纽马克文本类型理论下的进口化妆品英语说明书研究

纽马克文本类型理论下的进口化妆品英语说明书研究
摘要
近十几年来,随着中国加入世贸后推广了一系列对外文化政策，化妆品也随之涌入国际市场。

如何保证化妆品说明书的译文既要能准确有效地传达信息, 又要能切实满足消费者的需求, 这对化妆品说明书的译者来说是个难题。

作者试图通过文本类型理论翻译视角来探讨化妆品说明书的翻译, 旨在通过文本类型理论探讨其在英译时应遵循的翻译准则和可采用的翻译手段。

英国翻译家纽马克将文本类型划分为表达型文本﹑信息型文本和呼唤型文本三大文本类型, 认为译者应根据文本所要体现的文本功能来采取相应的翻译策略。

本研究作者基于纽马克文本理论，采取定性的研究方法，对市场上的化妆品说明书文本及其英译本进行了研究分析。

研究表明文本类型理论能指导化妆品说明书翻译，并具有一定优势。

同时指出：化妆品说明书翻译并不仅仅是一个语言转换过程，还要考虑到译入语文化，接受者的审美心理等诸多因素。

关键词：纽马克，文本类型理论，进口化妆品说明书，英汉翻译。

A Study on English-Chinese Translation of Imported Cosmetics Instructions under Newmark T ext Type Theory
ABSTRACT
In recent decades, as China joined the WTO and then issued a series of foreign cultural policies, cosmetics begin to enter into the international market. instructions . Y et, it turns out to be a difficult issue for translators to deliver correct information effectively, to meet the real needs of consumers. In this thesis the author tries to study it from the point of text typology aiming at selecting basic translation criteria and available translation methods. Peter Newmark, the British translator, classifies all texts into three types: the expressive text, the informative text and the vocative text. He points out that the translator should adopt corresponding translation strategies according to different text functions that the text expresses.. In this thesis, the author adopts a qualitative analysis research method on cosmetic instructions from the market and their English versions based on the theory of Newmark’s text typology. The theory and the case study of this paper prove that Text Typology Theory can provide guidance to cosmetics instructions translation, and has great priority. What's more, the author points out that the translation of cosmetic instructions is not only a language decoding process, but also a process that involves many factors, such as target culture, aesthetic psychology and so on.
KEY WORDS: Newmark，text typology theory，imported cosmetics instruction, English-Chinese translation.
Contents
Introduction (5)
Chapter 1 Introduction to Cosmetics Instructions Translation (6)
1.1 Literature Review (6)
1.2 Research Purpose and Significance of Cosmetics
Instructions Translation (9)
1.3 Organization of the Thesis (9)
Chapter 2 Theoretical Framework (11)
2.1 Peter Newmark’s Views on Text Typology (11)
2.1.1 Text Functions (11)
2.1.2 Text Types (13)
2.2 Peter Newmark’s Translation Methods (14)
2.3 Text Types and the Choice of Translation Methods (14)
Chapter 3 Analysis of the Application Text Typology Theory to Cosmetics Instructions Translation (16)
3.1 Accuracy and Economy Applied to the Cosmetics
Instructions Translation (16)
3.2 Coherence applied to the cosmetics instructions translation 17
3.3 Fidelity applied to the cosmetics instructions translation (18)
3.4 Relations among the Rules (19)
Chapter 4 A Case Study to Evaluate Cosmetics Instruction Translation (20)
4.1 Basic Elements of the Questionnaire (20)
4.2 Questionnaire (20)
4.3 Analysis of the Responses (22)
4.4 Suggested Strategies Adopted in the Translation of
Cosmetic Instructions (22)
4.4.1 Target-language-orientated Strategies (23)
4.4.2 Target-culture-orientated Strategies (24)
Conclusion (29)
Acknowledgements (31)
Bibliography (32)
Introduction
The recent deca des witnessed China’s rapid development in terms of trade and international exchange. With the entry into WTO, more and more foreign cosmetic companies begin to come into the Chinese market.In 2003, foreign cosmetics, includ ing the imported and joint-stock products, have taken up 68 percent in Chinese cosmetics market. The chief issue is how to make the consumers know these products very well. The most direct way is to show the consumers the cosmetics instructions. Consequently, translation of cosmetics instructions is rather important. However, due to the insufficient attention to cosmetics instructions translatio n at home and abroad, studies in cosmetics instructions translatio n lag behind other pragmatic translation, such as tourist translation, advertisement translation, etc. Besides, the quality of the translation of cosmetics instructions is far fro m satisfactory. Moreover,the prominent feature of cosmetics instructions is the integration of informative, aesthetic and vocative functions. It undertakes doub le roles of offering information to consumers and arousing their desire to make a purchase. Thus, the task of the translator is to offer the reader-expected target text in light o f the client’s requirement and make the target text fully perform the functions of cosmetics instructions.
Chapter 1 Introduction to Cosmetics Instructions
Translation
1.1 Literature Review
With the develop ment of social-linguistics, pragmatics and functional grammar, some researchers realize that there is a close relationship between language functions and text categorization, thus they attempt to classify texts according to language functio ns in order to find out the reason o f forming this kind of relatio nship. The fo llowing introduction is about their major contributions to translation stud ies in terms of language functions and text typology.
Hatim(1980) , as one of the representative figures of the Leipzig school, mentio ned that a text might worth studying. However, Kade(1993) did not carry out the study from the perspective o f language functions that are explored nowadays as the parameter to classify text types, but fro m the text genre Gentzler(2004:67) said that Kade “allowed for a rather broad scale Textgattungen (not necessarily types, but categorized generica lly)”.Karl Buhler(2011:34), put forward that language has three main functio ns, namely, expression, representation and appeal in his “organon model of language”.
Roman Jakobson(1960:363) further developed Buhler’s theory and proposed his own model of the functio ns of language, which is called communication model.Katharina Reiss(2001) put forward her text typology in her book Translation Criticism: The Potentials & Limitations as early as 1971.According to Hofstede(1995), the representational functio n means the function of reflecting objects and facts; the expressive function refers to expressing sender’s feeling or attitude, while the appellative functio n imp lies that making an appeal to the text receiver.
Peter Newmark, a famous British translation theorist and an experienced translator, proposed his text typolo gy based on Buhler’s functional theory of
language as adapted by Jakobson and Reiss’s text typology. Taking Buhler’s and Jakobson’s discussions on functions of language as the basis, Newmark divided language functio ns into six categories, includ ing the expressive function, the informative function, the vocative function, the phatic function, the aesthetic function and the metalingual functio n.According to Newmark, altho ugh language has six functions, they do not occupy the same important position, because the expressive, informative and vocative functio ns can effectively meet the primary purposes of using language. In view of this, the expressive, informative and vocative functions seem to be more important than the aesthetic, phatic and metalingual functions.
In China, it is hard to find an authoritative record that mentio ns the earliest research of text typology exp licitly, but it seemed that stud ies on translation from the perspective of language functions
Cong Li Jun(2004:43) held the view that, “functions of language production”p lays a leading ro le in the criteria of translation, therefore, translators must convey the thought and content of the source language text accurately, meanwhile, keep the “functions of language production” unchanged in the target language text.
Taking G. Leech’s five classifications of language functions as the basis, Cui Guo Qiang (2010:12) made a discussion on the “issue of translatio n shift” as well as different translatio n strategies fro m the perspective of informative function, expressive function, esthetic function and phatic function. No doubt, his study has operational significance in terms of translation strategy,F however, it seems that the objects of discussion concerned by Guan Xiao Jing(2010:) and Chen Ming Jing(2005) are limited to the sentence itself or sentence groups, which is called “inner-textual level”, and have not reach up to the textual level .
Chen Yu Min (2005) made a brief comment on the book Translation Criticism. He pointed out that the shortcomings of the book lie mainly in the fact that it is prescriptive by nature and it fails to take full account of the
cultural factor in the evaluation of target texts. Cui Jian (1993) ind icated that based on Reiss’s model, Newmark made some adjustments on his model, which is more flexib le, relatively complex in respect of translation strategies, and more detailed in reference to methods of literary translation than that of Reiss’s.
Fu Zhong Xuan(1993) discovered that there are great differences between both theories in terms of the definition and nature of translation, the criteria of translation, text functio ns and translatio n strategies, etc.
He Chuan Sheng(1997) proposed that the approaches for translation criticism, whereas the similarities they share much in common reflect in the aspects of the classification of text types, the nature of translatio n and the relatio n between translation and culture. Guo Xing Yu (2007) applied text typology into legal translation with the aim of exp loring the characteristics of text types and legal texts. She held the view that identifying the typological features of particular texts correctly can bring convenience for translators to grasp the overall intention and function.
Hu De Lon (2005) pointed out that the selection of translatio n strategy is directly related to text functio n largely. In his monograph A Functionalism View on Pragmatic Translation, he systematically exp lored and discussed the application of text typology in pragmatic translation fro m the perspective of western functionalist translation theory and many C-E translation examp les.
Based on text typo logy, Hu Xin (1984) conducted a study on the translation of place names. According to his study, in order to deal with the translation of place names flexib ly, one must depend on text functions, the aim of translators and language types. Hu Zheng Kui (2000) selected the C-E translation o f pub lic signs as her research topic, with the aim to reveal the effect that this kind of translation is intended to reach as well as the translatio n strategies or methods that are to be adopted. Ji Wei Bin carried out a research on linguistic features of Accounting English from the perspective of text typology. Jia Wen Bo (2004) selected business contract, business letters and
business advertisements as her research objects and chose Newmark’s text typology as the theoretical guidance. Based on Newmark’s text typolo gy, she made an analysis of the characteristics of three types.
1.2 Research Purpose and Significance of Cosmetics Instructions Translation
Cosmetic instruction translation has been studied fro m many perspectives, but there is no systematic study from the perspective of Text Typo logy Theory. So the study will be really significant for its uniqueness that has not been presented in other studies yet. It is tough to comprehensively portray and evaluate the translation process and the translatio n results. The reason is the emergency of diversified perspectives in recent years, which cause contradicts.
Text Typology Theory provides a new angle and guidance to the study of cosmetic instructio n translation. Verschueren ho lds that the purpose of making choices is to achieve a successful communication. As a k ind of communicatio n, translation consists of various choices to make it satisfying to both the native speakers and the foreigners. In addition to theoretical importance, the study also offers some practical significance. The fast development of economy and the flood of commod ities entering the international and domestic markets require the companies must adopt some strategies to survive in the fierce competition. Cosmetic becomes very important in people's daily life. Functioning as the bridge between consumers and companies, cosmet ic instruction p lays an essential ro le, accordingly, the translation o f cosmetic instruction enjoy the same importance. The study of cosmetic instructio n translation will provide insights for the companies.
1.3 Organization of the Thesis
This thesis is composed of four chapters.
Chapter 1 introduces the origin and significance of the thesis, ind icating the gap in imported cosmetics instructions translation in the framework of
text-type theories, and also gives out a rough arrangement for each part of the thesis.
Chapter 2 presents basic viewpoints of Peter Newmark’s text types. It explains Newmark’s six text functions and feasible translation methods in detail. According to the six text functions, Newmark divides all texts into three main types-expressive texts, informative texts and vocative texts, and based on different text types Newmark proposes eight translation methods, of which semantic translation and communicative translation stand for his core ideas in translation. Besides, in the last part of this chapter the author also discusses the choice of translation methods applied in these three main text types.
Chapter 3，princip les and translation strategies based on text types are discussed. Through analyzing the cases, the author concludes types of translation problems and their causes in existing texts. And then by the use of Newmark’s text typo logy, the author advocates corresponding princip les and strategies for problems of instruction translation.
Chapter 4 of the research is the theoretical framework of the research. According to Text Typology Theory, during the cosmetics instructions translation three princip les should be abided by: accuracy rule, coherence rule and fidelity rule. This part is the main part of the research that is focusing on the cho ice of translation strategies guided by Text Typolo gy Theory, the application of three rules toward cosmetics instructio ns translatio n, and a case study about the above application. The author states opinions respectively in these aspects.
Chapter 2 Theoretical Framework
2.1 Peter Newmark’s Views on Text Typology
This thesis takes Peter Newmark’s text typo logy as the theoretical framework of translation analysis. Newmark holds that any translations are based implicitly on a theory of language, and translatio n can test theory o f Translatio n by examining the effectiveness of translation. On the basis of Bxahler’s and Jakobson’s classification, Newmark advocated his own three categories of the text functio n: the informative function, the vocative fiction, the aesthetic functio n. Among these six functions, Newmark regards the three functions as the main functions of language because he believes that these three functio ns indicate the purpose of the use of language; thus he categorizes text types according to its main fiction conducted by the text.
Scholars usually have two or more functions; thus they advocate that the nature of the type of a text should attrib ute to its main function. That is, the text functions of instructions could be multiple, but the property of the text type is controlled by its dominant function. To decide the text type of imported cosmetics instructio ns, it can start from the analysis o f text functions o f instructions. As the author mentioned previously, imported cosmetics instructions has three important language functio ns: the informative function, the vocative function and the aesthetic functio n. Since that Newmark insists a text could simultaneously carry several different functions and one of them is the dominant function, the author analyzes this situation.
2.1.1 Text Functions
2.1.1.1 The Informative Function
External situatio n is the center of the informative function as the informative function expresses the facts of a topic, beyond language like concept or knowledge it contains. Accord ing to Newmark, “typical
informative texts are concerned with any topic of knowledge, but texts about subjects, as they often value-judgments are apt to lean the informative text: a textbook; there are five standard formats of a technical report; an article in a newspaper or a periodical; a scientific paper; a thesis,” Besides, Newmark points out that two points need to be noticeable. One is that informative texts account for most translators’ work since these kinds of texts are of a variet y, which imp lies that the informative text takes up largest percentage of all types of texts. The other one is that most of informative texts are poorly Newmark holds that it is one of translators’ responsibilities to “correct” the fact and style. Thus, nowadays many translation works are and should be better than their original ones.
2.1.1.2 The Vocative Function
The term “vocative” means to arouse the readership’s reaction, thought or sensation that the text intends to call up. Usually, this k ind of texts not only faces to a single reader but also to a group of people who can be called the readership since the content of the text is designed to serve particular groups. Therefore, the readership is the center of the vocative function. According to Newmark “typical vocative texts include notices, instructions,pub licity, propaganda, persuasive writing (requests, cases, theses) and possib ly popular function, whose purpose is to sell the book/entertain the reader, as the typical vocative text.”
He thinks that the vocative text could be divided into persuasive style-appeal the readership to take reactio n such as advertisement and tour guide manuals, and imperative style-inhib it the readership’s behavior such as regulations and contracts.
2.1.1.3 The Aesthetic Function
The aesthetic function is realized by the use of language that can please one’s senses.The expressio n of language for aesthetic functio n is mainly
realized through the sound-effects and the metaphor. “Sound-effects consists onomatopoeia, alliterat ion, assonance, rhyme, metre, into natio n, stress- some of them play an important role in most types of texts: in poetry, nonsense and children’s verse and some types of pub licity (jingles, TV commercials)”. Note that, in poetry it has the aesthetic function as well as the expressive function. The expressive function emp hasizes the truth while the aesthetic functio n emphasizes the beauty; thus it easily falls into a dilemma as they stand ugly literal translation and beautiful free translation respectively. In addition, the roles of aesthetic and expressive functio n depend on d ifferent types of texts. In nonsense poetry, the sound-effect precedes the sense; in children’s poetry, “beauty” precedes “truth”; in other expressive texts, the expressive functio n plays a more important role than the aesthetic function.
Except the sound-effect, metaphor plays another part in aesthetic function. Newmark believes, “metaphor is the link between the expressive and the aesthetic functio n”.Thus when translating original metaphor, one should preserve both expressive and aesthetic components.
2.1.2 Text Types
Newmark holds that few texts have one purely single function; on the contrary, they usually have two or more functions. Most informative texts have expressive function that may be like a vocative thread throughout the text or occur in a separate sectio n of opinion or evaluation. Strictly speaking, the expressive functio n should neither exist in a vocative text nor in an informative text; it happens only unconsciously. However, an expressive text often carries informatio n: the degree of vocative components will vary depending partly on its proportion of universal and cultural components.
Considering that almost all texts carry the informative, the expressive and the vocative functio ns with an emphasis on one o f the three, he advocates that the nature of the type of a text should attrib ute to its main functio n. Thus, he
proposes three main types of texts: the informative text, the expressive text, and the vocative text.
2.2 Pe ter Newmark’s Translation Methods
Newmark observes that the previous translation strategies cannot settle practical translation problems due to their own theories limitatio n, thus in his book Approaches to Translatio n published in 1981 he proposed six strategies: literal translation, faithful translation, semantic translation, co mmunicative translation, id io matic translation and free translation; later in 1988 he published A Textbook of Translatio n and added word-for-word translation and adaption in this book. In addition, these translation strategies are built in the shape of a pyramid, among which semantic translatio n and co mmunicative translation are most important ones, and they also represent Newmark’s main contribution to general translatio n theory. In terms of the emphasis on source language, word-for-word translation concerns most, the fo llowing rank fro m literal translation, faithful translation, semantic translation, co mmunicative translation, idio matic translation, free translation to adaptio n that concerns target language most. Their degrees of the lo yalty to the source text descend successively while their degrees of the flexibility ascend successively. Soon in 1991, Newmark reexamined semantic and communicative translatio n, and proposed a new concept, which he spent pages in d iscussing it in About Translation, later he defined it “correlative translation”in a paper titled A Correlative Approach to Translation in 1994.
2.3 Text Types and the Choice of Translation Methods
Newmark divides all texts into three main types: the expressive text, the informative text and the vocative text since the translation methods are decided by the text type. According to Newrnark, the two methods of translation are appropriate to any text, and he suggests that sema ntic translation is more used for “expressive” texts while co mmunicative
translation is used for “informative” and “vocative” texts. It seems that the text type of the original determines the cho ice of translatio n methods, or to say that there is a correspondence between the text type and the translatio n method. However, the truth is quite d ifferent. The functions of texts mentioned in previous sections are sometimes overlapped and even related in actual use of language. For instance, phrases as “I love you”, “I hate you” can not play the expressive function (express personal feeling), but also play the informative (deliver message to others). Besides, it usually has strong vocative function. It intends to arouse response from sensation and action. Thus, even a simp le sentence has three functions of texts simultaneously.
In addition, the situation it invo lves can affect the choice of translation strategies. As Reins says that the text once goes beyond the circle of language and culture, its functions usually change auto matically as the objective circumstance of translation or the subjective intention of the translator changes. Newmark shares similar opinion with Reiss, and he stresses the importance of the intention of the text and the purpose of translation, which he says that the “variant”and “invariant”elements are decided the intention of the text, and the translator should make his ovum decision according to the intentio n of each text.
Chapter 3 Analysis of the Application Text Typology Theory to Cosmetics Instructions Translation
Text Typo logy Theory plays an important ro le in the functio nalist approaches to translatio n, makes a great change in the framework of the traditio nal translation theories. It greatly stresses the Text Typo logy, whic h judges what to translate and how to translate. In additio n, three rules of Text Typology princip les in pragmatic translatio n.
3.1 Accuracy and Economy Applied to the Cosmetics Instructions Translation
The princip le of accuracy is the basic rule for any translation in Text typology.
Source text: Mamo nde Total Solution S mart Moisture Eye Cream
Total Solution S mart Moisture Eye Cream with concentrated hydratio n, improved whitening and anti-wrink le effects designed for dry skin, dark circles, and fine lines around eyes.
Target text:梦妆多效修护眼霜
给肌肤干燥、黑眼圈、细纹而变得黯沉的眼周肌肤，提供集中保湿、强化美白、淡化细纹的多效修护眼霜。

葡聚糖成分给因干燥引起的松弛眼周肌肤形成水润舒适的保湿膜，柔和包裹眼周肌肤
小球藻萃取物(Dermochlorella)与苦橙花萃取物帮助促进眼周肌肤微细循环，改善黑眼圈问题，减缓眼部浮肿。

每天使用，高保湿的同时，改善皱纹及美白肌肤。

From the primal text, we can see that the effects and functions of the ingred ients are not appeared. Anyway, in order to make the cosmetics instructions looks more clear and trustworthy; the translators should provide many more details of the main ingredients’ functions and effects of in the
translating process, which can be easily understood by nonprofessio nals and our consumers. In addition, in the course of translating, the abstract definitio n of“小球藻萃取物(Dermochlorella)与苦橙花萃取物”and“葡聚糖成分”is not given by translator. However, the functions and effects of them are given. In fact, this is a fairly intelligent and experienced way, since a large number of the potential consumers of cosmetics instructions are ordinary people and nonprofessio nals. Even tho ugh the translators provide the more comp licated definition, it doesn’t work and perhaps no significance for them, since they are not professio nal in this respect and do not expertise in this field.
3.2 Coherence applied to the cosmetics instructions translation
Through the coherence rule, the translator is demanded to form a kind of idea that should fo llow the expectations o f the target readers. The target version should be accessib le to the readers whose background situation and knowledge are given. F irst, read the examp le as fo llows:
Mild acid ic and foaming for mula gently cleanses your skin and restores freshness. Moisture balance is achieved and your skin is prepared to receive the active ingredients in next steps.
Target text:美素舒活水能量洁面乳(适合干性肌肤)
舒活水能量洁面乳，其配方:
温和洗净面部多余油脂、污垢、化妆品残渍及老化角质
保留肌肤的必要油脂及天然保湿成分，维护肌肤白身脂质屏障，免受外界伤害
多种保湿成分，深透协同作用，锁水加保湿,缓解面部干燥
适合干性肌肤使用, 洁后肌肤清新水润不紧绷
Source text: Trip le Penetratio n Aqua Face Mask (STREAM)
Effectively moisturizing system can deliver water into cuticle, constantly whiten and mo isturize skin, make skin moist, bright, tender and clear. Apply advanced Trip le Penetration Aqua techno logy.
Target text:三层渗透补水面膜(泉润)
独特的滋润系统，能使水分充分渗透肌肤，有效美白滋润成分，令肌肤恢复滋润光泽，水嫩透明的最
佳状态。

采用先进的三层渗透补水技术。

第一层:在表皮层瞬问补水，第一时问缓解肌肤干燥;
第二层;渗透至真皮层，启动深层”活水循环”，提升肌肤白身供水能力;
第三层;深层渗透至皮下组织，牢固地锁紧水分，塑造具透明感的肌肤。

The text expresses some degree of lo gical beauty. The close and compact structure and the logical relationship between the text and the version in cosmetics instructions better embodies the idea of coherence.
In the above two examp les mentio ned, the source text is just only one or two paragraph, but in the target text, the information is organized in many separate sentences according to different functions. As it is, the information is extending more clearly; in this case, it’s much easier for the consumers to get to know the key points of the product. Relatively speaking, our Chinese readers are familiar with such kind of sentence structure, for in this way the notio ns are expressed more clearly and logically. And then this kind of diversification is more effective and will be better understood and accepted by the consumers. The original form is restructuring in Chinese text, and the change is needed, so that the planned functio n can be realized. And by coherence rule the translator is anticipated to make a new text that can bet ter meet the requirements of the target readers.
3.3 Fidelity applied to the cosmetics instructions translation
Fidelity is an important part of text typo logy theory. A proper application of fidelity to cosmetics instructio ns translatio n will help the use rs know better about the products he or she is using.
Source text: Red Apple Whitening Emulsion (Limi)
The sweet apple smell brings yo u ecstasy, making you feel like indulging in a happy garden.。