从理解的历史性看翻译无定本

从19世纪末中国的文学翻译伊始,不同的历史时期里文学名著的重译现象层出不穷。对于文学名著是否该重译,众说纷纭,言人人殊,其论争的焦点实为名著重译有无定本。根据德国哲学家伽达默尔哲学解释学的著名原则——理解的历史性,不难看出不同时期出现的不同译本正是理解的历史性所造就的产物。由于历史赋予了不同的译者不同的＂视界＂和创造力,一个译本的出现正体现了一个时代的诉求,是时代创造的一个新视界。因而文学名著翻译中唯一的定本并不存在。

On the Absence of Ideal Version from the Perspective of Historical Interpretation

Starting at the end of 19th century, Chinese literary translation has seen many different versions of classic literary works over the decades. People have held various opinions on whether or not there should be different versions of classic literary works and all those opinions can boil down to the point that there is or is not an ideal version. According to the famous principle advanced by German philosopher Gadamer in his philosophical hermeneutics-historical interpretation, it is exactly the historical interpretation that gives rise to different versions of certain literary works at different times. As history grants translators different horizons and creative power, a version reflects the need of its time and is a new horizon produced in that time. Therefore, an ideal version of certain literary works never exists.