06-汉译英-词语

Chinese-English Translation Translating Chinese Characters•Lexical features of commercial texts• 1. using terms and jargons• 2. using general words in a commercial context • 3. using polysemy• 4. using abstract nouns• 5. using archaism• 6. using acronymscontent• 1. translation and context• 2. false friends• 3. semantic zero and translation strategy • 4. translation of Chinese set phrases • 5. translating numbers1. translation and context•Definition•1) the situation, events, or information that are related to something and that help you understand it;•2) the words that come just before and after a word or sentence and that help you understand this meaning;•Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, 2003:337•There are usually two types of contexts, namely, linguistic and cultural contexts.1.1 translation and linguistic context • ……路上浮尘早已刮净，剩下一条洁白的大道来，车夫也跑得更快。

•By now the loose dust had all been blown away, leaving the roadway clean, and the richshow man qucikened his pace.•鲁迅《一件小事》，杨宪益、戴乃迭译1. 1 translation and linguistic context•南京的风俗：但凡新媳妇进门，三日就要到厨下收拾一样菜，发个利市。

这菜一定是鱼，取“富贵有余”的意思。

•The custum in Nanjing is for all brides to invite good luck by going to the kitchen on the third day and cooking a fish, which stands for fortune.•吴敬梓《儒林外史》，杨宪益、戴乃迭译1.2 translation and cultural context•三角债 chain debts•赢得市场•gain a larger share of the market; carve a niche in the market•“豆腐渣”工程 jerry-built projects•练摊 to be a vendor (do business)1.2 translation and cultural context•里根经济学 Reaganomics•由美国第40任总统罗纳德·里根推行的经济政策。

主要内容包括支持市场自由竞争、降低税收和公共开支、降低政府对企业经营的控制等。

1.2 translation and cultural context•去设埋伏我们都没有信心，想他一定在昨天晚上就早溜了，今天去也是瞎子点灯白费蜡。

•We had no confidence in today's ambush because we were sure he had escaped last night. It seemed as useless as a blind man lighting a candle.1.2 translation and cultural context•你别狗咬吕洞宾--不识好人心。

我是好心好意劝你，倒粘到我身上来了。

•Don't snap and snarl at me when I'm trying to do my best for you. I give you my advice with the best will in the world and you turn round and lay the blame on me.•比较：•狗咬吕洞宾•直译：snarl and snap at Lü Dongbin (one of the eight immortals in Chinese mythology)•意译：mistake a good man for a bad one•比较：狗咬吕洞宾，不识好人心。

•Like the dog that bid Lü Dongbin, you bite the hand that feeds you.2. false friendsST TTFalse True 方便面convenient noodles instant noodles 不冻港non-freezing port ice-free port 隐形眼镜invisible glasses contact lenses 拳头产品fist product knockout product 新闻自由freedom of News freedom of Press 买一赠一Buy one, present one. Buy one, get one free.2. false friendsST TTfalse true酸奶sour milk Yoghurt食言eat one’s words go back on one’s word/break one’spromise 番茄酱tomato sauce ketch up2. false friendsST TT农民peasant farmer宣传propaganda popularize价廉物美cheap and good economical and good/nice and inexpensive3. semantic zero and translation strategy•transliteration•literal translation•liberal translation3.1 semantic zero and transliteration•磕头 kowtow•功夫 kong fu•太极 tai chi3.2 semantic zero and literal translation•易经 Book of Changes•京剧 Beijing Opera•春卷 Spring roll•铁饭碗 iron rice bowl3.3 semantic zero and liberal translation•探花•title conferred on the one who won thrid place in the highest imperial examination in the Ming and Qing dynasties•满月酒•One-Month-Old Birthday Feast•(a special ceremony held after a baby has been one month old)3.4 semantic zero and back translation•纳斯达克•NASDAQ•【美国场外交易市场自动报价系统】•摩根士丹利•Morgan Stanley•【美国纽约一家国际金融服务公司】•安永•Ernst & Young•【美国会计事务所之一，至今已有一百多年的历史。

公司是19世纪50年代一系列兼并的产物。

】4. translating set phrases and four-character phrases•features of set phrases•vivid•allusive and legerndary•symetric in form and harmonious in sound• e.g.•对牛弹琴；雨后春笋；缘木求鱼•买椟还珠；此地无银三百两•欢天喜地；日积月累4. translating set phrases and four-character phrases•structures of four-character phrases•s-p: 民族自治•v-o: 深化改革；加强管理•v-c: 合作顺利；运转协调•coordinate: 求真务实；放权松绑•modified: 合理布局；稳步发展4. translating set phrases•对牛弹琴•play a harp to a bull•雨后春笋•like bamboo shoots after a spring shower •缘木求鱼•seek a hare in hen’s nest•藕断丝连•have not cut off relations completely •顺手牵羊•walk off with something4. translating set phrases•此地无银三百两•直译：The 300 tales of silver are not buried here. (a sign put up by the man in the folk tale over the place where he had hidden the money)•意译：a clumsy self-exposing performance or denial;a guilty person gives himself away by conspicuously protesting his innocence; protest one’s innocence too much4. translating four-character phrases•深化改革•deepen reforms•加强管理•strengthen management•合理布局•to ensure rational distribution/rational distribution •稳步发展•to develop steadily/steadily development•放权松绑•to delegate/give power to and to free from bonds4. translating four-character phrases•日本公司和金融机构目前尚未到手的股票收益有2000亿美元，如果外国投资者失去信心而逃之夭夭，这笔收益将化为泡影。