翻譯小工的敲鍵盤日記

有一陣子作了不少博物館導覽文字之類的翻譯。這一類的翻譯既要貼近原文，缺乏自由演繹的彈性（因為小工並非博物館編制人員，對展品本身的認識也不足，不敢亂寫），又不能太貼近原文。一不小心不是變成overtranslation，就是會翻得像中式英文，分寸並不是很好拿捏。

因此，我去看了故宮今年的大展之後，因為職業病的關係，當同行的友人都在讚嘆汝窯之美（和展場設計的缺失，這是他們的職業病），敝人則專注地看著導覽文字，看到眼睛都快瞇起來了。

結論，這是我看過最好的展場翻譯。雖不免有翻譯腔，但遠低於可接受的水準。英文流暢，原文意思充分表達，用字簡潔，是為展場翻譯之極佳範例。劃底線的部分是小工覺得比較難掌握或是譯得很好的字句。

當然，除了修辭之外，骨幹好，整個段落呈現的效果才會好。意思就是說，譯者選用的語句結構本身就對，配上合宜的用字遣詞，整個效果就是順。這一點，才是我覺得好的翻譯與不好的翻譯之間最大的區別。恕個人才疏學淺，只能分析到這個層次。

北宋汝窯特展 Grand View: Ju Ware of the Northern Sung 
展覽期間 On view
展覽地點 Exhibition Site

產燒於十二世紀初的北宋汝窯，以溫潤典雅的天青釉聞名於世。汝窯傳世品極為稀少，全世界典藏不足七十件，台北國立故宮博物院收藏的二十一件作品，堪稱世界之最。汝窯的發現，從破片標本的零星出土，到窯址考古的全面發掘，它的產燒面貌，至今已逐漸為世人所認識。汝窯的探索，從單一窯口到文化交流面向的關懷，以及透過現代科學儀器的觀察，它的流傳脈絡與工藝特徵，也日益地清晰而豐富。

Ju ceramic wares of the Northern Sung, fired in the early 12th century, are porcelains renowned for the classical beauty of their warm and glossy sky-blue glaze. Surviving pieces of Ju ware are extremely rare, with less than 70 found in collections around the world today. The Museum is fortunate to have 21, the most of any collection. With the discovery of the Ju kiln site, both the scattered unearthed shards and the archaeological excavation of the entire kiln site now offer a better understanding of this kiln and its products. In exploring Ju ware from a single kiln to the broader level of cultural exchange, combined with observations by means of modern scientific equipment, we also have gradually gained a clearer and richer view into its transmission and craftsmanship.

汝窯瓷器的釉色風格獨具，它藍中帶綠，又微微閃現著淡粉色的光澤。和宋朝的耀州窯、南宋官窯、龍泉青瓷截然不同。自從明清以來，即深受鑑賞家所注意。無論是「天青色」、「雨過天青」或「淡青色」，都不足以形容實品的溫潤典雅。同樣的，汝窯瓷器的品級，無論是釉表帶開片或是完美得一點紋路也沒有，它在鑑賞家的心目中，始終是獨領風騷，足以視為青瓷的典範。

The unique style of Ju porcelain glaze color is a slightly greenish blue hue with the slightest sparkle of rose pink luster, appearing quite different from the Yao-chou, Southern Sung Kuan (Official), and Lung-ch’üan celadons of the Sung dynasty. Starting in the period of the Ming and Ch'ing dynasty, Ju porcelains received particular attention among connoisseurs. Regardless of the terms they used to describe Ju wares, such as "sky-blue color", "blue sky after rain", or "light blue hue", they all were insufficient to capture the consummate skill and perfection of the color and luster of actual pieces. In addition, the grading of Ju porcelains, whether the surfaces of the glaze had crackle or were completely without any form of pattern, were considered in the view of connoisseurs to be in a class of their own and regarded as the paragon of celadons.

難得看到不錯的翻譯，跟大家分享一下。好的翻譯值得嘉獎。