Another cause of obscurity is that the writer is himself not quite sure of his meaning. He has a vague impression of what he wan

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问题     Another cause of obscurity is that the writer is himself not quite sure of his meaning. He has a vague impression of what he wants to say, but has not, either from lack of mental power or from laziness, exactly formulated it in his mind and it is natural enough that he should not find a precise expression for a confused idea. This is due largely to the fact that many writers think, not before, but as they write. The pen originates the thought. The disadvantage of this, and indeed it is a danger against which the author must be always on his guard, is that there is a sort of magic in the written word. The idea acquires substance by taking on a visible nature, and then stands in the way of its own clarification.

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答案 晦涩的另一个原因是作者自己也不完全确定他要表达的意图。他对想说的内容只有一个模糊的印象,或由于心力不济,或由于懒得用心,内心尚没有把它想清楚。思想混乱,找不到准确的表达,那是再自然不过的了。这在很大程度上是因为,许多作者不是想好了再写,而是边写边想,是笔尖触发的思想。这么做有一个不利的因素,而其包含的危险是作者必须时刻警惕的,那就是:书面文字有一种神奇的魔力。思想中的东西一旦有形可见便有了实际的存在,这反过来义使思想本身无法得到清晰的表达。

解析     本篇节选自威廉?萨默塞特?毛姆(W.Somerset Maugham)的《写作生活回忆》(The Summing Up)。据毛姆在他的《写作生活回忆》中说,他自己作文,有三个标准,按其重要顺序说来,第一是达(lucidity),第二是简(simplicity),第三是顺(euphony)。这三点——尤其是达——为毛姆一生致力所在。
1.  obscurity:本义为“朦胧;阴暗;身份低微;不分明”等意思,此处作“晦涩”解为佳,表示“费解”、  “不明白”的意思。
2.  be not sure of…:对……没有把握,不确信。
3.  第二句“He has a vague impression of...for a confused idea”,整个句子是由and并列的两个独立句子构成的,故翻译时,可用断句法,译成两个独立句子。  “and”之前的那句注意分清句子结构,该句基本结构为“He has…but has not…”。中间“either...or...”(或……或……)可视作插入语。
4.  vague:not clearly understood or expressed(模糊的;含糊的)。
5.  mental power:心智力量;心理能力。故“lack of mental power”译作“心力不济”。
6.  “it is natural enough that…”中it是形式主语,真正的主语是that引导的从句部分,故翻译时,需要倒序,可译作“……是再自然不过的了。”
7.  第三句“This is due largely to the fact that…”译为“这在很大程度上是因为……”。其
中“This is due to the fact that...”简言之就相当于because、since等表原因的词或词组。
8.  “many writers think,not before,but as they write”中“before”后省略了“they write”。词组“not…but…”的意思是“不是……而是……”。故译为“许多作者不是想好了再写,而是边写边想”。
9.  第四句“The pen originates the thought.”中“originate”本义为“引起;创作”,这里引申为“触发”。整句译为“笔尖触发思想”,用“笔尖”代指“笔”。
10.在翻译第五句“The disadvantage of this,and indeed it is a danger against which the author must be always on his guard,is that there is a sort of magic in the Written word.”,可简化句子结构,以便理解原文。其简化的结构为“the disadvantage of this,…,is that…”。
11.on one’s guard against something:谨防;警惕
12.take on:本义有“承担;呈现;具有;流行”等意思,此处“taking on a visible nature”指“呈现町见的实质”:
13.stand in the way of...:妨碍,阻碍;阻住……的路。故原文“stands in the way of its own clarification”指的就是“妨碍思想本身,使其无法得到清楚的表达”。
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