Chapter 8 Part One: How to Speak English The Story of Little Miller

The Story of Little Milo Miller's story I once translated an interesting American novel called "Little Le's Travels" written by American Norton Juster.This is a children's literature work, and many adults also like it after it is published.Norton Gast is a very imaginative writer. Although this is his work published in the 1960s, it still feels fresh to read today. It is not like "Harry Potter" (Harry Potter) Potter's story has too many magical colors, but let the language shine in the story, translating every chapter can almost make me feel the wonder of English.

Of course, it is very difficult to translate this novel accurately and beautifully.Maybe we will have all kinds of confusion when we translate any literary works.For example, we have already read the story, understood the author's intention, and even clearly know everything the author wants to express, but when we pick up the pen to translate, we have to stop again and again, in order to find the correct and expressive The sentences in Chinese corresponding to the original text are exhausted.Some people say that translating a book is always easier than creating a book, but I believe that everyone who has translated literary works seriously will have such a feeling-to turn another literary language into their mother tongue works , the mental labor of a translator is as hard as that of an original author.In addition to possessing profound language literacy, one also has to consult dictionaries and materials tirelessly to make up for differences in ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

The English original name of "Little Le Travel Notes" is The Phantom Tollbooth.This kind of Tollbooth is a bit like a toll booth on a highway, except that it is unattended. Passing vehicles can drive on the road as long as they put a few coins into the slot machine.However, this story is not about the tollbooth, but about the adventures of a little boy. Miller turned out to be a little boy who didn't like to use his brain, had nothing to do all day long, and didn't know how to pass the time. He was not interested in anything in the life around him. He said, "I have nothing to do, and I don't have anything to do. A place I want to go, but there is nothing worth seeing in my life." At home, he wanted to go to school, but when he got to school, he wanted to go home.One day, when Miller returned home, he suddenly saw a large package in the corner of his room, with a sky-blue envelope attached to it, which said——To Milo who has enough time. For the first time, Miller was curious and excited Opening the package, it turned out to be a car, a road toll booth, and a map, so he started a strange trip.

I was deeply attracted by the stories in the book, and I felt the joy of reading in my childhood. However, when translating this book, I kept encountering obstacles. I often had to ponder over a sentence, a paragraph, or even a word for several days.For example, there is a place that I have lost count of how many times I have translated and revised it: One day, Little Le came to a place called Sleeping Land, where there were many sleepy bugs of various colors, some of them were lying on his shoulders, some were lying on his shoes, these sleepy bugs were always sleeping , some just fell asleep after saying a word to Miller.Looking at those sleepy bugs, Miller couldn't help giggling.

stop laughing!Xiao Le suddenly heard a sleepy man say that laughing here is against the law! Miller asked them: Well, if you cant laugh or think, what can you do? (No laughing or thinking here, what can you do?) A sleepy man said: Anything as long as its nothing, and everything as long as it isn't anything. (Here, doing nothing is doing everything, and doing nothing is brilliant.) They went on to say: Theres lots to do, we have a very busy schedule—— (Lots of things to do, we have a tight schedule--) At 8 oclock we get up, and then we spend (We arrange this after getting up at eight o'clock,)

From 8 to 9 daydreaming. (Have a daydream from 8:00 to 9:00) From 9 to 9:30 we take our early midmorning nap. (From 9:00 to 9:30, we were confused for a while) From 9:30 to 10:30 we dawdle and delay. (From 9:30 to 10:30 we hang around to pass the time) From 10:30 to 11:30 we take our late early morning nap. (We take a nap from 10:30 to 11:30) From 1:00 to 12:00 we bide our time and then eat lunch. (we are waiting for lunch from 11:00 to 12:00) From 1:00 to 2:00 we linger and loiter. (From one to two we hang out) From 2:00 to 2:30 we take our early afternoon nap. (We take a nap from 2:00 to 2:30)

From 2:30 to 3:30 we put off for tomorrow what we could have done today. (From 2:30 to 3:00 we put off today's work until tomorrow) From 3:30 to 4:00 we take our early late afternoon nap. (We sleep for a while at 3:30 and 4) From 4:00 to 5:00 we loaf and lounge until dinner. (we are waiting for dinner from four to five o'clock) From 6:00 to 7:00 we dillydally. (6 to 7 we kill time) From 7:00 to 8:00 we take our early evening nap, and then for an hour before we go to bed at 9:00 we waste time. (we go to bed from 7 to 8 and go to bed until 9) As you can see, that leaves almost no time for brooding, lagging, plodding, or procrastinating, and if we stopped to think or laugh, we'd never get nothing done.

(You see, we have so little time to think, to slog, to procrastinate, and if we stop to think and laugh, we'll never get anything done.) You mean youd never get anything done, corrected Milo. (Actually, you don’t do anything. Xiao Le corrected it.) We dont want to get anything done, snapped another angrily, we want to get nothing done, and we can do that without your help. (We don't want to do anything. Another sleepy man interrupts him angrily. We don't want to do anything. Never mind.) You see, continued another in a more conciliatory tone, its really quite strenuous doing nothing all day, so once a week we take a holiday and go nowhere, which was just where we were going when you came along. ?

(You see, one of them went on in a brawl-like way, we're nervous enough with nothing to do all the time, so we take a day off every week to go somewhere that doesn't exist. When you come we Going there. Would you like to come with us?) After translating this passage, I really think the author is amazing. He described a group of funny slobs in this way.But this passage looks simple, but it is difficult to translate.For example, there are several naps in this passage, if they are all translated as dozing off, the translation will be boring to read, for example: early midmorning nap

late early morning nap early afternoon nap early late afternoon nap early evening nap It is difficult to find the corresponding Chinese for such a phrase literally.So I translated several naps into "confused for a while", "take a nap", "take a nap", "sleep for a while", "sleep for a while"... This not only expresses sleepiness characteristics, and take care of the cohesion of the context, and it is relatively smooth to read.Also, the two sentences wed never get nothing done and youd never get anything done look similar, but in fact they are fundamentally different. I have translated them into:

We can't do anything. You do nothing. They can't do anything, it's the sleepy bugs making excuses for themselves, but Miller exposes their laziness with "Actually, you don't do anything", no wonder the sleepy bugs are going to be angry. Words like nothing, nowhere often appear in this novel. If translated into "nothing, nowhere, nowhere" according to the definition in the dictionary, it is not only blunt, but also unable to express the mood and tone of the characters, so It can only be translated according to the connection of the context.For example, translate go nowhere into "go to a place that does not exist", perhaps this is the author's sense of humor.In addition, if the phrase "in a more conciliatory tone" is translated literally, it does not meet the characteristics of children's literature, so I translated it as "like persuading a fight". There is a chapter in "Xiaomi Le's Travel Notes" that describes sounds. Before translating this book, I thought that English onomatopoeias were not as rich as Chinese, but after reading Xiao Le met a "Doctor of Dissonance" (Doctor of dissonance) ) story, I changed my original opinion. The "noise doctor" is called Disjord, and he has a truck that makes noise, which is like a laboratory. There are a lot of bottles and jars on the table and shelves full of various noises. for example: roar (roar) bellow screech bump crash (a bang) cry (cry) bang (sudden loud bang) bong smash (collision sound) swish swoosh (swoosh flow sound) snap (snap) crackle whistle gong (gong sound) squeak (squeak) squawk (clucking sound) ………… In fact, it is far more than that. In my translation notes, there is still an interesting description of Dr. Dischjord and Miller: He began to jump around the wagon, snatching bottles from the shelves until he had a large assortment in various colors and sizes collected at one end of the table. All were neatly labeled: Loud Cries, Soft Cries, Bangs, Bongs, Smashes, Crashes , Swishes, Swooshes, Snaps and Crackles, Whistles and Gongs, Squeaks, Squawks, and Miscellaneous Uproar. After pouring a little of each into a large glass beaker, he stirred the mixture thoroughly with a wooden spoon, watching intently as it smoked and steamed and boiled and bubbled. (He (Dr. Dischjord) begins hopping around in the van, taking some bottles from the racks, and stacking them on one side of the table, each bottle neatly Tagged with: Shouting, soft crying, bang, bang, bang, bang, whoosh, bang bang, crackle, bang bang, shush, bang bang, chuff, whine, and miscellaneous noises He poured a little of the contents of each bottle into a large glass beaker, then stirred the mixture thoroughly with a wooden spoon, and watched it smoke, steam, boil, and bubble with all his attention.) Ah, can you imagine that?Dr. Disjord wants to make Miller drink the glass of liquid, what will be the result? During his travels, Miller met many friends and encountered various characters and monsters. It is also very interesting to translate their names. Xiao Le's closest friend is a bell dog named Ka Da. When Xiao Le and Ka Da first met, Ka Da said to Xiao Le, I believe that we will become good friends along the way.You can call me Kata.But Xiao Le said suspiciously, it's too strange that you keep ticking all day long, but you still call "click".Unexpectedly, Kata became sad, and he said with a sob that when my brother was born, my parents named him Tick, but when the alarm clock on his body was wound up, it made a click sound, My parents rushed to the registry office to change their name, but it was too late, Tick's name was officially registered and could not be changed.Katak said, my brother is called Ticktack because it walks clicktack, and my name is Katak because I walk ticktack. Later, a young reader wrote to me and said that he bent over with laughter when he saw this. There is also a person named Canby in the book. He is supernatural and omnipotent. I translated him as "Canby" according to the pronunciation, but after thinking about it, I think it should be translated as "universal person". Maybe it's inappropriate, because he doesn't know who he is. He once asked Xiao Le: Can you tell me who I am? (Can you tell me who I am?) He didn't pretend not to know, but really didn't know.So, he is not omnipotent. When Little Miller said, You must be Canby. (You must be Camby.) He even said: Of course. Yes, of course, but why I haven't thought of it? (Of course I'm Camby, but why didn't I think of that?) Also, the translation of the name Humbug is mind-boggling. Humbug is actually a big beetle. In English, the meaning of bug is beetle, bug, humbug and liar.However, in order to give it a little human touch, I transliterate it into "Hambag", which is also because Hambag often shows a gentleman's demeanor. It wears a top hat, leans on a cane, and talks Sometimes very gentle, just like a gentleman.So perhaps it would be more interesting to call him Mr. Hambag. There are also two beautiful princesses in the book, Princess of Pure Reason and Princess of Sweet Rhyme. I translated them as "Princess of Truth" and "Princess of Rhyme" respectively. Although literally, pure and sweet have not been translated, but The two words "truth" and "phonology" have fully expressed the meaning of pure and sweet. If you insist on adding the two words "pure" and "sweet", it will feel cumbersome and not suitable for children's reading features.I think that in children's literature, the names of those anthropomorphic "characters" must be translated well, so that people feel kind and cute, just like their own friends. When translating "Mittler's Travel Notes", we often encounter puns or homonyms, which are the most confusing.For example, a conversation between Little Le and Big Dirty Bird is difficult to translate: On the way, Miller, Hambag, and Kata come across a scruffy big dirty bird standing on a rock that looks like a dirty floor mop.It had a sharp mouth, and stared down at Xiao Le and the others with a vicious eye. I can hardly see a thing, said Milo, taking hold of Tocks tail as a sticky mist engulfed the moon. Perhaps we should wait until morning. They'll be mourning for you soon enough, came a reply from directly above, and this was followed by a hideous cackling laugh very much like someone choking on a fishbone. (I can't see anything at all,' said Miller. He held on to Kata's tail as if a thick cloud had engulfed the moon. Maybe we'll have to wait till morning. They will soon come to mourn you.At this time, a voice came from overhead, followed by a terrifying "giggle" laughter, as if someone hiccupped with a fish bone stuck. ) I dont think you understand, said Milo timidly as the watchdog grew a warning. Were looking for a place to spend the night. Its not yours to spend, the bird shrieked again, and followed it with the same horrible laugh. That doesn't make any sense, you see... he started to explain. Dollars or cents, its still not yours to spend, the bird replied haughtily. (I thought you couldn't understand me. Little Le said timidly, we want to find a place to spend the night. Kata also barked "Wow" in warning. There is no place for you to spend the night here.The big dirty bird screamed again, and then laughed horribly. There's no reason for you to do this, you know—Miller began to explain. Day and night are not yours.The Big Dirty Bird answered haughtily. ) But I didnt mean... insisted Milo. Of course youre mean, interrupted the bird, closing the eye that had been open and opening the one that had been closed. Anyone whod spend a night that doesnt belong to him is very mean. Well, I thought that by… he tried again desperately. Thats a different story, intercepted the bird a bit more amiably. If you want to buy, Im sure I can arrange to sell, but with what youre doing youll probably end up in a cell anyway. (But I'm not... Miller insisted. Of course it's not yours.The big dirty bird interrupted him. It closed the eye that had been open and opened the eye that had been closed.Anyone who wants to spend a night that doesn't belong to him is his fault. Oh, we want to go to that - Little Miller said desperately again. That place is not for you.The Big Dirty Bird cut in suddenly, a little kindly.If you want to go, I can definitely let you go, but you may only go to a dead end. ) That doesn't seem right, said Milo helplessly, for, with the bird taking everything the wrong way, he hardly knew what he was saying. Agreed, said the bird, with a sharp click of his beak, but neither is it left, although if I were you I would have left a long time ago. Let me try once more, he said in an effort to explain. In other words… You mean you have other words? Cried the bird happily. Well, by all means, use them. Youre certainly not doing very well with the ones you have now. (That can't be done. Little Miller said helplessly, because the big dirty bird got it all wrong and didn't know what he was talking about. If you can't do it, you have to do it.The sharp beak of the big dirty bird clicked.If I were you, I would have done it long ago. I'll try again.Xiao Le summoned up the courage to explain.in other words-- You said you want to change words?The big dirty bird cried triumphantly.Well, anyway, let's change it.You must be useless with the words you have. ) Morning and mourning are two homonyms, but they have different meanings.The big dirty bird always deliberately interrupts and confuses the concepts of these two words, which makes the translation difficult, because morning (morning) and mourning (mourning) cannot be translated into Chinese here, so I will "get to" And "mourning" is translated into the corresponding word, trying to reflect the fun of the homonym. Another similar problem is that the big dirty bird deliberately confuses the two meanings of "spend" and "expenditure" of spend, and it deliberately interrupts spend the night (overnight) as spend dollars and cents (spending money).Here I did not translate literally, but translated dollars and cents into "day and night", so that the transition from Little Miller's "find a place to sleep" to Big Dirty Bird's "day and night, both It's not your life", let the context connect reasonably. Then, Little Le said "But I didn't mean--", the big dirty bird interrupted and said, "Of course you mean", the mean that Little Le said was "I mean, I mean", and the big dirty bird The mean is "despicable" and "not kind". Of course, the two means are completely different from each other. For the sake of contextual connection, I translate them into "I don't mean—" and "Of course yours is not..." , In this way, the malice of the big dirty bird is revealed, and the dialogue between the two parties can proceed smoothly without appearing awkward. There are also homophones in the dialogue by (through) and buy (buy), sell (sale) and cell (alley, cell), puns right (correct, right) and left (leave, left), in other words (in other words words) and have other words (there are other words), and so on.When encountering such words, the most important thing is to repeatedly compare various translations, so as to reflect the author's wisdom as much as possible, and let readers clearly understand the true meaning of the sentence. Little Miller experienced all kinds of difficulties and dangers during the long journey, and he began to understand the richness and variety of life, knowing that there is beauty and kindness, justice and evil, light and darkness in the world.Finally, under the guidance of the two princesses in the castle in the sky, he finally realized the importance of learning knowledge and loving life. He is no longer a "sleepy" who just keeps his eyes open all day long and does nothing but wastes time. A hard-working teenager who is willing to learn and understand the world. It has been a long trip, said Milo, climbing onto the couch where the princesses sat; but we would have been here much sooner if I hadnt made so many mistakes. Im afraid its all my fault. You must never feel badly about making mistakes, explained Reason quietly. As long as you take the trouble to learn from them. For you often learn more by being wrong for the right reasons than you do by being right for the wrong reasons. (It's been a long journey, said Little Leigh, climbing up the couch where the princesses sit. We'd get here a little faster if we didn't do so many wrong things. It's all my fault, I think . As long as you take the trouble to explore, you will never be frustrated by making mistakes.Princess Truth explained calmly.It is always more beneficial to make a mistake because you want to do something good than to get away with it for the wrong reasons. ) But theres so much to learn, he said, with a thoughtful frown. You may not see it now, said the Princess of Pure Reason, looking knowingly at Milos puzzled face, but whatever we learn has a purpose and whatever we do affects everything and everyone else, even if in the tiniest way. Whenever you laugh, gladness spreads like the ripples in a pond; and whenever you are sad, no one anywhere can be really happy. And its much the same thing with knowledge, for whenever you learn something new, the whole world becomes that much richer. (There are too many things to learn. Xiao Le frowned thoughtfully and said. You may not understand it now.Princess Truth looked at Miller's puzzled face, and she said: No matter what we study, we must have a purpose; no matter what we do, we must be responsible for everything and everyone, even the smallest thing.When you smile joy spreads like ripples in a pond; and when you are sad no one else is truly happy.The same is true for learning knowledge.Every time you learn something new, the whole world gets a little richer. ) And remember, also, added the Princess of Sweet Rhyme, that many places you would like to see are just off the map and many things you want to know are just out of sight or a little beyond your reach. But someday you'll reach them all , for what you learn today, for no reason at all, will help you discover all the wonderful secrets of tomorrow. (Also remember. Princess Cadance goes on to say that there are many places you like to see that are not on the map, and many things you want to know are invisible or out of your reach. But someday you may Encounter them, because what you learn today may help you discover even more amazing secrets tomorrow.) From then on, Xiao Le felt that the sky was so blue and lovely, and the white clouds were like boats sailing far away; To climb the mountain, to watch the little caterpillar wriggling in the garden... He thinks there are so many interesting books to read, so many things to invent and create.He wants to play music, he wants to sing, he wants to imagine worlds... He longs for all new things - they are all worth exploring, trying... Ah, Miller has really changed!It seems that Miller's arduous journey was not only time-consuming, but also full of fun and creativity.How I hope my translation can enable more children to go out of the house to know the world, feel the nature, experience the height of the sky, the vastness of the earth, the depth of the ocean, browse the colorful colors, and listen to the sonata of the world, just like Xiao Le. Let your vision and mind be as vast and boundless as nature...