1、Avoid Translationese,Translationese in E-C Translation （1）照搬英汉词典的释义 （2）照搬原文的功能词 （3）照搬原文的语序 （4）照搬原文的表达方式,What is translationese?,Language is the principal means whereby we conduct our social lives. The language of one nation distinguishes itself from that of another by its peculiar lexis, syntax, idi
2、omatic expressions and modes of thinking. Failing to free himself of the influence of the source language, or simply holding the wrong conception that the formally closest version to the SL is the most faithful one, the translator sometimes directly transplants the original linguistic forms into the
3、 target language, hence a hybrid language characterized by its poor acceptability in the TL, i. e. translationese.,Translationese : A Style or a Syndrome,Some scholars tend to regard translationese as something of a literary style and argue that “a translation should read like a translation“. Nida n
4、otices the trend and remarks: Under the impact of the wholesale translations of textbooks and other semiliterary materials, a kind of translationese has arisen in many parts of the world. This form of language is often accepted, especially by educated nationals, as the only possible medium for commu
5、nicating materials which have first been expressed in a foreign language.,Translationese : A Style or a Syndrome,Since scholars have often had to read a good deal of such material, they come to accept it more and more as a kind of literary standard, not realizing that this banal and artificial form
6、of language fails utterly to do justice to the rich resources of the receptor language. （Nida, 1969:100）,Translationese : A Style or a Syndrome,Though “accepted especially by educated nationals“ , the so-called translationese is a syndrome in practice due to its obscure nature in most readers eyes.
7、While versions in slight translationese often sound awkward and unnatural, those in strong translationese may be so vague and redundant that they defy readers correct understanding. Many examples in this chapter illustrate this point.,Main Causes of Translationese,Generally speaking, two factors lea
8、d to translationese in English-Chinese rendering: incorrect understanding of the original words and Europeanization of the Chinese sentence structure.,Word Meaning and Translationese,Translating must aim primarily at rendering the message. To do anything else is essentially false to ones task as a t
9、ranslator. Being the content of message, word meaning must be given priority to in the process. Translationese often occurs when a translator fails to understand the contextual meaning of the original words or simply clings to the ready-given meaning in a dictionary. Examine the examples below:,Exam
10、ples,1）Improve Your Study Habits（the title of a text) 改进你的学习习惯 改进你的学习方法 （2）This is the official kind of strike. 这是官方的罢工。 这是工会组织的罢工。 (3）They took a final look at Iron Mike，still intact in the darkness。 他们最后看了铁迈克一眼它依旧安然无恙地耸立在黑暗中。 最后他们看了看迈克的铁像它仍然完好无缺地耸立在黑暗中。,Examples,（4）Our son must go to school He mus
11、t break out the pot that holds us in 我们的儿子一定得进学校。他一定得打破这个把我们关在里面的罐子。 我们的儿子一定要上学，一定要出人头地。 （5） Nowadays，however，the crystal-ball promises of world peace are not so clear 然而现在，像水晶球一样透亮的世界和平前景却并不那么光明了。 然而现在，可以预见的世界和平前景却并不那么光明了。 （6） The hum of the machines ended for ever the age-old silence on the virgin
12、 land 机器的轰鸣声从此结束了这片处女地千百年来的寂静。 机器的轰鸣声从此打破了这片处女地千百年来的寂静。,Examples,(7) Kino hurrying towards his house，felt a surge of exhilaration. 奇诺朝着他的屋子匆匆地走去，感到一阵涌起的兴奋。 基诺加快步伐，兴致勃勃地朝自己家奔去。 (8) The essence of pearl mixed with essence of men a curious dark residue was precipitated 珍珠的要素和人的要素一混合，一种奇怪的黑渣子便沉淀了下来。 珍珠的
13、价值和人的灵魂，这两种东西混在一起便会有一种奇怪的黑色沉渣。,Examples,(9) Doctors had recommended that babies be laid down to sleep on their stomachs for fear they might choke if they vomited in their sleep 医生过去曾建议让婴儿睡在他们的腹上，以防他们睡着呕吐时可能被噎住。 医生过去曾建议让婴儿趴着睡，以防他们睡着呕吐时可能被噎住。 (10) However，this view has later been discredited and docto
14、rs now advise parents to lay their infants on their backs 不过，这种看法后来被推翻了。现在医生反而建议家长应让婴儿躺在他们的背上。 不过，这种看法后来被推翻了。现在医生反而建议家长应让婴儿仰着睡。,Sentence Structure and Translationese,Translation played a significant role in the extensive spread of the vernacular Chinese in the early 20th Century and consequently in
15、the development of the Chinese languageThe influence exerted by modern translation on the Chinese language comes mainly from so-called literal translation，which brings to the country not only new expressions but also Europeanized sentence structures. As we know， English is quite different from Chine
16、se both in syntax and in rhetoric. Europeanized sentence structures often lead to translationese and produce a malign influence on the Chinese language Here are some examples：,Examples,（1）The air seemed almost sticky from the scent of bursting buds 空气由于刚开的花蕾发出的香味似乎变得几乎是黏糊糊的了。 花蕾初绽，散发出一种芳香，这时空气似乎给人一种
17、黏糊糊的感觉 。 （2）I had no idea about it，until you told me. 我对此一无所知，一直到你告诉我时为止。 在你告诉我之前，我对此一无所知。,Examples,3）Hondas parents were cotton pickers in Peru until they opened a tailor shop in downtown Lima. 本田的父母在秘鲁采棉花谋生，一直到他们在利马商业区开设裁缝店为止。 本田的父母原本在秘鲁采棉花谋生，后来他们改行在利马商业区开裁缝店。 （4）He walked when he might have taken a car 当他可以乘汽车去的时候，他还是步行了。 尽管他可以乘汽车去的，他还是步行了。,Possible solution to the problem,Avoiding rigid formal correspondence; Grasping techniques of adjustments; Understanding the original text thoroughly,
