- 期刊
Recovering Lost Pieces: A Reexamination of Qianshi Translation From the Register Perspective
補回遺失的拼塊－從語域觀點重新檢視籤詩翻譯
摘要
The widespread transmission of information on the web has resulted in the online circulation of the English translations of Taoist divination verses, or qianshi 籤詩, in Taiwan, making them easily accessible to international audiences. Due to this change in the location and language of the readership, qianshi translation must be examined. Drawing on two studies, namely a small quantitative analysis and register-based qualitative analysis, this study investigated the strategies used to translate idioms and metaphors in Matsu Qianshi 媽祖籤詩. The results of the quantitative analysis indicate that the current translations of metaphors and idioms involves only paraphrasing and omission, with omission being more frequent than paraphrasing. The qualitative analysis reveals that current translations fail to clearly transmit the thematic message at the field level, lack stylistic variation at the mode level, and do not meet the expectations of online audiences at the tenor level. Thus, the translations should be revised to make them more flexible for the intended audiences. This study proposes a set of translations that juxtaposes detailed and concise versions. Those aiming to learn about Chinese culture and appreciate the poetic beauty of the qianshi can select the detailed version, whereas those aiming to seek the instructions of the gods can read the concise version. In terms of register, the two-in-one translation set conveys the thematic messages more clearly with variation in the linguistic style that will better suit the needs of diverse online audiences than the current single version of translation. The set of translations provided by this study challenges the static, fixed form of current online qianshi translation and adds a dynamic dimension to enrich the originally religious purpose with literary, cultural, and educational functions. This paper concludes with a call to translate qianshi to suit purposes other than its conventional, religious ones and to satisfy a diverse range of audiences online who might read these verses.
並列摘要
近年來，由於網路資訊廣大流傳，英語籤詩翻譯也上傳至網站。當籤詩的語言及公布地點已經不同於以往，我們實有必要研究目前線上籤詩翻譯的策略是否合宜。本論文使用量化分析及語域為主的質化分析，探討媽祖籤詩中俚語及隱喻的翻譯策略。量化分析結果顯示目前俚語及隱喻翻譯僅使用改寫與省略策略，其中省略策略的使用次數遠高於改寫策略。若從語域理論觀點來檢視，則透露出目前籤詩翻譯在語場層面無法清楚傳遞主旨訊息、在語式層面缺乏風格的多樣性、在語旨層面無法滿足網路上各式各樣讀者群的期望。所以，本論文提出改進方法，並舉例說明。同時，為方便網路讀者有更彈性的選擇，本論文提倡使用詳細翻譯及精簡翻譯兩種版本組成的並列翻譯套組。若讀者欲從籤詩中習得中國文化知識，可以閱讀詳細翻譯版。若讀者只是想從籤詩中獲得神明指示，可以閱讀精簡翻譯版。置於語域理論的框架中，此二合一套組比現行翻譯更能清楚傳達旨意、更具有多樣語言風格、也更適合許多不同的讀者群。本論文挑戰了籤詩翻譯的靜態、固定形式，為其增添動態的維度，並加入文學、文化和教育功能。綜而言之，本論文倡導籤詩翻譯改革，以符合網路上新型態的溝通需求，不再拘泥於過去只能滿足廟宇抽籤者求神問卜的傳統形式。