言、象、意是中国古代语言哲学的核心范畴,它们之间的互动关系代表了中国传统的语言观念,有助于人们理解语言的表述功能。无论是单语表达还是跨语言表达即翻译,言、象、意三者之间的关系都要接受定位。在文学翻译中,译文就是经过译者对言、象、意这三者的关系进行再度还原的结果。通过对葛浩文所译毕飞宇的小说《青衣》和莫言的小说《红高粱家族》英译本的考察,可以发现文学翻译中言、象、意的还原模式。其中有一度还原,即原文中的这三个元素在译文中都获得了忠实的再现;其次就是二度还原,即这三个元素中有两个获得了忠实还原,另外一个元素则发生了变化;再次就是三度还原,即言、象、意中有两个元素发生了变化,只忠实地还原了原文的意义。

Speech, image and meaning are the three key elements in Chinese language philosophy. The relationship among them represents the traditional Chinese language philosophy and promotes people's understanding of the expressive function of language. No matter in Chinese language or in its English translation, the relationship among speech, image and meaning needs allocating. The literature translation is the result of translators' conveying of relationship among speech, image and meaning. By looking at Howard Goldblatt's translation of “The Moon Opera” and “Red Sorghum”, we may find out three ways of conveying of speech, image and meaning. They are first, second and third levels. First level is faithful conveying of speech, image and meaning in the translated version. Second level is only two of the three elements are faithfully conveyed into the translated version. Third level is only one of the three elements, namely meaning, is faithfully conveyed into the translated version.