《喬布斯傳》翻譯筆記:我們的友情真的抵不上那點錢?
《喬布斯傳》自問世以來受到了全世界人民的關(guān)注,對此滬江英語推出《喬布斯傳》翻譯筆記系列,讓我們在翻譯學(xué)習(xí)中回顧喬幫主的偉大一生。第四章 “雅達(dá)利和印度” 第三、四部分講述了喬布斯和沃茲的友情嫌隙。從印度回來,喬布斯回到雅達(dá)利工作。諾蘭·布什內(nèi)爾讓喬布斯開發(fā)《乒乓》的單機版。喬布斯找沃茲來幫忙,答應(yīng)平分收入,卻在任務(wù)完成后只付給了沃茲基本報酬,而隱瞞下因為節(jié)省芯片所獲得的獎金。10年后沃茲從雅達(dá)利的歷史傳記《咔嚓》(Zap)中得知這件事后很難過。喬布斯矢口否認(rèn)有這樣的事情,但是大部分人記憶證實了這樣一個不爭的事實:喬布斯因為這點錢跟自己的好友耍了花招。這樣的喬布斯,你會怎么看?
【英語原文】
Is it possible that memories are muddled and that Jobs did not, in fact, shortchange Wozniak? “There’s a chance that my memory is all wrong and messed up,” Wozniak told me, but after a pause he reconsidered. “But no. I remember the details of this one, the $350 check.” He confirmed his memory with Nolan Bushnell and Al Alcorn. “I remember talking about the bonus money to Woz, and he was upset,” Bushnell said. “I said yes, there was a bonus for each chip they saved, and he just shook his head and then clucked his tongue.” Whatever the truth, Wozniak later insisted that it was not worth rehashing. Jobs is a complex person, he said, and being manipulative is just the darker facet of the traits that make him successful. Wozniak would never have been that way, but as he points out, he also could never have built Apple. “I would rather let it pass,” he said when I pressed the point. “It’s not something I want to judge Steve by.” (Chapter 4 Atari and India: Breakout)
【滬江譯文】
會不會是大家的記憶混亂了,而喬布斯并沒有虧待沃茲呢?沃茲跟我說:“也許是我記性不好把事情弄混了?!?可是他停頓了一會兒又改口說道:“不,這件事情的細(xì)節(jié)我記得很清楚,是一張350美元的支票?!?沃茲還去跟雅達(dá)利的諾蘭·布什內(nèi)爾和阿爾·奧爾康證實了這個事情。布什內(nèi)爾說:“我記得我跟沃茲談過獎金的事情,他當(dāng)時很難過。我告訴他節(jié)省了芯片確實是有獎金的。他當(dāng)時只是搖了搖頭,砸巴了下嘴,想要說點什么,結(jié)果還是什么都沒說?!?不管真相如何,沃茲后來都堅持不要再舊事重提,他覺得不值得。他跟我說,喬布斯是個個性復(fù)雜的人,控制欲強和利用別人可能正是他成功特性中的陰暗面。沃茲就絕不會這樣,不過他也指出,正因為如此,他也永遠(yuǎn)無法建成蘋果王國。在我再三提及這件事時,沃茲跟我表示: “這件事情就讓它過去吧。我不想因為這件事來評價史蒂夫?!?/p>
【翻譯筆記】
hange: 本意指 “在找錢的時候少找零錢” ,引申義“虧待、欺騙”。作者把這個動詞用得很妙,既指出喬布斯在獎金這件事上對沃茲耍的小花招,又從深層意思上指出喬布斯對好友的欺騙行為。
2. mess up: 弄亂,搞砸,陷入困境
這個短語描述沃茲認(rèn)為自己記憶混亂的狀態(tài),段落的首句同樣了這樣的含義:muddle the memory 記憶混亂 (常用于被動語態(tài))
3. 兩個point: point out 指出 ? press the point 不斷提及