读书评译（１０）：谁“笑吟吟的”？

读书评译（１０）：谁“笑吟吟的”？

《汉英翻译技巧》（外语教学与研究出版社， １９９０，第２６６页）鲁迅《狂人日记》片段的翻译：

书上写着这许多字，佃户说了这许多话，却都笑吟吟的睁着怪眼睛看着我。我也是人，他们想要吃我了！
All these words written in the book, all words spoken by our tenant, gazed at me strangely with enigmatic smile.
I too a man, and they want to eat me!

评：“笑吟吟”翻译得很好。关键的问题是谁在“笑吟吟的睁着怪眼睛看着我”，是“这许多字”，还是“佃户”等人？原英文翻译认为是（“吃人”等）“这许多字”。窃以为，应该是“佃户”说了话，并且看着“我”。后面一句说“他们”要吃“我”了，进一步说明，吃“我”的是人，而不是字。似乎可以翻译为：
All these words are written in the book and, although they have said these words, our tenants gazed at me
strangely with an enigmatic smile. I am also a man, and they want to eat me!

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• Interesting! Never thought about it that carefully before. - he zi 20000929081603
  • 补 - hz 20000929081913
• 原书翻译的应该是对的 - NEC FAN 20000929103653
  • 改名。一不小心成了“亲日派”了:-( - NCE FAN 20000929104515
• 指“佃户和别的人”？ - 民办 20000929180218
  • 我忽然想到那本是狂人的话，就是要不清不楚。如译文也能模糊些可能就对了。 - he zi 20000929185541
    • If it is 狂人, then may be "with a silly grin" is just as good. - The Yeti 20000929235159
      • Yeah, it's a wonderful expression for 狂人的笑. Thank you, Uncle Yeti! - he zi 20001001194421

Interesting! Never thought about it that carefully before.

补

原书翻译的应该是对的

改名。一不小心成了“亲日派”了:-(

指“佃户和别的人”？

我忽然想到那本是狂人的话，就是要不清不楚。如译文也能模糊些可能就对了。

If it is 狂人, then may be "with a silly grin" is just as good.

Yeah, it's a wonderful expression for 狂人的笑. Thank you, Uncle Yeti!