民歌漢英語翻譯評論 III：校園民歌 / 詩歌英譯的各項挑戰

授課教師：張瓈文輔仁大學英國語文學系

專任副教授暨進修學士班主任2012 年 11 月 05日

致理應英系 K65教室

以詩入樂 — 英譯註台灣經典民歌詩作與數位出版教育部「人文社會科學應用能力及專長培育計畫」

授課大綱

I. How ready are you for the job?

II. Issues related to the translation of these campus ballads

III. Evaluating and Discussing the English Translation

IV. Conclusion

Student preparation for the songs

1. Can you sing the songs? 2. Did you read the lyrics in Chinese and English

in advance?3. How much do you know about the meanings,

structure (stanza), rhyme, rhythm of the original?

5. How will you interpret the original songs in a time when KTV culture and individualized interpretations of songs become popular?

6. What's your prior knowledge and attitude toward the song translation project so far?

7. What seems to interest you and what will be helpful for you when you start creating/translating your own songs?

II. Issues related to song translation of these campus ballads

A. Functional approach in translation studiesB. Related Questions to consider

1. What's the purpose of the translation project?2. Who will be the target readers/singers of the TT? 3. What will be their English level like?4. Which is more important: translating for this

project: translate the meanings in the ST, or creating pleasant sounds in the TT for pop songs?

5. Will it be more effective to write new lyrics tailoring to the English syntax and expressive nature in songs, or will it be more important to convey the poetic effects and meanings in the original?

III. Evaluating and Discussing the English Translation

1. Let's sing and analyze the original ST2. Let's look at the English songs and listen

to the songs3. What do the title and chorus (repeated

parts) tell you about the main idea of the poem/song?

4. How many stanzas are there? How does the song go from one stanza to another? What does the concluding line tell us about the meaning and sound effects to be emphasized in the song?

“Leaving On A Jet Plane” John Denver

All my bags are packed I'm ready to goI'm standin' here outside your door

I hate to wake you up to say goodbyeBut the dawn is breakin' it's early mornThe taxi's waitin' he's blowin' his hornAlready I'm so lonesome I could die

So kiss me and smile for meTell me that you'll wait for meHold me like you'll never let me goCause I'm leavin' on a jet planeDon't know when I'll be back againOh baby, I hate to go

There's so many times I've let you downSo many times I've played aroundI tell you now, they don't mean a thingEvery place I go, I'll think of youEvery song I sing, I'll sing for youWhen I come back, I'll bring your wedding ring

Source:http://www.lyricsfreak.com/j/john+denver/leaving+on+a+jet+plane_20073310.html

So kiss me and smile for meTell me that you'll wait for meHold me like you'll never let me goCause I'm leavin' on a jet planeDon't know when I'll be back againOh babe, I hate to go

Guitar Solo

Now the time has come to leave youOne more time let me kiss youClose your eyes I'll be on my wayDream about the days to comeWhen I won't have to leave aloneAbout the times, I won't have to say

So kiss me and smile for meTell me that you'll wait for meHold me like you'll never let me goCause I'm leavin' on a jet planeDon't know when I'll be back againOh baby, I hate to go

Cause I'm leavin' on a jet planeDon't know when I'll be back againOh baby, I hate to go

"No Sign of It“ by Natalie GrantIt's a long wait at the gateJust to glimpse your fateJust to see whether it all works outIt's a long road, a heavy loadYou gotta really want to goAnd just let the others walk aroundYou now Up and down againBut this time it's differentIt took some waiting to straightenOut the bendIn and out of luckYeah at times it was difficultI got a new life baby, It takes some getting used to but...

[Chorus:]

No sign of any rainMy skies are clear todayI keep bracing for that hitBut there's not sign of itNo obstacles in sightMy skies are clear tonight (My skies are full of

light)I keep thinking I might see that cloud arriveOh but there's no sign of itNo sign of it

And as I look around, it's all new groundThe leaves on the trees touch downBut I'm above weightless as a dreamIt's been a long road, a heavy loadI just simply had to goHad to get here hard as it's been In and out of luckYeah at time it was difficultI got a new life baby, it takes some gettingUsed to but... [Repeat Chorus]

Translating these songs:

1. How does the main melody sound?2. How many syllables can fit in a

line? 3. 英文歌詞創作與填寫練習

1. Try to keep the theme of the poem and write an English poem with syllables that can fit in the song

2. To do that, you may want to read more well-written English poem/songs

IV. Conclusion

Listen to the song/feelings in your heart

Create the English lyrics that speak to you in the songs

Create songs that you enjoy singing

Create songs that sing to your listeners