英文隨筆：由《紅河穀》《我愛你塞北的雪》想到的/從一個歌手的角度說說歌詞的翻譯

三重唱《紅河穀》yuanyuan88 （cover）加拿大民歌 和聲自創HD


Jo Stafford sings Red River Valley


英文隨筆：由《紅河穀》《我愛你塞北的雪》想到的， 從一個歌手的角度說說歌詞的翻譯

No doubt, there are a lot of qualified translators in this forum. I do not have the ability to do lyrics translation as 美壇奇葩 and 柏泉did. They are definitely my teachers. But their translations trigger my thought; what is the best way to translate song lyrics into another language?

As to the title of this folk song 《我愛你塞北的雪》, we Chinese all know that the place beyond the Great Wall is cold. When the footsteps of the winter are heard, the big white snowflakes follow. They dance in the air, covering all below with pure dazzling saint-like white color. It is so breathtakingly beautiful. How could anyone not love the snowfall beyond the Great Wall? But when a foreigner listens to this translated song 《我愛你塞北的雪》, will he raise some questions like why you don’t love the snowfall within the Great Wall. The foreigner may understand you love northern snow because everyone knows the North Pole is frigid cold, so the northern place must have a lot of snow, but don’t you love the western snow or the eastern snow? These places may have a lot of snow too. Should we forget about the ambiguous Chinese words 塞北 to a foreigner? Since 塞北 indicates a cold place and implies big white pure snow there; could we simply translate this to “I love you, the pure white snow”?

I googled for a while trying to find some articles discussing about how to translate song lyrics. Unfortunately, I could not find any. But from a singer’s perspective, I think three things we may need to keep in mind. 1) The translated English lyrics had better to be understood by an English listener. 2) The syllables should match with music notes. 3) The lyrics rhythm (strong and weak) should match with music rhythm.

I remember one song Red River Valley”. This is a century old song but it is passed from generation to generation for both English version and Chinese version. The original English lyrics is as below with the Chinese translated lyrics follows. You will notice the translation is not exactly word to word to the original English lyrics, but it contains the original feeling and emotion.

Red River Valley

From this valley they say you are going
We will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile
For they say you are taking the sunshine
That has brightened our pathways awhile

Come and sit by my side, if you love me
Do not hasten to bid me adieu
But remember the Red River Valley
And the girl that has loved you so true

I've been thinking a long time, my darling
Of the sweet words you never would say
Now, alas, must my fond hopes all vanish
For they say you are going away

Do you think of the valley you're leaving
O how lonely and how dreary it will be
And do you think of the kind hearts you're breaking
And the pain you are causing to me

They will bury me where you have wandered
Near the hills where the daffodils grow
When you're gone from the Red River Valley
For I can't live without you I know

由範繼淹翻譯成中文的《紅河穀》， 中文歌詞樸素流暢，朗朗上口，流傳至今。

人們說你就要離開村莊
我們將懷念你的微笑
你的眼睛比太陽更明亮
照耀在我們的心上
你可曾回想起你的故鄉
多麽寂寞多麽淒涼
想一想你走後我的痛苦
想一想留給我的悲傷

人們說你就要離開村莊
要離開熱愛你的姑娘
為什麽不讓她和你同去
為什麽把她留在村莊上
走過來坐在我的身旁
不要離別的這樣勿忙
要記住紅河穀你的故鄉
還有那熱愛你的姑娘

親愛的人我曾經答應你
我絕不讓你煩惱
隻要你能夠重新愛我
我願意留在你的身旁
走過來坐在我的身旁
不要離別的這樣勿忙
要記住紅河穀你的故鄉
還有那熱愛你的姑娘

[秀山]

Nice song, nice singing.

您唱地那麽輕柔飄逸, 真好.