有关《论语》的五种英语译文比较研究

中国的翻译事业从夏朝到现代,经历了四千多年的历史;中国对外翻译始于公元505年;明清时代进入翻译繁荣时期;当今世界的中国翻译事业空前繁荣,为推进世界文明的发展做出了不可磨灭的贡献。中国古典名著《论语》乃古代思想文化的瑰宝,《论语》的对外翻译为丰富全人类思想文化发挥了巨大的作用。不同翻译人员语言文化素质的差异必然导致对同一翻译作品理解上的差异,《论语》的翻译尤其如此。本文分析研究了《论语》的五个英文译本,旨在提高中国文化对外翻译质量。

A Comparative Study of Five English Versions from the Analects of Confucius

The cause of translation or interpretation in China has a history of around four thousand years,dating back to the Xia Dynasty.It is believed that translating from the Chinese language into foreign languages began actually in about 505 until later in the Ming Dynasty when the cause of translation reached its prosperity.The work of translation in China at present has soared to unprecedented heights and has made indelible contribution to the further development of human civilization.The Analects of Confucius,one of the classical Chinese masterpieces,is a resourceful treasure house con- ceived the ancient thoughts and cultures and its translation into foreign languages has contributed ever-lastingly to the ideological culture of the whole mankind.Nevertheless,different translators or interpreters coming from different cultural backgrounds may necessarily work out the translations or interpretations widely apart due to their various comprehending and translating a same source work,especially when dealing with The Analects of Confucius.The author of the thesis, therefore,is to analyze its five English versions in attempt to do a little to improve the quality of foreign translations in China.