2008年9月29日 星期一

Reference Translation for Exercise 1 (political text)

Democratic National Convention Nomination Acceptance Address
民主黨全國代表大會接受提名演說

Thank you so much. Thank you very much. Thank you everybody.
謝謝,謝謝,謝謝大家。
To -- To Chairman Dean, and my great friend, Dick Durbin, and to all my fellow citizens of this great nation, with profound gratitude and great humility -- I accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States.
迪恩主席(黨主席),我的好朋友迪克德賓,以及我們這個偉大國家的同胞們(以及全國同胞們),我以極謙恭及非常感謝的心情,接受本黨(你們)的提名,參選美國總統。
Let me -- Let me express -- Let me express my thanks to the historic slate of candidates who accompanied on this journey, and especially the one who traveled the farthest, a champion for working Americans and an inspiration to my daughters and yours: Hillary Rodham Clinton.
首先,我要對具有歷史性意義的本黨(黨內初選期間的)其他候選人,表達我的感謝,感謝他們(從黨內初選到現在)陪我一路走來;在此,我特別要感謝一位 -- 這一路走來走得最久,一位美國勞動群眾的表率,更是你我女兒們的標竿,她就是 – 希拉蕊柯林頓。

slate
n.
1. A fine-grained 紋理細緻的;細粒的metamorphic 變質的rock that splits into thin, smooth-surfaced layers.
2.
a. A piece of this rock cut for use as roofing or surfacing material or as a writing surface.
b. A writing tablet made of a similar material.
3. A record of past performance or activity: start over with a clean slate.
4. A list of the candidates of a political party running for various offices.
5. A dark or bluish gray to dark bluish or dark purplish gray.

Champion
n.
1. One that wins first place or first prize in a competition.
2. One that is clearly superior or has the attributes of a winner: a champion at teaching.
3. An ardent defender or supporter of a cause or another person: a champion of the homeless.
4. One who fights; a warrior.


Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren't well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America, their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to.
四年前,我曾站在你們前面,講過一個關於我的故事,一個從肯亞來的男孩(也就是我父親)和一個從肯色斯州來的女孩(我母親),他們並不富有,也沒有名氣,但是,他們卻有一個共同的信念:在美國,只要認真努力,他們的子孫就能得到他們所想要的東西(就能實現他們的夢想)。

Referring to the personal profile of Barack Obama, Wikipedia:
His parents met while attending the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where his father was a foreign student. They separated when he was two years old and later divorced. Obama's father returned to Kenya and saw his son only once more before dying in an automobile accident in 1982.
(We choose not to translate it though.)

It is that promise that's always (to) set this country apart -- that through hard work and sacrifice each of us can pursue our individual dreams but still come together as one American family, to ensure that the next generation can pursue their dreams as well.
正是這個信念 (”美國夢”),使得我們的國家與眾不同(能赫立世界強國之林);也就正是這個信念,使我們相信,只要我們努力工作與勇於攜牲,我們就能實現自己的夢;但是在每個人追求自己的夢的同時,我們卻仍然要團結一致,把美國塑造成一個大家庭,以確保我們的下一代,也能繼續追求並實現他們的夢。

It's why I stand here tonight. Because for two hundred and thirty two years, at each moment when that promise was in jeopardy, ordinary men and women, students and soldiers, farmers and teachers, nurses and janitors -- found the courage to keep it alive.
這就是今晚我為甚麼站在這裡原因,因為,232年以來,每當我們的這個信念(”美國夢”)陷入危機時,美國人不論男女、學生、軍人、農人、老師、護士甚或清潔工,總會拿出他們的勇氣,挺身而出,克服困厄渡過危機,讓這個信念繼續成真。

We meet at one of those defining moments -- a moment when our nation is at war, our economy is in turmoil, and the American promise has been threatened once more.
今天,我們正處於一個關鍵性的時刻(站在歷史的十字路口) – 我們的國家正處於戰爭狀態,我們的經濟正陷入混亂,而我們的信念(“美國夢”)已再一次遭受威脅。

2008年9月21日 星期日

Group exercise 1 - political text translation


Barack Obama
Democratic National Convention Nomination Acceptance Address

Thank you so much. Thank you very much. Thank you everybody.

To -- To Chairman Dean, and my great friend, Dick Durbin, and to all my fellow citizens of this great nation, with profound gratitude and great humility -- I accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States.
Let me -- Let me express -- Let me express my thanks to the historic slate of candidates who accompanied on this journey, and especially the one who traveled the farthest, a champion for working Americans and an inspiration to my daughters and yours: Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren't well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America, their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to.

It is that promise that's always set this country apart -- that through hard work and sacrifice each of us can pursue our individual dreams but still come together as one American family, to ensure that the next generation can pursue their dreams as well.

It's why I stand here tonight. Because for two hundred and thirty two years, at each moment when that promise was in jeopardy, ordinary men and women, students and soldiers, farmers and teachers, nurses and janitors -- found the courage to keep it alive.

We meet at one of those defining moments -- a moment when our nation is at war, our economy is in turmoil, and the American promise has been threatened once more.

(Your translation works shall be uploaded here by this Thursday)

2008年9月20日 星期六

Puff the Magic Dragon (Lyrics) 試譯成中文 (Bonus translation exercise 1)

PUFF, the magic dragon lived by the sea And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee, Little Jackie Paper loved that rascal PUFF, and brought him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff.

OH PUFF, the magic dragon lived by the sea And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee, PUFF, the magic dragon lived by the sea And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,
Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail Jackie kept a lookout perched on PUFF's gigantic tail, Noble kings and princes would bow whenever they came, Pirate ships would lower their flag when PUFF roared out his name

OH, PUFF, the magic dragon lived by the sea And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee, PUFF, the magic dragon lived by the sea And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,

A dragon lives forever but not so little boys Painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys. One grey night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more And PUFF that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.

PUFF, the magic dragon lived by the sea And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee, PUFF, the magic dragon lived by the sea And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,

His head was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain, PUFF no longer went to play along the cherry lane. Without his life-long friend, PUFF could not be brave, So PUFF that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave.

Oh! PUFF, the magic dragon lived by the sea And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee, PUFF, the magic dragon lived by the sea And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee

2008年9月14日 星期日