譙曉南
(貴州大學(xué) 外國(guó)語(yǔ)學(xué)院,貴州 貴陽(yáng) 550025)
源語(yǔ)言翻譯單位與目標(biāo)語(yǔ)言翻譯單位之間“具有翻譯等價(jià)關(guān)系”[1]。對(duì)應(yīng)詞語(yǔ)指“一種語(yǔ)言中的詞或短語(yǔ)的意義與另一種語(yǔ)言中的詞或短語(yǔ)的意義的一致”[2]51。通過(guò)研究發(fā)現(xiàn),我國(guó)英漢詞典中相當(dāng)多的法學(xué)術(shù)語(yǔ)譯名不準(zhǔn)確,即譯語(yǔ)非源語(yǔ)詞語(yǔ)的對(duì)應(yīng)詞語(yǔ)。本文以外文出版社《英漢詞典》[3]中的一些法學(xué)術(shù)語(yǔ)為例,從四個(gè)方面分析我國(guó)英漢詞典在譯名方面存在的問(wèn)題并提出修正建議。
英語(yǔ)中有些普通語(yǔ)詞(詞組)同時(shí)被借用為法學(xué)術(shù)語(yǔ),而“普通語(yǔ)詞一經(jīng)借用為術(shù)語(yǔ)便被賦予特定意義,即具有精確的專(zhuān)業(yè)概念內(nèi)容”[4]203。但《英漢詞典》中收錄的類(lèi)似借用語(yǔ)詞,有的未準(zhǔn)確揭示出“專(zhuān)業(yè)概念內(nèi)容”,即便是從普通詞語(yǔ)翻譯的角度來(lái)看,也有值得商榷之處,例如將(a)married woman譯成“有夫之?huà)D”[3]351。
第一,在英語(yǔ)術(shù)語(yǔ)中,決定特定的人的status(身份)的事項(xiàng)達(dá)11項(xiàng)之多,其中第6項(xiàng)便是“single、married、divorced”[5]1 182,可分別將其譯作“婚姻狀況:未婚、已婚或離異”。這里不宜將married譯作“有婦”或“有夫”。另外,married作為形容詞包括以下幾種含義:一是“having a husband or wife”(有丈夫或有妻子的)[6]625,二是“of or relating to marriage or married people”(或與婚姻生活相關(guān)的或已婚之人的)[6]625,三是“l(fā)iving together as husband and wife;joined in wedlock”(以丈夫與妻子的身份一起生活的,處于已婚狀態(tài)的)[7]869,四是“of marriage or married people”(已結(jié)婚的或已婚之人的)[7]869。以這些釋義作為依據(jù),從普通詞語(yǔ)的角度將(a)married woman譯作“有夫之?huà)D”,乍看起來(lái),似乎合乎情理。但問(wèn)題在于,漢語(yǔ)中的“有夫之?huà)D”,通常并不僅僅用來(lái)指稱(chēng)已婚的女性,進(jìn)一步說(shuō),并非已婚女士的通稱(chēng)或“尊稱(chēng)”,在特定語(yǔ)境中甚至含有貶義,暗指女性有“作風(fēng)”問(wèn)題,而英語(yǔ)中的(a)married woman則不具備這樣的含義。因此,(a)married woman與“有夫之?huà)D”并不等值,即不具有“翻譯等價(jià)關(guān)系”。將(a)married woman直接譯作“已婚女子”可避免產(chǎn)生歧義,不致造成誤解。
第二,作為法學(xué)術(shù)語(yǔ)的(a)married woman的內(nèi)涵是:“At common law in England and Scotland, husband and wife were one person in law, legal personality of the wife being submerged in that of the husband.”(按照英格蘭與蘇格蘭普通法,丈夫與妻子在法律上是一個(gè)人,即妻子的法律人格為丈夫的法律人格所取代)[5]810。據(jù)此可將其譯作:(英格蘭與蘇格蘭普通法中無(wú)法律人格的)已婚女子或(法律人格歸屬丈夫的)已婚女子。
綜上,將作為普通詞組與法學(xué)術(shù)語(yǔ)的(a)married woman均譯作“已婚女子”,與英語(yǔ)源語(yǔ)國(guó)的國(guó)情是吻合的。
兩種語(yǔ)言中詞義范圍大小不同的現(xiàn)象,有學(xué)者稱(chēng)為“內(nèi)包現(xiàn)象”,如圖1所示?!皥D中A表示原語(yǔ)詞,B表示譯語(yǔ)詞,陰影部分表示原語(yǔ)詞與譯語(yǔ)詞的詞義相同”[4]105。
圖1 英語(yǔ)詞義范圍“內(nèi)包現(xiàn)象”示意圖
借用圖1,可將A看作一個(gè)術(shù)語(yǔ),其詞義范圍大;以B表示另一個(gè)(或幾個(gè))術(shù)語(yǔ),其詞義范圍小,B為A所“包含”;陰影部分表示A、B的相同詞義?!队h詞典》中對(duì)一些術(shù)語(yǔ)的翻譯存在忽略“內(nèi)包現(xiàn)象”的情況。
例如,遺產(chǎn)稅,“亦稱(chēng)繼承稅”[8]。對(duì)涉及“遺產(chǎn)稅”的一些法學(xué)術(shù)語(yǔ),《英漢詞典》在翻譯時(shí)作了如下處理:將death duties譯為“(英)遺產(chǎn)稅,繼承稅”,將succession duty譯為“(主英)繼承稅、遺產(chǎn)稅”[3]157,將probate duty譯為“立遺囑人死后的動(dòng)產(chǎn)稅、遺產(chǎn)稅”[3]450,將legacy duty譯為“(主英)遺產(chǎn)稅”[3]331,將estate duty譯為“(英)房地產(chǎn)遺產(chǎn)稅”[3]209。
death duties在英語(yǔ)中的含義是“The general term in the United Kingdom for confiscatory duties levied on person’s property on his death.”[聯(lián)合王國(guó)(即英國(guó))的一個(gè)通用術(shù)語(yǔ),指?jìng)€(gè)人死后對(duì)其財(cái)產(chǎn)征收的、充公性質(zhì)的稅][5]339。TheOxfordCompaniontoLaw中對(duì)其有如下注解:“These included legacy duty, payable between 1796 and 1949 on personal property devolving under a will or intestacy; succession duty, payable 1853—1949, on all other benefits arising on death; probate duty or, in Scotland, inventory duty, payable1801—1894, in respect of personal estate; account duty, payable 1881—1894, in respect of certain personal property devolving under gratuitous titles; temporary estate duty, 1889—1896; settlement estate duty, 1894—1914; and estate duty 1914—1975.”[5]339將上述注解內(nèi)容進(jìn)行翻譯,整理為表1。
表1 遺產(chǎn)稅稅名與譯名對(duì)照
根據(jù)表1,將death duties、succession duty譯為“遺產(chǎn)稅”的同時(shí)又譯作“繼承稅”,本身不是失誤;但從源語(yǔ)言的實(shí)際情況來(lái)看,將“亦稱(chēng)繼承稅”作為“遺產(chǎn)稅”的括注實(shí)為最佳。術(shù)語(yǔ)estate duty是“A tax imposed…on the principal value of all property, real or personal, settled or not, passing or deemed to pass on death”[死后按所有財(cái)產(chǎn)(動(dòng)產(chǎn)或不動(dòng)產(chǎn))資產(chǎn)值(無(wú)論是否結(jié)算、是否轉(zhuǎn)讓)所征之稅][5]431。《英漢詞典》將其譯為“房地產(chǎn)遺產(chǎn)稅”顯然不妥,譯作“遺產(chǎn)稅”才是妥當(dāng)?shù)摹?/p>
又如,《英漢詞典》將法學(xué)術(shù)語(yǔ)torts與wrongs同譯為“侵權(quán)行為”[3]605 ,669,值得商榷。torts在英語(yǔ)中的意思為:“torts may be classified into those involving intention,those involving negligence,and the wrongs of strict liability. They may also be classified into torts affecting the person (e.g. trespass, negligence), the family (wrong-full death of a relative), reputation (libel and slander), property (e.g. trespass to land or goods, nuisance, conversion), economic right (deceit, inducement of breach of contract, injurious falsehood) and certain miscellaneous torts such as conspiracy. There are certain kinds of conduct, such as infringement of privacy, which are not yet, but may come to be, recognized as actionable torts.”[5]1 224將上述內(nèi)容翻譯后,整理為圖2:
圖2 作為法學(xué)術(shù)語(yǔ)的torts所表示的概念范圍
根據(jù)圖2所示,torts共包含6種侵權(quán)行為,將其譯作“(應(yīng)負(fù)民事責(zé)任的)侵權(quán)行為”是合適的。
而wrongs所代表的概念內(nèi)容為:“Legal wrongs are themselves distinguished into two overlapping categories, civil wrongs and criminal wrongs. Civil wrongs are those infringements of the rights of others or breaches of legal duty, normally causing personal or pecuniary loss, to others, which give rise to a civil remedy or claim for redress by the wronged individual, for injunction, damages, accounting or other civil remedy. They include, in particular, breaches of contract, torts, breaches of trust, and some breaches of statutory duty. Criminal wrongs are those infractions of the criminal code of a particular state which, by that code, are deemed for the sake of the general welfare to require repression and to justify punishment of the persons responsible. Criminal wrongs may again be contraventions of common law or of statute.”[5]1 310簡(jiǎn)單來(lái)說(shuō),用于法律中的wrongs具有兩類(lèi)含義:應(yīng)負(fù)民事責(zé)任的侵權(quán)行為和應(yīng)負(fù)刑事責(zé)任的侵權(quán)行為。其中,應(yīng)負(fù)民事責(zé)任的侵權(quán)行為特指“不履行合同”。而torts的概念中涉及這一意義所指代的是“不履行信托合同以及某些法定義務(wù)”。wrongs所代表的概念中,表示應(yīng)負(fù)刑事責(zé)任的侵權(quán)行為指的是“為使國(guó)家安全對(duì)違反國(guó)家刑法典的責(zé)任人作出刑罰”,還指“違反普通法或法規(guī)的違法行為”。據(jù)此,宜將wrongs譯為:(應(yīng)負(fù)民事責(zé)任的)侵權(quán)行為(其含義包括torts的部分含義)和(應(yīng)負(fù)刑事責(zé)任的)侵權(quán)行為。
不難發(fā)現(xiàn),torts作為法學(xué)術(shù)語(yǔ)所表示的概念為wrongs所“內(nèi)包”,在翻譯時(shí)不宜忽視這樣的詞義“內(nèi)包”現(xiàn)象。
術(shù)語(yǔ)譯名須體現(xiàn)其“所指的概念內(nèi)容”[4]105?!队h詞典》中有的法學(xué)術(shù)語(yǔ)具有兩個(gè)或者兩個(gè)以上的譯名。所謂“破義”,即肢解了這些術(shù)語(yǔ)所示概念的內(nèi)容。
例如,《英漢詞典》將riot譯為“3人或3人以上構(gòu)成的聚眾鬧事(罪),擾亂治安(罪)”[3]494,是值得商榷的。將“鬧事”與“擾亂治安”分列,存在某種語(yǔ)義的重復(fù)。
法學(xué)術(shù)語(yǔ)riot特指“A tumultuous disturbance of the peace by three or more persons assembled together without law-full authority”(3人或3人以上非法聚集到一起嚴(yán)重?cái)_亂社會(huì)秩序)[5]1 073。MacmillanContemporaryDictionary中指出,“At common law, riot was a misdemeanour…”(按照普通法,riot為輕罪)[6]745。
由此可見(jiàn),riot可譯為:(3人或3人以上)聚眾擾亂社會(huì)秩序罪。將被《英漢詞典》破義或肢解的兩個(gè)譯名“聚眾鬧事(罪)”“擾亂治安(罪)”合并為一個(gè)完整的譯名即可。
又如,《英漢詞典》將penology譯作“罰法學(xué)、監(jiān)獄管理學(xué)、典獄學(xué)”[3]420,這一譯法也肢解了該術(shù)語(yǔ)所示概念內(nèi)容,不宜將其“破義”給予三個(gè)譯名。
penology具有三種含義:一是“a branch of criminology dealing with prison management and the treatment of offenders”(犯罪學(xué)的一個(gè)分支,研究監(jiān)獄管理及罪犯待遇)[9];二是“the study of reformation and rehabilitation of criminals and of the management of prisons”(研究罪犯改造與監(jiān)獄管理)[7]1 052;三是“study of the punishment and rehabilitation of criminals and the management of prisons”(研究罪犯懲處與改造及監(jiān)獄管理)[6]745。英語(yǔ)法學(xué)專(zhuān)著對(duì)penology的釋義為:“The study of the philosophy and the methods of punishment and treatment of persons found guilty of crime, the method which have been used at various times in various countries, their merits and defects, those which are currently in use.”(研究罪犯適用刑罰與待遇的基本原理,及各國(guó)歷代與當(dāng)今所采用的刑罰方式方法及其優(yōu)缺點(diǎn)。)[5]1 073由此可見(jiàn),該學(xué)科的研究對(duì)象是“罪犯”,研究的內(nèi)容是與其相關(guān)的“適用刑罰”等。
總而言之,對(duì)術(shù)語(yǔ)譯名不宜“稀釋”,只宜“濃縮”。penology的核心含義是“a branch of criminology”(犯罪學(xué)的一個(gè)分支),將該術(shù)語(yǔ)譯作“罪犯學(xué)”足矣——可在括注中注明:犯罪學(xué)的一個(gè)分支學(xué)科,研究對(duì)罪犯適用刑罰、改造及獄中待遇。但有必要說(shuō)明兩點(diǎn):其一,監(jiān)獄是罪犯的“服刑場(chǎng)所”,譯為“監(jiān)獄管理學(xué)”不當(dāng);其二,所譯“罪犯學(xué)”屬自創(chuàng)之名,括注是必要的。
同義詞語(yǔ)的譯名應(yīng)當(dāng)相同,反之,相同譯名的詞語(yǔ)必然完全同義。然而,《英漢詞典》中某些術(shù)語(yǔ)的譯名存在下述兩種情況:其一,給非同義詞語(yǔ)以相同譯名;其二,給同義詞語(yǔ)以不同譯名。
例如,《英漢詞典》將easement譯為“地役權(quán)”,將servitude的其中一個(gè)含義也譯為“地役權(quán)”[3]194,518。譯名盡管雷同,但兩者其實(shí)并不同義。
在MacmillanContemporaryDictionary中,easement所指的概念內(nèi)容為:“An easement in English law is a right attaching to one piece of land (the dominant tenement) entitling the owner thereof to exercise some right over adjacent land in other ownership (the servient tenement) though not to take any part thereof or take any of the natural produce thereof, or to prevent the owner of the other land from utilizing his land in some particular manner. There must accordingly be two tenements of land owned by different persons and there must be a right capable of forming the subject matter of a grant affecting the servient tenement and benefiting the dominant tenement.”[在英國(guó)法律中,地役權(quán)指附著于一塊土地的支配性享有物的所有人盡管占有與其相關(guān)聯(lián)的土地中的任何一部分的土地或土地所有的天然產(chǎn)物,但也不能阻止其他人擁有行使某種權(quán)利(從屬性享有物)的權(quán)利。因此,必然存在不同的兩人享有同一塊土地,也必然存在一種權(quán)利,它可形成影響從屬性享有物而有利于支配性享有物的隸屬性實(shí)體。][6]745由此可見(jiàn),《英漢詞典》將easement譯作“地役權(quán)”是完全正確的。
TheOxfordCompaniontoLaw中對(duì)servitude定義僅指:“In Roman and Scots law, a burden affecting lands by which the proprietor is restrained from the full use of the lands in the interest of adjacent lands (negative servitude) , or is obliged to allow another to do certain acts thereon which would otherwise be competent only to the owner (positive servitude), corresponding to easements and profits in common law. They are frequently divided into urban and rural servitudes. The main categories of servitudes are support of buildings, light and prospect, cutting peat or turf, talking water and right of way or passage.”[在羅馬法與蘇格蘭法中,指利用土地對(duì)土地造成的重負(fù),即為保護(hù)與業(yè)主地連接的土地而限制其充分利用(稱(chēng)為消極servitude),或者業(yè)主被強(qiáng)迫允許他人(有法定資格的所有人)適當(dāng)利用(積極servitude),這要與普通法規(guī)定的地役權(quán)與收益相吻合。有城市servitude與農(nóng)村servitude之分。servitude有下述種類(lèi):房屋建筑、光線及視野保障、清除淤泥或草泥、取水與行路權(quán)或通行權(quán)。][5]1 134可見(jiàn),servitude并不是指“地役權(quán)”,而是“地役”,根據(jù)使用方式的不同可以分為消極地役與積極地役。《英漢詞典》將其譯作“地役權(quán)”是不準(zhǔn)確的。
又如,《英漢詞典》將coparcener譯作“共同繼承人”[3]118,有兩點(diǎn)值得商榷:其一,被《英漢詞典》譯作“共同繼承人”的還有co-heir一詞。問(wèn)題在于,coparcener與co-heir并不完全同義,前者所指概念內(nèi)容為:“One who, prior to 1926, was one of several inheriting land on intestacy as co-heir, e.g. several daughters. Since 1925 the legal estate in such a case vests in trustees for sale, coparcener retaining their rights as equitable interests.”[指1926年前,無(wú)遺囑死亡時(shí)以共同繼承人身份(例如幾個(gè)女兒)分別繼承土地的人。從1925年起,在這種情況下,法定不動(dòng)產(chǎn)由受托人收管待售,coparcener有獲得符合平衡法規(guī)定的利益的權(quán)利。][5]289由此可見(jiàn),coparcener的譯名當(dāng)為“土地共同繼承人”。其二,coparcener與parcener為完全同義詞[5]289,而《英漢詞典》卻將前者譯為“共同繼承人”,將后者譯為“(土地)共同繼承人”,顯然欠妥,不再贅述。