翻译的基本概念(revised)

Some Basic Concepts of Translation

I

．

Some controversial issues

：

1.

literal translation vs. free translation

直译还是意译

2.

functional equivalence vs. formal correspondence

功能对等还是形式对应

3.

content vs. form

重内容还是重形式

4.

source- oriented vs. target-oriented

靠近原语还是靠近译入语

5.

author- centered vs. reader-centered

以原作者为中心还是以译入语读者为中心

6.

the purpose of the author vs. the purpose of the translator

原作者写作的目的还是译者翻

译的目的

II

．

THE METHODS

(Peter Newmark)

1. Word-for-word translation

（逐字翻译）

This

is

often

demonstrated

as

interlinear

translation,

with

the

TL

immediately

below

the

SL

words. The SL word-order is preserved and the words translated singly by their most common

meanings, out of context. Cultural words are translated literally. The main use of word-for-word

translation is either to understand the mechanics of the source language or to construe a difficult

text as a pre- translation process.

2. Literal translation

（直译）

The SL grammatical constructions are converted to their nearest TL equivalents but the lexical

words are again translated singly, out of context. As a pre-translation process, this indicates the

problems to be solved.

3. Faithful translation

（忠实翻译）

A

faithful

translation

attempts

to

reproduce

the

precise

contextual

meaning

of

the

original

within

the

constraints

of

the

TL

grammatical

structures.

It

?

transfers

?

cultural

words

and

preserves the degree of grammatical and lexical

?

abnormality

< br>?

(deviation from SL norms) in the

translation. It attempts to be completely faithful to the intentions and the text-realisation of the

SL writer.

4. Semantic translation

（语义翻译）

Semantic

translation

differs

from

?

faithful

translation

?

only

in

as

far

as

it

must

take

more

account

of

the

aesthetic

value

(that

is,

the

beautiful

and

natural

sound)

of

the

SL

text,

compromising

on

?

meaning

?

where

appropriate

so

that

no

assonance,

word-play

or

repetition

jars in the finished version. Further, it may translate less important cultural words by culturally

neutral

third

or

functional

terms

but

not

by

cultural

equivalents-

une

nonne

repassant

un

corporal

may

become

?

a

nun

ironing

a

corporal

cloth

?

–

and

it

may

make

other

small

concessions

to

the

readership.

The

distinction

between

?

faithful

?

and

?

semantic

?

translation

is

that

the

first

is

uncompromising

and dogmatic,

while

the

second

is

more

flexible,

admits

the

creative exception to 100%

fidelity and allows for the translator

?

s intuitive empathy with the

original.

1

5. Adaptation

（改写）

This is the

?

freest

?

form of translation. It is used mainly for plays (comedies) and poetry; the

themes, characters, plots are usually preserved, the SL culture converted to the TL culture and

the text rewritten. The deplorable practice of having a play or poem literally translated and then

rewritten

by

an

established

dramatist

or

poet

has

produced

many

poor

adaptations,

but

other

adaptations have

?

rescued

?

period plays.

6. Free translation

（自由翻译）

Free translation reproduces the mater without the manner, or the content without the form of the

original.

Usually

it

is

a

paraphrase

much

longer

than

the

original,

a

so- called

?

intralingual

translation

?

, often prolix and pretentious, and not translation at all.

7. Idiomatic translation

（习语翻译）

Idiomatic

translation

reproduces

the

?< /p>

message

?

of

the

original

but

tends

to

distort

nuances

of

meaning

by

preferring

colloquialisms

and

idioms

where

these

do

not

exist

in

the

original.

(Authorities as diverse as Seleskovitch and Stuart Gilbert tend to this form of lively,

?

natura l

?

translation.

8. Communicative translation

（交流翻译）

Communicative translation attempts to render the exact contextual meaning of the original in

such

a

way

that

both

content

and

language

are

readily

acceptable

and

comprehensible

to

the

readership.

III

．

The nature of translating

(Nida)

“

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.

”

1.

Reproducing the message

Translating

must

aim

primarily

at

“

reproducing

the

message

”

.

To

do

anything

else

is

essentially

false

to

one

?

s

task

as

a

translator.

But

to

reproduce

the

message

one

must

make a good many grammatical and lexical adjustments.

2.

Equivalence rather than identity

The

translator

must

strive

for

equivalence

rather

than

identity.

In

a

sense,

this

is

just

another way of emphasizing the reproduction of the message rather than the conservation

of the form of the utterance.

3.

A natural equivalent

The best translation does not sound like a translation. That is to say, it should studiously

avoid

“

translationese

”

—

formal

fidelity,

with

resulting

unfaithfulness

to

the

content

2

and the impact of the message.

4.

The closest equivalent

A conscientious translator will want the closest natural equivalent. It has been argued ,

for

example,

that

in

present-day

English

a

natural

equivalent

of

“

demon- possessed

”

would be

“

mentally distressed.

”

This might be regarded by some as a natural equivalent,

but it is certainly not the

“

closest equivalent

”

.

5.

The priority of meaning

As it has already been indicated in the definition of translating, meaning must be given

priority, for it is the content of the message which is of prime importance for translating.

This means that certain rather radical departures from the formal structure are not only

legitimate but may even be highly desirable.

6.

The significance of style

Though

style

is

secondary

to

content,

it

is

nevertheless

important.

One

should

not

translate

poetry

as

though

it

were

prose,

nor

expository

material

as

though

it

were

straight

narrative.

…

It

is

usually

quite

impossible

to

represent

some

of

the

stylistic

subtleties of the original.

IV

. Language Functions, Text-categories and Text-types

(Peter Newmark)

Three main functions:

1.

The expressive function

（表达功能）

The core of the expressive function is the mind of the speaker, the writer, the originator

of

the

utterance.

He

uses

the

utterance

to

express

his

feelings

irrespective

of

any

response.

The characteristic

< br>?

expressive

?

text-types are:

1)

Serious imaginative literature: lyrical poetry, short stories, novels, plays.

2)

Authoritative

statements:

political

speeches,

documents

etc;

statutes

and

legal

documents; scientific, philosophical and

?

academic< /p>

?

works written by acknowledged

authorities.

3)

Autobiography, essays, personal correspondence.

2.

The informative function

（信息功能）

The core of informative function of language is external situation, the facts of a topic,

reality outside language, including reported ideas or theories.

Typical

?

informat ive

?

texts are concerned with any topic of knowledge, but texts about

literary

subjects,

as

they

often

express

value-judgments,

are

apt

to

lean

towards

?

expressiveness

?

.

The

format

of

an

informative

text

is

often

standard:

a

textbook,

a

3