Marco Polo wrote about his travels while he was in prison
馬可波羅的遊記是在監獄裡寫的，
That obviously is going to affect the way he presents his information.
這當然會影響到他撰寫這本遊記的方式。
He’s at a different time in his life and he wants to attract an audience
為了不想被處死，他決定寫本遊記來吸引大眾對他的注意，
So he’s going to emphasize the strangest and the most interesting
所以，他在書中特別描述那些光怪陸離或格外有趣的見聞，
rather the ordinary elements of his travel.
而避開了旅程中平庸無奇的事物。
From his squalid cell in Italy,
在他意大利骯髒的牢房裡，
Marco wrote about the luxurious court of Kublai Khan, the Mongol King,
馬可波羅描述了蒙古大可汗忽必烈的華麗宮殿，
which he supposedly reached in 1275.
據信，他在西元1275年左右曾到過那裡。
He told how in Shengdu, the city later immortalized as Xanadu,
他描述元朝上都的情景，這個夏日都城日後被詩人稱為仙娜度(而永垂不朽)。
Xanadu, also Shangdu or Shang-tu (Chinese: 上都; pinyin: Shàngdū), also known as Kaiping (simplified Chinese: 开平; traditional Chinese: 開平; pinyin: Kāi Píng), was the summer capital of Kublai Khan's Yuan Dynasty in China, after he decided to move the capital of the Yuan Dynasty to Dadu, present-day Beijing. The city was located in what is now called Inner Mongolia, 275 kilometres (171 mi) north of Beijing, about 28 kilometres (17 mi) northwest of the modern town of Duolun.
Xanadu was visited by Venetian explorer Marco Polo in 1275; it became fabled as a metaphor for opulence(wealth), most famously in the English Romantic Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem Kubla Khan.
Kubla Khan; or, A Vision in a Dream: A Fragment" is a poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, which takes its title from the Mongol and Chinese emperor Kublai Khan of the Yuan Dynasty.
The poem's opening lines are often quoted, and it introduces the name Xanadu (or Shangdu, the summer palace of Kublai Khan):
In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
A stately pleasure-dome decree:
Where Alph, the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea.
Coleridge claimed that the poem was inspired by an opium-induced dream (implicit in the poem's subtitle A Vision in a Dream) but that the composition was interrupted by a person from Porlock. Some have speculated that the vivid imagery of the poem stems from a waking hallucination albeit, most likely, opium-induced. Additionally a quotation from William Bartram[1] is believed to have been a source of the poem. There is widespread speculation on the poem's meaning, some suggesting the author is merely portraying his vision while others insist on a theme or purpose. Others believe it is a poem stressing the beauty of creation, and some read sexual allusions throughout.
However, it is important to remember that inspiration for this poem also comes from Marco Polo's description of Shangdu and Kublai Khan from his book Il Milione, which was included in Samuel Purchas' Pilgrimage, Vol. XI, 231.
the trial of his 4 year journey suddenly seemed worthwhile.
他四年來的艱苦旅程，在抵達上都後，似乎在瞬間有了價值。
“The Khan’s palace is the largest in the world.
大可汗擁有世界上最大的宮殿，
The roof is ablaze with every color
宮殿的房頂五光十色，
it glitters like crystals and sparkles from afar.
好像一座水晶宮，從遠處望去，宛如繁星閃爍。
The hall is so vast that it could seat 6000 for one banquet.”
宮殿的大廳大到可用來舉辦六千人的盛宴。
The descriptions that Macro Polo provides for us,
馬可波羅在遊記中的描述，
descriptions of Xanadu for example, the summer palace of Kublai Khan
例如對仙娜度的描述，也就是忽必烈大可汗的夏日都城，
dovetail with what we know of the archaeology of that city.
完全吻合我們從考古學中所獲知的上都。
The city was excavated in the 1930’s by the Japanese
這座都城在1930年間被日本人所發掘，
and they found that the placement of the buildings
都城中建築物的位置，
and the style of the buildings
以及建築物的形式，
was exactly the way Macro Polo had described them.
與馬可波羅所描述的完全相同。
***************************
The Venetian trader was equally impressed, it seems,
這位威尼斯商人似乎也對
by the mighty Yangtze rive.
浩瀚的長江(揚子江)印象深刻。
“It is the greatest river in the world.
”長江是世界上最偉大的河流，
More boats loaded with more dear things and of greatest value come and go
載著昂貴珍品的船隻，在江上來回穿梭，
by this river than by all the rivers and seas used by the Christians.”
來往船隻的數量較西方基督教國家在所有河海上的數量還要多。"
Macro could not have asked for more.
這時，馬可波羅應已別無所求，
He had made it safely to China.
他已歷經艱險成功地來到中國，
He had discovered a land of unimaginable wealth.
發現了一片遍地財富不可思議的樂土。
His quest to establish a lucrative trade connection with the east
同時，他企圖在東西方間，建立一條可創造財富的貿易通道，
was very much on course.
此時也隱然成形。
2008年11月24日 星期一
Translation exercise 5 - Marco Polo's travels
Marco Polo wrote about his travels while he was in prison
That obviously is going to affect the way he presents his information.
He’s at a different time in his life and he wants to attract an audience
So he’s going to emphasize the strangest and the most interesting
rather the ordinary elements of his travel.
From his squalid cell in Italy,
Marco wrote about the luxurious court of Kublai Khan, the Mongol King,
which he supposedly reached in 1275.
He told how in Shengdu, the city later immortalized as Xanadu,
the trial of his 4 year journey suddenly seemed worthwhile.
“The Khan’s palace is the largest in the world.
The roof if ablaze with every color
it glitters like crystals and sparkles from afar.
The hall is so vast that it could seat 6000 for one banquet.”
The descriptions that Macro Polo provides for us,
descriptions of Xanadu for example, the summer palace of Kublai Khan
dovetail with what we know of the archaeology of that city.
The city was excavated in the 1930’s by the Japanese
and they found that the placement of the buildings
and the style of the buildings
was exactly the way Macro Polo had described them.
The Venetian trader was equally impressed, it seems,
by the mighty Yangtze rive.
“It is the greatest river in the world.
More boats loaded with more dear things and of greatest value come and go
by this river than by all the rivers and seas used by the Christians.”
Macro could not have asked for more.
He had made it safely to China.
He had discovered a land of unimaginable wealth.
His quest to establish a lucrative trade connection with the east
was very much on course.
That obviously is going to affect the way he presents his information.
He’s at a different time in his life and he wants to attract an audience
So he’s going to emphasize the strangest and the most interesting
rather the ordinary elements of his travel.
From his squalid cell in Italy,
Marco wrote about the luxurious court of Kublai Khan, the Mongol King,
which he supposedly reached in 1275.
He told how in Shengdu, the city later immortalized as Xanadu,
the trial of his 4 year journey suddenly seemed worthwhile.
“The Khan’s palace is the largest in the world.
The roof if ablaze with every color
it glitters like crystals and sparkles from afar.
The hall is so vast that it could seat 6000 for one banquet.”
The descriptions that Macro Polo provides for us,
descriptions of Xanadu for example, the summer palace of Kublai Khan
dovetail with what we know of the archaeology of that city.
The city was excavated in the 1930’s by the Japanese
and they found that the placement of the buildings
and the style of the buildings
was exactly the way Macro Polo had described them.
The Venetian trader was equally impressed, it seems,
by the mighty Yangtze rive.
“It is the greatest river in the world.
More boats loaded with more dear things and of greatest value come and go
by this river than by all the rivers and seas used by the Christians.”
Macro could not have asked for more.
He had made it safely to China.
He had discovered a land of unimaginable wealth.
His quest to establish a lucrative trade connection with the east
was very much on course.
2008年11月19日 星期三
Bonus translation exercise 5 - beautiful prose translation (very difficult!)
Youth
By Samuel Ullman
Youth is not entirely a time of life; it is a state of mind; it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees; it is a temper of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotion; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life.
Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Worry, doubt, self-distrust, fear and despair -- these bow the heart and turn the spirit back to dust.
.......
By Samuel Ullman
Youth is not entirely a time of life; it is a state of mind; it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees; it is a temper of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotion; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life.
Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Worry, doubt, self-distrust, fear and despair -- these bow the heart and turn the spirit back to dust.
.......
2008年11月16日 星期日
Reference Translation of Exercise 4 (news article)
A Dose Of Genius
'Smart Pills' Are on The Rise. But Is Taking Them Wise?
天才妙藥
“聰明丸”供不應求，但真是聰明的選擇嗎？
By Joel Garreau
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, June 11, 2006
裘‧佳利歐
華盛頓郵報記者
民國七五年六月十一日星期日
”Studying with diligent friends is fine,” says Heidi Lessing, a University of Delaware sophomore
“跟勤奮的同學一起讀書是件好事，”一位達拉瓦州州立大學的二年級學生海蒂拉辛說，.
But after a couple of hours, it's time for a break, a little gossip: "I want to talk about somebody walking by in the library."
但是，讀了幾小時後，該休息一下，聊聊八卦，”我想跟她講講剛剛從我們旁邊走過去的那傢伙。”
One of those friends, however, is working too hard for dish -- way too hard.
Instead of joining in the gossip, "She says, 'Be quiet,' " Lessing says, astonishment still registering in her voice.
他是我們的一個朋友，但是，這傢伙太喜歡八卦了……。跟我一起讀書的這位同學不但不願意跟我聊八卦，”她卻對我說：’別講話，專心讀書，’”拉辛訝異地說。
dish
1.
a. An open, generally shallow concave container for holding, cooking, or serving food.
b. dishes The containers and often the utensils used when eating: took out the dishes and silverware; washed the dishes.
c. A shallow concave container used for purposes other than eating: an evaporating dish.
2. The amount that a dish can hold.
3.
a. The food served or contained in a dish: a dish of ice cream.
b. A particular variety or preparation of food: Sushi is a Japanese dish.
4.
a. A depression similar to that in a shallow concave container for food.
b. The degree of concavity in such a depression.
5. Electronics A dish antenna.
6. Slang, A good-looking person, especially an attractive woman.
7. Informal Idle talk; gossip: "plenty of dish about her tattoos, her plastic surgeries, and her ever-younger
Her friend's attention is laserlike, totally focused on her texts, even after an evening of study. "We were so bored," Lessing says. But the friend was still "really into it. It's annoying."
她這位同學在讀書時，專心的程度就好像雷射一般(能始終心無旁鶩)，即使讀了一個晚上，還是能全神貫注在書本上。”我們都讀的好無聊啊，可是她還是那麼投入，真讓人受不了！”拉辛說。
The reason for the difference: Her pal is fueled with "smart pills" that increase her concentration, focus, wakefulness and short-term memory.
造成這種差異的原因是：她的同學吃了一種可以集中精神、提升注意力、保持清醒及強化暫時性記憶力的藥丸。
There are lots of the first-generation drugs around. They include Adderall, which was originally aimed at people with attention-deficit disorder, and Provigil, which was aimed at narcoleptics嗜眠症, who fall asleep uncontrollably. In the healthy, this class of drugs variously aids concentration, alertness, focus, short-term memory and wakefulness -- useful qualities in students working on complex term papers and pulling all-nighters before exams.
目前市面上有許多尚屬第一代的這類藥物，如：愛得若，原本用來治療注意力缺損症患者；普洛伏久(不夜神)，用來治療會不自主入睡的嗜眠症患者。對身體健康的人，這類藥物可幫助精神集中、提升注意力、保持清醒及強化暫時性記憶力，這些功能可有效幫助學生完成複雜的學期報告，並在考試前，挑燈夜戰。
Warning: Side Effects
警告：副作用
In the name of altering mood, energy and thinking patterns, we have been marinating our brains in chemicals for a very long time.
為了要改善心情、活力、甚至思考模式，我們將我們的腦子浸泡在各式化學藥品裡，已是由來已久的事(我們用各種藥品來刺激我們的腦子，已是由來已久)。
Caffeine is as old as coffee in Arabia, tea in China, and chocolate in the New World. Alcohol, coca leaves, tobacco and peyote 仙人掌go way back.
長久以來，阿拉伯人喝咖啡，中國人喝茶，美國人吃巧克力，都是為了要利用其中的咖啡因，來振奮精神甚至改變心情；其它如酒精、古柯葉、煙草及佩奧特仙人掌(致幻劑)等，則有著更久的歷史。
The history of coffee has been recorded as far back as the eleventh century[1]. At first, coffee remained largely confined to Ethiopia, where its native beans were first cultivated by Ethiopian highlanders. However, the Arab world began expanding its trade horizons, and the beans moved into northern Africa and were mass-cultivated. From there, the beans entered the Indian and European markets, and the popularity of the beverage spread.
But there are side effects with every drug. The FDA warns it also may increase thoughts of suicide in young people. For a while last year, Canada pulled a form of Adderall from its markets as a result of sudden unexplained deaths in children with cardiac abnormalities. Provigil can decrease the effectiveness of birth control. All of these drugs come with a raft of side-effect warnings.
但是，任何一種藥物都有副作用。美國食品藥物管理局警告，這種藥物也有可能會增加年輕人自殺的念頭。去年間，加拿大曾將某種愛得若下架，因為該藥物造成有心臟病的孩童不知原因地暴斃。普洛伏久也會影響避孕藥的藥效。因此，所有的藥物在包裝上，都會註明許多可能發生的副作用。
Nonetheless, pharmaceutical companies are racing to bring to market new drugs aimed at fundamentally altering our attitudes toward having a healthy brain. The idea is less to treat a specific disease than it is to, in the words of the old Army recruiting commercial, "Be all that you can be."
僅管如此，藥廠還是競相發展新藥，想要從根改變人類的想法，鼓勵人們透過這些藥物，擁有一個健康的頭腦。這些藥品不再只是用來治療特定的疾病，而是正如美國陸軍過去常用的一句募兵口號：發揮潛能，實現自我。
'Smart Pills' Are on The Rise. But Is Taking Them Wise?
天才妙藥
“聰明丸”供不應求，但真是聰明的選擇嗎？
By Joel Garreau
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, June 11, 2006
裘‧佳利歐
華盛頓郵報記者
民國七五年六月十一日星期日
”Studying with diligent friends is fine,” says Heidi Lessing, a University of Delaware sophomore
“跟勤奮的同學一起讀書是件好事，”一位達拉瓦州州立大學的二年級學生海蒂拉辛說，.
But after a couple of hours, it's time for a break, a little gossip: "I want to talk about somebody walking by in the library."
但是，讀了幾小時後，該休息一下，聊聊八卦，”我想跟她講講剛剛從我們旁邊走過去的那傢伙。”
One of those friends, however, is working too hard for dish -- way too hard.
Instead of joining in the gossip, "She says, 'Be quiet,' " Lessing says, astonishment still registering in her voice.
他是我們的一個朋友，但是，這傢伙太喜歡八卦了……。跟我一起讀書的這位同學不但不願意跟我聊八卦，”她卻對我說：’別講話，專心讀書，’”拉辛訝異地說。
dish
1.
a. An open, generally shallow concave container for holding, cooking, or serving food.
b. dishes The containers and often the utensils used when eating: took out the dishes and silverware; washed the dishes.
c. A shallow concave container used for purposes other than eating: an evaporating dish.
2. The amount that a dish can hold.
3.
a. The food served or contained in a dish: a dish of ice cream.
b. A particular variety or preparation of food: Sushi is a Japanese dish.
4.
a. A depression similar to that in a shallow concave container for food.
b. The degree of concavity in such a depression.
5. Electronics A dish antenna.
6. Slang, A good-looking person, especially an attractive woman.
7. Informal Idle talk; gossip: "plenty of dish about her tattoos, her plastic surgeries, and her ever-younger
Her friend's attention is laserlike, totally focused on her texts, even after an evening of study. "We were so bored," Lessing says. But the friend was still "really into it. It's annoying."
她這位同學在讀書時，專心的程度就好像雷射一般(能始終心無旁鶩)，即使讀了一個晚上，還是能全神貫注在書本上。”我們都讀的好無聊啊，可是她還是那麼投入，真讓人受不了！”拉辛說。
The reason for the difference: Her pal is fueled with "smart pills" that increase her concentration, focus, wakefulness and short-term memory.
造成這種差異的原因是：她的同學吃了一種可以集中精神、提升注意力、保持清醒及強化暫時性記憶力的藥丸。
There are lots of the first-generation drugs around. They include Adderall, which was originally aimed at people with attention-deficit disorder, and Provigil, which was aimed at narcoleptics嗜眠症, who fall asleep uncontrollably. In the healthy, this class of drugs variously aids concentration, alertness, focus, short-term memory and wakefulness -- useful qualities in students working on complex term papers and pulling all-nighters before exams.
目前市面上有許多尚屬第一代的這類藥物，如：愛得若，原本用來治療注意力缺損症患者；普洛伏久(不夜神)，用來治療會不自主入睡的嗜眠症患者。對身體健康的人，這類藥物可幫助精神集中、提升注意力、保持清醒及強化暫時性記憶力，這些功能可有效幫助學生完成複雜的學期報告，並在考試前，挑燈夜戰。
Warning: Side Effects
警告：副作用
In the name of altering mood, energy and thinking patterns, we have been marinating our brains in chemicals for a very long time.
為了要改善心情、活力、甚至思考模式，我們將我們的腦子浸泡在各式化學藥品裡，已是由來已久的事(我們用各種藥品來刺激我們的腦子，已是由來已久)。
Caffeine is as old as coffee in Arabia, tea in China, and chocolate in the New World. Alcohol, coca leaves, tobacco and peyote 仙人掌go way back.
長久以來，阿拉伯人喝咖啡，中國人喝茶，美國人吃巧克力，都是為了要利用其中的咖啡因，來振奮精神甚至改變心情；其它如酒精、古柯葉、煙草及佩奧特仙人掌(致幻劑)等，則有著更久的歷史。
The history of coffee has been recorded as far back as the eleventh century[1]. At first, coffee remained largely confined to Ethiopia, where its native beans were first cultivated by Ethiopian highlanders. However, the Arab world began expanding its trade horizons, and the beans moved into northern Africa and were mass-cultivated. From there, the beans entered the Indian and European markets, and the popularity of the beverage spread.
But there are side effects with every drug. The FDA warns it also may increase thoughts of suicide in young people. For a while last year, Canada pulled a form of Adderall from its markets as a result of sudden unexplained deaths in children with cardiac abnormalities. Provigil can decrease the effectiveness of birth control. All of these drugs come with a raft of side-effect warnings.
但是，任何一種藥物都有副作用。美國食品藥物管理局警告，這種藥物也有可能會增加年輕人自殺的念頭。去年間，加拿大曾將某種愛得若下架，因為該藥物造成有心臟病的孩童不知原因地暴斃。普洛伏久也會影響避孕藥的藥效。因此，所有的藥物在包裝上，都會註明許多可能發生的副作用。
Nonetheless, pharmaceutical companies are racing to bring to market new drugs aimed at fundamentally altering our attitudes toward having a healthy brain. The idea is less to treat a specific disease than it is to, in the words of the old Army recruiting commercial, "Be all that you can be."
僅管如此，藥廠還是競相發展新藥，想要從根改變人類的想法，鼓勵人們透過這些藥物，擁有一個健康的頭腦。這些藥品不再只是用來治療特定的疾病，而是正如美國陸軍過去常用的一句募兵口號：發揮潛能，實現自我。
2008年11月12日 星期三
Group exercise 4 (news article) (due by Saturday midnight)
A Dose Of Genius
'Smart Pills' Are on The Rise. But Is Taking Them Wise?
By Joel Garreau
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Studying with diligent friends is fine, says Heidi Lessing, a University of Delaware sophomore.
But after a couple of hours, it's time for a break, a little gossip: "I want to talk about somebody walking by in the library."
One of those friends, however, is working too hard for dish -- way too hard.
Instead of joining in the gossip, "She says, 'Be quiet,' " Lessing says, astonishment still registering in her voice.
Her friend's attention is laserlike, totally focused on her texts, even after an evening of study. "We were so bored," Lessing says. But the friend was still "really into it. It's annoying."
The reason for the difference: Her pal is fueled with "smart pills" that increase her concentration, focus, wakefulness and short-term memory.
There are lots of the first-generation drugs around. They include Adderall, which was originally aimed at people with attention-deficit disorder, and Provigil, which was aimed at narcoleptics嗜眠症, who fall asleep uncontrollably. In the healthy, this class of drugs variously aids concentration, alertness, focus, short-term memory and wakefulness -- useful qualities in students working on complex term papers and pulling all-nighters before exams.
Warning: Side Effects
In the name of altering mood, energy and thinking patterns, we have been marinating our brains in chemicals for a very long time.
Caffeine is as old as coffee in Arabia, tea in China, and chocolate in the New World. Alcohol, coca leaves, tobacco and peyote 仙人掌go way back.
But there are side effects with every drug. The FDA warns it also may increase thoughts of suicide in young people. For a while last year, Canada pulled a form of Adderall from its markets as a result of sudden unexplained deaths in children with cardiac abnormalities. Provigil can decrease the effectiveness of birth control. All of these drugs come with a raft of side-effect warnings.
Nonetheless, pharmaceutical companies are racing to bring to market new drugs aimed at fundamentally altering our attitudes toward having a healthy brain. The idea is less to treat a specific disease than it is to, in the words of the old Army recruiting commercial, "Be all that you can be."
'Smart Pills' Are on The Rise. But Is Taking Them Wise?
By Joel Garreau
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Studying with diligent friends is fine, says Heidi Lessing, a University of Delaware sophomore.
But after a couple of hours, it's time for a break, a little gossip: "I want to talk about somebody walking by in the library."
One of those friends, however, is working too hard for dish -- way too hard.
Instead of joining in the gossip, "She says, 'Be quiet,' " Lessing says, astonishment still registering in her voice.
Her friend's attention is laserlike, totally focused on her texts, even after an evening of study. "We were so bored," Lessing says. But the friend was still "really into it. It's annoying."
The reason for the difference: Her pal is fueled with "smart pills" that increase her concentration, focus, wakefulness and short-term memory.
There are lots of the first-generation drugs around. They include Adderall, which was originally aimed at people with attention-deficit disorder, and Provigil, which was aimed at narcoleptics嗜眠症, who fall asleep uncontrollably. In the healthy, this class of drugs variously aids concentration, alertness, focus, short-term memory and wakefulness -- useful qualities in students working on complex term papers and pulling all-nighters before exams.
Warning: Side Effects
In the name of altering mood, energy and thinking patterns, we have been marinating our brains in chemicals for a very long time.
Caffeine is as old as coffee in Arabia, tea in China, and chocolate in the New World. Alcohol, coca leaves, tobacco and peyote 仙人掌go way back.
But there are side effects with every drug. The FDA warns it also may increase thoughts of suicide in young people. For a while last year, Canada pulled a form of Adderall from its markets as a result of sudden unexplained deaths in children with cardiac abnormalities. Provigil can decrease the effectiveness of birth control. All of these drugs come with a raft of side-effect warnings.
Nonetheless, pharmaceutical companies are racing to bring to market new drugs aimed at fundamentally altering our attitudes toward having a healthy brain. The idea is less to treat a specific disease than it is to, in the words of the old Army recruiting commercial, "Be all that you can be."
2008年11月7日 星期五
Bonus translation exercise 5 - news article
Violence ends, finger-pointing begins
WHO’S TO BLAME?: The government and the opposition yesterday blamed each other for inflaming the situation and causing the protesters to clash with police
By Mo Yan-chih And Rich Chang
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) traded accusations yesterday, with each side blaming the other for chaotic protests during Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Chairman Chen Yunlin’s (陳雲林) visit to Taipei.
WHO’S TO BLAME?: The government and the opposition yesterday blamed each other for inflaming the situation and causing the protesters to clash with police
By Mo Yan-chih And Rich Chang
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) traded accusations yesterday, with each side blaming the other for chaotic protests during Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Chairman Chen Yunlin’s (陳雲林) visit to Taipei.
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