廚房英語不宜華麗?(上)

那是筆者在翻譯課上拿出來研究的一篇至愛,每次讓全班同學細讀推敲之後,問大家:「對這篇文字有甚麼觀感?覺得它好不好?」然後聲明這是出現在澳大利亞某鎮上一間中國餐館門外的告示,此店招待中外食客。

天天茶市 精巧美點 明爐燒臘 海鮮晚飯
華麗廳房 壽筵喜酌 豐儉隨意 代客泊車 七天營業


Fully Licensed Cocktail Lounge
Daily Yum Cha and Dinner
Famous Chinese BBQ
Live Seafood
Cozy Private Rooms
Catering for all Functions
Valet Parking
Open 7 Days


結果總是班中同學相當反感,內地的學生比香港臺灣的反應尤其強烈 ── 大家一窩蜂指出中英如何不對照,誤導讀者,所以是劣譯,不足為法云云。

然後,筆者認真對全班說,周老師卻有相反的意見:此譯文簡直是超班演出,譯者完全了解此次使命的目標、本質,還掌握了專業文字工作的竅門。若是先有中文版英譯的話(照常理推測亦該如此),這個翻譯任務表現精采絕倫,如要評分,值”A+”。這個演出簡直可遇而不可求,足為譯林典範。你知道為甚麼嗎?同意筆者的判斷嗎?

請先好好研究研究,再聽筆者下一篇分析。

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