目的论下的翻译策略

PrinciplesfortheTranslationofPublicSigns【Abstract】Asacrucialcommunicationmaterial,thepublicsignexhibitsitsgrowingimportanceintheworldwidecommunication.Itisaspecialtextwhosefunctionisstrongandcommunicativepurposequiteclear.Thus,itstranslationapproachesshouldbebasedonthetext’sfunctionsandthetranslator’spurpose.Thispaperclassifiespublicsigns,comparesChineseandEnglishsignsandcomesupwiththeprincipleforitsC-Etranslation,namely,anA-B-Capproach(Adapt-Borrow-Createapproach).ItisbasedontheSkopostheorie.【KeyWords】publicsigns;translation;principle;SkopostheorieIntroductionSignreferstoaletteredboardorotherpublicdisplayplacedonorbeforeabuilding,room,shoporofficetoadvertisebusinesstheretransactedorthenameofpersonorfirmconductingit(Webster’sThirdNewInternationalDictionary).Signs,whichbelongtosocialphraseology,coverawiderangeincludingenvironmentalcommunicationsigns(wayfinding/directingsigns,informationsigns,notices,andwarnings),streetsigns,trafficsignsroadsigns,roadmarkers,parkingsigns,schoolsigns,no-smokingsigns,constructionsigns,travelsigns,instructionalnoticesandsoon.Theyare,withtheirsocialcommunicativefunctions,widelyusedbythepubliconallkindsofoccasions.1.DefinitionandClassificationofthePublicSignInOxfordEnglishDictionary,asignreferstoacharacteristicdeviceattachedtoorplacedinfrontofaninnorshop,asameansofdistinguishingitfromothersordirectingattentiontoit;inlaterusecommonlyaboardbearinganameorotherinscriptions,withorwithoutsomeornamentorpicture.AccordingtotheWebster’sThirdNewInternationalDictionary,itisdefinedasaletteredboardorotherpublicdisplayplacedonorbeforeabuilding,room,shoporofficetoadvertisebusinesstheretransactedorthenameofpersonorfirmconductingit.Signisabroadterm,widelyusedinpublicfacilities,rangingfromtravelling,catering,accommodation,recreation,shoppingtomedicalservice,educationalinstitutionandfinancialservice.Itincludeswordsofcaution,publicnotices,bills,posters,slogans,outdooradvertisements,trafficnoticesandsoon.Specificallyspeaking,itcoversstreetsigns,roadsigns,roadmarkers,parkingsigns,schoolsigns,constructionsigns,non-smokingsigns,signsatscenicspots,slogansetc..2.PracticalFunctionsofthePublicSignSignsperformthefollowingfourbasicfunctions:indicating,promoting,restrictingandcompelling.IndicatingAsitsmeaningsuggests,indicatingistoindicateorguidereaders.Signsassucharealsocalledinstructive/directive/guidingnoticeswhichgivereadersdetailedinformationwithnoprohibitionandrestriction.Indicatingisthemostbasicfunctionperformedinsignlanguage.Indicatingsignsgenerallygivereadersrelevantinformationaboutwhatitisandwhatserviceitprovides.PromptingPromptinghasnostrikingdifferencefromindicatingexceptthattheformercarriesthetoneofwarning.Itaimsatremindingreadersofpayingconsiderableattentiontosigns.RestrictingUnlikethetwofunctionsmentionedabove,signsthatperformrestrictingfunctionputrestrictionsandconstraintstoreaders,whoareexpectedtoabidebycertainrulesintheinterestofpublic.Restrictingsignsaretokeeporconfinewithinlimits.CompellingToputitsimple,compellingsignshavegreatpowerandpotencytoinduceactionorbrief.Withitstoughtone,negativewordsandcomparativelyuniformsentencestructures,thereisslightpossibilityofanyalternatives.3.ComparisonBetweentheChineseandEnglishPublicSignBothsharesimilarities,ofwhich,thelanguagestylesareconcise,convenientandconspicuous;moreover,thefiguresofspeechareoftenadopted.Yet,aseriesofdifferencesstillexist.Suchstylisticanalysisfocusesmoreonitsfunctionalsignificanceinthesigntranslationthanontheformalfeaturesoftextsforitsownsake.•WordOrderAsthinkingmodesvaryintwocultures,thecentreofpowerreflectedinChineseandEnglishisstrikinglydifferent.TheChinesesignishighlyimplicitbyplacingthefocusattheendofaphrase;onthecontrary,theEnglishsignemphasizingthepointatthebeginning.Forinstance,﹡油漆未干WetPaint﹡无汞（电池）Mercury-Free·DictionPracticeDifferencesarealsoseenindictionpractice.VerbsareusuallyemployedinChinesetoperformsuchfunctionsaswarning,restrictingandcompelling,whereasthenounsandgerundsquitecommoninEnglish.Forinstance,﹡严禁穿行NoTrespassing﹡不收手续费NoCommissionCharge·MoodUnlikeEnglishsignswhichsoundeuphemisticandimplicative,Chinesesignsaremoredirectandstraightforward,evenwithatouchofauthority.Englishsignsoftendisplaytheallowableaspectinsteadofaimingattheprohibitedaudience.Forinstance,﹡闲人免进StaffOnly﹡送客止步PassengersOnly·VoiceEnglishsignsgenerallyusepassivevoice;Chinesesigns,however,aremoreofactivevoice.Hence,signtranslatorsshouldtakeintoaccountthetargetreader’sacceptabilityandidentification.Forexample,﹡禁止携带犬只入内DogsNotAllowed﹡戴好防护镜和安全帽SafetyGlasses&HardHatsRequired4.SkopostheorieSkopostheorie,advocatedbyHansJ.Vermeer,isthecoretheoryoffunctionalism,whichisabroadtermforvarioustheoriesfocusingonthefunctionorfunctionsoftexts.AccordingtoSkopostheorie,theprimeprincipledetermininganytranslationprocessisthepurpose(Skopos)oftheoveralltranslationalaction.Thus,thetop-rankingruleforanytranslationis“Skoposrule”,meaningthatatranslationalactionisdeterminedbyitsSkopos;thatis,“theendjustifiesthemeans”(Nord,2001:29).TheframeworkofVermeer’sSkopostheorieisasfollows: