在外事接待活动中,译员首先要面临的一道难题是称谓的口译.称谓代表了一个人的职位,职衔或学衔,体现了一个人的资历和地位.称谓的误译不仅是对有关人员的不尊重,而且也会产生种种不良的后果.称谓的准确翻译其关键在于译员对有关人员的身份及其称谓的表达是否有一个正确的理解,尤其是对称谓语的认识.一种称谓语很可能表示多种身份,例如英语的头衔语President,译成汉语时可视具体情况分别译作共和国的总统,国家主席,大学的校长,学院的院长,学会或协会的会长或主席,公司的总裁或董事长等等.
一般说来,种类机构或组织的首先其汉语称谓译成英语时虽可套用通用词head,但从比较的意义上看,应使用特定的,规范的称谓语.例如:
校长(大学): President of Beijing University
校长(中小学): Principal/Headmaster of Donghai Middle School
院长(大学下属): Dean of the Graduate School
系主任(大学学院下属): Chair/Chairman of the English Department
会长/主席(学/协会): President of the Student Union, Shanghai University
厂长(企业): Director of the Machine Tools Manufacturing Plant
院长(医院): President of Huadong Hospital
主任(中心): Director of the Business Center
主任(行政): Director of Foreign Affairs Office
董事长(企业): President/Chairman of the Board of Directors
董事长(学校): President/Chairman of the Board of Trustees
首席升官的汉语称谓常以 “总…”表示,而表示首席长官的英语称谓语则常带有chief, general, head, managing这类词,因此当翻译冠以 “总”字头衔时,需遵循英语头衔的表达习惯:
总书记 general secretary
总工程师 chief engineer
总会计师 chief accountant
总建筑师 chief architect
总编辑 chief editor; editor-in-chief; managing editor
总出纳 chief cashier; general cashier
总裁判 chief referee
总经理 general manager; managing director; executive head
总代理 general agent
总教练 head coach
总导演 head director
总干事 secretary-general; commissioner
总指挥 commander-in-chief; generalissimo
总领事 consul-general
总监 chief inspector; inspector-general; chief impresario
总厨 head cook；chef
有些部门或机构的首长或主管的英译,可以一些通用的头衔词表示,例如下列机构的负责人可以用director, head或chief来表示:



司(部署) department
厅(省属) department
署(省属) office (行署为 administrative office)
局 bureau
所 institute
处 division
科 section
股 section
室 office
教研室 program/section
例:局长 director of the bureau, head of the bureau, bureau chief
国务院 the State Council属下的部为ministry,所以部长叫作minister.另外,公署专员叫作commissioner, 其办事机构叫做 “专员公署”,英语为prefectural commissioner’s office
汉语中表示副职的头衔一般都冠以 “副”字,英译时需视词语的固定搭配或表达习惯等情况,可选择vice, associate, assistant, deputy等词.相对而言,vice使用面较广,例如:
副总统(或大学副校长等) vice president
副总理(或系副主任等) vice chairman
副总理 vice premier
副部长 vice minister
副省长 vice governor
副市长 vice mayor
副领事 vice consul
副校长(中小学) vice principal
行事职务的副职头衔与学术头衔的 “副”职称往往使用不同的词语表达,最为常用的是英语语是associate,例如:
副教授 associate professor 文章来自译行者
副研究员 associate research fellow
副主编 associate managing editor
副编审 associate senior editor
副审判长 associate judge
副研究馆员 associate research fellow of…(e.g., library science)
副译审 associate senior translator
副主任医师 associate senior doctor
当然,有些英语职位头衔,如manager和headmaster,其副职头衔可以冠以assistant,例如:
副总经理 assistant/deputy general manager, assistant/deputy managing director
大堂副理(宾馆) assistant manager
副校长(中小学) assistant headmaster
以director表示的职位的副职常以deputy director表示.此外,secretary, mayor, dean头衔的副职也可以冠以deputy,例如:
副秘书长 deputy secretary-general
副书记 deputy secretary
副市长 deputy mayor
副院长 deputy dean
学术头衔系列除了含 “正” “副”级别的高级职称或中级职称外,还有初级职称如 “助理”, “助理”常用assistant来表示,例如:
助理教授 assistant professor
助理研究员 assistant research fellow
助理工程师 assistant engineer
助理编辑 assistant editor
助理馆员 assistant research fellow of …(e.g., library science)
助理教练 assistant coach
助理农艺师 assistant agronomist
还有一些行业的职称头衔,其高级职称不用 “正”或 “副”来表示,而是直接用 “高级”或 “资深”来表示,我们可以用senior来称呼,例如:
高级编辑 senior editor
高级工程师 senior engineer
高级记者  senior reporter
高级讲师 senior lecturer
高级教师 senior teacher
高级农艺师 senior agronomist
有一些行业的职称或职务系列中,最高级别的职位冠以 “首席”一词,英语常用chief来表示:
首席执行官 chief executive officer (CEO)
首席法官 chief judge
首席顾问 chief advisor
首席检察官 chief inspector/prosecutor
首席仲裁员 chief arbitrator
首席监事 chief supervisor
首席播音员 chief announcer/broadcaster
首席代表 chief representative
首席记者 chief correspondent
除了用 “总” “高级” “首席”等词语来表示一些机构或行业的最高级职务之外,还有一些高级职务则使用带 “长”字的头衔,例如:


检察长 procurator-general
审判长 presiding judge; chief judge; chief of judges
护士长 head nurse
秘书长 secretary-general
参谋长 chief of staff
厨师长 head cook, chef
有些头衔含诸如 “代理” “常务” “执行” “名誉”这类称谓语,例如:
代理市长,代理总理,代理主任
执行主席,执行主任,执行秘书
名誉校长,名誉会长
一般说来, “代理”可译作acting,例如:
代理市长 acting mayor
代理总理 acting premier
代理主任 acting director
“常务”可以managing表示,例如:
常务理事 managing director
常务副校长 managing vice president (亦可作first vice mayor)
“执行”可译作executive,例如:
执行主任 executive director
执行秘书 executive secretary
执行主席 executive chairman (也可译作presiding chairman)
“名誉”译作honorary,例如:
名誉校长 honorary president/principal
名誉主席/会长 honorary chairman/president (也可用emeritus表示,如emeritus chairman/president) 文章来自译行者
有些职称或职务带有 “主任” “主治” “特级” “特约”等头衔,英译不尽相同,例如:
主任编辑 associate senior editor
主任秘书 chief secretary
主任医师 senior doctor
主任护士 senior nurse
主治医师 attending/chief doctor; physician; consultant
特级教师 special-grade senior teacher
特派记者 accredited correspondent
特派员/专员 commissioner
特约编辑 contributing editor
特约记者 special correspondent
许多职称,职务的头衔称谓其英语表达法难以归类,需要日积月累,逐步登录在自己的称谓语料库中.以下所列举是其中的一部分:
办公室主任 office manager (如 “校长办公室主任” manager of president’s office)
财务主任 treasurer
车间主任 workshop manager/director
编审 senior editor
博导(博士生导师) doctoral student supervisor)
研究生导师 graduate student tutor
客座教授 visiting professor
院士 academician
译审 senior translator
村长 village head
领班 captain; foreman; gaffer 
经纪人 broker
税务员 tax collector
研究馆员 research follow of…(如 “图书馆研究馆员” research fellow of library science)
股票交易员 stock dealer
红马夹 (stock exchange) floor broker
业务经理 service/business/operation manager
住院医生 resident(doctor); register
国际大师 international master
注册会计师 chartered/certified public accountant; registered/incorporated accountant
我国有一些常见的荣誉称号(honorary title)在许多英语国家没有相对应的表达语,现列举部分英译供参考:
标兵 pacemaker
学习标兵 student pacemaker; model student
劳动模范 model worker
模范教师 model teacher
优秀教师 excellent teacher
优秀员工 outstanding employee; employee of the month/year
青年标兵 model youth/youth pacemaker
青年突击手 youth shock worker
三好学生 "triple-A” outstanding student; outstanding student
三八妇女红旗手 “March 8th Red Banner” outstanding woman pacemaker 

 

二.谚语口译
Interpreting Proverbs 

    谚语作为一种以简单通俗的语言来表达深刻道理的语句,常为人们所引用. 在国际交往中,人们喜欢引用本国或外国的谚语.例如美国前总统奶1984年4月访华时充满深情地说:Since we arrived the graciousness with which we have been received has been heartwarming. A Chinese proverb best describes my feeling: “When the visitor arrives, it is as if returning home”.(宾至如贵).同年11月访华的挪威首相Willoch在欢迎宴席上说道:Although I have tried to follow the developments in your country from afar, I am very conscious of the truth of the Chinese proverb “Seeing is believing”.(眼见为实/百闻不如一见.)
    谚语的准确转译是口译人员必须面对的一道难题.好在许多谚语流传甚广,早为我们所熟知.例如,英语谚语A good beginning is half the battle/Well begun is half done,许多英语学习者知道其含义及汉语译文,即 “一个良好的开端是成功的一半”.恐怕不会有人将其译人 “一个良好的开端是半场战斗”吧?
    因此,许多谚语的口译并非一道不可逾越的障碍.译员一方面需要驱除恐惧心理,另一方面要正视困难.事实上,世界各语种中有相当数量的谚语有着相似的语言形式和含意.而且,千百年来各国之间或多或少的文化交流,往往会使一个民族的谚语跨越地理疆界,广为流传于其他民族.久而久之,这些生命力强盛的外来谚语有的竟然反宾为主,成了本族语中最富活力的语句.




    谚语的口译大至可分为三种类型,一种是 “形同意合”的口译,第二种是 “形似意合”的口译,第三种是 “形异意合”的口译. 下面分别介绍这三种谚语.
英语和汉语两种语言中都有许多 “形”同 “意”合的谚语.例如英语的A fall into the pit, a gain in your wit与汉语中的 “吃一堑,长一智”,其形其意都极为吻合.两种语言中存在着形意相合的谚语,这对译员来说,无疑是可喜可慰的.请看以下各例谚语的英汉对照,无论是选词,还是表意,英汉语都极为相近:
Facts speak louder than words. 事实胜于雄辩
Money can’t but time. 寸金难买寸光阴
Failure is the mother of success. 失败乃成功之母
To teach is to learn. 教学相长
Like father, like son. 有其父,必有其子
Pride goes before a fall. 骄者必败
Fish in troubled waters. 浑水摸鱼
Business is business. 公事公办
The style is the man. 文如其人
More haste, less speed. 欲速则不达
Great minds think alike. 英雄所见略同
Misfortunes never come alone. 祸不单行
Hedges have eyes, walls have ears. 隔篱有眼,隔墙有耳


Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 情人眼中出西施
Time and tide wait for no man. 时不我待/岁月无情
A young idler, an old beggar. 少壮不努力,老大徒伤悲
A man should not bite the hand that feeds him. 不要恩将仇报
Health is better than wealth. 家有万贯财,不如一身健
Out of office, out of danger. 无官一身轻
In time of peace prepare for war. 居安思危
The tongue cuts the throat. 祸从口出/言多必失
Out of sight, out of mind/ Far from eye, far from heart. 眼不见为净
All shall be well, Jack will have Jill. 有情人终成眷属
Friends must part. 聚散离合总有时/天下无不散之宴席
The remembrance of the past is the teach of the future. 前事不忘,后事之师/前车之覆,后车之鉴 

英汉语言中有许多谚语虽然 “形”有所不同,但表意却有惊人的相似之处,例如英语中的Love me, love my dog一语,汉语中也有 “爱屋及乌”之说.通常对反应较快的口译人员来说,这类谚语的转译也比较容易应付.以下各例均属这类谚语:
Kill two birds with one stone. 一箭双雕/一石双鸟
A new broom sweeps clean. 新官上任三把火
Beat the dog before the lion. 杀鸡儆猴
Teach fish to swim. 班门弄斧
A word spoken is past recalling. 一言既出,驷马难追
Once bit, twice shy. 一朝被蛇咬,十年怕井绳
Birds of a feather flock together. 物以类聚,人以群分
Let sleeping dogs lie. 勿打草惊蛇
In for a penny, is for a pound. 一不做,二不休
There is no smoke without fire. 无风不起浪
Have a card up one’s sleeve. 胸有成竹
Put the cart before the horse. 本末倒置
Fine feathers make find birds. 佛要金装,人要衣装
As a man sows, so he shall reap. 种瓜得瓜,种豆得豆
Much will have more. 得陇望蜀/得寸进尺
The sauce is better than the fish. 喧宾夺主
He cries wine and sells vinegar. 挂羊头,卖狗肉
Good wine needs no bush. 酒香不怕巷子深
Every potter praises his pot. 王婆卖瓜,自卖自夸
The pupil outdoes the master. 青出于蓝而胜于蓝.
There are plenty of fish in the sea. 天涯何处无芳草
Diamond cut diamond.强中更有强中手
He takes a spear to kill a fly. 杀鸡用牛刀
Gifts blind the eyes. 拿了手短,吃了嘴软
Dogs bite in every country. 天下乌鸦一般黑
Better an open enemy that a false friend. 明枪易躲,暗箭难防
Do one thing under cover of another. 明修栈道,暗度陈仓
Little strokes fell great oaks. 滴水穿石
Judge not a book by its cover. 人不可貌相,海水不可斗量
All roads lead to Rome/ All rivers run into the sea. 殊途同归
Peace on the forehead and war in the mind. 口蜜腹剑
A straight foot is not afraid of a crooked shoe. 身正不怕影子歪
The same knife cuts bread and fingers. 水能载舟,亦能覆舟
A sparrow cannot understand the ambition of swan. 燕雀安知鸿鹄之志
It is better to be the head of a dog/lizard than the tail of a lion. 宁不鸡首,不为牛后 
It is better to die than to live when life s disgrace./ Better die with honor that live with shame. 宁可玉碎,不为瓦全.

译员遇到第三类谚语时,常常会望 “形”生 “意”,造成误译.例如英语谚语A horse stumbles that has four legs, 若将其直译成”有四条腿的马也会失蹄”,这自然会给听者的理解带来困难,甚至会产生一些莫名其妙的感觉.对于这类谚语的翻译,应采取 “形相远而意相近”的译法,即以完全不同的词语将其语句的寓意准确地传达出来.如果我们将上例A horse stumbles that has four legs译成 “人非圣贤,孰能无过”或 “金无足赤,人无完人”,不失之为成功的处理方法,汉泽后,其形虽变,然其意依存.以下各例谚语的双向口译均体现了 “形相远而意相近”的翻译原则:
Rest breeds rust. 生命在于运动
Names are debts. 树大招风
Common fame is a liar. 盛名之下,其实难副
Many kiss the baby for the nurse’s sake. 醉翁之意不在酒
Nothing venture, nothing have. 不入虎穴,焉得虎子
Do in Rome as the Romans do. 入乡随俗
Things done cannot be undone. 木已成舟/覆水难收
True blue will never stain. 真金不怕火炼
A clear conscience is a sure card. 为人不做亏心事,半夜不怕鬼敲门
A bad conscience is a snake in one’s heat. 做贼心虚
All your swans are geese. 事与愿违
Justice has long arms. 天网恢恢,疏而不漏
Late fruit keeps well. 大器晚成
Take things as they come. 即来之,则安之
A hedge between keeps friendship green. 君子之交淡如水
Everybody’s business is nobody’s business. 三个和尚无水吃
The moon is not seen when the sun shines. 小巫见大巫
Penny wise and pound foolish. 因小失大
He knows most who speaks least./ Still water runs deep. 大智若愚.
As you make the bed, so you must lie in it. 自食其果
Count one’s chickens before they are hatched. 盲目乐观
What we lose in hake we shall have in herring. 失之东隅,收之桑榆
The pot calls the kettle black. 五十步笑百步
Short pleasure, long lament. 一时失足,千古恨
Danger is next neighbor to security. 塞翁失马,安知非福
What is done by night appears by day. 若要人不知,除非己莫为
Misfortune might be a blessing in disguises. 祸兮福所倚,福兮祸所伏 
Stick together through thick and thin. 有福同享,有祸同当/ 患难与共
Save you breath to cool your porridge. 各人自扫门前雪,莫管他人瓦上霜
A watched pot never boils. 心急吃不了热下豆腐/ 有意栽花,花不开
A leopard cannot change its spots./ You cannot make a crab walk straight. 本性难移
Don’t trouble trouble until trouble troubles you. 顺其自然/ 随遇而安/ 车到山前必有路
Accidents will happen./ Every tide has its ebb. 天有不测风云,人有旦夕祸福
Even Homer sometimes nods. /The best horse stumbles.  智者行虑,必有一失
Rome was not built in a day. 冰冻三尺,非一日之寒
The shepherd would rather lose the wool than the sheep. 留得青山在,不怕没柴烧
A little leak will sink a great ship./ A stitch in time saves nine. 小洞不补,大洞吃苦/亡羊补牢

当然,掌握了以上三种谚语的翻译方法并不等于找到了一把可以翻译所有谚语的万能钥匙.有些谚语的翻译需要译员 “转形解意”,而有些谚语的翻译宜 “以不变应万变”,以保持其 “原汁原味”.例如:
Silence is golden. 沉默是金
A rolling stone gathers no moss. 滚石不生苔
One swallow does not make a summer. 一燕不成夏
All is not gold that glitters. 闪闪发光物,并非皆金子
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. 双鸟在林,不如一鸟在手
A bird is known by its note and a man by his talk. 闻啼知鸟,闻言知人



除了谚语之外,成语,习语,歇后语,诗句等语句的临场翻译也是译员颇感棘手的问题.以上所述的有关谚语的口译方法有 “举一反三”之意.一般说来,译员在充分理解有关词语所含蓄意的情况下,可采用意译或半意译的方法,只需要将词语的意思传译过去即可.至于歇后语的口译,例如流传甚广的 “泥菩萨过河---自身难保”, “小葱伴豆腐---一清二白", “猪八戒照镜子---里外不是人”,” 张飞穿针---大眼瞪小眼”, “和尚打伞---无法无天”, “兔子尾巴---长不了”等歇后语,一般不必将歇后语的前后两部分无一遗漏地翻译成英语,以免给英语听众带来困惑.口译时,原则上只需要翻译歇后语所表达的主要意思,即歇后语的后半句的内容即可.