泰戈尔《飞鸟集》一句诗句误译的分析和对翻译的启示

wherestip wrote:

nigerose,

Poetry, by its very nature, is open to different interpretations. I'm sorry to say that I tend to disagree with your analysis, especially solely from a grammatical standpoint.

wherestip wrote:

nigerose,

Poetry, by its very nature, is open to different interpretations. I'm sorry to say that I tend to disagree with your analysis, especially solely from a grammatical standpoint.

ShelleyX wrote:

I agree, and I don't think they refer to love as "high" in Tagore's time. Not even today when some words are so casually used.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/seat

5. To fix firmly in place: seat an ammunition clip in an automatic rifle.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/precipice

1. An overhanging or extremely steep mass of rock, such as a crag or the face of a cliff.

4. (used to represent a concept or abstract idea understood or previously stated): It all started with Adam and Eve. He has been taught to believe it all his life.
5. (used to represent an action or activity understood, previously mentioned, or about to be mentioned): Since you don't like it, you don't have to go skiing.
6. (used as the impersonal subject of the verb to be, esp. to refer to time, distance, or the weather): It is six o'clock. It is five miles to town. It was foggy.
7. (used in statements expressing an action, condition, fact, circumstance, or situation without reference to an agent): If it weren't for Edna, I wouldn't go.
8. (used in referring to something as the origin or cause of pain, pleasure, etc.): Where does it hurt? It looks bad for the candidate.
9. (used in referring to a source not specifically named or described): It is said that love is blind.
10. (used in referring to the general state of affairs; circumstances, fate, or life in general): How's it going with you?
11. (used as an anticipatory subject or object to make a sentence more eloquent or suspenseful or to shift emphasis): It is necessary that you do your duty. It was a gun that he was carrying.

nigerose wrote:


“不要因为峭壁是高的，便让你的爱情坐在峭壁上”。
Do you think this translation seems like a poetic sentence?

nigerose wrote:



Flirting, kissing, hugging, loving
That is what everybody wants
Searching and searching all your life
Suddenly you find someone to live for
When the love is high and everything is great
You never imagined I could be so good
Then it’s like a dagger has been stabbed
Into your back
http://sjonni.bloggar.is/sida/35286/

Oh, my sweet Marie
I wait at your cue
The sands have run out
For your lady and me
When love is high, my love
Wedlock is nigh, my love
Life is secure with lady Jane
http://www.ebookee.com.cn/Lyrics-lady-jane_17944.html

And the lights are way down low
The fire of love is high
We found it, yes we found it
Oh we found it, oh we found it
Sweet love you and I
http://www.dollyon-line.com/archives/lyrics/wefoundit.shtml

wherestip wrote:

不要图高而把你的爱情放在悬崖峭壁上

别求高而把自己的爱情置于悬崖峭壁上

(也许"好高" 更通俗些?)

ShelleyX wrote:

Thanks for your quotes, I never know one could say love is high (I admit my experience and knowledge is limited), though being conservative both in English usage and as a person, I personally most probably would not use it.

jyuan_us wrote:

起碼它的意思是準確的﹐符合翻譯的最基本要求。措辭和意境屬於另外的範疇﹐不能因為譯文藝術性差強人意就判斷它是誤譯。

nigerose wrote:


I insist on my understanding and translation as follows.
“不要因为你的爱情炽热而使它(你的爱情)置于危险的边缘”，可见，这个诗句是要表达这样的忠告：不要因爱而疯狂！。

Because the original sentence as a poetic sentence used the uncommon meanings of the common words to express a thought that would otherwise be explicitly expressed using other words with a straightforward meaning. I think this is poem, though I don't know much about poem.

BTW, I did not first get my understanding of the meaning of the original sentence because I used my knowledge of English grammar. I got it by intuition.