"摊破\"可译成\"lengthened form\"，\"促拍\"可译成\"quickened tune\"，\"减字\"则可译成\"shortened form，\"，\"偷声\"则可译成\"slowed tune\"。例如：
　　减字木兰花 shortened form of lily magnolia flowers
　　摊破浣溪沙 lengthened form of silk-washing stream

　　五、根源于历史掌故的词牌名的译法
　　据考证，词调有五种来源：1．边疆民族曲调或域外音乐传入内地的；2．内地民歌曲调；3．乐工歌妓们创制或改制的曲调；4．宫廷音乐机构或词曲家根据古曲、大曲改制的；5．文人创作的曲子。正因为词调来源广泛，所以词牌的意思也很复杂。因此，有些词牌是不能根据字面直译的，而应在考释它的来历后再行动笔。

　　例如：《苏幕遮》原本是指从今天新疆吐鲁番(古高昌)传来的\"浑脱\"舞曲。\"浑脱\"是\"囊袋\"的意思。据说，舞时舞者用油囊装水，互相泼洒，所以唐人又称之为\"泼寒胡戏\"。表演者为了不使冷水浇到头面，就戴上一种涂了油的帽子，高昌语叫\"苏幕遮\"，因而乐曲和后来依曲填出的词就被称为《苏幕遮》了。有人将它译成\"screened by southern curtain\"．就是没考虑到它的来源而望文生义译出来的，尤其是\"southern\"一词不知从何而来。据此，我以为直译成\"oiled hat\"未免太俗，不如译成\"water-bag dance\"。这样既点明了是舞曲，又可使读者领略到舞蹈的内容和形象。

　　《菩萨蛮》据考证原是今缅甸境内古代罗摩国的乐曲，后经汉族乐工改制而来的。唐苏鹗从《杜阳杂编》说：\"大中(唐宣宗年号)初，女蛮国贡双龙犀……其国．人危髻金冠，缨珞被体，故谓之菩萨蛮。当时倡优遂制菩萨蛮曲；文人亦往往声其词。\"可见《菩萨蛮》中的菩萨与我们的佛祖菩萨(buddha或buddhist idol)并无关系，词牌的意思是\"象菩萨似的蛮国人\"。有人将其译成\"buddhist dancers\"，真是差之毫厘失之千里!因为形容词\"buddhist\"是\"佛的，佛教的\"意思，译回成中文就是\"佛的舞者\"，佛教中有没有舞者尚且不论，光意思就南辕北辙。如译成\"dancers like buddha\"或\"buddha-like dancer 还勉强过得去，或干脆译为\"song of the country norm\"，既简单又明了，只是失去了菩萨这个形象。

　　又如《念奴娇》，念奴为唐玄宗天宝年间一著名歌妓，玄宗时常诏见命歌，曲名本此。如果不知此曲底里，将它译成\"dreaming of her charm\"那就令人捧腹了。有人将它译成\"charm of a maiden singer，\"歌手\"和\"娇\"都译出来了，可我认为maiden一词用得不恰当。\"maiden\"一词在英文中是\"处女\"或\"未婚女子\"的意思，把它用在古时的歌妓身上未免太圣洁了，不如去掉\"malden\"，译成\"charm of a singer\"。\"charm\"多指女子的妩媚，所以大可不必担心读者会弄错。\"singer\"的性别。从这个意义上讲，\"maiden\"也可删去，当然若将其换译成\"woman\"也未尝不可。这里还牵涉到专有名词的译法，\"念奴\"这个名字对于大多数中国人尚且陌生，更不用说外国人了，译出来也不一定知道，反而妨碍意思的理解，故此处可撇下不管，用\"a singer\"代替即可。类似的情况都可如此处理：如《昭君怨》就可译成\"lament of a fair lady\"。也可用加注的办法，如《虞美人》就可译成\"the beautiful lady yu\"，这样外国人就知道是一个姓虞的美人了。

 

[oread]

ZT

李煜：虞美人
春花秋月何?了？往事知多少？ - 小?昨夜又?锾。故?不堪回首明月中。
雕?玉砌??在。只是朱?改。 - ?君能有?多愁。恰似一江春水向?流。
Li Yu: to the tune "Lady Yu" (transl. Hans Frankel)
Spring blossoms and autumn moon - when will they end? How much has happened in the past!
On the balcony last night, again an east wind, the moon was so bright, I couldn't bear to look toward my old kingdom.
The carved galleries and jade steps must still be there, only the rosy cheeks have changed.
I ask you, how much sorrow can there be? It's just like a whole river full of eastward flow in spring.

??修：采桑子
群芳咿後西湖好，狼藉?剪，
秣絮??，垂柳昀干蓖日锾。
笙歌散蓖游人去，始迂春空，
垂下帘?，腽燕???雨中。
Ouyang Xiu (1007-1072): to the tune "Plucking mulberry leafs" (transl. Ulrich Theobald)
When the many scents are gone, the West Lake (of Yichuan) is charming, all over a little red is left.
Floating fluffs blur the air, fencelike willow twigs catch the wind and rain.
The airs of a panpipe accompany traveling people, reminding them that spring is gone.
The window curtains hanging down, while swallow pairs turn back in drizzling rain.

晏?道：木添花
?锾又作?情?，魄粉?剪吹?地。
碧?帘影不遮愁，?似去年今日意。
侦知邋管春?事，到?登乓曾偻?。
此?金彼直?深，看蓖落花能?醉。
Yan Jidao (1040-1112): to the tune "Magnolia flowers" I (transl. Ulrich Theobald)
Once again the eastwind makes heartless plots, rouge and powder blown down and covering the ground.
The curtain of the green balcony is not able to cover my sadness, just like the year before.
Who knows what damage such wrong pipes do to spring; climbing every hill, I once shed useless tears.
In such times we cannot but fill the golden cups, stare at the falling flowers and make us drunk.

晏?道：木添花
秋千院落重帘暮，彩剐殄?铨烂?。
_?^丹杏雨鹞花，樵外厩?锾後絮。
朝?信?知何?？?作襄王春?去。
紫螋帐得沛游?，嘶咿???畔路。
Yan Jidao: to the tune "Magnolia flowers" II (transl. Ulrich Theobald)
Double curtains fall in the swing yard at dusk, and color brushes cease to work in her boudoir.
Inside the walls, the rain has left over some red apricot flowers, outside the door, the poplar fluffs fly after the wind.
If faith in dawn clouds (a girl named Xiaoyun) is lost, where to go? I have to make me free from king Xiangwang's springtime dream.
Purple Steed, you know the old paths; neighing you cross a painted bridge on the way across the eastern banks.

趟葙：江城子
十年生死?茫茫，不思量，自膣忘。
千里孤?，????。
况使相逢?不滓，??面，糇如霜。
夜?幽?忽?囔，小?窗，正梳?。
相??言，惟有?千行。
料得年年你??，明月夜，短松网。
Su Shi (1037-1101) to the tune "Rivertown man" (transl. Burton Watson)
The year yimao, 1st month, 20th day: recording a dream I had last night
Ten years - dead and living dim and drew apart. I don't try to remember but forgetting is hard.
Lonely grave a thousand miles off, cold thoughts - where can I talk them out?
Even if we met you wouldn't know me, dust on my face, hair like frost -
In a dream last night suddenly I was home. By the window of the little room you were combing your hair and making up.
You turned and looked, not speaking, only lines of tears coursing down -
year after year will it break my heart? The moonlit grave, its stubby pines. - -

舒?：虞美人
芙蓉落蓖天涵水，日暮?波起。
背秣腽燕傥?寒，?向小??畔倚昀看。
浮生只合尊前老，雪?樘安道。
故人早晚上高台，寄我江南春色一枝梅。
Shu Tan (1041-1103): to the tune "Lady Yu" (transl. Ulrich Theobald)
Falling lotus flowers disturb the Heaven Pond's clear water, at dusk blue waves arise.
High a swallow pair flies below the freezing clouds, as I am lonely watching from the balcony.
In a floating life, the only appropriate way is to venerate the old. Snow covered the streets of Chang'an,
when in old times (Fan Ye) was watching from the tower day and night, waiting for Lu Kai to bring him a flowering peach twig from the south.

周邦?：?庭芳
锾老?腧，雨肥梅子，午?嘉?清?。
地卑山近，衣?偻_t?。
人祜??自?，小?外，新厩??。
?昀久，?淌苦竹，疑泛九江船。
年年，如社燕，镨流瀚海，?寄修椽。
且莫思身外，樘近尊前。
憔悴江南倦客，不堪逻，急管繁弦。
歌龟畔，先安枕簟，容我醉?眠。
Zhou Bangyan (1056-1121): to the tune "Fragrance filling the hall" (transl. Ulrich Theobald)
Wind raises the oriol's chicks, rain manures the plum sprouts, midday sun makes trees grow, clearing and rounding.
The ground is flat, the mountains near, wet clothes damping over the fire.
As man is quiet, the kites play happily. Outside the small bridge, new green in gurgling water.
Leaning upon a balustrade, amidst yellow gourds and withered bamboo, I ask myself if the ship will reach Jiujiang.
Year after year, like migrating swallows, like the floating desert, they come under my eaves.
But never think at outside of your self, if long or short, rever the ancient.
Emaciated and tired are the guests from the south, let them hear music, play flutes and lutes,
Make a banquet on the fields; first prepare their mats and pillows, and let us only sleep when we are drunk.

僖柙：蝶?花
?杂?春春?暮，?柳清?，偏邓游晋度。
天肴小山桃叁步，白?花?湔裙?。
竟日微吟樘短句，帘影?昏，心寄胡琴遮。
??雨?锾俭住，朦?淡月??去。
He Zhu (1052-1125): to the tune "Butterflies kiss flowers" (transl. Ulrich Theobald)
What should hurt the spring when a spring day is over? Poplars and willows under the clear moon, their twigs just in the way of strolling people.
On a small hill at the horizon, peach leafs come out, and with a pure delight, petals scatter all over my fresh washed robe.
When the day is over, tiny sounds of short and long poems, in the shadow of the curtains, light in the dark, and hearts send their words by a zither tune.
The sound of rain has relieved the wind, amidst floating clouds the dim and hazy moon.

辛?疾：??春
春已??，看美人钷上，颜颜春幡。
?端锾雨，未肯收蓖余寒。
年?燕子，料今宵，?到西?。
?未揠，?柑荐酒，更?青韭堆毙。
?笑?锾，?此便薰梅染柳，更?些殄。
殄?又?缫里，弈?朱?。
清愁不?，?何人?解呗?。
生怕?，花檫花落，朝?塞雁先?。
Xin Qiji (1140-1207): to the tune "Spring in the Han palace" (transl. Ulrich Theobald)
Spring is back, on all the maidens' heads the springtime papercuts.
Ceaseless wind and rain, and still a little bit of cold.
The seasonn when the swallows breed chicks is come, but in the night, I walk in dream in Kaifeng's West Garden.
No finished yet the orange liqueur, we first serve the green scallions plate.
Now we laugh with the eastwind, perfuming plums and coloring willows, to have more leisure time.
In leisure time then we look again in the mirror, to change the rouge on our cheeks.
But our simple sadness never ceases, asking who can loose these chains?
I'm afraid to see again this place in my life. Opening flowers, falling flowers - the dawn impedes the geese to fly home.

?文英：锾入松
逻锾逻雨咿清明，愁草?花?。
?前厩暗分? 路，一晋柳，一寸柔情。
料峭春寒中酒，交加??啼?。
西?日日?林亭，依沛兖新晴。
?蜂铎?秋千索，有??厉手香凝。
惆?腽?不到，幽肓一夜苔生。
Wu Wenying (1200-1260): to the tune "Winds between pine trees" (transl. Ulrich Theobald)
Listening to wind and rain and waiting for clear weather, while the grass of sadness buries the incarved flowers.
In front of the house in twilight green, our ways are separating. Giving you a willow twig, giving me a bit of warm emotion.
While drinking wine in the harsh coldness of spring, a morning dream is filled with oriol songs.
In the west garden I daily sweep the Forest Pavillion, enjoying the clear weather like before.
The wasps attack the swing rope when I was holding it with delicate hands and fragrant shape.
So heavy-hearted I wait for my husband to come home, while in the dark corner of the stairs the moss grows green over night.

 

[过客]

在下以为, 不同文化的诗词歌赋是不可互译的. 译得再好, 也只能达意而无法传神.

 

[Kent以东首帅哥]

翻译的还是生硬, 不看原文只看译文的话,不知道在讲什么.