1、CONTENTSAbstract.1Introduction.2Chapter 1 Literature Review 51.1 Definition of Prompting Public Signs.51.2 Prior Studies of C-E Translation of Prompting Public Signs.6Chapter 2 Language Features of Prompting Public Signs102.1 Conciseness102.2 Common Vocabulary112.3 Attractiveness and Markedness112.4
2、 Conventional Expressions122.5 Euphemistic Representation.12Chapter 3 Principles of C-E Translation of Prompting Public Signs.143.1 Readability143.2 Economical Word Employment.163.3 Functional Equivalence.173.4 Situational Coherence.193.5 Conformity in Emotional Evocation.20 Chapter 4 Strategies for
3、 C-E Translation of Prompting Public Signs. .224.1 Borrowing.224.2 Negation.24 4.3 Omission.254.4 Substituting .264.5 Zero Translation. 28Conclusion.30Notes.32Bibliography33Acknowledgements.340On C-E Translation of Prompting Public SignsAbstract: As a specific text form, the application of public si
4、gns has a long history and is in close attach with all aspects of our life. Acting as the face of a city, public signs are a showplace for our natives as well as the foreigners to get a better understanding of the spiritual appearance and all fields of China. Thus they affect a foreigners first impr
5、ession of China when he visits this country. Then it is natural that the prompting public signs, an important part of public signs, are a crucial component of a nations external publicity. Their translation standard would directly influence the accuracy and quality of the information conveyance and
6、cultural transmission, and further impact the foreign exchange and human environmental construction of a country. For the above reasons, this paper aims at conducting a concrete analysis and study on the translation of Chinese prompting public signs to explore the translation principles and improve
7、the translation strategies. Key Words: prompting public signs; translation principles; translation strategies1论提示性公示语的英译摘要:公示语作为一种特定功能的文本形式，应用历史悠久，其运用范围之广泛几乎涉及到我们生活的方方面面。充当“城市面孔”的公示语是国人以及世界了解中国各个方面的情况及精神风貌的窗户，是给来中国的外国人士留下第一印象的中国名片。而作为公示语一份子的提示性公示语，是国家对外宣传翻译不可忽视的一部分，其翻译水平直接影响到信息的准确传达和文明传播，进而影响中国对外交流水
8、平和人文环境建设。基于以上原因，本文旨在对提示性公示语的英译进行细致的分析和研究,探究其翻译原则，改善其翻译策略。关键词:提示性公示语；翻译原则；翻译策略2IntroductionNowadays, globalization is the main trend of the evolution of our world, and the international economic activities have become more and more frequent. Under such a circumstance, a countrys economic and politica
9、l development increasingly depends on the international communication and cooperation. Thus, for a better cross-cultural understanding, it becomes crucial for a nation to improve its language environment. As an essential part of foreign-advocating media, public signs have made a great contribution t
10、o a countrys language and cultural environment construction. According to the different functions, public signs are classified into four categories, with prompting public signs as one kind. Since public signs act as the face of a city, reflecting the spiritual and cultural condition of it, they affe
11、ct the foreigners first impressions of a city, and further influence their attitudes towards this country. As a result, the accuracy and quality of the public signs translation is a showplace of a nations foreign exchange level. As an important component of public signs, prompting public signs are m
12、ainly designed to send some warm messages to the public and remind the target readers of the correct conducts for their own sake. For the above reasons, the translation of prompting public signs also plays a fairly significant 3role in our daily life and any misunderstanding arising from it may caus
13、e some serious social problems. For the above-mentioned reasons, great efforts should be made to explore and improve the translation of prompting public signs and make this kind of text play its full role in serving the public.However, many problems regarding the translation of public signs still ex
14、ist in a common way. Moreover, though many scholars have made enormous previous researches on the translation of public signs, a systematic and comprehensive research of the prompting public signs translation still remains as an unfinished task. Thus, it is quite necessary and urgent to make a speci
15、fic study on this subject. 4Chapter 1Literature ReviewPublic signs are frequently used in our daily life and influence every aspect of our life. Prompting public signs, as one type of public signs, play great social functions. The part of prompting public signs cant be replaced by other things, for
16、they are mainly designed to provide the suggestive information to guide the correct conducts of the citizens and warn the potential danger in public. Therefore, it is fairly necessary to carry out a study on prompting public signs for a better understanding of such a kind of text form. To start with
17、 this research, it first comes to us that what prompting public signs are and what prior studies on their translation have been done. 1.1 Definition of Prompting Public SignsWhen we look up the term “prompting public sign” in English dictionaries, we may find no clear definition for it. But through
18、its literal level, we can get the first impression that it is a kind of signs. Then what are the signs? There are many versions about the definition of“sign”. In New oxford Dictionary of English (2001), “sign” is defined as a notice that is publicly displayed giving information or instruction in a w
19、ritten or symbolic form. According to professor Dai 5Zongxian (戴宗显) and L Hefa (吕和发) in their paper “On C-E Translation of Public Signs” (2005), public signs refer to “the characters and symbols which are closely related to all aspects of peoples life and displayed in public.”1 When mentioning the d
20、efinition of a sign, the “public” place where it is found is always emphasized. Public signs have four main functions, which are “directing, prompting, restricting and compelling”. Thus, prompting public signs are signs that play the role of prompting the public, giving the target readers some relat
21、ed suggestive information or reminding the audience of the potential danger nearby, with a view to guiding the proper and correct behaviors of the target readers. In Chinese, the term “prompting public signs” is equal to “提示性公示语”,“ 提示语”. Within prompting public signs, there exist descriptive public
22、signs and warning public signs. The former ones are signs that indicate the messages which are relevant to the surrounding places or organizations, while the latter ones point out the hidden danger to arouse the attention of the target readers and ensure their safety.1.2 Prior Studies of C-E Transla
23、tion of Prompting Public Signs With Chinas rapid economic globalization, English is becoming more and more important in our daily life. To facilitate the international communication, many things need to be translated into English. “The twentieth century is sometimes called the age of translation or
24、6reproduction.” 2 Till now，there have widely appeared bilingual expressions of Public signs. So the research on public signs and their translation into English is becoming a hot topic, and is drawing attention from academic field and even from the government. As a result, the translation of promptin
25、g public signs has benefited a lot from these changes.In 1992,Yu Genyuan(于根元 ) expressed his viewpoint on Chinese signs in his bookFour Hundred cases of Advertisements, Slogans and Posters Analysis (广 告，标语，招贴用语评析 400 例) and Gong Qianyan also analyzed public signs in his article“Studies on social app
26、lication of languages”(社会用语研究诌议). As early as in 1998，in He Zirans edited book papers on socio-pragmatics(社会语用建设论文集), scholars began to pay attention to the sign translation and pragmatic failures in terms of pragmatics. Later, many academic writings regarding this area appear in an enormous way. Th
27、e following is a list of some relevant important works.In 2002, “public signs” was first systematically studied by Bei Zhu and Shan Aimin (北竹、单爱民，2002) in their paper “On the language feature and C-E translation of public signs” ( “谈英语公示用语的语言特点与汉英翻译”). In the next year, Li Changjiang (栗长江), publishe
28、d an article in Chinese Translators Journal, “English Translation of Signs and Words of Caution in Public Places” (“公安标示语和警示语的特点 ”)，7in which the author discussed the necessity and characteristics of warning signs translation as well as came up with some practical translation strategies. In 2003, th
29、e first special dictionary on standardization of C-E and E-C sign translation edited by Yu Fulin(余富林) was published. C-E Translation of Public Signs (公示语汉英翻译) edited by professor L Hefa(吕和发) and Wang Ying (王颖) was published by China Translation Caution: Mind the step (注意:小心台阶); City busses only (市内公
30、共汽车专用 ).2.2 Common Vocabulary Since prompting public signs are designed for and open to the public, it is quite necessary to use the common vocabulary for a common good understanding of them. English prompting public signs are in a relatively formal style, and vocabulary choice is in favor of those
31、popular vocabulary and familiar expressions. Unfrequently-used words may cause the obstruction of correct and accurate understanding, and thus damage the informative function of prompting signs. Therefore, in order to make the public to grasp the main information quickly and effectively, uncommon an
32、d strange vocabulary must be avoided. 2.3 Attractiveness and Markedness Although prompting public signs have no specific language form, but their common similarities are quite clear: they are always in simple and concise language presented to the readers. In order to make fast and smart tips, their
33、wording and forms are well-designed, selected and arranged. Prompting public signs often employ words with corresponding photographs, for the combination of graphics and words can effectively 11attract the publics attention and make the expressions vivid. Whats more, this kind of signs is often in c
34、apital letters to attract the close attention of the target readers. Here are two examples: PLEASE VACATE THIS SEATE FOR A DISABLED PERSON IF REQUIRED (请为残疾人让开此座); CUSTOMERS PLEASE REFRAIN FROM ENTERING THIS AREA (顾客止步) .2.4 Conventional Expressions Due to some historical factors or the convention o
35、f language and culture, many prompting public signs have fixed expressions. That is to say, to casually change those signs which are conventional will lead to ambiguity and even cause misinterpretation sometimes. “Conventional” especially involves the translation of those prompting public signs in p
36、articular contexts and places. For instance, we usually translate “非公莫入” into “staff only”. In the above mentioned prompting public sign, the structure “+ only” is a typically conventional one, for we can apply it to any occasions that limit the admittance and regulate the exclusive right. Some othe
37、r examples of this translation model are as follows: BUSES ONLY (公交专用道 ); ARROW ONLY (请绕行此路); PASSENGERS ONLY(送 客 止 步 ).2.5 Euphemistic RepresentationAs we have discussed above, prompting public signs are designed to provide some information to guide or remind people in order to achieve 12some goals
38、. Since this kind of signs mainly aims at sending some friendly and considerate messages to the public, for a better informative and interpersonal effect, the application of word and tone should be as euphemistic as possible.The following is an example of a warning public sign. Once on a deep slope
39、of the west bank of Nu River, there existed a traffic warning sign “Here bus once overturned, seven people lost their lives” (此处客车翻车,曾死亡七人).The very sight of this warning may easily give the readers a thrilling and creepy feeling. Though it fulfills the role of warning, the way of its expression can
40、 hardly be pleasantly accepted by the audience. Actually, there is no need to directly tell people what once happened there, since the purpose of the sign is just to remind the terrain feature of that area. Instead, it can be changed into the following mild hint: Accident-prone locations, pay attent
41、ion to traffic safety (事故多发地带,注意交通安全) .Therefore, when designing prompting public signs, the interpersonal function must be emphasized as intensely as the informative function. The conclusion goes that euphemism is an essential element of the features of prompting public signs.In a word, this chapte
42、r has analyzed five main features of prompting public signs. With a better knowledge of their language features, it becomes much easier for us to explore their translation principles.13Chapter 3Principles of C-E Translation of Prompting Public SignsTranslation is a kind of complicated thinking activ
43、ity exchanging information between two different social cultures by means of linguistic forms. The process of translation is a process of interaction which is on the basis of the source text. Due to its unique language features, the translation of prompting public signs should adhere to some certain
44、 principles. In the following part, some principles will be discussed respectively. 3.1 ReadabilityThe aim of English prompting public signs in China is to enable English readers to learn, live, work or travel more conveniently within this country. Thus translation of this text type asks the transla
45、tors to give top priority to consider the readability of the versions and the receptivity of the target readers. So the translation should be an accurate flow of information. Prompting public signs translation is quite different from the translation of literary works, which put a great emphasis on t
46、he aesthetic feeling and elegance. On the contrary, the main features of prompting public signs are readable, explicit and terse. Thus according to the above-mentioned discussion, during the 14translation, those uncommon, ambiguous and unnatural words and expressions must be avoided. Meanwhile, the
47、translators should ensure the correct spelling of words and the right structures of expressions. Here are some instances to illustrate this principle. E.g.1. 行人、自行车横过天河路、请走过街隧道Please Use the Walking Suabway for Crossing the Tianhe RoadHere, “suabway” is the misspelling of “subway”, moreover, “subway
48、” means “地铁”, and in the above example, “过街隧道” must be translated into “pedestrian tunnel”. E.g.2. 垃圾在此投放，烟头切勿投入Faulty Translation: The garbage throws in here. The cigarette butt throws in absolutely not to.Revised Version: Garbage only, no for cigarette buttThe original translation has the obvious grammar error that is resulted from the disordered sentence structure. This kind of errors would certainly weaken the readability of the prompting signs. E.g.3. 小心碰头Faulty Translation: Take Care of Your HeadRevised Version: Watch Your Head/Mind Your Head15The above-mentioned example is a typ
