双语读物：我们如何建立名誉（英汉对照）.doc

1、 翻译评论 QQ 群：54592418牛斯狗评论 系列双语读物How we construct our reputations我们如何建立名誉While engineers can be judged almost instantly by the quality of their work, a longer-term view is required when examining the reputations of our politicians, says Lisa Jardine in her Point of View column.丽莎贾丁在观点专栏中说，凭借其作品，人们几乎可以

2、立刻判定工程师的优劣。而政治家的名誉必须经受时间的考验。At some point during his final year at university, my eldest son explained to me why he had decided on a career as an engineer, and had never considered following me into an academic life in the humanities.我的大儿子在大学最后一年，曾向我解释他为何决心做一名工程师，却从未考虑追随我从事人文学术研究。“The thing is“, he

3、said, “when an engineer designs and builds a bridge, he is assessed strictly on the basis of the work he has produced. If the bridge does what it was intended to do, he is a good engineer. If it fails - if, at worst, it falls down - he is a bad one.“事实是， ”他说， “当一名工程师设计和制造桥梁时，人们以他生产的产品为基础对其进行严格评估。如果桥

4、梁达到了设计效果，他是个好工程师。如果失败，或者情况更糟，桥塌了，他就是个糟糕的工程师。 ”“Whereas,“ he continued, “in your profession, there are no objective criteria 翻译评论 QQ 群：54592418牛斯狗评论 系列双语读物for success. However original what you write is, your reputation depends almost entirely on the opinion of others.“然而， ”他接着说， “在你的职业里没有客观的成功标准。虽然你

5、在创作，但你的名声几乎完全依赖于他人的意见。 ”In the end my son did not become a civil engineer - he works in semiconductors. But driving across France a couple of weeks ago, I found it easy to understand why he chose bridge-building as his example of a feat of engineering which can stand up to public scrutiny. Whichever

6、 route you take southwards, sooner or later you will find yourself gasping in amazement as you speed across a viaduct of almost impossible daring and beauty, suspended between sky and earth, seemingly defying the laws of gravity.最终，我的儿子没有成为土木工程师，他供职于半导体领域。但在几周前我驾车穿越法国，我发现很容易理解儿子要做桥梁工程师的选择，因为他所例举的一项工

7、程壮举正高高耸立，接受公众的检阅。向南行驶，不管你选择哪一条路，迟早你会惊奇地发现，当你飞驰在似乎无视重力、高悬在天空与大地之间的高架桥上，你几乎无法不惊叹于这一勇气和美的杰作。In summer 2005, our slightly circuitous descent to the Mediterranean took us across the newly opened Millau viaduct on the A75 - architect Norman Fosters magnificent recent addition to the French landscape. It h

8、ad been opened the previous winter with much pomp and ceremony by the then French President Jacques Chirac.2005年夏天，我们绕道来到地中海，途中穿过了 A75高速公路（设计师诺曼福斯特近期在法国美景上的杰作）上新开通的米约高架桥，这座大桥是去年冬天贯通的，当时的法国总统雅克希拉克参加了揭幕仪式。Only days before our own holiday departure in late July the following year, we had been glued to

9、our television as the 18th stage of the 2005 Tour de France took the riders under the new bridge, affording the world of cycling enthusiasts magnificent aerial views of the soaring, elegant, structure, gracefully curving across the Gorge du Tarn, courtesy of the accompanying helicopters.第二年的七月下旬，在去度

10、假的前一天，我们一直盯着电视，看着2005年环法自行车赛第18赛段的车手们在直升机的护航下，穿过这座翻译评论 QQ 群：54592418牛斯狗评论 系列双语读物新桥，全世界的自行车爱好者也大饱眼福，目睹了横跨塔恩峡谷的高耸入云、壮观优雅的拱形曲线结构。That was the year American cyclist Lance Armstrong won the Tour for an unprecedented seventh time. Nevertheless, the Millau viaduct stole some of his thunder as he made his w

11、ay triumphantly towards Paris to claim the famous final yellow jersey.这一年，美国自行车手兰斯阿姆斯特朗史无前例地第七次获得巡回赛冠军。不过，当他志得意满地驶往巴黎、认领著名的黄色决赛领骑衫时，米约高架桥多多少少抢了他的风头。I said that the Millau bridge was the work of architect Lord Norman Foster. It is to him that we owe the purity of its minimalist good looks. The delica

12、te cable-stayed structure appears almost transparent, and seems to slice like a sharpened knife-edge through the lush landscape crossing this impossibly wide section of the valley of the Tarn.我认为，米约大桥是建筑师诺曼福斯特勋爵的杰作。因为他，我们才拥有了抽象派简约的纯洁。微妙的斜拉桥结构几乎是透明的，仿佛削尖的刀片，不可思议地穿过茂密的塔恩河谷广阔地域。But in fact the name tha

13、t heads the dossier of those responsible is not that of the architect, but of the prize-winning French engineer Michel Virlogeux. Dr Virlogeux is the engineer behind an impressive number of spectacular suspension bridges, including the Vasco da Gama bridge across the Targus river near Lisbon (comple

14、ted in 1998), which is the longest suspension bridge in Europe.但事实上，大桥的负责人不是建筑师本人，而是获奖的法国工程师米歇尔维洛热。维洛热博士作为幕后设计者，参与设计了数目可观的悬索桥，其中包括里斯本附近的达伽马大桥，完成于1998年，横跨泰格斯河，是欧洲最长的悬索桥。The construction company responsible for financing and building the Millau viaduct has a particularly distinguished history of invol

15、vement with iconic structures on a very grand scale. The Eiffage group was the company responsible for the Eiffel Tower in Paris, designed by the firms founder, Gustave Eiffel, as the gateway to the Universal Exposition of 1889.负责融资和建设米约高架桥的建筑公司，有着大规模参与标志性建筑修建的辉煌历史。埃法日集团的创始人是古斯塔夫艾菲尔，曾在1889翻译评论 QQ 群：

16、54592418牛斯狗评论 系列双语读物年负责修建巴黎的艾菲尔铁塔，作为世界博览会的大门。Wobbly 摇摆Until the construction of the Chrysler Building in New York in 1930, the Eiffel Tower was the tallest man-made structure in the world. Fittingly, perhaps, the tallest pylon of the Millau bridge stands 343 metres tall - 22 metres taller than the E

17、iffel Tower itself.在1930年纽约克莱斯勒大楼建成之前，艾菲尔铁塔一直是世界上最高的人造建筑。也许可以确切地说，米约大桥的桥塔最高达343米，比艾菲尔铁塔高出22米。Bridge-building on a heroic scale goes deep into French history and culture. It was Napoleon Bonaparte who in 1804 established the Conseil Gnral des Ponts et Chausses - the General Council for Bridges and Ro

18、ads - by imperial decree, to oversee a massive road and bridge-building programme providing proper communications (and military marching routes) from one end of France to the other.在法国的历史和文化中，有大规模建设桥梁的传统。拿破仑波拿巴于1804年颁布圣旨，成立了道路和桥梁总理事会，从法国的一段向另一端提供适当的通信（和军事行军路线） ，监督大规模道路和桥梁建设项目。Michel Virlogeux (the m

19、an behind the Millau viaduct) was trained and later taught in the highly esteemed Ecole Nationale for bridges and roads - the worlds oldest civil engineering school, founded in 1747. In keeping with this very French tradition of treating engineers with special esteem, Gustave Eiffel had the names of

20、 72 great French scientists and engineers inscribed on the frieze below the first balcony of his Eiffel Tower.米歇尔维洛热（米约高架桥背后的功臣）在声名显赫的国立高等桥梁和道路学院接受训练，并在此任教。这是世界上最古老的土木学院，成立于1747年。为维护法国特有的崇拜工程师的传统，古斯塔夫艾菲尔在艾菲尔铁塔第一层塔身下的装饰带上，镌刻了法国72位伟大的科学家和工程师的名字。We in Britain are rather more suspicious of ambitious pub

21、lic projects of this kind. Norman Fosters name is associated with a bridge of comparable grace and elegance to the Millau Viaduct, the Millennium Bridge in London. It, 翻译评论 QQ 群：54592418牛斯狗评论 系列双语读物however, threatened to become dubbed one of those “failures“ my son believed could ruin an engineers r

22、eputation for good.在英国，我们总是对这种雄心勃勃的公共工程项目心存怀疑。诺曼福斯特的名字是与伦敦的千年桥联系在一起的，这座大桥的优雅和高贵可以媲美米约高架桥。然而，它却成为“失败” 的代名词，在我儿子看来，工程师的良好名誉可能因此被毁。 Originally designated the “blade of light“ bridge by its design team (which also included the distinguished sculptor Sir Anthony Caro), this lean, improbably low-slung, si

23、lvery cable-suspension bridge across the Thames from St Pauls Cathedral to Tate Modern, quickly became known - and is still known to Londoners today - as the “wobbly bridge“. On its opening day, as a parade of local schoolchildren marched across it, accompanied by unexpectedly large numbers of onloo

24、kers, the bridge began to heave and sway. I know, because I was there. If, like me, you were prone to sea-sickness, you were driven to cling to one of the handrails of the bridge, and edge your way gingerly to safety. The bridge was closed as unsafe after only two days.原先的设计团队（其中也包括著名雕塑家安东尼卡罗爵士）计划将它

25、设计成“光之刃 ”，这座通体细长、极其低矮、泛着银光的悬索桥跨越泰晤士河，连接起圣保罗大教堂和泰特现代美术馆，并很快以“摇晃桥”的绰号名闻天下，即使今天在伦敦这也是众人皆知。开幕当天，当本地学生游行穿过桥上，意外地出现了大量围观者，大桥开始隆起和摇摆。我知道这个情况，因为我就在现场。如果你像我一样容易晕船的话，就要抓牢大桥的扶手，才能小心翼翼地走到安全地带。仅仅两天后，大桥就因为安全问题被迫关闭。During the period of closure, the reputations of those associated with it certainly suffered. The Mi

26、llennium Bridge was dubbed “Britains most infamous architectural experiment“ and the team responsible for its innovative design was accused of not having anticipated obvious potential risks.停业期间，与大桥相关机构的名誉肯定受到影响。千年桥被称为“英国最臭名昭著的建筑实验”，对其创新设计负责的机构被指责未能预见到明显的潜在风险。Fortunately, the engineering problem was

27、 eventually solved by adding 翻译评论 QQ 群：54592418牛斯狗评论 系列双语读物almost 100 discretely placed energy dissipating horizontal dampers and inertial vertical shock-absorbers, and the Millennium Bridge reopened in February 2002. Since then it has become a much-loved London landmark and has enhanced the reputat

28、ion of its engineers, Ove Arup and Partners.幸运的是，工程问题终于得到解决，分散放置了近100个水平能量减震器和和垂直惯性减震器后，千年桥在2002年2月重新开放。从那时起，它已成为深受人们喜爱的伦敦标志，施工方奥雅纳工程顾问公司的名誉也得到加强。Apparently, then, reputations are not only made and lost for engineers by the structures they create, they can even be saved by some ingenious and innovat

29、ive solutions to problems - like wobble - that arise. So is it really the case that those of us who have to depend on less concrete evidence of our abilities to establish our standing in the world are more vulnerable to having our achievements diminished simply on the whim of others?显而易见，工程师的名誉不仅来自他

30、们创造的建筑，也来自于对随之而来的（如同桥梁的摇摆）问题找出巧妙和创新的解决方法。那么，不依赖能力的具体证据来建立的名誉，仅凭别人的兴趣就会消失，这样的名誉是否更加不堪一击？ Shakespeare would certainly have it so. In Othello, Cassio, the Moors lieutenant, led astray by the malevolent Iago, and caught drunk on duty by his master Othello, bewails the fact that his rash behaviour has pe

31、rmanently deprived him of his position of esteem in the eyes of the world:莎士比亚一定会如此认为。在奥赛罗中，摩尔人的副官凯西奥被恶意伊阿古的出卖，主人奥赛罗发现他在值班时喝醉，凯西奥的鲁莽行为使其在全世界的目光中被永久地剥夺了尊严，他哀号道：“Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial.“名誉，名

32、誉，名誉！啊，我已经失去了名誉！我已经失去了自己不朽的一部分，剩下的就是兽性。 ”Try as he may, Cassio cannot regain his masters trust, and all his subsequent actions are interpreted by Othello as further evidence of his unreliability. Eventually, of course, Othello is even persuaded by Iago that Cassio has seduced his blameless wife Desd

33、emona.尽管凯西奥做过尝试，但他无法再挽回主人的信任，他的所有后续行翻译评论 QQ 群：54592418牛斯狗评论 系列双语读物动都被奥赛罗解读为他越发不忠。最后，理所当然地，奥赛罗甚至相信了伊阿古的话，认为凯西奥勾引了他无可指责的妻子苔丝狄蒙娜。But if my son thinks those who make a career in the humanities are liable to have their reputation tarnished on the whim of an academic committee or a Sunday supplement book

34、reviewer, he might consider the even worse lot of politicians. For them, reputations are won and lost at a yet faster rate.但是，如果我儿子认为人文工作者的名誉容易被学术委员会或周日副刊的书评所诋毁，他可能会觉得政治家们的境遇更糟糕。对他们来说，名誉的获得和失去速度更快。Which may explain why our own politicians are currently anxious to secure public approval by their mode

35、st choice of holiday destination, in keeping with the new governments austerity measures.这也许可以解释，为什么我们自己的政客们目前急于选择朴素的度假地点，获得公众的认可，以期与政府的紧缩措施保持一致。Gone are the photo-opportunities in glamorous villas in Sardinia and Barbados, lent by foreign heads of state or pop stars, the cruises with Russian oligar

36、chs. This summer, we are told, the Camerons are holidaying frugally in Cornwall, while David Miliband and his family have rented a humble cottage in Northumberland. The Cleggs will take a break in Olmedo, just south of the Spanish city of Valladolid, where his wife was born, and which is, according

37、to the deputy prime minister, “totally off the tourist track“.人们不会有机会在撒丁岛和巴巴多斯看到外国元首或流行明星，以及乘坐游艇的俄罗斯寡头。我们被告知，今年夏天，卡梅伦一家在康沃尔郡度过了节俭的假期，大卫米利班德及其家人在诺森伯兰郡租了一幢简朴的小屋。克莱格一家将在西班牙城市巴利亚多利德以南的奥尔梅多度假，那里是他妻子的出生地，据副总理说， “旅游路线完全关闭。”I doubt that such efforts will have much effect. The tide of events may thwart even

38、the best-intentioned efforts of politicians to build lasting reputations. At any moment, a sudden drop in the economic growth-rate is enough to turn public opinion.我怀疑这种努力会有多大效果。各种事件频发，即使是政客们最善意的努力也难免受到影响。在任何时刻，经济增长率的突然下降都足以翻译评论 QQ 群：54592418牛斯狗评论 系列双语读物扭转公众的意见。Their consolation has to be that in the long view, the verdict of history is more considered, and may yet restore that immortality of reputation to which Shakespeare has Cassio declare such passionate commitment.他们对民众的安抚，必须以中长期的眼光来看，更要考虑历史的评判，它可能尚不足以将莎士比亚借凯西奥之口宣布的热情承诺，恢复成为“不朽”的名誉。