1 Unit 1 Introduction: Translation and Translation Techniques By PYSH.

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Unit 1 Introduction:

Translation and Translation Techniques

By PYSH

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General Introduction Translatability:

different in phonetics, lexicology, grammar, syntactic structures;

similar in living patterns.

Origin of translation: Zhou Dynasty ； first recorded in West Han Dynasty;

History: 3 periods of climax East Han Dynasty---Tang and Song Dynasty Ming and Qing Dynasty 5.4 period

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Functions of translation:a means of cross-linguistic, cross-

cultural communication; an instrument for transmitting

culture; a technique for improving language

acquisition; encouraging social development

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Definitions of Translation 语言学派；交际学派；社会符号学派；文艺学派 Cross-linguistic transformation of meaning

denotative meaning ; connotative meaning; collocative meaning; contextual meaning ; stylistic meaning;

1. sun 2. I want my Martini dry. 3. An apple a day keeps a doctor away. 4. soft music/ soft drinks

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Translating consists in reproducing in the receptor language the closest natural equivalent of the source- language message, first in terms of meaning and secondly in terms of style. ( Eugene A. Nida and Charles R.Taber, 1982:12)

Some terminologies:source language target language/ receptor language translatororiginal version translation

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Classification of Translation

1. Intralingual / interlingual translation 2. Interpretation, translation, machine t

ranslation 3. Translation of different genres( sci-te

c translation, literary translation, etc) 4. Complete translation, adapted transl

ation, selective translation, abstract translation , etc

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Qualities for a Good Translator

1. Good bi-lingual competence, esp. understanding and expressing You can’t be too careful. It is five years since he smoked.

2. Broad knowledge Big brother; kick bucket; Hannibal had us for lunch, Clarice.

3. Translation strategies, techniques 4. Careful and conscientious

attitudemain

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Principles of Translation Faithfulness, expressiveness, elegance ( 信达雅 )

----- 严复《天演论》 (Evolution and Ethics) Faithfulness, expressiveness, closeness ( 信达贴 )

----- 刘重德《翻译十讲》

Spiritual conformity ( 神似 ) -----傅雷

Sublimed adaptation ( 化境 ) ----- 钱仲书

Excellent translation faithfully reflects all the original passage in vocabulary, syntax, even punctuation and spelling.

faithfulness, smoothness

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Faithfulness Be faithful to the content

1. Avoid word for word translation2. Avoid cultural misunderstanding3. Avoid the misunderstanding of idioms

Be faithful to the style

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1.Avoid word for word translation greatest compensation for wrongful imprisonment.

1 ．对错误监禁的最大数额的赔偿。2 ．最大数额的冤狱赔偿金。

The chief criminals shall be punished without fail.主要罪犯绝对要受到惩罚。首恶必办。

Didn’t you go to see the film last night? No, I didn’t.

你昨晚没去看电影是吗？是的，我没去。

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2.Avoid cultural misunderstanding

Love me, love my dog. Every dog has its day. That funny gay often talks horse. He became dissatisfied with modern li

fe and man’s selfish wish for private wealth, so he went and joined a Hippie commune.

出于对现代生活的不满和对人们自私的个人财富占有欲的反感，他加入了嬉皮士群居社。

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3> Avoid the misunderstanding of idioms

You can not trust him to keep a secret, he is sure to spill the beans before long.

切勿相信他会保守秘密，过不久他肯定会泄露于人的。

I am sorry. I will eat my words.

对不起，我收回我说的话。 main

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Faithful to the style formal&informal positive/negative humorous/ rigid

That man was so rude to me. I wouldn’t go back to that job for all the tea in China!

那人对我太无礼了 , 我无论如何也不再去做那份工作了 . 那家伙对我太无礼了 , 八抬大轿来请 , 我也不去做那份

工作了 . I am up to my neck in your bullshit. 你害得我好苦。 你让我倒他妈的八辈子邪霉了。

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Process of translation

1. Understanding 1.Understanding the meaning of diction in the context 2.Understanding the background

2. expressing and re-expressing 1.Expressing 2.Re-expressing

3. editing

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1-1.Understanding the meaning of diction in the

context A) Draw a line from A to B. B) The ship crossed the line. C) Cooking is more in your line than mine. D) They were given their marriage lines

after the registration. E) She bought an overcoat lined with silk.

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1-2.Understanding the background

潺潺长江水 , 悠悠远客情 . 落花相与恨 , 到地一无声 . ----- 韦承庆 < 南行别弟 >

Mournfully, mournfully rolls the long River, Saddened, ah saddened, the stranger’s breast. The flowers as they fall, his fate recall, As each flutters down in the earth to rest -----Fletcher

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问题 question, problem, trouble, point, issue 当时我们正在长征的路上 , 每天行军一百多里 .

We were on the Long March. Every day we marched a hundred li or more.

march—walk < 高级英汉双解词典 >:march:walk as soldi

ers do, with regular and measured steps. < 朗曼当代英语词典 >: to walk with regular,

esp.forceful steps like a soldier.

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The process of understanding

first reading , general reading for main idea, theme, background

second reading, careful reading for details

final reading for stylistic features, spirit

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How to understand 1)contextual analysis

The slums offered an ugly contrast to the classical grandeur of official Washington.

The baseball season opens this afternoon and I suspect that most of official Washington are out at the field, including the president and many of the members of the Cabinet.

John is now with his parents in New York; it is three years since he was a high school teacher in Washington.

She didn't attend the meeting because she wanted to. 2)logical analysis

The old man informed us that his wife had thirteen children, one in every month of the year and one over besides.

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2-1.Expressing Express the content and in the meanti

me keep the original form mainly including structure arrangement, image, figure of speech,etc.我从乡下跑到城里来，一转眼已经六年了。Six years have passed by in a flash/ in a t

winkle since I came to the city from the countryside.

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Keep the original content, sacrificing the form.有个农村叫张家庄，张家庄有个张木匠，张木

匠有个好老婆，外号叫“小飞蛾”， “小飞蛾”生了个女儿叫艾艾。

There was a village called Zhangjia Village, where lived Carpenter Zhang, who had a good wife, nicknamed little Moth, who gave birth to a girl called Ai’ ai.

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Practice Creation

不爱红装爱武装。Prefer to face the powder, rather than pow

der the face.生当做人杰，死亦为鬼雄。Be man of men, be soul of souls.无边落木萧萧下。 Boundless forest sheds leaves shower by

shower.

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2-2. Re-expressing 1. Improving Chinese readability

Cotton feels soft. 棉花使人感到柔软。——棉花摸上去柔软。 Even if you go there, there wouldn't be any result. 即使你去了，也不会有什么结果。——你去了也是白去。

2. Getting rid of the bound of original words Any person not leaving litter in this basket will be liable

to a fine of ￡ 5. The cathedral was built in Spanish Gothic style. Distance from the event should make the memories less

painful. His irritation could not withstand the silent beauty of the

night. 3. Mastering some skills main

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3. Editing 对照原文，句句复审，重点查内容，注意

发现和解决对原文理解上的问题。 脱离原文，细读译文，重点是译文文字的

润色和句子结构的调整，把好译文的语言关。

再次对照译文，通读一遍，做进一步的检查 .

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Translating Methods

Literal translation

Free translation

Transliteration

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Literal Translation In the course of translation, not alter the

original sentence pattern, structure, image, figures of speech.

It takes sentences as its basic units and takes the whole text into consideration.

It strives to reproduce both the ideological content and the style of the original works.

The translation should be smooth, natural and acceptable.

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Free Translation Translate the content, without paying

attention to the formal correspondence and the translation should be smooth, natural and acceptable.

It is a supplementary means to mainly convey the meaning and spirit of the original without having to reproduce its sentence patterns or figures of speech, images, etc.

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Literal or Free Translation?

Valuable left in full view can be open invitation to theft.直译：把贵重物品放在显眼处，等于是给小偷发请帖。意译：应妥善保管贵重物品，以防被盗。

A gift is the key to open the door closed against. 直译：礼物是打开把你关在外的房门的钥匙。意译：大门把你关在外，礼物送到门自开。

Every life has its roses and thorns.直译：每个人的一生都既有玫瑰，又有荆棘。意译：人生总是有苦有乐，甘苦参半。

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It means killing 2 birds with one stone. Don’t teach your grandmother to suck e

ggs. Never offer to teach a fish to swim.Don’t display your axe at Lu Ban’s door.

Hitler was armed to the teeth when he lunched WWII.

Don’t shed crocodile tears. There is no pot so ugly it can’t find a lid. Barbara was born with a silver spoon in

her mouth. Cast pearls before swine. 对牛弹琴。

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Transliteration 1. Pronunciation

Yin, Yang, logic, Gongfu, Taichi, kowtou 2. Names and places with special meaning and implication

typhoon, model, hacker 3. Similar meaning and similar pronunciation for trademarks or brand names

Kodak; Pentium; Apple; Cadillac; Haier; Xerox 4. Abbreviations , acronyms (international practice)

Gallup Poll; OPEC

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Eight Skills of Translation

1. Diction 2. Amplification 3. Omission 4. Repetition 5. Conversion 6. Restructuring 7. Negation 8. Division main

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Definition (D) of Translation (T) T means the conversion of an expression (E) from

one language (L) into another. To say it plainly, T is an art to reproduce the exact idea of the author by means of a L different from the original. From the D of T, we know that the original thought of the E must be kept as far as possible, & nothing can be added to or taken away from the original work. … Accuracy (A) is the 1st indispensable quality of T. The translator must cautiously stick to the author’s idea. Words selected & sentences constructed must be such as to convey ( 如实传达 ) the exact original thought. …A is to make the thought definite & exact, while Ee is to make the T vivid & attractive.