公共标语存在的问题和汉译英翻译策略研究

论文总字数：31392字

摘 要

公示语是国家的名片，城市的面孔。随着改革开放的发展，我国走向了国际化道路，但也不能否认，公示语翻译现在还存在着大量的问题，这是非常影响城市乃至中国的公共形象的。公示语是国际化都市、国际旅游目的地语言环境、人文环境的重要组成。由于公示语在公众和旅游者生活中的重要意义，对公示语的任何歧意、误解、滥用都会导致不良的“国际影响”。只有认真探讨公示语翻译，才能准确发挥公示语在我国深化改革，扩大开放的信息作用。随着国际化的深入发展，越来越多的国家开始重视公共标语的翻译。论文旨在研究公示语翻译的特点，功能，存在的问题，原因，翻译技巧改进以及现实意义。最后作者提出一些如何在交际翻译理论下将公共标语翻译地地道精准。

关键词: 公共标语；汉英翻译；翻译对策；问题

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. An Overview of C-E Public Signs Translation 3

2.1 Definition and Classification of Public Signs 3

2.2 The Stylistic Characteristics of Public Signs 4

3. Problems in the Translation of Public Signs 4

3.1 Using Chinglish Rather than Proper Expressions 4

3.2 Ignorance of Cultural Background Knowledge 6

3.3 Word Redundancy 7

3.4 Wrong Spelling 7

3.5 Grammatical Errors 8

4. Strategies to the Translation Problems 8

4.1 Choice of Different Cultural Connotations 8

4.2 Borrowing from English 10

4.3 Choice of Expressions 10

4.4 Extension 11

4.5 Omission 12

5. Conclusion 13

Works Cited 14

1. Introduction

When we come to a new place, public signs will offer guidance to us. And English public signs will and should be one of the useful guides for English speakers in China. In fact, C-E public signs translations are so poor that few English speakers turn to them. The popularizing globalization and the coming of Beijing Olympic Games 2008 and World Expo Shanghai 2010 all require a much nicer international language environment. As an indispensable part of international language environment, English version of public signs should be improved to be more standard and idiomatic, to be easily comprehended by native English speakers. The use of public signs has a long history, but nowadays the frequently-used public signs in China that are related to traffic, travel, safety and environmental protection, etc, only appear after China adopts the policy of reform and opening up. And “these public signs are the words and pictures that face the public, and transfer the information that notices, indicates, manifests, or warns them of their life, lives, production, and ecology which are all closely related to humans” (王颖, 2007). So we can see that public signs are common and the C-E translation of it should be further explored.

For C-E public signs translation is a difficult task, it’s important to search for some translation theories to provide theoretical basis to make the translation more reasonable and appropriate. Modern functionalism is a suitable theory to guide C-E public signs translation. Before discussing its application to C-E public signs translation, we have to take an overview of its development in history. Katharina Reiss distinguishes between two forms of text catergorization, which are located on different levels of abstraction: on one hand, text types are classified according to the dominant communicative function (basically informative, expressive or operative); on the other hand, text genres or varieties are classified according to linguistic characteristics or conventions (like those of references books, lectures, satires or advertisements). (Nord, 2001:37) According to Reiss, “the ideal translation would be one in which the aim in the target language is equivalence as regards the conceptual content, linguistic form and communicative function of a source language text”. (Nord, 2001:9) The loyalty principle takes account of the interests of the three parties involved (initiators, target receivers, and original authors). And it is the translator’s responsibility to mediate and seek the understanding of the three sides.

This thesis attempts solve the problem of how to translate Chinese public signs into English appropriately, in order to give some advice for the establishing of a nicer international language environment in China. It contains an overview, current situation analysis, communicative translation theory application, and strategies for improvement. Through an overview of C-E public signs translation, the author gives a general impression to make clear some basic concepts of public signs and also attaches importance to this research subject.

In a strange environment, with the help of public signs, people’s working efficiency will be greatly promoted, especially the English-speakers in China. Unfamiliar with all the things, even not understand Chinese, English-speakers need guidance for their work and daily life. Then public signs will be one of their good friends. Public signs, unlike other guides, are free and in great quantity, which can offer help or give notice to the public timely, and neither time-consuming nor costly. So high quality English public signs certainly will benefit westerners a lot.

Moreover, public signs play a role of standardizing, harmonizing, guaranteeing, and stabilizing the society in the course of social, culture, and economic development in each nationality all over the world. With the help of public signs, people’s behavior in public will be standardized, and the whole society will be more harmonious.

Appropriate English public signs also will prove that China is competent to establish a nice international language environment. A nice international language environment is indispensable to an international metropolis. English public signs, a constituent of the international language environment, also can reveal the level of a country or a city’s civilization and modernization.

But in fact, C-E public signs translation is not so pleasing. According to a survey done by C-E signs research center, only 28.2% western tourists will use public signs as their guide, which take the lowest proportion in all the four guides including maps, tourists guides, asking native speakers and public signs. So it is more urgent and important to improve the quality of C-E public signs translation to perfect our international language environment, to encourage the English-speakers to turn to the convenient public signs willingly.

The application of public signs has a long history, and they are playing an important role in the course of social, culture, and economic development in each nationality all over the world. Nowadays they have become more and more perfect, covering a large using range, owning unique characteristics, playing different roles in daily life. However, C-E public signs translation, a component of the international language environment, which is also significant, is not as satisfactory as expected.

2. An Overview of C-E Public Signs Translation

2.1 Definition and Classification of Public Signs

Public signs are the words and pictures that face the public, and transfer the information that notices, indicates, manifests, or warns them of their life, lives, production, and ecology which are all closely related to humans. So we can see that public signs are common. Barry Gray, the chairman of the 145th Technique Committee of International Standardization Organization, says: “Signs are anything from the simplest way finding or information ‘marker’ to the technically sophisticated communication of a message. Signing affects everybody---travelers, shoppers, visitors, drivers etc, whether in the course of business or pleasure.” So public signs can be very simple, and definitely they are related and useful to everyone.

Public signs are not only various in types, but also large in number. To make a clear list of public signs, we can classify those signs into four groups according to their applied functions, directing signs, prompting signs, restricting signs, and compelling signs. (吕和发，2004:38-39) Directing signs aim to offer good service, instead of asking the public to take some actions. Their function lies in the content of the service, such as “Information”, “Service Center”. Then prompting signs, which do not have any specific directing meaning, but only play the role of prompting, can be used widely, like “Sold Out”, “Wet Paint”. Restricting signs are used to standardize or confine the behavior of a certain group of the public with direct words but not rude, like “Ticket Only”, “Handicapped Only”. While compelling signs require the certain public must do or not do something with the words direct and strong, unyielding, like “No Smoking”, “No Overtaking on Bridge”.

Public signs can also be divided into static signs and dynamic signs, according to their information meanings. (吕和发，2004:39) Static signs are often used for indicating something in travel service, travel facilities, sports facilities, commercial facilities, education organizations, such as “International Departure”, “Shopping Mall”. While dynamic signs are often prompting signs, restricting signs, and compelling signs, which possess a large number of dynamic vocabulary, and are widely applied to traffic, public facilities, etc. such as “Turn Right”, “No Tipping”.

2.2 The Stylistic Characteristics of Public Signs

To some extent, the stylistic characteristics of public signs depend on their functions and information meanings. As we have known, there are four kinds of public signs according to their functions. And in the view of the information meanings, there are two. Different types of public signs have different stylistic characteristics. Firstly, a great number of nouns are used in public signs. The public signs designed for static sense and directing function will use a great number of nouns in their expressions to show the information directly and accurately, such as “Roadwork”, “Registration”. Secondly, the use of verbs and gerunds are also common in public signs. The public signs designed for dynamic sense and restricting, and compelling functions will use verbs or gerunds in their expressions to attract the public’s attention to the actions that are required, such as “Keep Silence”, “No Parking”. Thirdly, some phrases are suitable for public signs. Verbal phrases and nominal phrases are widely used in public signs, for their brief structure and easy discerning, such as “Check In”, “Duty Manager”.

3. Problems in the Translation of Public Signs

3.1 Using Chinglish Rather than Proper Expressions

Chinglish refers to the English expressions that are produced by the Chinese People in translation or interpretation, without conforming or without fully conforming to the norms of language use in native English.

In Chinglish the ways of thinking and expressing which can be embodied in the way of choosing the proper words, phrases and ways of collocation are all strongly influenced by the Chinese language. Chinglish is Chinese-like English in structure and in diction (李绍明，2000:105). The different thinking patterns between Chinese people and British people result in their different ways to express ideas. Robert B. Kaplan concludes that Chinese thinking style is intuitive, spiral, while English thinking style is reasonable, abstract and linear (贾玉新，1997:391) Chinglish expressions can not be fully wiped out for Chinese people who grow up most of the time in China. As a result, the Chinese translators must be, to a certain extent, influenced by their mother tongue and produce Chinglish expressions. As a translator, he or she should try to avoid some Chinglish English expressions which can mislead intended readers into wrong comprehension of pragmatic force carried by the target text; otherwise, target readers will get wrong cognition of information from those expressions and sociopragmatic equivalence between the ST and the TT will not be achieved. Please look at the following examples,

南方候车室South Waiting Hall (王银泉amp;陈新仁，2004)

The Chinese sign means a hall in which passengers are waiting for the train or bus that goes to the south, while the English sign is a word to word chinglish translation and it means the waiting hall is located in the southern side. Hence, the English version fails to convey the real meaning of the ST. Why? Obviously, the translator is influenced greatly by his/ her mother tongue-Chinese, thus the Chinglish translation appears. The suggested version is "Waiting Hall for Passengers to the South".

“小心掉到河里”

“Carefully. Fall down to the River.”(罗选民amp;黎土旺，2006)

The Chinese text wants to warn tourists to be careful not to fall into the river. However, the English version seems to persuade people to fall into the river carefully. It fails to carry the intended meaning of the ST as a result of a Chinglish translation. The suggested version is “Be careful, Deep Water.” or “Watch your steps”.

“遇到火灾时，切勿用电梯”

“When these is a fire, don’t Use the elevators.” (罗选民amp;黎土旺，2006)

It seems that there are not any mistakes with the English translation. However, it is in fact a Chinglish translation since it is influenced by Chinese expressing habit. The English translation begins with a “When”-clause which implies that the fire here is likely to take place at any time. Hence, the suggested version is “Do Not Use the Elevator in Case of Fire”.

3.2 Ignorance of Cultural Background Knowledge

In C-E public sign translation, errors caused by a translator’s deficiency of cultural background knowledge account for a certain percentage among all the errors caused by sociopragmatic failure. A translator should by no means ignore the influence of cultural background knowledge on translation of informative public signs; otherwise, the mistranslation will not only transfer false cultural information to foreign tourists, but also be ridiculed by other scholars. As a result, the target readers will not receive the same correct information as the source readers from the source text and thus socio-pragmatic equivalence will fail to be achieved between the ST and the TT. Please look at the following examples:

柬埔寨湿婆Cambodia wet old woman (孔令翠，2005)

“湿婆” is one of the greatest Indian gods in Indian religion who is in charge of the mission of destruction. Obviously, the translator lacks some religious Knowledge about Indian divinities and takes it for granted that “湿婆(siva)” is a hale instead of a female. Hence, the suggested version is “Cambodia siva”.

文庙(孔庙) The Cultural Temple

The Chinese character“文”in“文庙”does not denote the meaning of “culture" at all. In fact a Chinese who is familiar with Chinese culture knows that “文庙”is another saying of“孔庙”. Therefore, the suggested version is “The Temple to Confucius”.

雪香云蔚亭 (苏州园林一景点)

the Snow Fragrance Abundant Clouds Pavilion (陶潇婷,2006)

The translator manages to transfer the superficial conventional implication of each word in the pavilion name into the target language by way of literal translation, but obviously, he fails in understanding its implied meaning due to his lacking of relevant cultural knowledge.“雪香”in the name, conventionally known as “snow fragrance”，denotes particularly “white and fragrant plum bloom” in Chinese culture. White plum blossoms are often compared to fragrant snow and a Forest of plum blossoms to "a sea of fragrant snow" in the realm of classical poetry, because fragrant snow implies white color and nice smell of the flowers. The suggested version is The Snow-like Fragrant prunus Mume Pavilion (ibid).

3.3 Word Redundancy

In C-E translation of public signs, some translators tend to produce word-for-word translation which often leads to “redundancy” because sometimes the meaning of a term in the Chinese version can be concluded in the translation of another term. Redundancy is the repetition of words or phrases with similar meanings, if not repetition of the same word(李绍明，2000).Unlike Chinese language which is priority of repetition, English language seldom repeat the same word to express the same meaning. Hence, Translators should try to avoid such errors. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, we need to omit the unnecessary word.

Here are some wrong examples,

警务工作站Police Affairs Station

收银台Cashier Desk

售票处Tickets Office

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