國中翻譯試題歐化現象之研究

Abstract

摘要

本文研究目的在於藉由分析國中英語教材的參考書、測驗卷、段考試題之中譯英翻譯試題，探討這些翻譯試題的題目設計是否有英文影響中文的現象，亦即是否會出現歐化的句子，並且研究翻譯試題在練習、評量及段考考卷所佔的比重以及翻譯題型。本研究以下列22個指標來檢視中文的歐化現象，單字層次有：（1）所有格（2）be動詞（3）形容詞（4）a（5）進行式（6）未來式（7）完成式（8）when/while（9）if（10）被動態（11）情態副詞（12）介系詞（13）and（14）主語增加（15）though（16）複數名詞；句子層次有：（17）副詞子句（18）關係子句（19）虛有子句（用虛主詞it開頭的句子）（20）主題—評論（21）名詞化（22）詞序。研究結果發現，就字的層次而言，所有格、進行式、當、如果、and（連接動詞、句子、名詞）、主語增加等，是歐化較明顯的部分；而be動詞、形容詞、不定冠詞a、未來式、完成式、被動式、情態副詞、介系詞about、and（連接形容詞或副詞）、though子句（有「雖然」，沒有「但是」）、複數名詞，歐化比例較少。就句子的層次而言，副詞子句、虛有子句的處理較符合中文習慣。關係子句方面，命題者習慣將關係子句這個修飾語照搬到先行詞之前，因而常有前飾太長的現象；而語序方面，英文的語序是「主詞—動詞—受詞」，而中文習慣是用「主題—評論」來造句，但中文受英文影響之後，則以「主詞—動詞—受詞」造句者多，用「主題—評論」造句者少。而問卷結果則顯示，就認知而言，英語教師大部分都意識到中文的歐化現象，也知道這樣的中文並不適合作為翻譯試題的題目，但是其比例還是稍低於受過專業訓練的譯者，由此可見，在認知上，英語教師的確覺察到歐化現象，但這觀念並不如專業譯者一般穩固。

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to investigate the phenomenon of Europeanized Chinese sentences occurring in the Chinese-to-English translation items in teaching materials such as reference books, work books, and test sheets for both regular and monthly exams for junior high school English teaching in Taiwan. The focus is on the extent of the phenomenon as well as the pattern of Europeanized Chinese sentences appearing in translation items in the above-mentioned teaching materials. The research has found that translation items, coming in various patterns of Europeanized Chinese sentences, are a regular section in all reference books, work books, and regular and monthly exams. Twenty-two indicators are selected to examine this Europeanized phenomenon, including 1) possessive nouns, 2) the verb ‘to be’, 3) adjectives, 4) determiner ‘a’, 5) progressive tense, 6) future tense, 7) perfect tense, 8) ‘when/while’, 9) ‘if’, 10) passive voice, 11) modal adverbs, 12) prepositions, 13) ‘and’, 14) increase of subject, 15) ‘though’, 16) plural nouns, 17) adverbial clauses, 18) relative clauses, 19) dummy subject ‘it’ clauses, 20) topic-comment, 21)nominalization, and 22) word order at sentence-level. The result reveals that at word-level, significant instances of Europeanization can be found in six of the twenty-two indicators, namely: possessive noun, progressive tense, ‘when/while’, ‘if’, ‘and’ (for connecting verbs, sentences and nouns), and increase of subject. As for the instances at sentence-level, two of the indicators are distinctively characterized by Europeanization: relative clauses and topic-comment. In addition, a questionnaire was designed for the purposes of this research on the cognition aspect of Europeanized sentences. The subjects were professional translators and English teachers, and this choice was made in light of both groups’ participation in translation activity. A close analysis of the questionnaire has led to the conclusion that most of the English teachers were conscious of the Europeanized nature of the sentences, although not as sensitive as the professional translators.