Читать книгу A Book of Middle English - J. A. Burrow - Страница 101

Because translation is never an exact process, it may be helpful to supply a commentary to explain why choices have been made, what the alternatives would be, and what cannot be expressed in a word‐for‐word translation. The translation will draw on the information of relevant dictionaries, of a Middle English grammar such as the introduction to this book or grammars listed in the Bibliography (9.2), and of the annotations in a reliable edition of the text. The commentary should acknowledge these sources, noting points of interest or difficulty in the text, and should relate the passage to the wider context of the work. Here is a proposed translation together with a brief commentary of a passage from Trevisa’s Dialogue (12.44–57):

Clericus:

Ȝe cunneþ speke and rede and understonde Latyn. Þanne hyt nedeþ noʒt to have such an Englysch translacion.

Dominus:

Y denye þys argument; for þey I cunne speke and rede and understonde Latyn, þer ys moche Latyn in þeus bokes of cronyks þat y can noʒt understonde, noþer þou wiþoute studyinge and avysement and lokyng of oþer bokes. Also, þey hyt were noʒt neodful vor me, hyt is neodfol vor oþere men þat understondeþ no Latyn.

Clericus:

Men þat understondeþ no Latyn may lerne and understonde.

Dominus:

Noʒt alle: for som may noʒt vor oþer maner bysynes, som vor elde, som vor defaute of wyt, som vor defaute of katel oþer of frendes to vynde ham to scole, and som vor oþere dyvers defautes and lettes.

Clerk:

You’re able to speak and read and understand Latin. So then it isn’t necessary to have an English translation.

Lord:

I deny this argument; for though I’m able to speak and read and understand Latin, there’s much Latin in these chronicle books that I can’t understand, and nor can you without studying and consultation and reading other books. Also, though it mightn’t be necessary for me, it is necessary for other people who understand no Latin.

Clerk:

People who understand no Latin may learn and understand.

Lord:

Not everyone: for some aren’t able to because of other sorts of activity, some because of old age, some for lack of intelligence, some for lack of funds or of relatives to provide for them to go to school, and some for other various defects and hindrances.