Chapter 1 Basic Concepts of Translation 过度授权与地方权力激用一直是中国历史上突出的两大向题， Excessive power and abuse of authority at local levels have been two major problems throughout Chinese history. Here there is very little room for flexibility,and the translator has followed the original closely.more or less word for word. Why do we sometimes stick more closely to the source text than at other times,and sometimes even add words that did not appear in the original? There are many reasons for this,and we will discuss them in the chapters that follow.Generally speaking.since a literal translation tends to read less fluently,it should not generally be used as a primary technique,aside from some very specific texts (such as literary ones),and even then with discretion.Free translation is the most commonly used way of rendering meaning,but here the danger lies in overdoing things and distorting the source meaning,usually by adding something that was not there.Clearly, literal and free translation both have their uses,but each must be employed depending on the specific textual circumstances.When working from Chinese toEnglish,the greatest difficulty for the transator is that of getting away from the limitations of the original Chinese and produeing a target text that does not sound too Chinese("Chinglish").Though this generally means working on the"free"side,both techniques are equally valid;they merely need to be used in different ways. Functional Equivalence or Formal Correspondence? Although this concept has been around for some time,it was the scholar of translation Eugene Nida who expanded and elucidated it.As a result, today it is one of the important theories in translation studies.Functional equivalence means the rendering of a thought expressed in a source text in 7
Introduction to Chinese-English Translation such a way that the target text has the same function,though not necessarily the same form,as the source text.Form is mechanical and superficial,and owing to the differences between language systems,the same linguistic form may not have the same meaning or function in the two languages.For example,"He is the last person I will ask for help"can be translated as 是我要求助的最后一个人，which follows the same form as the source text but does not have the same meaning,which is我是不会求助于他的.The function may be the same,but the form is not.Consider the following: 要是你认为他懒惰的话。那你可就借了， If you think he is lazy,think again. The Chinese explicitly states negation(可错了，but the English trans- lation "think again"is oblique.Another example:the student who sits down for an exam and says to himself"成救在此一举"which,.translated with formal correspondence,becomes"success or failure depends on this," a very clumsy and unidiomatic phrase.A native English speaker would probably say,"This is it!"or"Here goes!"which is completely different in form but has the functional equivalence.The specific choice of translation will depend on the context,and we hope this book will provide you with some such considerations. Literal and free translation,functional equivalence,and formal correspondence are different concepts that approach the same issues of transation from different perspectives Form or Content? The debate between form and content is an old one.In most circumstances,the actual form of the source is not the main focus of translation.Chinese and English belong to two very different language
Chapter 1 Basic Concepts of Translation systems,so primary attention should be placed on conveying the content, rather than the form.If we look at this in the light of the two previous sections,it is clear that those who emphasize form will lean toward literal translation and insist on formal correspondence,while those who emphasizc functional cquivalence will advocate a more flexible translation.This is in fact more common.Consider the following: 藏爸忙里偷闲，带余家出去野餐 Dad takes a break from his busy schedule to take the family on a picnic If translated literally,偷and出去will be included.and the translation will become "Dad steals some time from his busy schedule to take the family out for a picnic."On the surface this looks acceptable,but closer examination shows that does not mean the same as"steal"in this context. is a frequently used colloquial expression without the connotation of "stealing time."Instead "take a break,"though differing in form from the source,conveys the content much better.Here is another example 一笔交易，何止关乎金钱，更可能是身家性命之所系。 A trade deal involves more than just money:it could even be a matter of life and death. Here,the translator has not been limited by the source and has translated rather freely.In terms of syntax,the original single sentence has now been divided into two independent parts separated by a semicolon. 所系has not been rendered as“depend on,"or“related to,”but as"could be."The expression身家性命has been rendered as“life and death,”cvcm though"death"is not in the original.By not rigidly following the source 9
Introduction to Chinese-English Translation forms,the target text reads more idiomatically in English. Does this mean that fomm never counts at all?No,not at all.In fact,there are times when the forms themselves convey meaning or contribute to the content For example,a writer's individual style is frequently expressed by the use of specific forms.This makes them important,and the translator must seriously consider retaining them.Consider the following example: 风吹弯了路旁的树木，断碎了店户的布幌，楊净了墙上的报单，遮昏了 太阳。唱着，叫著，吼着，回荡着，忽然直驰，像惊狂了的大精灵，社 天扯地的疾走，忽然院乱，四面八方的瓦卷，像不知怎好面决定乱撞的 恶魔：忽然械扫，乘其不备的袭击着地上的一切，扭折了树枝，吹批了 量瓦，撞断了电线：可是，祥子在那里看着，他刚从风里出来，风并没 能把他怎样了！胜利是禅子的！（老舍，《路驼样子》。8章） The gale bent the trees lining the road,tore the cloth shop signs to shreds.ripped the hand-bills clean off the walls.It shrouded the sun it sang.shouted,howled,reverberated.Sometimes it careered ahead like a huge terrified spirit tearing heaven and earth apart in its frenzied fight:then suddenly,as if in panic,it would swir around in all directions like an evil demon that has run amok:then again it would sweep along diagonally.as if to take everything by surprise,breaking branches. carrying off roof-tiles and snapping electric wires.Yet Xiangzi stood watching.for he had just come in out of the wind,which had been powerless against himl Victory was his!(Lao She,Came/Xiangzi, Chapter 8) The translator has retained most of the original syntax,only breaking up phrases in a few placcs to avoid an excessively long English sentence
Chapter 1 Basic Concepts of Translation Parts of speech match up,as do the length of phrases and expressions.This retains the sense of speed and vigor of the original,which in its rhythm and flow imitates the power of the gale. Therefore,although form does remain important in certain specific circumstances,we should always bear in mind that the greatest difficulty a translator faces is that of overcoming interference from the source language forms.Adhering too closely to them often results in contrived and awkward translations.In most circumstances,the general strategy is to place greater focus on rendering content. Purpose of the Author or of the Translator? Anyone who writes,author or translator,usually has a purpose.Very often,the author and translator share the same one.Consider the following: the writer of an English computer manual wants to inform a client about computer operations,and the translator of the manual also wants to inform a non-English-speaking client about the same thing-i.e.,both wish to convey accurate information.Likewise,a clothing advertisement is trying to infuence consumer bchavior,and the translator of that advertisement also hopes to persuade people to spend their money on these clothes.Or elsea contract is drawn up as a basis for future business activity,and the translator attempts to convey the meaning of the original to the parties who do not speak that language.All these texts have a very specific purpose in mind, and they are all very practical;the purpose of the translations of these texts is equally practical. There are times,however,when translators do not have the same objective in mind as the original writer.A poet writes to express very personal emotions,but the translator is not trying to express his/her own emotions by translating the original During WWII,General de Gaulle wrote