The cultivation of Chinese-English translation ability includes the following aspects:
1. Develop a sense of language and an understanding of English (sense of language-learning language and specific expressions with open and alert thinking. );
2. Cultivate the ability to judge and appreciate English (evaluation ability-judgment);
3. Cultivate the ability of insight and analysis in English (observation-insight);
Fourth, we should cultivate the ability to respond to the subtle features of English (the alertness of language nuances); -
5. Cultivate social and cultural sensitivity-cross-cultural awareness;
6. Cultivate the awareness of differences between English and Chinese;
7. Cultivate the understanding of the dialectical relationship between English and Chinese (understanding of the dialectical relationship between Chinese and English);
8. Cultivate the awareness of "making foreign things serve China" in English;
9. Cultivate the awareness of "applying what you have learned" in English;
10. We should cultivate a multi-level and multi-angle stereo translation method.
1 1. A qualified translator must know what a clear translation concept is.
12. An excellent translation must have strong conceptual power.
The cultivation of the above abilities and consciousness can be achieved through different specific ways. I usually take the method of "it rains in Mao Mao" to help students strengthen their translation awareness in many ways:
First of all, we should have a profound and full understanding of the importance of translation. Right and wrong, good and bad translation sometimes produce completely different effects. For example, the "Tianya Haijiao" in Hainan Island has been translated into "the end of the world". For another example, the "free ticket delivery within one hour" in an airline advertisement changed to "free ticket delivery within one hour": we will give you free ticket delivery within one hour.
Second, we should be good at understanding the meaning of the original Chinese text seriously, profoundly and accurately. This is because accurate understanding is the premise of good translation. For example, we often use "crossing the river by feeling the stones" to describe the cause of China's reform and opening up, which is unprecedented. So how do you translate "crossing the river by feeling the stones" into English? Some people literally translate as crossing the river by feeling the stones. Translators don't really understand the meaning of "crossing the river by feeling the stones" and how to express it so that foreigners can understand it. The correct method should be to follow the following steps:
? How to understand the literal meaning of "crossing the river by feeling the stones"
? What is its meaning or extension?
? Are there the same or similar expressions in English? Borrow it directly if you have it; If not, is it literal translation or free translation?
? Can foreigners understand crossing the river by feeling the stones?
? Shall we cross the river by boat or by wading? What form does this verb take?
? Is the river here a big river, a middle river or a small river? )?
? Touch it with your hands or your feet?
? Is this stone big or small (rock, stone, pebble, etc.)? )?
? Is it advisable to translate it into learning through experience/trial and error?
? How about combining literal translation with free translation and crossing the river by feeling the stones?
As there is no previous experience to rely on, we have to "cross the river by feeling the stones", as we said in China.
Third: Chinese and English equivalents sometimes have different meanings or are not exactly the same, so they cannot be translated directly. For example, "foreigner" and "foreigner" in the following examples: if we want to say "he speaks English really well, just like a foreigner." Translated into such English, he speaks English so well that he sounds like a foreigner. Then the modifier here is like a foreigner, which means it is not good and sounds awkward. This seemingly accurate translation has the opposite effect. The correct translation method should be: He speaks English so well that he sounds like a native English speaker.
"Stimulating economic growth" cannot be translated into stimulating economic growth, which is not in line with English expression habits. Instead, the following verbs should be used to match economic growth: promote/promote/increase/promote/stimulate/
Stimulation/drive/fuel/acceleration/acceleration/power generation/ignition/propulsion/promotion/enhancement/
Help/assist/support/promote/encourage/cultivate/(maintain/maintain).
Nor can we translate "quality education" into quality education, that is, "high-quality education". Correct translation should be competence-centered education or quality-centered education.
Fourthly, sometimes the literal meaning of Chinese is not fully expressed, and some information is omitted or hidden. For example, the following example: the SAR is a window, a window of technology, a window of management, a window of knowledge and a window of foreign policy. Someone translated it as: the special zone is a window. It is a window to introduce technology, management and knowledge. This is also a window of foreign policy.
Such translation is beyond the comprehension of foreigners. We must translate all the neglected or hidden information: special economic zones are the windows to the outside world. They are windows introduced from abroad. Advanced technology, advanced management knowledge and latest knowledge. It is also a window to spread China's foreign policy.
There are many similar examples. For example, "returning farmland to forests" is not returning farmland to forests, but restoring "returning farmland to forests". "Spring Festival travel rush fever" can not be simply described as Spring Festival travel rush, but the peak/peak season of passenger transport during Spring Festival travel rush.
Fifth, some Chinese words have no special meanings, while the corresponding English words have special meanings. For example, "cheap" corresponds to "cheap" and "cheap", sometimes with derogatory meaning, which means "low quality and low price", such as cheap jewelry, cheap dresses, cheap furniture and so on. We can say that I bought a cheap watch for my child, which doesn't matter to my child; But you can't say that I bought my girlfriend cheap clothes because it would offend her. In the latter case, the word cheap must be used.
Sixth: Avoid using Chinglish and try to use authentic English. If you want to translate the sentence "I learned some French before, but now I forgot to give it back to the teacher" into English, don't say that I learned some French in the past. Now I have forgotten. I have returned it to the teacher. A better way is that I used to know some French, but I have forgotten it. It has found my teacher.
For another example, we should say in English: "I have accumulated a lot of stolen clothes, waiting to be washed at the weekend." Don't say that I have accumulated a lot of dirty clothes. I'm going to wash them at the weekend. A better expression is that I have a lot of clothes to wash at the weekend.
Seventh: According to different occasions, English expressions can be divided into formal and informal. For example, "no smoking", "thank you for not smoking" and "please refund the cost of smoking in this room for your health and that of others". "The following two groups of examples each contain three styles: formal-normal-informal:
Please wait for instructions before sending items.
Please wait for instructions before sending items.
Don't send anything unless someone tells you.
Necessary measures should be taken as soon as possible.
People should take any necessary measures as soon as possible.
You should do what you should do as soon as possible.
Eighth: Pay attention to the choice of different terms in all walks of life. For example, if we want to translate "professional visa officer" into English, we should translate it into visa officer according to the habit of diplomatic terminology, instead of translating it into a professional visa officer. The English translation of "housing project" is not a housing project for urban low-income residents, but should be translated into affordable housing plan according to the habits of social and economic terms; The English translation of "informatization" is neither informatization nor informatization, and should be translated into a spreading/sweeping information disclosure/information disclosure process/trend according to the habits of high-tech industries; The English translation of "foreign-funded enterprise" is not an overseas-invested enterprise, but should be translated into a foreign-invested enterprise/enterprise with foreign investment according to the custom of foreign trade industry; For another example, the warning on the expressway "Don't drive tired" is not translated into English, but should be translated into drowsy driving is dangerous or driving alert, and arrive alive according to traffic regulations.
Ninth: Pay attention to the cultural differences between China and Britain. To translate "cross talk" into English, we should not only translate its form, but also its connotation. Translated into cross talk, foreigners can't understand; It's best to translate it into crosstalk. For another example, suppose we want to translate "foreign trade as the leader" into English, can it be directly translated into with foreign trade as the leader? It is difficult for foreigners to understand this kind of translation, because the expression of "taking … as the leading factor" comes from the custom of playing with dragon lanterns, and most foreigners are not necessarily familiar with this custom in China. In order to achieve good translation results, we should use expressions that can cross cultural barriers, such as "locomotive" or "flagship": foreign trade is the locomotive/flagship.
But we can't treat all similar translation problems mechanically. Have some dialectics in your mind. For example, the expression "land of plenty" in Chinese has a similar expression in English, but because the land of plenty can be understood by foreigners, it will not cause obstacles to cross-cultural communication, so we can adopt the expression "land of plenty" and keep a little China characteristics.
Tenth, the implied meaning must be translated clearly for foreign readers to understand. For example, the word "sunny" in "Sunrise in the East and Rain in the West, Sunny on the Road" is a pun, which has double meanings of "sunny" and "love". When we translate, we must give consideration to both:
It's sunny in the east, but it rains heavily in the west.
Rain or shine, he is the sunshine in my heart.
For another example, the "first step" in the advertisement "This shoe polish adds luster to your feet" is also a pun. When translated, both meanings should be expressed: This shoe polishes your shoes and you look great.
Eleventh: For example, sometimes it is not enough to translate the literal meaning, but also to express the depth, strength and beauty between the lines. Take "the wine in Zhumen stinks and the bones freeze" for example. If we simply translate it into wine and meat rotting in the building; The bones of the dead rot in front of their doors, and then there are no poems. The following translation shows its meaning, depth, strength and beauty:
In a mansion, luxury makes wine and meat rot;
In the street, extreme poverty leads to the freezing and decay of bodies.
Twelfth: Chinese and English are quite different in grammar, word order and sentence structure. Therefore, these changes must be taken into account when translating Chinese into English. For example, when translating the sentence "great achievements have been made in reform and opening up", it cannot be translated step by step into: great achievements have been made in economic reform and opening up. It should be translated in this way, with "great achievements" as the subject. Changing Active Voice into Passive Voice: China has made great achievements in economic reform and opening up.
To sum up, a good translator must have different perspectives and understand the true meaning of translation. In order to improve the level of Chinese-English translation, we must strengthen the cultivation of the above awareness. We must develop a multi-level and multi-angle thinking habit.