出刊年月/Date of Publishing

1991.12

所屬卷期/Vol. & No.   第21卷第4期 Vol. 21, No. 4

類型/Type                 研究論文 Research Article

篇名/Title
Border Crossing: Translating Theory
跨越邊界：翻譯理論

作者/Author
米樂 J. Hillis Miller

頁碼/Pagination
pp. 27-51

摘要
美國文學理論正在世界各地被翻譯與挪用。如果文學理論探討文學作品使用文字來改變歷史、社會和個人生活的方式，那麼理論如何跨越國家、語言和文化的邊界呢？文學理論的某些特徵似乎不容許如此之翻譯，因爲理論有賴於原文的語法特徵。好的文學理論經常源於閱讀文學作品。理論如何能夠脫離本土的根源呢？希伯來 (Hebrew) 和基督敎聖經中的《路得記》(Ruth) 可以當作理論轉譯過程的託寓。起初路得長於摩押 (Moabite) 文化，她卻跨越邊界進入以色列，也就是將自己「轉化」或「被轉化」成新文化的語法，進而被同化了。不過，她也帶來某些自己的特色，這些是無法全盤翻譯與同化的。同理，文學理論也有其頑強固執的特性。雖然如此，它在其他文化和語言中卻能夠被同化。幾個世紀以來，

《路得記》在西方文化中屢被翻譯或誤譯或挪用，不一而足。雖然理論的洞見經常源於本地的閱讀行爲，而且除非與閱讀行爲有關，否則亳無用處，但是它卻能夠從原地轉移到任何語言的閱讀時刻。理論之得以翻譯乃是因爲理論，不管表相如何，是語言的踐行式 (performative) 運用，而不是認知的運用。正如婚禮的文字可以使對對佳偶締結姻緣，理論的成形在轇轕的關係脈絡中也是有效的。

Abstract
American literary theory has been translated and appropriated in all parts of the world. If literary theory examines the use of language in literary works so as to transform history, society and individual life style, then how can theory overcome national, language and cultural borders? These features of literary theory would seem not to permit this kind of translation because theory depends on the grammatical features of the original text. If good literary theory often comes from reading literary works, how can theory break away from its local origins? The Hebrew and Christian bible story of Ruth can serve as a parable of the process of theory transformation. Originally brought up in the Moabite culture, Ruth crosses the border into Israel and transforms or is transformed herself by the new cultural syntax, and is thus assimilated. However, the personal characteristics that she brings with her cannot be completely translated and integrated. Literary theory is similarly stubborn and tenacious, yet it can still be assimilated into other cultures and languages. Several centuries ago, in the West, there were numerous translations, mistranslation or appropriations of the book of Ruth. Although theoretical insight often originates from locally specific readers, unless it relates to that reader it is useless. Nonetheless, that insight transfers from its place of origin into any language at the time of reading. Theory’s openness to translation is a result of the fact that a theory, despite appearances, is a “performative,” not a cognitive use of language. Just as the performative words of the Christian wedding ceremony are functional only during a specific part of that ceremony, the same words nonetheless can be used innumerable times to marry innumerable couples; similarly, the formulation of literary theory, derived from the unique act of reading, can be effective in unique new contexts.

關鍵字/Key Word
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DOI
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學門分類/Subject
文學 Literature