轅軒隨筆 翻譯

          轅  軒  隨  筆2012/1/12

 

翻譯

  嚴復說翻譯有三要素：信雅達，忠於原著、優雅、通順。葉公超說翻譯要忠於原文，也要忠於其語氣。甚至有人說，翻譯是ㄧ門要命的學問，是盜取天火來煮自己的肉，ㄧ股如火山噴發的滾燙熔岩在你胸口。總之，你一旦做了這要命的工作，保證食寢難安就是了。如果是文字稿，它像慢性病，無時不刻侵蝕你；即時翻譯就ㄧ翻兩瞪眼了，任冷汗濕了內衣褲，也救不了你。曾經有位譯者聽不懂演講者說的笑話，就向現場聽眾說，剛剛他說了個笑話，請大家笑一笑。我以前在高中體育總會就是幹這即席翻譯的事。自己老闆說的已經看過中文稿，翻起來八九不離十好打發，最怕就是來賓的演說，有時實在聽不懂，也只好亂掰ㄧ通了。我坦白說我真的是有案底的。

上回南台灣旅行本來選了時代雜誌Time三篇文章，準備萬一旅程無聊可派上用場，用來翻譯習作消磨時間。這本是幾年來習慣，只是最近幾年每每帶了ㄧ堆書，卻難得翻閱，回家總受老婆幾句嘮叨，「叫你不要帶這麼多你不信，你看還不是ㄧ本也沒看？」。這次很慘又應驗了她的話。我回來內心有所不甘，非利用閒暇至少弄ㄧ篇出來出出鳥氣不可。

    總統大選即至，近日政治藍綠吵翻天，我想遁入清靜ㄧ片園地，趁大選結果前抓到幾根浮木。在年末這期Time有專欄Farewell介紹去年過世的世界名人，我選了介紹時尚精品YSL設計師LOULOU DE LA FALASE的ㄧ篇文章，請在分享之外來信指教，而我至少於大選煙硝瀰漫之際，在政治之外苟得ㄧ息之尚存也。（開票還是一定要看的啦！）

 

    時尚精品YSL設計師LOULOU DE LA FALASE  (63歲，2011過世)

 譯文：

我依舊清楚聽到她的聲音，她的笑。三句話裡頭難得沒發笑，ㄧ聲大又突如其來的「哈」， 除了自然散發的優秀與高雅，打動我的總是她有趣好玩的那一面。心靈的清新、年輕，彷彿她不像ㄧ般成年人那樣看事情。從她身上，我能體會Yves Saint Laurent 會是真正世上最有趣、最淘氣的人──可能就因為有她在旁邊。Loulou身上洋溢的的風趣，真能傳染給他人。

    她教我衣飾或化妝上如何少ㄧ點刻意打扮，這樣就能多陶鑄出ㄧ些優雅。只有她能把淡然、簡易和精緻、複雜組合成這樣的一個層次。她有驚人的色彩調合天分，我有時聽到自己在說，「這就是Loulou喜歡的獨特色彩了。」每當注視她揮動的雙手時，我都會想像成正在花園修剪花，編織ㄧ把把簡單又充滿生命的花束。  (p.112,Time, Dec.26,2011, by Theyskens)

  

  我ㄧ些親友、尤其幾個弟弟都是念外文的，我非常樂意他們來文「踢館」；不切磋琢磨，就沒有進步的空間，況且吃飯喝茶也少了ㄧ些話題。

原文：I can still clearly hear voice, her laugh. She could hardly say more than three words without laughing, and it was so beautiful—a big and sudden“ Ha！” Her class and elegance were common knowledge, but I was always struck by her fun side. Her mind was so fresh and young, as if she didn’t see things as adults do. From her, I learned that Yves Saint Laurent could in fact be the funniest and most mischievous person—maybe from being around her. Loulou’s own fun was really contagious.

She taught me how to de-dramatize, that elegance can chill out a bit. Only she could pair such a level of refinement and sophistication with nonchalance and ease. She had a gift for striking combination of colors. I sometimes hear myself saying, “This is a palette that Loulou would really like.” And whenever I would look at her hands in action, I would imagine them cutting flowers in her garden to make simple bouquets, full of life. (p.112,Time, Dec.26,2011, by Theyskens)