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我們一起讀英文名著《傲慢與偏見》Pride and Prejudice :1 (翻譯和書評)

作者:由 iamChrisHuang 發表于 歷史時間:2020-02-24

re-edited, translated and commented by Chris Huang

這一個系列是我們一起讀《傲慢與偏見》,我將會把該書的61章都分享給大家。由於這是19世紀的英國文學作品,所以在英語習慣、語法和用詞上可能對如今的大部人來說有點難讀,但是這不正是一個好機會提高我們的英語水平嗎?

文中的地名和人名我就採用英文原形而不進行翻譯。

《傲慢與偏見》(英語:Pride and Prejudice),出版於1813年,是19世紀英國小說家簡·奧斯丁的代表作。小說主要講述了鄉紳之女伊麗莎白·貝內特和富有的達西先生的愛情故事,反映了19世紀英國鄉紳階層的禮節、成長、教育、道德、婚姻的情態。

我們一起讀英文名著《傲慢與偏見》Pride and Prejudice :1 (翻譯和書評)

Chapter 1

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife。

是不是有一個這樣的普世思想,一個鑽石王老五一定想要取妻。

a single man in possession of a good fortune我直接翻譯成了王老五

However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters。

然而一個有一絲符合這個普世觀念的男子來到了這個社群,人們對這個觀念是根深蒂固的,而他正好被當做一顆“大鑽石”,或者有些趨之若鶩的人認為這顆“大鑽石”將會是他們女兒的。

“My dear Mr。 Bennet,” said his lady to him one day, “have you heard that Netherfield park is let at last?”

有一天他的女人對他說,“親愛Bennet先生,你有沒有聽說Netherfield公園租出去了?”

Mr。 Bennet replied that he had not。

Bennet回覆,他沒有聽到。

“But it is,” returned she; “for Mrs。 Long has just been here, and she told me all about it。”

她回覆道:“但Long夫人已經去過那裡了,她跟我說很有多關於那裡的事情。”

Mr。 Bennet made no answer。

Bennet並沒有理會她。

“Do not you want to know who has taken it?” cried his wife impatiently。

他的妻子失去耐心的哭道:“你不想知道誰得到了那個地方嗎?”

“You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it。”

“你想要告訴我,我並沒有不想聽的意思。”

This was invitation enough。

以上是一個經典的妻子說話時間的匯入語。

“Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs。 Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it that he agreed with Mr。 Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week。”

“你為什麼不想知道呢?親愛的,你可能想知道Long夫人跟我說,Netherfield被一個從北英格蘭超級有家世的年輕人拿下了,他在週一會坐著四輪馬車和帶著四個僕人來這裡,Morris先生非常高興他立馬就答應過來看看。他在Michaelmas之前就繼承這份財產,他的有些僕人在這個週末就會先過來打點。

在英國,財產土地一般都是因為遺產、婚姻和封賞在貴族的手中流動

那個年代的四輪馬車就可能相當於現在的賓士S600

大貴族出行,僕人一般會去目的地打點安排,唐頓莊園裡那樣的情景

我們一起讀英文名著《傲慢與偏見》Pride and Prejudice :1 (翻譯和書評)

“What is his name?”

他叫什麼名字?

“Bingley。”

彬格利

“Is he married or single?”

他結婚了還是單身?

這句話問得有點像現在的中國人,哈哈!但是這本書是寫於19世紀,21世紀的英國一般是不會打探別的這種問題,有沒有結婚見面時看手指就知道了。

“Oh! single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year。 What a fine thing for our girls!”

哇,單身啊!我的天了,你確定嗎?一個家世這麼大的單身帥哥,4000到5000磅一年的收入,對於我們女孩子來說是他是多麼完美的一個白馬王子啊!

看來19世紀的英國拜金情況也比較嚴重,不過可以理解的是當時的英國是處於工業革命初期,大量的made in UK銷往海外,經濟發達,中產階級的出現,但是還有許多經濟條件和生活條件有所欠缺的平民,但是這樣的社會背景卻推動平民對奢靡之風的嚮往。

年收入4000到5000磅在那個年代是很多錢了,在今天大概相當於2,000,000磅。

“How so? how can it affect them?”

怎麼對女孩子有影響呢?

“My dear Mr。 Bennet,” replied his wife, “how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them。”

他妻子說:“哎呀!我親愛的Bennet先生啊!” “你說話怎麼這麼不招人喜歡啊!你應該知道我在想誰會這麼幸運會嫁給這個家底豐厚的貴族呢。”

“Is that his design in settling here?”

這是他此行來這裡的目的嗎?

design在這裡要翻譯成目的、野心或者企圖

我非常喜歡英國人說話的這個帶有禮貌的諷刺

“Design! nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes。”

“目的!” “胡說,你怎麼可以這麼說話?他來了這裡之後,愛上了那個女孩子也不一定啊!而且一旦他來了這裡你就要去拜訪他。”

“I see no occasion for that。 You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better; for, as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr。 Bingley might like you the best of the party。”

“我想沒有這樣的必要,你和女兒們可以去,或者你可以叫她們自己去這樣更好,Bingley可能會看上你哦。”

“My dear, you flatter me。 I certainly have had my share of beauty, but I do not pretend to be any thing extraordinary now。 When a woman has five grown up daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty。”

“親愛的,哪有你這麼會說話的。我確實有模有樣的,但是我不想太引人注目了,因為我已經是五個女孩子的媽了,做母親的人不應該把太多注意力花在漂亮打扮上。”

“In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of。”

“而且在這樣的情況下,一個女人也沒有多少姿色了。”

活在這個年代,女孩子可以做辣媽,不這種古典傳統的英國婦女也是很有修養的。

“But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr。 Bingley when he comes into the neighbourhood。”

“但是,我的親愛的,你真的要立馬去拜訪Bingley先生,如果他來了這裡。”

“It is more than I engage for, I assure you。”

“我肯定會去了,我保證。”

engage在這裡要翻譯成允諾

“But consider your daughters。 Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them。 Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to go, merely on that account, for in general, you know they visit no new comers。 Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for us to visit him, if you do not。”

“一說到你的女兒,她們會找到什麼樣的人家,William爵士和Lucas小姐幾乎也會去,總的來說,他們一般不見外人的,這是為什麼你一定要去,這是我們跟William爵士和Lucas小姐接觸的機會。

establishment在這裡要翻譯成婚姻

Lady Lucas翻譯是Lucas小姐,但是Lady(小姐)這個詞在英國是一個貴族頭銜級別和Sir差不多,即便在現今的英國,也沒有平民隨意的在自己的名字前加Lady

”You are over-scrupulous, surely。 I dare say Mr。 Bingley will be very glad to see you; and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying which ever he chuses of the girls; though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy。“

“你太老實了,真的。我敢說Bingley先生一定會很開心跟你見面的,我想託你在他面前送上我的祝福詞,希望他可以在這裡找到他的真愛女子,我想我的小女兒Lizzy是一個不錯的女孩子。”

”I desire you will do no such thing。 Lizzy is not a bit better than the others; and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good humoured as Lydia。 But you are always giving her the preference。“

“我希望你不會做這樣的事。Lizzy沒有其他的女孩好,我想她沒有Jane一半的美貌,也遠不及Lydia的幽默,但是你一直偏愛她。”

”They have none of them much to recommend them,“ replied he; ”they are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters。“

他回覆道,“她們沒有這些優勢去配得上人家,她們都很傻傻的,像其他女孩一樣的缺乏知識,但是Lizzy比其他姐妹要活潑。”

”Mr。 Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such way? You take delight in vexing me。 You have no compassion on my poor nerves。“

“Bennet先生,你怎麼這麼說你自己的孩子啊?你真能把天聊死,你根本不體貼我這脆弱的神經。”

用現在女孩子的流行話說來,Bennet先生有一點太直男

”You mistake me, my dear。 I have a high respect for your nerves。 They are my old friends。 I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least。“

“親愛的,你誤解了我的意思,我非常在意你的神經,你的神經跟我的交情還不錯,在這二十年多年來,我經常聽到你提起你的神經。”

”Ah! you do not know what I suffer。“

“哼!你一點都不知道我的痛處。”

”But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighbourhood。“

“我希望你會習慣我談論的我的神經,而且我想見到更多的年薪4000磅的帥哥來我們這。”

”It will be no use to us if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them。“

“就像還有二十年也沒有多大用,你也不會拜訪他們那些貴族有錢老爺們。”

”Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty I will visit them all。“

“親愛的,這要看是取決於什麼樣的情況,如果二十年到了,我會拜訪他們的。”

Mr。 Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three and twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character。 Her mind was less difficult to develope。

Bennet先生非常古怪,但他的頭腦反應能力非常快,諷刺感覺的幽默,說話又保守且隨意。

quick可翻譯成頭腦反應能力非常快

reserve可翻譯成說話保守

caprice可翻譯成隨意,這是一個義大利語,如果說Paganini caprice no。24是帕格尼尼第二十四隨想曲

She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper。 When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous。 The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news。

Bennet夫人的話,她是一個善解人意的人,有一點小意思,還有一點小脾氣。當她不被別人理解時,她會變得一點精神緊張,她主要是的事情是想把她的女兒嫁個好人家,這次Bingley的到來和有關他的訊息對Bennet夫人來說是一種慰藉。

discontented原意為失聯,這裡可引申為不被他人理解自己的意思

fancied願意為喜歡,這裡可以翻譯成她自己變得

solace: n。 慰藉

我們一起讀英文名著《傲慢與偏見》Pride and Prejudice :1 (翻譯和書評)

標簽: Bennet  his  he  them  Mr