约定的语言

第六单元　约定的语言——习语文化

原文

段和段律师事务所的创建

沙叶新

段祺华1983年毕业于上海华东政法学院，1988年自费赴美留学，1990年获华盛顿大学法学院硕士学位，同年又受聘于西雅图著名的律师事务所——威廉·克斯诺及吉布斯律师事务所，任法律顾问。

1992年段祺华决定回国创业，当开办私人合伙律师事务所的第一人。

为回国他毅然辞去了在美国的几乎所有职务，毫不犹豫地拿出了家中几乎全部的积蓄；他已经是破釜沉舟，孤注一掷¹了。他把所有的热情，全部的希望以及一家数口的生活出路统统都寄托在中国了！可他在1992年数度往返于中国和美国，奔波于上海和北京，用去了几万美元之后所得到的关于开办私人合伙律师事务所问题上的答复却是一个字：NO！矛盾在于：段祺华的想法过于超前，而当时的政策仍然滞后。

咦？不是欢迎留学生回国工作吗？我是回国办企业的呀？

是呀，我们是欢迎你回来办企业呀。我们欢迎留学生回来搞贸易、开工厂、进行科学研究、从事教育工作，文件上都有具体规定，可没叫你回来做律师呀！

我是学法律的，不做律师做什么呢？

你要做律师也不是不可以，律师我们也缺呀；但是必须到我们的律师事务所去做呀！

我是要申请开办私人合伙的律师事务所！

那怎么行呢？什么都能搞独资、搞中外合资，律师事务所怎么能私人合伙呢？

就不能放宽些政策吗？

那——哦，我们请示了，除非你交出绿卡。

我们留学生回国当律师的优越性就在于持有绿卡，可以自由出境办理涉外案件；如果把绿卡交了，我们今后还怎么能方便地出国办案呢？

嗯——还有一个办法，你和我们合办。

不，我一定要独自办。我认为政策还应该再开放一些。

中国开办私人合伙律师事务所是改革开放的必需，是中国经济和国际接轨的必需，是中国走向世界的必需。其中道理其实也很简单，外商要投资，要和中国做生意，在发生法律纠纷时，你怎么能期望外商会相信一个是“国家干部”（尤其是社会主义的“国家干部”）的律师来代表他们的利益呢？他们怀疑政府开办的律师事务所的公正性，他们只相信只代表当事人利益的私人律师。

他跑断了腿，磨破了嘴，一次又一次地去说服有关机构和有关领导，经他协调后，得到了这样的指示：“可以开这个口子²。”

1992年11月段祺华申请的私人律师事务所终于获得国家司法部、上海司法局、国家教委、上海人事部门的特别批准。1993年4月8日，以段祺华为核心的“段和段律师事务所”在上海锦沧文华大酒店宴会厅举行挂牌仪式，100多位贵宾出席了开幕式，美国总统克林顿还特地发来亲笔签名的贺信。

（文章选自《英语学习》2002第9期，28-30页）

原文注释

1. 破釜沉舟

项羽跟秦军打仗，过河后把锅都打破，船都弄沉，表示不再回来（见于《史记·项羽本纪》）。比喻下决心，不顾一切干到底。

孤注一掷，把所有的钱一下投做赌注，企图最后得胜。比喻在危急时把全部力量拿出来冒一次险。

2. 开口子

一指堤岸被河水冲破。二指在某方面破例或放松限制。

译文

The Establishment of Duan & Duan Law Firm¹

Translated by David Moser and Guohua Chen²

Q. H. Charles Duan graduated from East China University of Politics and Law³ in Shanghai in 1983. In 1988 he went to the United States to study at his own expense, earning a Master’s Degree in law from the University of Washington School of Law in 1990. The same year he was hired by the prestigious Seattle law firm Williams, Kastner & Gibbs as law consultant.

In 1992, Charles Duan decided to go back to China to start a business; he wanted to become the first person in China to open a law firm privately financed and owned by its partners⁴.

In order to return to China, he made the decision to relinquish nearly all his positions in the U.S., and without hesitation took out most of his personal savings for the move. He had burned his bridges behind him and was prepared to stake everything on this decision⁵, putting all his passion and hopes, even the survival of his family in the hands of China. But after making several round trips between China and the U.S. in 1992, rushing back and forth between Shanghai and Beijing, and spending tens of thousands of dollars⁶ in the process, the only response he received to his proposal of starting a private law firm was:“NO!?” The problem was that Duan’s plan was ahead of its time, while official policy at the time still lagged behind.

But aren’t we students studying overseas encouraged to return to China to work⁷? Well, here I am back in the country to start an enterprise!

Sure, we do encourage you to come back and start an enterprise. We encourage students to come back and engage in international trade, to build factories, to carry out scientific research, or to teach⁸. There are rules in official documents that cover all these areas⁹. But nobody asked you to come back and be a lawyer!

I studied law. If I don’t work as a lawyer, what am I supposed to do?

We’re not saying you can’t be a lawyer; we also lack lawyers. But you have to come into our own law offices to practice.

What I’m applying for is a private law firm owned by its partners!

Well now, how can we permit that? Any other area can be an exclusively foreign-owned enterprise or a joint venture, but how can a law office be a private one owned by its partners?

Can’t you just loosen up the official policy a bit¹⁰?

Well... Oh, we’ve already inquired about that. We can’t unless you give up your Green Card.

But the advantage of us returned students practicing law in China is we have the Green Card¹¹, which allows us to go abroad freely to deal with cases involving an overseas party. If we give up our Green Cards, how could we go abroad so conveniently to deal with such cases?

Uh, there’s another way. You start up the firm along with us.

No. I definitely want to do it on my own. I still think the policy should be opened up a bit.

Setting up private law firms in China is essential for China’s reform and opening up, for getting the Chinese economy on the international track, for allowing China to join the rest of the world. The reason for this is actually quite simple: foreign enterprises want to invest in China, to do business here. And when a legal dispute arises, how can you expect a foreign company to believe that a lawyer who is a “state cadre” (especially a socialist state cadre) would act in their interests? They would doubt the objectivity and fairness¹² of a government-run law office and would only put their trust in a private law office that was exclusively representing the interests of their clients.

Duan walked his legs off, talked himself hoarse, going time and time again to persuade the governmental organizations or officials in charge of the matter. After negotiations with the various departments, he finally got an official directive: “Allow him to set this precedent¹³.”

In November 1992, Duan Qihua’s application for the establishment of a private law firm received special approval from the Ministry of Justice, the Shanghai Judicial Bureau¹⁴, the State Education Commission and the Personnel Bureau of the Shanghai Municipal Government. On April 8, 1993, the Duan & Duan Law Firm, with Q.H. Charles Duan at the helm, held a ceremony to mark its opening in the banquet hall of Shanghai JC Mandarin Hotel¹⁵. Over 100 guests attended the ceremony and U.S. president Bill Clinton sent his own signed letter of congratulation.

译文赏析

1. 本文的中文题目有些歧义，“段和段的事务所”也可以按照中文的习惯理解为“段祺华和段祺华的事务所”。但参看http://www.duanduan.com/en/page.php?type=8，题目的翻译就迎刃而解了。此外，段和段的事务所英文主页也为本文的翻译提供了较好的平行文本。

2. David Moser（莫大伟），芝加哥大学汉学博士，曾任中科院翻译，北京外国语大学教授，中央电视台（CCTV）主持人。陈国华，北京外国语大学教授，中国外语教育研究中心副主任，《外语教学与研究》副主编。这篇译文是由中西语言者共同合作的结果，它在语言表达和对汉语原文的理解上往往会优于以单语为母语的译者的译文。

3. 本文原载于《中国青年报》，原文中的第一段只有一个主语“段祺华”，一逗到底，是一个完整的句子，体现了汉语竹节般排列的组句样式。但译文中，译者将此段按照时间顺序进行分句，同样保留了统一的主语，Q. H. Charles Duan，其他句子的主语用He来代替，这是英汉两种语言差异带来的必然调整。此处有两点值得注意。其一，译文没有使用段祺华的汉语拼音，而是使用了他的英文名字Q. H. Charles Duan，这和段本人个人经历、从事行业和影响有关。此外，在他事务所的英文网站中，对段本人求学经历中，上海华东政法学院的译文是East China Institute of Politics and Law。百度百科里称华东政法大学，原名华东政法学院，简称华政，英文名为“East China University of Political Science and Law”，简称“ECUPL”（原文为“East China University of Politics and Law”，简称“ECUPL”。）

4. 此处译者除了断句外，还对“私人合伙律师事务所”进行了解释。

5. 此处涉及汉语成语“破釜沉舟、孤注一掷”的翻译。对于成语的翻译一般有或按照字面翻译或译出比喻意义两种处理办法，这主要在于该成语的字面形式和比喻意象能否被译语读者接受。如“破釜沉舟”一词，虽然在中国历史上有典故，但在本文中则不宜展开来译，以免影响译语读者对文章主题段和段的事务所的关注。英语中，burn your bridges behind you的用法最初起源于凯撒大帝，为了鼓舞战士们的士气，表明不走回头路、与敌人决一死战的决心，他烧掉了部队刚刚走过的桥，并且也不给敌人留下过桥的机会。英语中表达类似含义的说法还有很多，比如还有“The die is cast”。（http://www.wbw.com.cn/showText.aspx?id=3645）此外在英语中Think carefully before you resign——if so, you will have burnt your boat. 的表达也是可以接受的。“孤注一掷”的表达则更为丰富，如习语“put all one’s eggs in one basket”，俗语“to go for broke和to go overboard”，以及“win the mare or lose the halter，make a spoon or spoil the horn，a long shot gamble，bet one’s bottom dollar on, take a risk in desperation”等多种表达方式。选择译文时，就要考虑原文文体、原文的褒贬含义等等。在这里译者结合上下语境，没有使用较为口语化的俗语等，译为“stake everything on this decision”，这是可以接受的。

6. 这个长句中，译者将汉语中的句子转译为分词做状语的结构，加强了英语译文行文的紧凑性。

7. 以下的几段话均为直接引语，原文直接引用了当时段祺华申请建立中国第一个私人合伙律师事务所时与当地官员的一番对话。译者也没有将这几段话译为英语中间接引语的形式，而是保留了相同的行文样态。但译者在本句的翻译中增加了We，使得对话双方的身份更加明确。

8. 此处若改为“We encourage students to come back and engage in international trade, factory- building, scientific research and teaching”，则比使用encourage sb. to do的平行结构更为合理。

9. 若此处将本句与上句合为一句，联合译为“We encourage students to come back and engage in international trade, factory- building, scientific research and teaching, whose rules have been specified/stipulated in official documents”，似乎更好。

10. “放宽政策”的译法是本句讨论的重点。implement [make] policies more flexibly；adopt more liberal policies；introduce more flexible policies；softening policies等都是常见的表达。但在本文的语境中soften policies是较佳选择。

11. 本句中，us后面堆砌了两个定语，returned students practicing law，若在口语表达中稍显冗长，若改为“For us returned students, our advantage of practicing law in China is that…, ”似乎更好，更符合口语的特点。

12. 对于“公正性”的翻译，译文中保留了英语中同义反复的语言特色，译为“the objectivity and fairness”这一点值得注意。

13. 主要是惯用语的翻译，它的比喻性更生动形象，在比较口语化的文章中较为常见。在笔译实践中，由于惯用语的文化、地方特色较浓，能直译的比较少，一般都需要在直译的基础上进行加译，外显原文惯用语的意义。如有人将此翻译为fag out，去掉了原文的生动形象。相比之下，在这里译者处理的则更为到位，不仅保留了原文的意象，也符合英语的表达习惯。“开口子”也是形象的比喻，表达例外的意思。此句，译者结合上下文语境，合理增译为“allow him to set this precedent”。

14. 这里集中了具有中国特色的政府部门名称，翻译时应按照规范译法来译。这里尤其要指出的是“上海人事部门”的翻译，如果是现在的译者，往往会将“人事”译为“human resources”，但在段祺华当时初建事务所时，译为“the Personnel Bureau of the Shanghai Municipal Government”则更符合当时的社会语境。

15. “以段祺华为核心”的译法值得学习。此外“上海锦沧文华大酒店”现在仍然存在，名称仍未改变，可在网上查询。

跨文化小贴士

英语习语和典故的文化渊源

同汉语一样，英语中有大量的习语和典故。这些表达是在英语的形成与发展的漫长过程中积累下来的，因而有着悠远的历史根源，承载着丰富的文化内涵。相对于普通词汇，英语习语和典故表现出更强的文化特性，集中体现了语言与文化之间的紧密关系。文化是人民生产生活方式、宗教信仰、民俗传统、文学艺术、科学技术等等的总和。以下从三个方面来探讨英语习语和典故的文化渊源。

1. 英语习语和典故是生产、生活实践的结晶。人类早期的活动与bush的关系非常紧密，于是有了这样的表达：beat about/around the bush（拐弯抹角地讲话；绕圈子）；a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush（一鸟在手胜过双鸟在林；最好满足于现有的，以免因贪心而失去一切）。在同“海”的接触中，人类将对大自然的敬畏做了如下的表达：all at sea（困惑；茫然；不知所措）；between the devil and the deep blue sea（进退维谷；左右为难）。在繁琐的家庭生活中人们也通过语言表达了生活的智慧：a stitch in time saves nine（及时缝一针能省九针；及时行动，免得问题成堆）；out of the frying pan into the fire（跳出油锅又落火坑；每况愈下）；you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs（不打破鸡蛋就炒不成蛋饼；不花代价就难成大事）。可见各行各业的人们在生产和生活的实践中总结出大量的习语和典故，从而极大地丰富了语言体系。

2. 英语习语和典故反映出宗教对语言的影响。汉语中有很多表达受到佛教的影响，如“醍醐灌顶”、“回头是岸”、“七级浮屠”等等。英语则明显受到基督教特别是《圣经》的影响。伊甸园的故事就是一例。亚当和夏娃在伊甸园里无忧无虑地生活，因受蛇的引诱违背上帝的命令偷吃善恶树上的果实而被驱赶出伊甸园，而他们所犯的罪，即原罪，将会世代相传。相应的表达如the Garden of Eden（伊甸园；乐土）；the forbidden fruit（禁果）；original sin（原罪；与生俱来的罪恶倾向）。通天塔（the Tower of Babel）的典故也同宗教相关，人类建塔直入云霄，上帝为之震惊，为了阻止人类建塔，于是扰乱建塔人的语言，使人们语言互不相同。现在the Tower of Babel用来比喻嘈杂声和混乱的局面。其他和宗教相关的习语和典故如Sunday best（最好的衣着；盛装）；an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth（以眼还眼，以牙还牙）；cast/throw pearls before swine（明珠暗投；对牛弹琴）；make bricks without straw（做无米之炊）；等等。

3. 文学作品是英语习语和典故的重要来源。莎士比亚在戏剧创作中使用并创造了很多词汇和表达，为英语的习语和典故增添了浓厚的色彩。《威尼斯商人》中的主人公Shylock（夏洛克）的形象给人们留下了深刻的印象，现在人们惯用Shylock指代唯利是图、心狠手辣的人或高利贷者，（have, get, want, etc.）your pound of flesh是该作品中的重要情节，现在用来指“不顾别人死活要讨回应得的东西”。源自莎士比亚的习语和典故还有it’s all Greek to me（我全然不懂）；all that glitters is not gold（闪光的并非都是金子；外表好不见得真好）；eat sb. out of house and home（把某人吃穷）等；《伊索寓言》是英语习语和典故的又一重要来源，如kill the goose that lays the golden eggs（杀鸡取卵；竭泽而渔）；the lion’s share（最大或最好的一份）；count one’s chickens before they’re hatched（过早乐观）；sour grapes（酸葡萄；表面贬低，实则嫉妒）等。

除了上述的三个方面，古希腊罗马神话传说、科技文化、体育娱乐、经济商务等方面对英语习语和典故的影响也不容忽视，相应的表达如apple of discord（不和的金苹果；争执的根源）；Achilles’ heel（阿喀琉斯之踵；唯一的致命弱点）；(slip/be thrown) out of gear（失去控制）；have a card up your sleeve（有锦囊妙计；留有一招）；right off the bat（立刻；毫不犹豫）；foot the bill（负担费用）；take a rain check (on sth.)（下次吧，以后再说）等。可见，对习语和典故来源的追溯再次证明了文化的重要性。语言是文化的载体，而作为语言的一个特殊群体的习语和典故更是承载了丰富的文化内涵，只有了解其深厚的文化渊源，才能准确地理解并运用这类表达。

参考文献

胡超. 跨文化交际实用教程. 北京：外语教学与研究出版社，2006.

胡文仲. 跨文化交际学概论. 北京：外语教学与研究出版社，1999.

胡文仲. 英美文化辞典. 北京：外语教学与研究出版社，1995.

贾玉新. 跨文化交际学. 上海：上海外语教育出版社，1997.

平洪，张国扬. 英语习语—英语文化的镜子（English Idioms – A Mirror Reflecting British Culture）. 胡文仲. 跨文化交际面面观. 北京：外语教学与研究出版社，1999: 280-295.

王催春，朱冬碧，吕政. 跨文化交际. 北京：北京理工大学出版社，2008.

翻译练习

Proverbs in Latin American Talk

Proverbs are the popular sayings that brighten so much Latin American talk, the boiled-down wisdom that you are as apt to hear from professors as from peasants, from beggars as from elegantes. Brief and colorful, they more often than not carry a sting.

When a neighbor’s dismally unattractive daughter announced her engagement, Imelda remarked, “You know what they say, Senora: ‘There’s no pot so ugly it can’t find a lid.’” And when her son-in-law blustered about how he was going to get even with his boss who had docked his pay, Imelda fixed him with a cold eye and said, “Little fish does not eat big fish.”

One afternoon I heard Imelda and her daughter arguing in the kitchen. Her daughter had quarreled with her husband’s parents, and Imelda was insisting that she apologize to them. Her daughter objected, “But, Mama, I just can’t swallow them, not even with honey. They talk so big until we need something; then they’re too poor. So today when they wouldn’t even lend enough money to pay for a new bed, all I did was saying something that I’ve heard you say a hundred times: ‘If so grand, why so poor? If so poor, why so grand?’ ”

“Impertinent!” snorted Imelda. “Have I not also taught you, ‘What the tongue says, the neck pays for’? I will not have it said that I could never teach my daughter proper respect for her elders. And before you go to beg their pardon, change those trousers for a dress. You know how your mother-in-law feels about pants on a woman. She always says, ‘What was hatched a hen must not try to be a rooster!’ ”

Her daughter made one more cry, “But Mama, you often say, ‘If the saint is annoyed, don’t pray to him until he gets over it.’ Can’t I leave it for tomorrow?”

“No, no and no! Remember: ‘If the dose is nasty, swallow it fast.’ You know, my child, you did wrong. But, ‘A gift is the key to open the door closed against you.’ I have a cake in the oven that I was making for the Senora’s dinner. I will explain to the Senora. Now, dear, hurry home and make yourself pretty in your pink dress. By the time you get back, I will have the cake ready for you to take to your mother-in-law. She will be so pleased that she may make your father-in-law pay for the bed. Remember: ‘One hand washes the other, but together they wash the face.’ ”

from Reader’s Digest

（文章选自《英汉翻译基础》古今明编，上海外语教育出版社，1997，1-2页）

参考译文

拉美人言谈中的谚语

谚语是凝聚着智慧的通俗话语，是它使得拉丁美洲人的言语常常显得那么生动活泼。从大学教授到田野农夫，从市井乞丐到摩登女郎，大家都在使用谚语。谚语简洁明快，丰富多彩，但也往往带着刺。

邻居家的丑八怪的女儿宣布她订婚，伊梅尔达就说：“太太，您可听见大伙儿是怎么讲的：‘罐儿再丑，配个盖子也不犯愁。’”当她的女婿嚷嚷着要去找克扣他工资的老板算账时，伊梅尔达冷冷地盯着他说：“小鱼吃不了大鱼。”

一天下午，我听见伊梅尔达和女儿在厨房争论开了。原来是女儿刚和公婆吵过嘴，她非要女儿去赔个不是。她女儿却偏不依：“可是，妈妈，这样做我受不了，就是拌了蜜也咽不下呀！他们满嘴讲大话，可是一旦求上他们，却又说穷得不得了。就拿今天来说吧，我想借点钱，也就刚够买一张新床，他们都不肯，我便讲了你平时讲过上百遍的那句话：‘既然那么阔，干吗要叫穷？既然那么穷，干吗摆阔气？’”

伊梅尔达鼻子哼了一声，“没家教! 难道我没告诉过你：‘舌头闯祸，脖子遭殃’？我可不愿让人指着脊梁骨说我从来不教自己的女儿要尊重长辈。你去赔个不是吧，不过先得把长裤换掉。你婆婆最讨厌女人穿男式长裤，这你是知道的。她常念叨：‘孵出来是母鸡就别冒充是公鸡！’”

做女儿的还想再争一争：“可是，妈妈，你不是经常说，‘得罪了圣徒也得等圣徒消了气再去向他祈祷。’我能不能明天再去啊？”

“不行，不行！要记住：‘药越难吃，越要快吃。’你知道，孩子，是你错了嘛。不过，‘大门把你关在外，礼物送到自然开。’我炉里烤着一个蛋糕，本来是给太太晚餐吃的。待会儿我会向太太解释的，今晚就免了吧。好吧，乖孩子，赶紧回家，穿上那条粉红的裙子，打扮得漂漂亮亮的。等你回来时，蛋糕就烤好了，你把它带去给你婆婆。你婆婆准会高兴，说不定还会向你公公说情，替你们付床钱呢。要记住：‘一只手洗干净另一只手，两只手一道来把脸洗干净。’”

（译文选自《英汉翻译基础》古今明编，上海外语教育出版社，1997，286-287页）