读书评译(26):“大狮子”
吕瑞昌等编著《汉英翻译教程》(中国图书刊行社,1993)关于卢沟桥的汉语英译(177页和240页):
每个石柱子上有一个大狮子,大狮子的上下左右有好多小狮子。最小的只有几厘米。它们有的在大狮子的头上、背上;有的在大狮子的脚下或怀里。
Each column is topped with a big lion surrounded by many smaller ones. The smallest is only a few centimeters high. Some of them stand on the heads or backs of the bigger ones; some lie under their feet or nestle in their embrace.
评:原文的大狮子每个柱子只有一个,其他的小狮子依偎的、攀缘的就是这些大狮子。但英文的bigger ones,给人的印象是,小狮子除了爬那个大狮子以外,还爬别的“比自己大的”狮子。所以,英文的比较级别bigger 倒不如改为简单的big好。