A Comparative Study on Two Chinese Versions of Heart of Darkness

A Comparative Study on Two Chinese Versions of Heart of Darkness

燕守宝

上海政法学院语言文化学院，上海 201701

摘要：本文基于奈达的功能对等理论对《黑暗之心》的两个中文译本进行对比研究，通过具体译例从词法、句法和语篇三个维度对两个译文进行比较鉴赏。

关键词：功能对等，《黑暗之心》，对比研究

1. Introduction

This paper aims at making a comparative study on two Chinese versions of the Heart of Darkness on the basis of theory of Nida’s Functional Equivalence in order to practically evaluate the quality of translation. It is an innovation in the translation study, reshaping the traditional translation purpose and standard, undoubtedly considered as an important theory and the cornerstone of the development of the translation study. Though it has flaws and limits, its application on different translation studies verifies its significance.

Through the comparison study on the two versions of Chinese translations of Heart of Darkness from the perspective of Functional Equivalence theory, we can get a preliminary comment on which one is more suitable for representing the original work or which one stimulates a more similar response for the target language receptors as the original readers have. This paper will estimate the two versions from different dimensions so that the study on literary work can be relatively completed and difficult translations confronted in the translating of Heart of Darkness can be found and concluded. Furthermore, if it is possible, certain unsolved problems in literary translation can be raised and inspiration or even ideas can be enlightened during the study.

2. Functional Equivalence

Functional Equivalence (F-E theory henceforth) is the core of Nida’s translation theory. According to Nida (1986), translating consists in reproducing in the receptor language the closest natural equivalent of the source language message, first in terms of meaning and secondly in terms of style.

Studies on F-E theory in the western world mostly focused on comparison with other theories while studies at home have developed into several phases. At the early stage, scholars were more concerned about the analysis and summary on it. In the book

Contemporary Translation Studies in USA, Guo Jianzhong (2000) introduced Nida’s understanding on the nature of translation, equivalence, primary principles and practical process .

Technically, Nida’s theory is more suitable to be applied on such texts. Advertisements are typical examples to practice for they are texts featured with rhetorical techniques. How to deal with rhetoric skills like parallel, rhyme and parody in another language can be inspired by Nida’s theory on receptors’ response.

As to literature texts, despite their artistic elements, F-E theory also provides some guidance. A successful translation is able to make the readers cognitive to the information and content, meanwhile encouraging them to have proper responses. If more detailed translation techniques need to be discussed like culture-loaded words, the way that Nida dealt with the words is likely to be more useful. For example, the specific referential meaning of a word in the context is found by analyzing the syntactic and semiotic environment if complexity of polysemy is confronted.

As a result, though there are evidently limits and flaws in Nida’s theory, it is a preferable method to analyze and appreciate translation in that it provided us a logic and universal structure for analyzing the source language, transferring and restructuring.

3. Heart of Darkness and its two Chinese translation versions

Heart of Darkness is the most renowned work of Joseph Conrad. The story was narrated by Marlow, who was appointed as captain of a river steamboat for an ivory trading company. It was ranked as one of the most important English literature.

There are several translation versions of Heart of Darkness. This paper selects two versions to conduct the comparison study. One is the version translated by Ye Lei. It was probably the most popular version partly because it can be easily accepted. So it is practical and meaningful to be studied as it is more widely read. The other was translated by HuangYushi. Huang’s version was an older one and was prudently organized which had a touch of old-fashion. It is helpful and lucky to have two versions with a rather large age gap which provides a clearer perspective to compare.

The significance of literary review is to ensure consistency and correctness of the attitudes and the understanding of the theory and the study methods. The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the differences between two Chinese translations to see which is more intelligible. By comparing them from different perspectives or different dimensions, the purpose is not to criticize but to attain an illumination on literary translation and get a preliminary conclusion on which one is better and summarize the flaws, mistakes or excellence.

4. Comparative study on two Chinese translation versions of Heart of Darkness

The comparative study of two Chinese translation versions is organized into three dimensions: lexical dimension, syntactic dimension and textual dimension. It is the most popular analyzing tactic of comparison study from the perspective of Functional Equivalence theory. However, it is never explicitly suggested in Nida’s book. One conceivable explanation is that the steps of translating explained by Nida focus on these three dimensions respectively but they are also mingled and compounded in the theory. This tactic is used in this thesis because it is easier to outline the structure.

The purpose of the comparison study is not merely selecting a better version, but to analyzing the translation and appreciating them in a critical way. Thus it is as importance to compare the similarities as to contrast differences.

The two Chinese translation versions are compared and tested mainly through the principles of translation given by Nida rather than using different theories or from various perspectives so the selection or preference on two versions may be distinct from other studies.

4.1 Lexical dimension

(1). The lawyer —the best of old fellows, because of many years and many virtues…

Ye: 那位律师---最讨人喜欢的长者—因为资历深厚和德高望重……

Huang：那位律师—一位招人喜欢的老头—由于他的年岁和其他许多美德……

“Many years” is translated into different Chinese meanings in the two versions. In Ye’s translation, “资历深厚” is concerned with working experience in Chinese but in Huang’s version it is translated as “年岁”, which means age.

What “many years” referred to in the text can be marked both by its connotative meaning and the context. The linguistic setting of “years” gives it a touch of meaning of passing of ages like “years” in “getting on in years”. Moreover, the circumstance of usage of the word also indicates the most likely meaning. From the context, the contained information implied by “old fellows” and “the only cushion” connote that “many years” may tend to have the meaning of “ the elderly”.

(2). An ascetic aspect

Ye: 像个苦行僧

Huang: 显得很吃苦耐劳的样子

This short phrase is used to describe Mallow. In Ye’s translation, “ascetic” is translated to “苦行僧” but in Huang’s version, it is “吃苦耐劳的样子”.

The two versions are not totally different from each other but only conjure up different feelings on Mallow. So I apply the typical Nida’s tactic on analyzing meanings which is analyzing the components of the meaning of a semantic unit.

“Ascetic” generally contains three components of meaning: 1. Restricted was of living, 2. Physical restriction, 3. Religious reasons. By anatomizing “ascetic”, it can be found that it is usually used as a derogatory word unless in distinctive contextual setting. “ 苦行僧” as a Chinese phrase has the meaning of: 1. Being unfavorable , 2. Rare and weird, 3 abnormal, which can be a functional equivalence to “ascetic”. While “吃苦耐劳的样子” is too positive for being ascetic especially when used to describe Mallow.

(3). The dusk fell on the stream.

Ye:日落了，河面上天色渐暗

Huang:一大片黑暗降临到河水上

The same translating method (changing situational levels) can be used on “fell on” by translation it into “跌落”.

(4). Till at last he got afraid l would talk the hind-leg off his favorite dog.

Ye:谈到后来，他害怕我真的能把死人说活了……

Huang:直到最后，他真担心我会把他那条心爱的狗的后腿给谈掉了。

There was an idiom in this sentence: “talk the hind-leg off his favorite dog”. Ye has domesticated the idiom into the Chinese custom so he translated it as “把死人说活了” while Huang took a totally different way to deal with it by translating it word by word and adding a footnote for explanation. From Huang’s footnote, we can see that the idiom is used to describe a nagger who always chattering too much. But “把死人说活了” is often used to describe someone who is good at deceiving or coaxing, which is a little different from the original meaning. Although the Chinese replacing idiom can also generate an annoyed feeling on “he”(the Russian), we should be really prudent on the domestication of an idiom.

4.2 Syntactic dimension

(5). A kind of ship about as rigid as a concertina.

Ye:船差不多和六角手风琴一样不听使唤。

Huang:几乎像一架六角手风琴那样难以摆弄的船。

This phrase is composed of two kernels: 1. A concertina is rigid. 2. The ship is rigid. Apparently, translating “rigid” simply and literally is not enough because a ship can’t be described as “rigid”. As a result, it should be transferred from an abstract to an event. First of all, the meaning of “rigid” is analyzed into different components: 1. Very struck and difficult to change”, 2. Difficult to move or bend. On the other hand, concertina is a musical instrument hard to play. So Ye had adjusted “rigid” to “难以摆弄” and Huang “不听使唤”. They are all proper translation, making sense to the description of a ship as “rigid”.

(6). She wore a starched white affair on her head.

Ye:她头上包了一块浆过的白布，也看不出是什么材料的……

Huang:她头上戴着一块浆洗过的白色玩艺儿……

It can be a little difficult to translate this sentence because the word “affair”. Ye has translated the sentence into “她头上包着一块浆洗过的白布，看不出是什么材料的”. Huang’s version is “她头上戴着一块浆洗过的白色玩艺儿。”. Both seem correct and can be soundly pronounced but Huang’s “白色玩艺儿” has a slight ambiguity if being meditated. We have to know what that affair exactly is because in Chinese it is strange to wear affair on the head. So “affair” needs to be adjusted. It should be more specific rather than plausible to be referred to any stuff. In Ye’s translation, it is expanded to the clothe whose fabric was hard to tell.

(7). An eerie feeling came over me.

Ye:我不寒而栗。

Huang:我马上有一种莫名其妙的感觉。

When it comes to description of feeling, it takes efforts to translate well. For this sentence, Huang translated it literally as “我马上有一种莫名其妙的感觉”, which is sensible in Chinese. So the semantic adjustment should be made for “eerie feeling” and Ye’s version: “我不寒而栗” is more appropriate.

(8). The twig overhung the current thickly.

Ye:河道上空垂下厚密的枝叶。

Huang:河道上空到处垂挂着大树的浓密的枝叶。

For this sentence, Ye has translated it into “河道上空垂下厚密的枝叶” and Huang’s is “河水上空到处挂着大树浓密的枝叶”. Both have changed the order of the words. In English, the sentence structure is object (the twig overhung) with event but it changes to object with abstract ( the current and the condition of the current) in Chinese. Because the relationships between objects are emphasized in English but object or event itself plays a bigger role in the conversion in Chinese.

(9). He was its spoiled and pampered favorite.

Ye:他被它宠坏了，成了它最骄纵的宠儿。

Huang:他是它的被惯坏的经常撒娇的宠儿。

This sentence involves the problem of translating the superlative degree. First of all, we extract the kernels in this sentence. There were three kernels: 1. He was spoiled. 2. He was pampered. 3. He was its favorite ( it loves him the most). As for the two Chinese versions , the problem is that, owing to the indicated superlative degree (favorite), the sentence structure needs to be adjusted. In English, the kernels are coordinate clauses while in Chinese they change to the subordinated clauses in order to render a natural translation.

(10). From that point he soared and took me with him.

Ye:以此为起点，他天马行空地写下去。

Huang:从这点出发，他接着更大的发挥。

“That point” in the sentence was actually the beginning of Kurtz’s report for future guidance of savage exploration. As a result, it is obviously not appropriate to straightly translate “he soared” into “他上升了” because the ellipsis part of the information had to be made elicit. What had been soared was his idea or his arrogance, which is cleverly transferred into Chinese. Both have made the message complete in a natural way.

4.3 Textual dimension

(11). I sheered her well inshore. (Conrad, 2016:58)

Ye:我把她转向岸边，贴岸行驶。(2016:63)

Huang:我把船贴近岸边驶去。(1984:100)

I had nearly holed my cripple. (Conrad, 2016:70)

Ye:我差点就捅穿了这艘破船。(2016:76)

Huang:我差点把我那只跛脚船给捅上了个窟窿。(1984:120)

In these two sentences, “her” and “my cripple” all referred to the steamer. How to translate the successive references to the same subjects is also intricate because they are important markers of discourse structure in English language. While in Chinese, different references for the same subjects is not common so we need to be careful about whether to translate those references literally in order to avoid awkwardness. The fun thing is that, in the two sentences, both of the translators chose to change the method for translating the two references. In the first sentence, Ye translated as “我把她转向岸边” and Huang’s is “我把船贴近岸边”. In the second sentence, Ye’s is “我差点捅了这艘破船” and Huang’s is “我差点把我那只破船给捅上一个窟窿”. In a word, the better way to translate references is to put it into Chinese customs to refer things.

(12). His need was to exist, and to move onwards at the greatest possible risk, and with a maximum of privation.

Ye: 他只想活下去，走下去，不惜身犯险境，不惜困蹇无依。

Huang: 他的要求就只是存在下去，冒着最大的危险，忍受着最严峻的艰苦生活的考验前进。

This sentence is tricky to understand because “a maximum of privation” is of too much personal style. To put it in an easy way to conceive, it can be simplified to “loneliness”. However, it will lack the information contained in the style if merely being translated into “孤独” in Chinese. In Ye’s version, the whole sentence goes as “ 他只想活下去，走下去，不惜身犯险境，不惜困蹇无依” and in Huang’s version, the “a maximum of privation”is translated into “最严峻的艰苦生活”. The sentence has lexical features designed for special effects so Ye’s version had made the style of the subject matter concord and consistent by describing this kind of loneliness as an extreme one.

5. Conclusion

In the comparative study, the two Chinese versions of Heart of Darkness are analyzed from three dimensions. The purpose of this study is not merely about to select a better one, but also to appreciate useful translating techniques and delicate language transferring. Besides the introduction to and practice on F-E Theory, inspiration of new understanding on Heart of Darkness is also enlightened.

参考书目：

Conrad, J. (2006). Hear of Darkness. Penguin Books Limited

Nida E. A. A Functional Approach to Problems of Translating[J]. Foreign Language Teaching and Research, 1986(3):7.

Nida, E. A. & Charles R. Taber. (2004). The Theory and Practice of Translation. Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.

Nida, E.A. (2012). Principles of Correspondence. Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.

郭建中. 当代美国翻译理论[M]. 湖北教育出版社, 2000.

约瑟夫.康拉德,黄雨石. 黑暗之心[M].百花文艺出版社, 1984.

约瑟夫.康拉德,叶雷. 黑暗之心[M].译林出版社, 2016