2. 授課大綱
I. How ready are you for the
job?
II. Issues related to the
translation of these campus
ballads
III. Evaluating and Discussing the
English Translation
IV. Conclusion
3. Student preparation for the songs
1. Can you sing the songs?
2. Did you read the lyrics in Chinese and English
in advance?
3. How much do you know about the meanings,
structure (stanza), rhyme, rhythm of the
original?
5. How will you interpret the original songs in a
time when KTV culture and individualized
interpretations of songs become popular?
6. What's your prior knowledge and attitude
toward the song translation project so far?
7. What seems to interest you and what will be
helpful for you when you start
creating/translating your own songs?
4. II. Issues related to song translation
of these campus ballads
A. Functional approach in translation studies
B. Related Questions to consider
1. What's the purpose of the translation project?
2. Who will be the target readers/singers of the TT?
3. What will be their English level like?
4. Which is more important: translating for this
project: translate the meanings in the ST, or
creating pleasant sounds in the TT for pop songs?
5. Will it be more effective to write new lyrics
tailoring to the English syntax and expressive
nature in songs, or will it be more important to
convey the poetic effects and meanings in the
original?
5. III. Evaluating and Discussing the
English Translation
1. Let's sing and analyze the original ST
2. Let's look at the English songs and listen
to the songs
3. What do the title and chorus (repeated
parts) tell you about the main idea of
the poem/song?
4. How many stanzas are there? How does
the song go from one stanza to another?
What does the concluding line tell us
about the meaning and sound effects to
be emphasized in the song?
6. “Leaving On A Jet Plane” John Denver
All my bags are packed I'm ready to go
I'm standin' here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
But the dawn is breakin' it's early morn
The taxi's waitin' he's blowin' his horn
Already I'm so lonesome I could die
So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again
Oh baby, I hate to go
There's so many times I've let you down
So many times I've played around
I tell you now, they don't mean a thing
Every place I go, I'll think of you
Every song I sing, I'll sing for you
When I come back, I'll bring your wedding ring
Source:
7. So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go
Guitar Solo
Now the time has come to leave you
One more time let me kiss you
Close your eyes I'll be on my way
Dream about the days to come
When I won't have to leave alone
About the times, I won't have to say
So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go
Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again
Oh baby, I hate to go
Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again
Oh baby, I hate to go
8. "No Sign of It“ by Natalie Grant
It's a long wait at the gate
Just to glimpse your fate
Just to see whether it all works out
It's a long road, a heavy load
You gotta really want to go
And just let the others walk around
You now
Up and down again
But this time it's different
It took some waiting to straighten
Out the bend
In and out of luck
Yeah at times it was difficult
I got a new life baby, It takes some getting used to but...
9. [Chorus:]
No sign of any rain
My skies are clear today
I keep bracing for that hit
But there's not sign of it
No obstacles in sight
My skies are clear tonight (My skies are full of
light)
I keep thinking I might see that cloud arrive
Oh but there's no sign of it
No sign of it
10. And as I look around, it's all new ground
The leaves on the trees touch down
But I'm above weightless as a dream
It's been a long road, a heavy load
I just simply had to go
Had to get here hard as it's been
In and out of luck
Yeah at time it was difficult
I got a new life baby, it takes some getting
Used to but...
[Repeat Chorus]
11. Translating these songs:
1. How does the main melody sound?
2. How many syllables can fit in a
line?
3. 英文歌詞創作與填寫練習
1. Try to keep the theme of the poem
and write an English poem with
syllables that can fit in the song
2. To do that, you may want to read
more well-written English poem/songs
12. IV. Conclusion
Listen to the song/feelings in your
heart
Create the English lyrics that speak to
you in the songs
Create songs that you enjoy singing
Create songs that sing to your
listeners
