英文论文

毕业（学位）论文（2013届本科）题目：浅析汉语公示语的翻译系(部)院：外国语学院专业：英语作者姓名：黄海娜指导教师：赵志华职称：讲师完成日期：2013 年 4 月8 日On the Transilation of Chinese PublicSignsHuang HainaUnder the Supervision ofZhao ZhihuaSchool of Foreign LanguagesHexi UniversityApril 2013Abstract (English) (i)Abstract (Chinese) (ii)1.Introduction (6)2.An Overview of the Euphemism (6)2.1 Definition (6)2. 2 The pragmatic functions of euphemism (7)3. Similarities and Differences Between English and Chinese Euphemism (8)3.1 Similarities between English and Chinese Euphemism (9)3.2 The Differences between English and Chinese Euphemism (12)4. The Specific Principles and Methods of English and Chinese Euphemism T ranslation (15)4.1 literal translation (17)4.2free translation (18)5. Conclusion (19)References (20)Acknowledgements (21)公示语是一种特殊的文体，它向大众传递信息。

随着中国经济的发展及其国际地位的提高,越来越多的外国人来华投资或旅游,公示语成为他们了解中国的窗口；而且越来越多中国人开始努力学习英语，公示语作为一种随处可见的特殊文体，在很大程度上，方便了华人学习英语。

因此，公示语的翻译变得尤为重要。

然而，准确翻译公示语并不容易，所以，加强公示语翻译的研究和采取切实有力的措施去改善公示语翻译质量，具有深远的意义。

本文从公示语的定义，分类入手，旨在对公示语及其翻译做全面的研究，对其翻译也做了一定的论述，并尝试着提出相应的翻译策略，期望公示语更加标准、规范，以达到更好的文化宣传和交际作用。

关键字：公示语，存在的问题，翻译策略AbstractPublic sign is a special kind of style, which is used in public to show information to the public. With the development of Chinese economy，lots of Chinese begin to English hard. And the fact that more and more foreigners come to China on business or to visit makes the translation of public signs important and necessary. However, it is not an easy job for an translator to translate the public signs correctly. Therefore, the study of public signs and their translation becomes an urgent and significant task. The thesis discusses the definition, classification of public signs which aims at making an overall study of Chinese public signs and their translation. In the thesis, some of theories and linguistic rules are applied for the purpose of researching the strategies of translating public signs. The purpose of this thesis is to attract more attention to the translation of the public signs and to make it more standard and normative.Keywords: Public signs, Problems, Translation principles1. IntroductionAs the communication of our country with the world carries out in a deep-going way, more and more Chinese learn English hard in order to communicate with foreigners who come to China to do business or to visit. At the same time, lots of foreigners come to china to pursue their studies, do business, English become the tool by wnich can easily contact Chinese and foreigners. Public signs help to refine people’s social b ehavior, human relationship, enhance manufacturing efficiency, deter the criminals, raise people’s spirit, improve living conditions and help to build a harmonious society . It is very important for us to pay more attention to public signs, especially the translation of them into English in such a crucial period of development of our country. It represents our cultural background and leads our country to enter into the world stage since the world knows better our country through them. No matter in big cities or in small towns, various kinds of public signs can be seen everywhere. It not only can do good to Chinese to learn English, but also can benefit foerign people live in that city. However, most of the translation are not quit correspond to the usage of of English, which make some troubles and misunderstandings. This thesis is to explore the translation of public signs to provide some suggestions and help in translating public signs so that Chinese tourism can have a great development.2.General Knowledge of Public Signs2.1 DefinitionPublic signs refer to words and pictures giving information about people’s lives in public places in order to inform, indicate, suggest and warn the public. We can see public signs everywhere. Where there is lodging, traveling, entertainment or shopping, there are public signs. Some public signs aim at encouraging customers to consume.Public signs have some similarities to logos, notices and labels. Public signs are language and communication tools which are used to present necessary and useful information to public. It constitute an important part of communication materials,including road signs, signs in tourist attractions, signs for commercial services, signs in stadium and gymnasium, and signs in heath and medicine and so on. They have special communicative functions and play the role of providing information and instructions.2.2 Classification of Public SignsThere are so many common aspects between Chinese public signs and English public signs. Both Chinese and English public signs are mean to play the same role in people's lives. According to their functions, public signs can be generally divided into four kinds: suggestive public signs, indicative public signs, limitative public signs and imperative public signs.2.2.1 suggestive public signsSuggestive public signs are used to give the public some useful suggestions in places such as a park, a mall or a hotel. For example, when coming into a garden, we may find a sign which reads “keep off the grass” which is“请勿践踏草坪”in Chinese. These kinds of public signs do not tell us what we must do or what we must not do, they just give us som suggestions to do something or not to do something as well as give us the imformation to make us fell secure. For example:Reserved 预留席位Sterilized已消毒Wep Pain油漆未干Full Booked客满Sold Oout售完Explosive易爆物品Maxmum height限高Caution：wet floor小心地滑2.2.2 Indicative Public SignsIndicative public signs are applied to give information to the public without any limitative or imperative suggestion in them. This kind of public signs can be seen almost everywhere in public places. For example,Information 问询服务Car Rental租车服务Travel Service 旅游服务Take Away外卖服务Commetics化妆品部Out-Patient Department门诊部Night Club夜总会General Hospital综合医院等Indicative public signs are the most often used and most important public signs in our lives. We can not imagine what our lives would be like without them. For instance, with the development of the economy and the rising of the standard of people’s life, more and more people would like to spend their holiday in traveling all over trhe world. Therefore, indicative public signs play very important roles in people’s daily life. If there are no indicative public signs, we may get into a lot of troubles.2.2.3 Limitative Public SignsA limitative public sign is another kind of widely used public signs This kind of public signs tells what the public must do must no do so as to give instruction to their actions. The language is usually direct but reasonable so that the public can not feel offended and unacceptable. For example,凭票入场Ticket Only 慢速驶出Slow Out员工通道Staff Only 宾客止步Closed to Visitors.2.2.4 Imperative public signsImperative public signs refer to the kind of public signs that forces the public to take certain actions without any place for consultation. This kind of public signs is usually written in a straightforward way with a coercive tone. The public must obey the order if they do not want to get into trouble. This kind of public signs is very important in creating a more disciplined and peaceful society by restricting people’s actions. For example,严禁吸烟No Smoking; 此处严禁钓鱼No Fishing Here请勿随地吐痰No Spitting, 勿拍照No Photography,禁止驶入No Entry, 桥上严禁超车No Overtaking On Bridge, 3. Problems While Translating3.1 Stylistic ErronessEnglish can be distinguished into formal style and informal style which are used in different occasions. In some formal or serious occasions,the formal style should be used while the informal or entertainmental occasions,the informal style should beused. If people put the booton the leg or confuse them, a ridiculous or funny result would be made. So when the public signs are translated, it should be avoided by the translator doing the best.For example, caution means look out or take care. And as well all know, look out and take care are more colloquialism than the caution. “当心脚下” can be translated into “take care of your step”or “caution, attention your step”. Compared with the former translation, the latter one seemed more formal and serious, and it give the readers a kind of sentation that it mind the readerthe danger is just in front of him, he must pay attention,to it at once.(冯修文，严大为，103)Chinese prefer authority because they like to use “forbidden”and “prohibitted”. But the foreigners will treat this kind of words as they are impolite and rude. For instance, a british man want to buy a ticket at 8 o’clock, but the time of selling ticket has ended up at 6 o’clock. So, when arrives at the train station, he just see a public sign whicn reads “stop receiving visitors’’（停止售票），this would make the man confused and unforgetable.3.2 The Use of Chinish3.2.1 Interpret Without Real UnderstandingExample 1. Export and ExitExport and exit both are mean “出口”in Chinese. Sometimes, we may see a public sign which reads “export” in a library or a office building. When a man who is learning English see it, he will be mislead that “出口” in a library or a office building is export. However, in English, they have different meanings and are used in different occasions. Export means to sell and send goodto another country while exit means a way out of a public building or vehicle (Oxford Advanceed Leaner’s Dictionary(2004,1482)).Example 2. RestroomRestroom is a blending word which is combined with “rest” and “room”,and we ofen see “teachers’restroom”(教师休息室), but it has no connection with rest. In Oxford Advanceed Leaner’s Dictionary(2004,1482), restroom means a room with a toilet in a public place, such as a theatre or a restaurant.Example 3.Please Take the Main EntranceThe Chinese meaning is “请走正门”. In fact, the main entrance includes two meaning of “out” and “in”, but the English translation just translate “in” instead of “out ”and “in”.Another example:“闲人免进”was tasnslated into “admittance denied to idlers”, in fact , it should be translated into “staff only”.3.2.2 over-translationBecause the translator does not understand the corresponding translation of a Chinese public sign in an English one, so he will translate the public sign one word by one word. It seemed that he has translated the meaning on the sueface, but actually he did nothing because no one foreigners can understand what he said even some Chinese learn the wrong second language.Example 1.Warm and Fragrant HintForeigners may fell confused about this public sign if they see it in some places. But our Chinese probably guess the meaning-----“温馨提示”. The translator translate “温馨” into warm and fragrant while “提示” hint. So “Gentle Reminder” cab be used better.Example 2.Caution, Butt Head Against the WallChinese may guess the meaning of this sentence, which is “Attention your head ”or “Mind Your Head”(小心碰头). Indeed, butt head against actually means “碰头”in Chinese, but more specific, it means bump his head against the wall by exerting his strength purposely. However, the Chinese just want to convey that people should be careful.Example 3. Please Leave off after Pissing or ShittingThis public sign refers to “（本公厕为免冲式）请您便后离开即可” in Chinese. The English translation was translated every character into English. Maybe the translator thinks that he did the best job that evetyone can understandthe meaning, but this translation is quite impolite and further specific. So “Automatic Flush” is OK.4. Translation Strategies on Public SignsTranslation is an effective means to contribute to the communications among countries, so how to translate them has come first. In the translation process, translator can choose all kinds of strategies and methods to achieve the perfect effects. In order to choose the right strategy, we have to analyze the writing firstly, knowing the setting and style of the writing. When translating public sign, the translator can not translate it sentence by sentence just at the first sight, but should master the main idea of the whole writing. Only when he gets the main idea and masters the whole writing, can he conducts translation with high proficiency and efficiency. So before translating, translator has to take many aspects into consideration and then analyze them.4.1 Be BriefBe brief in the tsanslation from Chinese public signs into English public signs refers to the Chinese-English translation should be clear and concise, which should contain no long and complicated sentences. Newmark (2001-47), pointed out that the two main goals are: first, accurate; second, concise. "Concise" that is the signs to Chinese-English translation is one of the principle, which is concerned on the base of the language itself.. Street signs, store signs, advertising language, warnings, or tourism introduction are language on all public places, because they are restricted by time and space, the Chinese-English translation is particularly important to be simple and clear. Public language English Translation of words concise, precise words, only use core content words, key words, and articles,, and auxiliary verbs can be omitted. ( Newmark, 2001: 48)。