《喬布斯傳》翻譯筆記:?jiǎn)滩妓箵屃藙e人的“寶貝孩子”
(杰夫·拉斯金發(fā)起的麥金塔項(xiàng)目)
第十章我們的故事來(lái)到了Mac電腦。1984年問(wèn)世的麥金塔電腦/蘋果機(jī)(Mac)無(wú)疑是蘋果電腦劃時(shí)代的產(chǎn)品。麥金塔項(xiàng)目(Macintosh Project)的發(fā)起人是一位名叫杰夫·拉斯金(Jef Raskin)的經(jīng)歷傳奇的圖形界面專家,他有一個(gè)與眾不同的創(chuàng)意:開發(fā)一款廉價(jià)的易用型計(jì)算機(jī)(an inexpensive computer for the masses),麥金塔項(xiàng)目的名稱正是取自拉斯金最喜愛的一種蘋果品種McIntosh。喬布斯在被逐出lisa項(xiàng)目后,開始逐步滲透干預(yù)麥金塔項(xiàng)目的進(jìn)程。拉斯金與喬布斯在很多方面意見相左,固執(zhí)的完美主義者喬布斯認(rèn)為蘋果機(jī)不用自降身價(jià)擺出平價(jià)的面孔討好消費(fèi)者。拉斯金最終在這場(chǎng)爭(zhēng)斗中落敗,失去對(duì)麥金塔項(xiàng)目的控制權(quán),并在第二年申請(qǐng)辭職,這時(shí)距離他心血傾注的蘋果機(jī)上市只有兩年。麥金塔項(xiàng)目的其他成員又是怎么看待喬布斯的呢?
【英語(yǔ)原文】
Some on the team found Jobs impossible to work with. “Jobs seems to introduce tension, politics, and hassles rather than enjoying a buffer from those distractions,” one engineer wrote in a memo to Raskin in December 1980. “I thoroughly enjoy talking with him, and I admire his ideas, practical perspective, and energy. But I just don’t feel that he provides the trusting, supportive, relaxed environment that I need.” But many others realized that despite his temperamental failings, Jobs had the charisma and corporate clout that would lead them to “make a dent in the universe.” Jobs told the staff that Raskin was just a dreamer, whereas he was a doer and would get the Mac done in a year. It was clear he wanted vindication for having been ousted from the Lisa group, and he was energized by competition. He publicly bet John Couch $5,000 that the Mac would ship before the Lisa. “We can make a computer that’s cheaper and better than the Lisa, and get it out first,” he told the team.(Chapter 10 The Mac Is Born : Jef Raskin's baby)
【滬江譯文】
團(tuán)隊(duì)里的有些人覺得根本沒法與喬布斯共事。“喬布斯給整個(gè)項(xiàng)目帶來(lái)了激烈緊張、權(quán)力斗爭(zhēng)和沖突麻煩,而從來(lái)不會(huì)想著去化解這些讓人分心的的事情?!?1980年12月,有一位工程師在交給拉斯金的工作備忘錄中這樣表示?!拔耶?dāng)然很喜歡跟他聊天,我很欣賞他的創(chuàng)意點(diǎn)子、實(shí)用性的觀點(diǎn)和工作熱情,但是我覺得他無(wú)法提供我想要的那種彼此信任、相互支持、輕松愉悅的工作環(huán)境?!?另一方面,也有一些人覺得,雖然喬布斯有著喜怒無(wú)常的性格缺點(diǎn),他身上還是有一種獨(dú)特的魅力和團(tuán)隊(duì)影響力,引導(dǎo)他們想要去改變世界。喬布斯對(duì)團(tuán)隊(duì)成員表示拉斯金只是一個(gè)空想家,而他自己卻是實(shí)干家,他會(huì)在一年內(nèi)完成Mac電腦。很明顯,因?yàn)樗麖柠惿?xiàng)目被奪權(quán),他需要證明自己,競(jìng)爭(zhēng)激發(fā)了他的斗志。喬布斯甚至公開與麗莎項(xiàng)目的負(fù)責(zé)人約翰·庫(kù)奇打賭5000美元,賭Mac會(huì)比Lisa電腦先完成。“我們可以做一個(gè)比麗莎更廉價(jià)更好的電腦,我們必須搶先一步做出來(lái)?!彼@樣告訴整個(gè)團(tuán)隊(duì)。
【翻譯筆記】
1. buffer:計(jì)算機(jī)術(shù)語(yǔ)指緩沖區(qū)/緩沖器,我們??吹降囊曨l正在緩沖即可翻譯成buffering。也可指車輛中的減震器。buffer同樣也是個(gè)政治詞匯,緩沖國(guó)(a buffer state)指夾在兩個(gè)對(duì)立的或潛在敵對(duì)的強(qiáng)權(quán)國(guó)家之間的國(guó)家,并通過(guò)它的存在來(lái)避免兩國(guó)之間的沖突。文中使用的buffer表示緩解,緩和的意思。
2. temperamental failings:喜怒無(wú)常的缺點(diǎn)
temperament是個(gè)中性名詞,表示氣質(zhì)、性情和性格,但加上詞尾變化成形容詞則表示脾氣喜怒無(wú)常、捉摸不定。
failings詞根為動(dòng)詞fail(失?。?,表示失敗、過(guò)失和缺點(diǎn)。failings還有一個(gè)比較特殊的用法,用作介詞表示如果沒有...
3. make a dent in the universe: 在世界留下印記,改變世界。
dent的原意是指凹痕,make a dent in the universe,渺小的人在茫茫宇宙留下痕跡,用自己的力量改變世界?!秵滩妓箓鳌返闹形淖g本的宣傳語(yǔ)“活著就是為了改變世界”的原文即是:We are here to put a dent in the universe, (Otherwise why else even be here),這也是喬布斯一直以來(lái)的夢(mèng)想和愿景,他做到了。