从语篇分析看商务英语翻译策略

Shanxi UniversityThesis for 2008 Masters DegreeDiscourse Analysis andBusiness English Translation StrategyNameSupervisorMajorField of ResearchDepartmentResearch DurationLu JingxinZheng YangchengEnglish Language and LiteratureEST and TranslationSchool of Foreign LanguagesSeptember,2005-June, 2008June,2008山西大学2008 届硕士学位论文从语篇分析看商务英语翻译策略作者姓名:指导教师:学科专业:研究方向:培养单位:学习年限:卢晶鑫郑仰成教授英语语言文学科技英语及翻译外国语学院2005 年 9 月一 2008 年 6 月二 00 八年六月AbstractEver since its emergence in the 1960s, the discipline of ESP, having experienced a comparatively full development both in theory and practice, has by far acquired the status of a international lingua franca in almost every field of study, for on the one hand the success of the English language along with its frequent use has turned it into a vehicle for international communication; on the other hand the orientation of linguistic studies toward language as communication in social contexts has largely promoted the dignity of ESP studies in the theory that English in different fields bears particular features and calls for special techniques.Business English is an area of ESP that is relatively poorly researched. Rigorous linguistic analysis is fragmented and is more frequently based on the written forms of language such as correspondence, annual reports, and articles in business journals. Some kind of analysis has been carried out with respect to the language of meetings and discussions. With the fulfillment of the reform and opening policy in China, especially since China joined WTO in 1997, the communications between China and the abroad have been strengthened. Business English is an effective tool in fulfilling internationalcooperation and communication exist in hi-tech and trade economy fields. The international business cant operate without BE. BE will play more and more important a role which is worthy of much more researches. While students in colleges or universities gain their knowledge of business largely from books and, as a result, such knowledge will be incomplete and theoretical rather than practical. They will be less aware of their language needs in terms of communicating in real business situations.Business English (BE) is now attracting more and more attention from the whole society. In the last two decades, Business English has attracted increasing interest and awareness. Business English courses are offered by many language schools worldwide. Yet despite this enormous interest,Business English is an area often neglected by linguistic researchers, who prefer to work on other- more easily defined- areas of special English.BE ( Business English ) is currently the fastest growing form of ESP. It shares the important elements of needs analysis, syllabus design, course design, and materials selection and development which are common to all fields of work in ESP. So it must be seen in the overall context of ESP Business English implies the definition of a specific language corpus and emphasis on particular kinds of communication in a specific context. However, Business English differs from other varieties of ESP in that it is often a mix of specific content (relating to a particular job area or industry), and general content (relating to general ability to communicate more effectively, albeit in business situation).In actual use, the previous concerns on Business English are effective communication and negotiation, technical and business writing, work place idioms and vocabulary, and business customs and culture. When “its translation is concerned, some research has been done discussing how different cultures make effects on translation. While in its discourse, Business English has its specific features, which attract us to pay attentions to seek the links between discourse analysis and translation strategy. With the translation theory, contrastive linguistics and discourse analysis growing immensely in the last twenty years or so, translation research has been given a new perspective, a tentative studey on the relationship between Business Englishdiscourse analysis and translation equivalence is justified.The present thesis, basing on discourse analysis, studies Business English-Chinese translation and answers how the translation strategy will be affected. It aims at making a tentative study on the relationship between Business English discourse analysis and translation strategy. This is just the authors intention of focusing on the subject as her graduation thesis topic.Roughly speaking, discourse analysis refers to attempts to study the organization of language above the sentence or above the clause, and therefore to study larger linguistic units, such as conversational exchanges or written texts. Its a branch of linguist. In recent years, interdisciplinary research began to be carried out between linguistics and translation fields. Doing discourse analysis without a contrastive base is as incomplete as doing contrastive analysis without a discourse base and that translation is an optimally appropriate framework within which the entire enterprise of languages in contrast may be usefully dealt with. A careful consideration of what actually happens to a given text when someone attempts to mediate in communicating its import across both linguistic and cultural boundaries is one way of making sure that we do not settle for a partial view of what goes on inside that text. To bring entire systems of mother-tongue linguistic as well as rhetorical conventions to bear on the act of textual transfer and to match them with those of another language, which is precisely what happens in a process such as that of translating, can only be illuminating and rewarding. Translation can thus add depth and breadth both to contrastive linguistics and to discourse analysis.In this thesis, the author gives detailed concepts of discourse and discourse analyses, and describes the links between discourse analysis and translation. All the relative research theories in both China and the west are also explained. By analyzing Business English discourse features, the corresponding translation strategies can be concluded. What is also analyzed are from the aspects of coherence and cohesion.On the whole, supported by the data and literatures collected, this thesis is expected to serve as an aid for Business English practitioners. It is in the meanwhile assumed to be of an unprecedented significance to fill up a gap in this field in China, so that the specific purpose will be likely accomplished, consequently offering some constructive guidance for BE practice.Of course what is covered in this thesis is far from enough. A further development, the application of contrastive text linguistics to translation studies, is long overdue. The combination of the two perspectives is only just beginning.Key Words: Business English translation; Discourse analysis; Translation strategy 中文摘要二战后，新技术革命蓬勃兴起，经济全球发展，国际交流日益频繁，英语这门语言因英、美两国在世界领先的科学技术和强大经济实力而成了国际间交流的通用语言，称为“混合国际语言(lingua franca)“。在不同领域涉及到的英语言语表达具有该领域独特的语言风格与特点，要求人们掌握不同的技巧和达到一定的水平。二十世纪六十年代， “专门用途英语 ESP”应运而生，开始在各行各业发挥重要作用，并迅速发展成为一门新兴、实用、革命性的学科。近四十年来，这一学科不仅在理论而且在实践上全面、快速发展，在各个领域发挥着重要作用。然而据调查，近年来，在中国外语界，尽管人们己经开始意识到英语的重要性，英语教学界关于外语教学理论的专著不少，但对 ESP 的研究尚未达到完善的地步，仍然缺少与之相关的比较全面、系统的研究与有效的应用。商务英语在 ESP 中较少被涉足研究，在以往不多的研究中，仅仅以信函、报告及商务期刊的书写模式被关注，或就商务会议、谈判进行某些分析。随着中国改革开放政策的实施，特别是 1997 年中国加入 wT0，与国外的联系日益频繁，在进出口贸易、旅游、广告中商务英语的使用越来越广泛，至此商务英语开始得到社会各界的关注。但是商务英语的学习者大多从书本获取商务及语言的相关知识，这些知识是很不足够的，而且重理论远远大于实践，在实际的商务交往中，领会语言所传达的意图是至关重要的，这是一个难以把握的关键点。因此商务英语的翻译关键在于完整无误地传达笔者意图。考虑到语言交际发生的实际场景，语言自身的规则以及各国的文化差异，为确保交际内容的准确传达，商务英语的翻译研究势在必行。然而据本文作者调查，我国对商务英语的翻译研究大多从国家之间的文化差异着手，本篇文章将独辟蹊径，以语篇分析为基础，通过对商务英语特有的语篇特征进行分析，以大量的商务英语文本示例，探讨商务英语的翻译策略，这也是作者着手此篇文章的动力所在。简单讲，语篇分析是指对于会谈或书面文本，学习其高于句子或短语层面的语言结构，即以更大的语言单位为研究对象。本文从商务英语的总体语篇特征、以及语篇中发生的衔接、连贯等着手，佐以实际的例证，并且从商务英语传达意图的几大特性，去分析针对商务英语的语篇特征，分别采取相应的翻译策略，并且不同的翻译策略与商务英语翻译中的动态对等的相互关系。总之，该文作者旨在突破、弥补中国商务英语翻译研究方面的一个空白，在查阅研读了诸多相关翻译理论文章后，从理论入手，以相应的实例，尽可能综合全面地展示商务英语语篇特征的细节以及对翻译策略的影响因素，从而促进商务英语翻译不仅在英语教学领域，而且在真正的操作实践中真正得到发展和提高。语篇分析是语言学的一部分，近些年，跨学科研究开始在翻译学与语言学两个领域建立，将这两个视角融合在一起，是一个良好的开端。今后，以篇章进行对比的翻译理论成果还将会不断应用于翻译中，跨学科研究还有待更深地展开。当然，由于作者站在特定的角度，难免对某些问题或某个方面疏漏或理解不深入透彻，还值得进一步深入、广泛的探索研究。关键词:商务英语翻译; 语篇分析;翻译策略 ContentsAbstract in English.iAbstract in Chinese.vChapter 1 Introduction.1Chapter 2 Discourse Analysis.32.1 lts History and Developments. .32.1 .1 The Concept of Discowse and Text.32.1.2 The Concept of Discowse Analysis.42.1.3 The Superiority of Discourse Analysis overTraditional Grammar Studies. .42.2 The Up-to-date Studies on Discourse Analysis.52:2.1 Studies on Discourse Analysis in the West.52.2.2 Studies on Discourse Analysis in China.6Chapter 3 Discourse Analysis&Translation Research.83.1 Links between Translation Research and Linguistics.83_2. Discourse Analysis and Translation.93.2.1 Roles and Factors of Translation.93.2.2 Phases of the Translation Process.103.2.3 The Need for Discourse Analysis in Translation.113.2.4 Development of the Research on Relationship between Discourse Analysisand Translation. . 123:2.5 Superiority. 15Chapter 4 The Roles of Business English and Its Translation.174.1 The Roles of Business English.174.1 .1 The Importance of Business English.174.1.2 The Importance of Business English Translation184.2 The Business English-Chinese Translation Research in China.19Chapter 5 Business English Discourse Analysis and Translation Strategy.205.1 Business English Text Proper. .。.205.2 Business English Translation Strategy.。.，.，.255.2.1 Coherence&cohesion .255.2.1.1 Coherence.。.，.255.2.1.2 Cohesion.275.2.2 Business English Translation Equivalence. . .29Conclusion.33Bibliography.35Articles Published During the Academic Years for the Postgraduate Degree.37Acknowledgements.,.38目录英文摘要.i中文摘要.vi第一章 引言.1第二章 语篇分析.32.1 历史及发展. . . 32.1.1“语篇”与”文本”的概念.32.1.2“语章分析”的概念.42.1.3 语篇分析比较语法分析的优势. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42.2 语篇分析的研究现状.52.2.1 西方研究状况.52.2.2 中国研究状况. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6第三章语篇分析与翻译研究.g3.1 翻译研究与语言学的关联二。. . 83.2 语篇分析与翻译. .93.2.1 翻译的要素.。. 。3.2.2 翻译的过程，.，. ，.，.，. 103.2.3 翻译研究中语篇分析的必要性.、.、 、，.、113.2.4 语篇分析与翻译研究结合的发展历程.123.2.5 将语篇分析应用于翻译研究的优势.。，.15第四章商务英语的作用及翻译现状.174.1 商务英语的作用二，. 174.1.1 商务英语的重要性.，. 174.1.2 商务英语翻译的重要性，.，.，.。二 184.2 商务英语与汉语互译研究现状.19第五章商务英语语篇分析及翻译策略. 205.1 商务英语语篇特征. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205.2 商务英语翻译策略. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255.2.1 连贯与衔接.255.2.1.1 连贯.。.。.255.2.1.2 衔接.255.2.2 商务英语翻译中的对等策略. . . . . . . . . . .29结论.33参考文献.35研究生在读期间取得的研究成果.37致献.:.38Chapter 1 IntroductionThe present thesis aims to make a tentative study on the relationship betweendiscourse analysis and the translation strategy of Business English, so as to offer anoverall perspective to people possibly concerned, and to lead them to consciously applycorresponding rules to solve some problems arising from Business English translationpractice.Business English is an effective tool in fulfilling international cooperation andcommunication exit in hi-tech and trade economy fields. Students in colleges oruniversities gain their knowledge of Business English largely from books and, as a result,such knowledge will be incomplete and theoretical rather than practical. In the last twodecades, Business English has attracted increasing interest and awareness Yet despite thisenormous interest, Business English is an area often neglected by linguistic researchers,who prefer to work on other-more easily defined-areas of special English.In actual use, the previous concerns on Business English are most effectivecommunication and negotiation, technical and business writing, workplace idioms andvocabulary, and business customs and culture. When Business English translation isconcerned, more discussion is about how different cultures make effects on translation.With the translation theory, contrastive linguistics and discourse analysis growingimmensely in the Iast twenty years or so, translation research has been given a newperspective (discourse analysis). Business English has its specific characteristics in itsdiscourse, which attract us to pay attentions to seek the links between discourse analysisand translation strategy, and a tentative study on the relationship between BusinessEnglish discourse analysis and translation strategy is justified.For the convenience of presentation, the organization of this thesis goes as thefollowing. A general description of the concept of discourse and discourse analysis, andthe situation of the discourse analysis studies at home and abroad, reveals and justifies theresearch objective as well as the reason for the research into Business English translationoutlined here, i.e. to deal with the question of Why the study on discourse analysis. All the factors in translation and the translation processes are all given descriptions on the basis of discourse. Meanwhile, representative advocators/scholars, their works combinedwith the characteristics are taken into account and correspondingly illustrated in a possiblydetailed way. The links between translation and discourse analysis explains why weshould introduce discourse analysis into Business English translation studies.The author collects lots of examples in practical problems and offers possiblesolutions accordingly. Under the consideration of different communicative situation,different examples are described. This will be an aid in practical Business Englishtranslation.In general, this thesis is intended to be informative, and practical to as many peopleas possibly being involved in this area. Whats more, some practical questions and modesare supplied, and are expected to be useful and valuable to whoever lays his fingers on itand help the author obtain the original intention to supply a gap in the world of BusinessEnglish translation studies.Chapter 2 Discourse Analysis2.1Its History and Developments2.1.1Concepts of Discourse and TextThe concepts of Discourse and text aroused much disputes among scholars. Someclassified discourse and text into being oral and written, while others disagreed withthat. Translation Terminology gives the explanations as the following,Discourse is a connected series of utterances or a text. In contrast to language itself,which is the raw material involved. discourse defines an interaction between two subjects(the author and the target audience) that takes place under specific circumstances and witha specific objective. In oral discourse, the author and the target audience are each in thepresence of the other, and find themselves in the same communication situation. In writtendiscourse, production and reception almost always take place at two different times andplaces. Both the author and the addressee are mental representations rather than concreterealities. A text seen from the point of view is of the conditions under which it wasproduced and its reception in a given socio-cultural context.Text is a written document of variable leng