Hourglass Lake 弗拉季彌爾‧納博考夫的翻譯與評論 -- for fans of Vladimir Nabokov (if there’s any out there). [All translations of VN are done by 毛錐子, unless noted otherwise. In other words, all rights are reserved.]

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"[T]here is a certain type of critic who when reviewing a work of fiction keeps dotting all the i's with the author's head." (SO, p. 18)


「有一類評者專會在評論小說的時候，拿作者的頭顱來為每個『我』字加圈加點。*」

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"My advice to a budding literary critic would be as follows. Learn to distinguish banality. Remember that mediocrity thrives on 'ideas.' Beware of the modish message. Ask yourself if the symbol you have detected is not your own footprint. Ignor allegories. By all means place the 'how' above the 'what' but do not let it be confused with the 'so what.' Rely on the sudden erection of your small dorsal hairs. Do not drag in Freud at this point. All the rest depends on personal talent." (SO, p. 66)


「我對文學批評界的新秀有如下的忠告。要學會如何辨識陳腔濫調。要記住平庸專靠『觀念』而茁長。要小心流行的信息。要自問查獲的象徵是否只是自己的腳印。不要理睬寓言。儘可以把『如何』放在『什麼』之上，但不要與『又怎麼樣』相混。要相信背上汗毛的突然悚立。不要在此刻把弗洛伊德牽扯進來。其它一切，就端賴個人的天份了。」

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【摘自《Strong Opinions》】


* 原文「dotting all the i's with the author's head」出自俚語「cross the t's and dot the i's」（t 字添橫，i 字加點），意指完成工作前最後的檢查補正。此處以作者頭顱來為「i」字加點的說法，一方面指評者越俎代庖妄作補充，一方面指評者一心要在書中那個「我」的身上找出作者的影子。譯文「加圈加點」就扼殺了原文那鮮活有趣的「i」字圖象。