2020年3月24日星期二

繙譯難之 royal visit to Hong Kong 1975

從 「甘草檸檬」的 tweet 看到1975年英女王訪港時,港督麥理浩於大會堂致辭片段。總督以英語致辭後,由時任行政局首席非官守議員的簡悅強爵士「恭譯督憲演辭」。比較英中兩篇演辭,感覺簡悅強的文膽太拘泥舊香港那種文白混合的演説形式,恭謹有餘,卻詞不達意。當然,正如甘草檸檬所說,簡悅強的文膽的譯文,比起現今只有「香港特別行政區行政長官發表重要講話(順便扮喊)」仍強上千倍。演辭的英、中文如下:
Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness... [此時負責電視旁述的劉家傑不肯閉嘴,我聽不到麥理浩總督說甚麼]

女王陛下、親王殿下、三軍司令麾下,各位嘉賓:

It is the first time in the history of Hong Kong that the sovereign has come here.

陛下以在位女王之尊,今日蒞臨香港,實為本港開埠以來未有之盛事。

We, the people of Hong Kong, are proud and encouraged that Your Majesty should be paying us this visit now. It is a moment of real historical significance.

際此深具歷史意義之時刻,全港市民得瞻風采之餘,咸感鼓舞,深以為榮。

The predominant immersion at this moment is a fervent wish that Your Majesty and Your Royal Highness will enjoy your short stay amongst us, that you will be able to see the way we live, and also some of the ways we enjoy ourselves, and above all the sort of people we are, and the sort of community we are.

香港市民今日恭逢盛會,謹以興奮之心情敬祝陛下及殿下,在訪港期間舒泰康祥,歡享良辰美景,更藉此一睹吾人之起居方式、生活情趣,尤其是本地之風土人情。

We dare to hope that having seen a little of this, you'll like it.

即使一鱗半爪,諒亦為陛下及殿下所樂見。

To supplement what can be seen in such a short time, we have prepared an exhibition. We hope this will also be of interest to a very wide public. For the visit of Your Majesty and Your Royal Highness, it's a good time to remove misconceptions and to remind ourselves and others what Hong Kong has done, what it now is, and what it could be.

陛下訪港時間短暫,難免有走馬看花之感。吾人特舉辦一介紹性之展覽會,務使陛下對香港一般情形能睹全豹,並藉此良機,一新視聽,促使本港市民以及全球人士,回顧香港之成就,檢討目前之情況,期待未來之發展。

Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness, on behalf of Hong Kong, I extend you a very sincere and very loyal welcome.

最後,本人謹代表全港市民,對陛下及殿下,敬致萬二分之熱烈歡迎。

感想:

  • 㸃解我話譯文係有文膽捉刀?因為簡悅強將「麾下」讀成「毛下」!如此語文水準,令我難以相信譯文乃簡親自執筆。
  • 演辭中,麥理浩的身份認同,並非殖民地總督,而是 "We, the people of Hong Kong" 的一份子。
  • 簡悅強整篇譯文中,我最不滿意的是 "The predominant immersion at this moment is a fervent wish that Your Majesty and Your Royal Highness..." 一句的繙譯。此話原意是「大家咁投入,都係懇切希望陛下同殿下…」,有一種質樸的熱情,簡的譯文「香港市民今日恭逢盛會,謹以興奮之心情敬祝陛下及殿下」當中「恭逢盛會」一語,卻將香港人從迎接者變為被動的參與者,而「謹以興奮之心」又混和了拘謹與興奮,十分矛盾。麥理浩的演辭儘管並非文采斐然,但由頭到尾都帶著一種親切熱誠的態度,而不失矜持,我覺得寫得很好。相比之下,簡的譯文太客氣太八股,或老套㸃講句,無 heart。
  • 「吾人特舉辦一介紹性之展覽會」…無語。
  • 「促使本港市民以及全球人士…檢討目前之情況」…全球人士並非處於對香港負責的立場,說促使他們檢討香港目前之情況,不通。
  • 麥督係將 "what" 讀成舊式的 "hwat" 的。我年輕時有一段很短的時間試過刻意用舊式發音讀 what, why, where 等字,後來怕別人覺得我做作(實際上又真係幾做作),工作上又有大陸人聽唔明,很快就放棄了。

4 則留言:

Aidan K 說...

毛下係敗筆

Aidan K 說...

睇翻一啲舊西片 發覺有啲人會將Tuesday 讀成tus-di 幾有趣

Aidan K 說...

毛下 係敗筆 身邊無人提佢==

Aidan K 說...

不過可能係我才疏學淺 我覺得中文係文雅啲 麥理浩篇野唔算好謙恭