1、Translatology,Instructor: Hua Xianfa,1.4 The Basic procedures of translation,The basic procedures of translation consist of three steps: preliminary preparation, working,and testing. Preliminary preparation refers to all kinds of preparations needed to be made before starting to do rendition, such a
2、s choosing what is to be translated, contact the publisher or agent and sign the contract. All these are important for any translator.,Working,Working includes both comprehension and expression. Comprehension consists essentially in determining the meaning of the source language text, but to Nida, m
3、eaning is to be interpreted in the broad sense of lexical, syntactic and rhetorical significance. Generally, comprehension involves such steps as grammatical analysis, semantic analysis, stylistic analysis and discourse analysis. In other words, both form and content must be considered in comprehens
4、ion.,A. Comprehension,Be careful in determining the meaning of the words, phrases and sentences. （1）月明星稀，乌鹊南飞 （曹孟德） Version 1. The stars are few, the moon is bright. The raven southward wings his flight. (Trans. By Herbert Giles) Version 2. When the stars are few And the moon shines brightly, Magpie
5、s and ravens are winging their way Southward. (Trans. By Li Xingcun),More Examples,(2) 若崩厥角稽首（孟子尽心下） (厥角，是以角蹶地。若崩者，状其厥之多而迅也) On this, they bowed their heads to the earth, like the horns of animals falling off.（Trans. by J. Legge）,More Examples,(3) Mrs. Malaprop said, ”As she grew up, I would have he
6、r instructed in Geometry, that she might know something of the contagious countries.” (R.B.Sheridan: The Rivals) (geometry几何学=geography地理学; contagious传染的=contiguous邻近的) 等她大了，我要她学些几何学，使她知道一些传染的国家。 Improved: 等她长大了，我要她学些地质学，使她知道一些怜惜的国家。,More Examples,(4) “We sometimes fall in with persons who have seen
7、 much of the world, and of the men who, in their day, have played a conspicuous part in it, but who generalize nothing, and have no observation, in the true sense of the word.” (J. H. Newman) 有时候我们遇到一些世故很深，而在年轻时曾经显赫一时的人，但说实在的，这些人并没有什么心得与观察。 fall in with(邂逅；不期而遇)， see the world(熟悉世故；深于阅历)， in ones da
8、y(在其全盛时代)，play a part in(与之有关)， in the true sense of the word(那字的真实意义) Improved: 我们有邂逅一些熟悉世故的人，和一些曾经见过许多在其全盛时代，叱咤风云，世界安危所系的有名人物的人，但是他们却不能归纳出一点什么来，也毫无真正的观察力。（钱歌川译）,More Examples,(5) 王先生昨天被偷了。Mr. Wang was stolen last night. (Improved: Mr. Wang was robbed last night.) (6) 郊区： suburb (an area of the cit
9、y where people live, it can never be used to describe a farming area) environs (the neighbourhood surrounding a town) outskirts(a belt area around the city where farm land can be seen),B. Attention to different kinds of meaning:,Traditional semantics: denotation, connotation Semiotic point of view:d
10、esignative meaning: conceptual meaning (the reference of the signifier to the signified), linguistic meaning(phonological, lexical and syntactic meaning), pragmatic meaning (associative meaning, etc.),Designative meaning,Traditionally, the designative meanings of a language can be studied in terms o
11、f contrastive features, so that the meaning of the woman could be specified as +HUMAN, -MALE, +ADULT (contrastive features). The theory of contrastive features is based on two things: physical appearance and function of the object(Mary Key), e.g. chair: a piece of furniture on which one person may s
12、it, which has typically a back, seat, usu. four legs, and sometimes arms (Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English),designative meaning and literal meaning,Difference between designative meaning and literal meaning: Designative meaning vs. connotative meaning Literal meaning vs. figurative meaning
13、 American Beauty 月月红（X美国美人） Indian summer 小阳春 （X印地安夏天） Indian meal 玉米粥 （X印地安饭） German wool 细毛线 （X德国毛）,Linguistic meaning,Linguistic meaning can be found at the phonological, lexical, syntactic and discourse levels. At the phonological level: 人人尽说江南好 (- - /+ +/ - - + A) 游人只合江南老 (- - /+ +/ - - + A) 春水
14、碧於天 (- +/ + - - B) 画船听雨眠 (+ -/ - + - B) 炉边人似月 (- -/ - + + C) 皓腕凝霜雪 (+ +/ - - + C) 未老莫还乡 (+ +/ + - - D) 还乡须断肠 (- -/ + + - D) （韦庄）,Everyone is full of praise of the beauty of the South:What can I do but end my days an exile in the South?The spring river is bluer than the sky;As it rains, in a painted
15、barge I lie. Bright as the moon is she who serves the wine; Like frost or frozen snow her white wrists shine.Im not old as yet: let me not depart!For going home will surely break my heart! (Trans. By James Liu) 嘴上没毛，说话不牢。Downy lips make thoughtless slips.,More examples at the phonological level,啊，恰便
16、似遮不住的青山隐隐，流不断的绿水悠悠。（曹雪芹：红楼梦） Ah, my grief is like distant green mountains that stretch beyond and beyond,Like blue rivers that flow for ever on. Soapy (O. Henry)(油嘴滑舌) 卜世仁（不是人）,At the lexical level,杨柳青青江水平，闻郎岸上唱歌声。 东边日出西边雨，道是无情却有晴。（刘禹锡：竹枝调） Between the willows green the river flows along, My beloved
17、 in a boat is heard singing a song. The west is veiled in rain, the east basks in sunshine, My beloved is as deep in love as the day is fine. (Trans. By Xu Yuanzhong),At the syntactic level,有意栽花花不发，无心插柳柳成荫。 Follow love, and it will flee; flee love, and it will follow you. “除了内战内行之外，对于外战，就不能不是一个外行。”（
18、毛泽东选集） Version I: Well versed in making civil war, they cannot but be incompetent in fighting foreign foes. Version II: in their element when fighting internal war, they cannot but be out of their element when it comes to fighting external war.,More examples at the syntactic level,酒入愁肠，化作相思泪。（范仲淹：苏幕
19、遮怀旧） The wine sinking into my sorrowing bowels Is transformed into tears of nostalgic yearnings! (Trans. By Teresa Li),Pragmatic meaning,Pragmatic meaning involves such meanings as indexical, emotive, associative, imperative, interpersonal.It is reflected either in word, or sentence or discourse. Th
20、e cuckoo then, on every tree, Mocks married men: for thus sings he, “Cuckoo; Cuckoo, cuckoo”; O word of fear, Unpleasing to a married ear! (W. Shakespeare: Lovers Labours Lost, V, ii) 听杜鹃鸟在每一株树上叫， 把那娶了妻的男人讥笑： 咯咕！咯咕！啊，可怕的声音！ 害得做丈夫的肉跳心惊。（朱生豪译）（cuckoo-cuckold）,登鹳鹊楼 Ascending the Heron Tower 白日依山尽 The s
21、un behind the western hills glows; 黄河入海流 And toward the sea the Yellow River flows. 欲穷千里目 Wish you an endless view to cheer your eyes? 更上一层楼 Then one more storey mount and higher rise. （唐王之涣） (Trans. By Tsai Ting-kan) The sun beyond the mountains glows; The Yellow River seawards flows. You can enjoy
22、 a grander sight By climbing to a greater height. (Trans. By Xu Yuanzhong),More examples,臭老九: intellectuals or educated people (designative meaning) egg-head (AmE sl. An intellectual, usu. A term of derision used by anti-intellectuals) (pragmatic meaning) 他壮实得像头牛。 He is as strong as a horse. 他犟得像头牛。
23、 He is as stubborn as mule.,C. Attention to context and setting,Firth: A word in a new context is a new word. No context, no meaning. 花想衣裳月想容。 Flowers remind one of her garments and the moon reminds one of her face. 天下事有难易乎？为之难者亦易也，不为则易者亦难矣。 There is nothing difficult for us to do in this world. If
24、we do it, the difficult thing will be easy; if we dont, the easy thing will be difficult. Dont let the patients Bill of Rights become the lawyers right to bill. 别让病人的权利，变成律师的利钱。,More examples,把你这个你也不喜欢，把你那个你也不喜欢，那么你要我把你怎办呢？ Version 1. I do this for you and you dont like it. I do that for you and you
25、 dont like it. What do you want me to do to you then? Version 2. I give this to you and you dont like it. I give that to you and you dont like it. What do you want me to do to you then?,Polysemic words,大家都想知道个究竟。Everybody wants to know what actually happened. 不管发生什么事，他总爱会问个究竟。He always likes to get
26、to the heart of the matter whatever it may be. 明天的会究竟谁去参加？Who on earth goes (is actually going) to the meeting tomorrow. 你究竟要什么？What on earth/ Whatever/ What exactly do you want? 这究竟是什么意思？Whatever/ What on earth does this mean? 他究竟上哪儿去了？Where on earth is he?/ Where on earth has he gone?,1.5.2 Expres
27、sion,Expression consists in transfer from the source language to the receptor language and restructuring the form of the message so as to make it appropriate for the presumed audience. The process of transfer involves the shift from thinking in the source language to thinking in the target language,
28、 and the process of restructuring involves the organization of the lexical, syntactic, and discourse features of the transferred text so as to provide maximal comprehension and appreciation on the part of the intended audience.,Relationship between comprehension and expression,Comprehension and expr
29、ession cant be separated. While we try to comprehend, we are seeking for means of expression consciously or unconsciously; while we seek for proper means of expression, our comprehension of the ST is being deepened. Comprehension is the basis of expression which in turn is the result of comprehensio
30、n; but good comprehension cant always bring good expression.,Points for attention in expression,A. Proper choice of words 以斗争求团结则团结存，以退让求团结则团结亡，(毛泽东选集，Vol.III) Version 1. Solidarity is realized through struggles and destroyed through concessions. Version 2. Unity is achieved by struggle and destroye
31、d by compromise. Version 3. If unity is sought through struggle, it will live; if unity is sought through yielding, it will perish. (best, because of the use of “yielding” derogatory in sense),客观过程的发展是充满着矛盾和斗争的发展，人的认识运动的发展也是充满着矛盾和斗争的发展。（毛泽东选集，Vol. I） Version 1. The development both of the objective
32、process and of the process of knowing is full of contradictions and struggles. Version 2. The development of the objective process is one full of contradictions and struggles. The development of the process of mans knowledge is also one full of contradictions and struggles. Version 3. The developmen
33、t of an objective process is full of contradictions and struggles, and so is the development of the movement of human knowledge.,More examples,他在上业余大学。 He is attending a spare-time university. 在政治上他是个老手，经历了无数次的运动。 Version I. He is an old full-fledged politician, having weathered countless campaigns.
34、 (poor) Version II. He is a seasoned politician, having weathered countless campaigns. (better) 解放以后，人人有了恋爱的自由。 Poor: After liberation, each one enjoys free love. (free love means the belief and practice of having sex as one wishes without marriage) Better: After liberation, each person enjoys the f
35、reedom to choose ones spouse.,B. Avoid over-representation,He was on his way to China again. 他又风尘仆仆地踏上了去中国的旅程。（over-representation） 有一天杨朔来报社找我，悄悄跟我商量，要我跟他一起去延安。 One day Yang Shuo came to my office to ask me in secret to go with him to the great sacred revolutionary base Yenan. (over-representation),
36、Avoid under-representation,他说他从沦陷的东北，辗转走到华北，好容易来到了广州。 Version 1. He told us that he had come from the Japanese-occupied Northeast, traveled through north China and arrived in Guangzhou. Version 2. He told us that he had trekked all the way from the Japanese-occupied northeast, through north China an
37、d finally made his way with difficulty to Guangzhou.,C. Avoid translationese,亲骨肉: X bone and flesh better: flesh and blood 冒冷汗:X sweat cold sweat better: break out in cold sweat 抓紧积肥，抓紧养猪，做好采购工作 Resolutely grasp manure. Firmly grasp pig-breading. Do a good of procurement. (坚决抓住粪肥，坚决地抓住猪来配种，做好拉皮条的工作。
38、) Better: Pay close attention to manure accumulation and raising pigs. And do a good job of purchase.,More examples,There are millions of courses and toasts tonight. 今天的晚宴有数百万道菜，数百万次祝酒。 今天的晚宴上有无数道菜，无数次祝酒。 These people with power decide to bestow gigantic raises on the administrators while asking us
39、to tighten our belts. 这些手中握有权力的人决定大幅提高行政人员的工资，却要求我们勒紧裤带。 This product will reveal real goddess in you. foot locker 携带好随身物品。 Dont leave personal belongings unattended.,D. Pay attention to collocation and style,Another major worry for the navy is the state of readiness. Version 1: 海军的另一个重大担心是战备状况。 Ver
40、sion 2: 海军非常担心的另一件事是战备状况。 他是个最有实践经验的厨师。 Version 1:He is the most practical cook. Version 2:He is a best practical cook.,她恶声恶气地站在院中，嚷鸡骂狗。 She was standing in the courtyard, fuming and screaming at the dog and shooing the hens. She stood in the courtyard in a fume, shouting at the dogs and shooing the
41、 hens. 孔乙己直起身又看一看豆，自己摇头说，“不多不多！多乎哉？不多也。”（鲁迅：孔乙己） Then straightening up to look at the peas again, he would shake his head. “Not much! Verily, not much, for sooth!”(杨宪益、戴乃迭译) 听到你母亲逝世的消息后我非常悲痛。 I am deeply grieved to hear that your mother kicked the bucket. I am deeply grieved to hear of your mothers
42、death.,天漆黑，部队踏着泥泞的小路前进。大约走了十多里，便靠近安顺场了。我命令一营分成三路前进。 Version 1. We walked along muddy paths in pitch darkness, made about a dozen li and Anshunchang was made near. Then I made the First Battalion separate and took three different routes. Version 2. We advanced along muddy paths in pitch darkness for
43、about a dozen li till we were near Anshunchang. Then I made the First Battalion divide into three different groups to march by different routes.,最近几年来这个国家并不平静。1988年表面上恢复了和平，实际上绝未恢复。这个国家不但没能松一口气，享受一下胜利的果实，反而面临着比历史上所经见的更加严重更加难以处理的问题。她比过去任何时期富足得多，强大得多，不过伴随着繁荣而来的是尖锐的紧张和分裂。 Version 1. The last few years
44、have not been tranquil in this country. The peace was seemingly restored in 1988. But it was not restored at all. Far from being able to relax and enjoy the fruit of victory, the country faced more serious and more intractable problems than ever in her history. True, she was also richer and more pow
45、erful than ever before. But the prosperity was accompanied by acute tensions and divisions. (Monotonous) Version 2. The last few years have not been tranquil in this country. The peace seemingly restored in 1988 proved not to have been restored at all. Far from being able to relax and enjoy the frui
46、t of victory, she faced more serious and arduous problems than ever before: the prosperity was accompanied by acute tensions and divisionsalthough she was richer and more powerful than ever before. (With a variety),E. Distinguish between the commendatory and the derogatory,e.g. 郭彩娣笑了，赞赏他的口才说：“说话真会绕弯
47、。”（周而复：上海的早晨） Guo Caidi smiled and said appreciatively: “He certainly knows how to keep you guessing.” (A.C. Barns 译) （in a round-about way or beat about the bush） 他们在积极巩固战果。 Version 1: They are actively consolidating their victorious gains. Version 2: They are actively consolidating their victories
48、.,More examples,她哄劝着说：“孩子，别哭了，听妈说，当闺女的，早晚都是人家的人呀，你婆家也是庄稼人，不会亏待你的。”She coaxed: “Dont cry, Lan. Listen to mother. Youre a girl, and sooner or later youll belong to another man. Your mother-in-laws are peasants like us. They wont treat you badly.” (Here “coax” is poor, which means “persuade by flattery
49、 or by continual trial.” “Coax” had better be changed into “She tried to soothe her”) She has a graceful carriage, with large eyes and thick browns. 她长的亭亭玉立,大大的眼睛，黑黑的眉毛。 He has a graceful carriage, with large eyes and thick browns.他长的玉树临风，浓眉大眼。,F. Pay attention to sound effect,干杯！ Bottoms up! (Botto
50、ms up.) 公鸡 cockrooster 国际交往 international intercourseinternational contacts 我觉得读书是一件有趣的乐事。 It is my feeling reading is an interesting thing. I feel that reading is a pleasure. 昨天我在湖边看见了一株秃树。 I saw by the lake yesterday a naked tree. I saw a leafless tree by the lake yesterday. 他一次错了，但不久他还会错的。 He was wrong once, and it wont be long before hell be wrong again.,
