英语中“校长”的几种译法

    中文里不论什么学校的“长”，都叫“校长”，英文里的“校长”的名称却有所不同。中小学(school)的校长，美国英语通常称为principal，英国英语现在通常称为head teacher，过去一般称为headmaster；大学校长则称president或chancellor。不过英国大学的chancellor是虚衔，可以译成“名誉校长”，真正的校长是Vice-chancellor。

　　下文里的“校长”显然指大学校长，应当译成university president。接下来，就让我们看一篇有关“校长”的文章，以及精彩的翻译点评。

　　常常会听到一些大学校长说“我把学生当自己的儿女看待”，一派慈祥。他也真做得像个严父慈母：规定学生不许穿拖鞋在校内行走，上课不许迟到，周会时要正襟危坐，睡眠要足8小时，熄灯前要洗澡入厕，清晨6点必须起床做操，讲话时不许口含食物，夏天不可穿短裤上课，看电影有害学业，看电视有伤眼睛，吃饭之前要洗手，等等等。

　　I often hear university presidents say, "I treat my students as if they were my own children," their voices full of fatherly love. And indeed they act just like strict but loving parents, telling the students that they aren't allowed to walk around campus in slippers¹, that they shouldn't come late to class, that they shouldn't speak with food in their mouths, that they can't wear shorts in the classroom during the summer, that they have to sit up straight and be serious at weekly meetings, that they should get at least eight hours of sleep, that they have to finish using the showers and bathrooms before the lights are turned off in the dormitory, that everyone must get up for morning exercises at six a.m., that going to the cinema too often will interfere² with their studies, that watching too much television will ruin their eyesight, that they should wash their hands before meals, and so on and so forth³.

　　翻译评析：

　　1)常常会听到：即“我常常会听到”(I often hear...)。汉语的主语常可以省略，而英语句子一般须有主语。

　　2)看待：这里可以理解为“对待”(treat...as if...)，按字面意思译成regard...as...也可以。

　　3)一派慈祥：“一派……”的意思是“显出非常……的样子”，这里可以理解为“话音中充满……”，译成their voices full of...或以感叹句"How...！"的形式另起一句。英语似乎缺乏一个与“慈祥”完全对应的词，比较接近的有motherly/fatherly, loving, benevolent⁴。“一派慈祥”可以译成their voices full of fatherly love或How benevolent!。

　　4)他：由于前面说的是“一些大学校长”，英文这里得用they。

　　5)做得像：也就是“表现得像”(act just like)。

　　6)严父慈母：字面意思是“严格的父亲和慈祥的母亲”，这里可以理解为“严格而又慈祥的父母”(strict but loving parents)。

　　7)规定：这里用telling比stipulating好。tell本身就有命令、规定的意思，stipulate则显得过于正式。

　　8)不许：这里的意思是“不被允许”(aren't allowed)，但形式上却没有任何被动标记。中文里这种情况很多。

　　9)在校内：不能一看见“在……内”就用in。这里的“校”指“校园”(campus)，而campus并不跟in搭配。这里最好用around campus(在校园四处)。

　　10)上课不许迟到：这里的“不许”似乎重点不在于重申一项规定，而是劝说学生“不要”，因此宜译成shouldn't come late to class。

　　11)周会时……做操：这几句话由于是肯定句，翻译时不妨跟后面的两个否定句调个个，这样就把表示禁止句子连在了一起。把表示要求、规劝、建议的句子连在一起，读起来更顺一些。

　　12)周会：每周一次的会(weekly meetings)。

　　13)正襟危坐：意思就是“身子坐直，态度严肃”(sit up straight and be serious)。

　　14)睡眠要足8小时：意思是“要得到至少/整8小时的睡眠”(should get at least eight/eight full hours of sleep)。

　　15)熄灯前：这里指“在宿舍熄灯前”(before the lights are turned off in the dormitory)。

　　16)洗澡入厕：这里的意思应当是“淋浴完毕，上完厕所”(finish using the showers and bathrooms)。

　　17)起床做操：中文是并列结构，英文也可以译成并列结构get up and do morning exercises，但不如将“做操”译成状语for morning exercises简练。

　　18)讲话时不许口含食物：也就是“不要在嘴里有食物时说话”(shouldn't speak with food in their mouths/with their mouths full)。

　　19) 穿短裤上课：即“在教室里穿短裤”(wear shorts in the classroom)。

　　20)看电影有害学业：意思应当是“看电影过多会影响学习”(going to the cinema/movies too often will interfere with their studies)。

　　21)看电视有害眼睛：意思也是“看电视过多会损害视力”(watching too much television will ruin their eyesight)。

　　22) 吃饭之前：即“饭前”(before meals)。

　　23) 等等等：and so on and so forth或etc., etc.。