Nature of Translation and Its Criterion Unit 2. Unit 2 Nature of Translation and Its Criterion Focuses: Nature of translation Translating criterion Translating

Nature of Translation and Its Criterion

Unit 2

Unit 2 Nature of Translation and Its Criterion

Focuses:

Nature of translation

Translating criterion

Translating process


I. Nature of translation

1. Translation is a language activity

2. Translation is a communicative activity

3. Translation is a thinking activity



(1) The horse is a useful animal.

这马是一个 / 种有用的动物。

马是有用的动物。

* In Chinese when something general is talked about, articles should be omitted.



(2) Carlisle street runs westward, across a great black bridge, down a hill and up again, by little shops and meatmarkets, past single-storied homes, until suddenly it stops against a wide green lawn.

卡莱尔大街往西伸展，越过一座黑色大桥，爬下上岗又爬上去，经过许多小铺和肉市，又经过一些平房，然后，突然朝着一大片绿色草地中止了。



* an English sentence often has one verb governing several nouns strung together by prepositions, while a Chinese sentence usually features more frequently uses of verbs.



(3) The people of a small country can certainly defeat aggression by a big country, if only they dare to rise in struggle, dare to take up arms and grasp in their own hands the destiny of their own country.

小国人民只要敢于起来斗争，敢于拿起武器并掌握自己国家的命运，就一定能打败大国的侵略。



* In English the most important information tends to be put at the very beginning of a sentence, while a Chinese sentence often ends with the focal point.


A translator needs to know well about the linguistic characteristics of both the source language and the target language.



2. Translation is a communicative activity Communicative purposes: does the author of the text try to inform, to persuade, or merely to release his feelings so as to strike a sympathetic chord with the reader?

Relationship between the author and the reader: this refers to the degrees of language formality. Does the author assume a tone of politeness, colloquialism, intimacy, etc.?

The medium through which a text is conveyed (The channel through which communication takes place): (1) A text written to be spoken (e.g. monologue, dialogue or speech); (2) a text written not necessarily to be spoken (to be read, to be read as if heard or to be read as if overheard.)


2. Translation is a communicative activity POND’S DISCOVERS HOW TO

FIGHT DRYNESS

EVERY TIME YOU WASH YOU FACE

Instead of soap, try a whole new way to wash your face. Pond’s Facial Cleaning Foam. It’s a light, refreshing foam that cleans thoroughly, cleans gently, but doesn’t dry your skin as soap does.

New Pond’s leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth every time you wash your face. Try it and see. No one knows more about beautiful skin than Pond’s.



第十条外国合营者在履行法律和协议、合同规定的义务后分得的净利润，在合营企业期满或终止时所分得的资金以及其他资金，可按合营企业合同规定的货币，按外汇管理条例汇往国外。鼓励外国合营者将可汇出的外汇存入中国银行。 ( 《中华人民共和国中外合作经营企业法》 )



Discussion: the communicative purpose of, the relationship between the author and the reader in each of the two texts, and the communicative medium through which each of the two texts is conveyed.



Advertisement: to persuade the reader to buy the product. The author tried to sound colloquial and friendly. It falls into the category of being read as if heard (the designers of such advertisements believe when the reader reads this text as if he were being given advice by a friend, doctor or expert, that he would tend to be persuade and buy the product.).

Legal document: inform the parties concerned of their respective rights and responsibilities. The drafter intended to leave the reader with an impression of objectiveness and detachment. It is written to be read.



Texts with different communicative features often demonstrate distinct lexical, syntactical and grammatical characteristics. It is essential for the translator to be aware of such linguistic differences and faithfully reflect them in the target text.


Thinking dominates all human activities. Language communication, as a sophisticated human activity, is actually the verbal presentation of the participants’ inner thoughts. In this sense, translation transfers not only the meaning but also the thought.




不坚持，就会失败。

If you don’t hold on, you will fail.

Keep on, or we’ll fail.

One will fail unless he preserves.



The Chinese way of thinking: the logical relationship is implicit ( 意合 ); The English way of thinking: requires the explicit demonstrations of logical relationship in the sentence structure ( 形合 ).


3. Translation is a thinking activity Wisdom prepares for the worst; but folly leaves the worst for the day it comes.

( 聪明人防患于未然，愚蠢这临渴掘井 )

In line with the latest trends in fashion, a few dress designers have been sacrificing elegance to audacity.

( 有些时装设计师为了赶时髦，舍弃了优雅别致的式样，而一味追求袒胸露体的奇装异服。 )



枯藤老树昏鸦，小桥流水人家，古道西风瘦马 ,…Over old trees wreathed with rotten vine fly evening crows;

Neath tiny bridge besides a cot a clear stream flows;

On ancient road in western breeze a lean horse goes;

…



Chinese people tend to think in the concrete terms ( 具象思维 ), while the people in the West often view things from an abstract perspective ( 抽象思维 ).



Spring has so much more than speech in its unfolding flowers and leaves, and the coursing of its streams, and in its sweet restless seeking!

春花含苞欲放，绿叶缓缓舒展，溪水潺潺流淌，欢乐的春天涌现着无限的追求和希望，这一切难以用语言倾诉表达。



Chinese way of thinking is synthetical ( 综合型思维 ), while the West way of thinking is analytical ( 分析型思维 )



The thick carpet killed the sound of my footsteps.

( 我走在厚厚的地毯上，一点脚步声也没有。 )

Memoranda were prepared in advance of private meetings on matters to be discussed.

( 在举行个别交谈之前，我已经就所有要讨论的问题预先拟好了备忘录。 )



Burnout has been described as dropping or quitting of an activity that was at one time enjoyable.



Chinese way of thinking is human-oriented ( 本体型思维 ), while the Western of thinking is object-oriented ( 客体型思维 ).



您先请： After you

九五折： 5% off / discount

自学： self-taught

寒衣：warm-clothes

座钟： standing clock

油漆未干：wet paint



The Chinese pattern of thinking follows a clockwise direction（顺向思维） ; while Western is counterclockwise ( 逆向思维 ).


II. Translation criterion

严复：信、达、雅

鲁迅：信、顺（保存原作丰姿，并力求其易解。）

矛盾：用纯粹的祖国语言，忠实传达原作的内容和风格

钱钟书：完全保存原作的风味，不因语文习惯的差异而露出生硬牵强的痕迹。

等值论：建立的思想与语言统一的基础上，要求译作与原作不仅有相同的信息、思想、形象、意境和情调，而且要有相同的言语节奏、言语风格、言语韵味、和言语美学价值。坚持翻译应以争取最大等值的译文为目标。



忠实（原作思想内容及风格）

通顺（通顺易懂、合乎规范）



1. Correctness

He is physically weak but mentally sound.

他身体虽弱，但思想健康。他身体虽弱，但精神尚佳。



1. Correctness

He found them pushing needles, thread, pots, pans, ribbons, yarn, scissors and buttons to housewives.

他发现他们在向家庭主妇推销针头线脑、锅碗瓢盆。他发现他们在向家庭主妇推销针线、锅罐、绸缎、剪刀和纽扣。



2. Comprehensibility

Hailed as an Iacacca, he now must meet added competition.

他把自己标榜为艾柯卡，眼下一定会遇到更多的竞争对手。

他把自己标榜为艾柯卡式的金融巨子，眼下一定会遇到更多的竞争对手。



2. Comprehensibility 富贵功名若长在，汉水也应西北流。

If wealth and rank were long constant, then indeed might the water of the Han River flow northwest.

Unless could the stream flow backward to its fountain, wealth and honor could remain forever.



3. Closeness

… Size don’t matter, chopping wood…

说到劈柴，个头并不重要。个头没啥关系，劈柴嘛。。。


III. Translation process

1. Pre-translating stage: Reading ( 译前：理解 )

2. While-translating stage: Writing （译中：表达）

3. Post-translating stage: Editing （译后：审校）


旁氏新发现 ----

洗完脸，皮肤也不紧绷

丢掉香皂，尝试一种全新的洗脸方法 ---- 旁氏泡沫洁面乳。轻盈、舒爽的泡沫能温和、彻底的清洁你的面部，却不会像香皂那样令皮肤紧绷。

新旁氏让你洗完脸后，享受娇嫩光滑的肌肤。试试看吧！旁氏，美化肌肤的专家。


Article 10 The net profit which a foreign participant receives as his share after executing his obligations under the pertinent laws, agreements and contracts, the funds he receives at the time when the joint venture terminates or winds up its operations, and his other funds may be remitted abroad in accordance with the foreign exchange regulations and in the currency or currencies specified in the contracts concerning the joint venture. A foreign participant shall receive inducements for depositing in the Bank of China any part of foreign exchange which he is entitled to remit abroad.

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Nature of Translation and Its Criterion Unit 2. Unit 2 Nature of Translation and Its Criterion Focuses: Nature of translation Translating criterion Translating