英译汉中词性转换的探究.doc

A Probe into Shifting of Parts of Speech in English-Chinese Translation . Introduction Parts of speech are the core content of the traditional grammar. Each language has been greatly affected by its own natural environment, geographical location, unique history and cultural tradition, which lead to the great distinct in vocabulary, so different languages have different standards to classify parts of speech. English belongs to the Indo-European language family and its parts of speech are categorized as word order, lexical meaning and inflection changes.1 English nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs have complex system of endings or vowel changes or both. But Chinese belongs to Sino-Tibetan language family and its parts of speech divided based on sentence structure function.2 When we translate one language to another, we commonly use the technique of the shifting of parts of speech in order to make the translated version more idiomatic. Eugene A, Nida, a distinguished American theorist, reformed the traditional parts of speech and established a new system which has been applied widely into practice. There are different expressions expressing the same meaning, thus, the shifting of parts of speech is based on the premise that the target language must be faithful to the source language. Therefore, correctly using the shifting of parts of speech can make the English translation works more faithful. So its necessary and important to master the skills of the shifting of parts of speech in English to Chinese translation. This thesis will study the importance of shifting of parts of speech and discuss some rules of the shifting. Translation and shifting of parts of speech It is difficult to give a clear definition for translation. Translation is just understood as a linguistic phenomenon which is a process of translating between source language (SL) and target language (TL). Different dictionaries give different description on translation as “interpretation”, “conversion”, “transformation”, “transference” ,from one language to another. And some linguists describe translation with such expressions, “similar”, “comparable”, “equivalent textual material”, etc. Roger Bell, a professor of linguistics, says that: “Translation is the expression in another, source language, preserving semantic and stylistic equivalence.” Again, we have a descriptive definition from Nida: Translating consists in reproducing in the receptor language the closest natural equivalent of the source language message, first in terms of meaning, and secondly in terms of style. The two definitions both refer to “equivalence”. But there is no total equivalence between two languages. So sometimes we need to shift one part of speech in SL to another part of speech in TL. Shifting of parts of speech is an important method of translation which translates one part of speech in SL to another part of speech in TL. It is used for helping translators to make more idiomatic translation works. The shifts and changes in translation do not occur at random. They are caused by different cultures and different languages. Different cultures refer to different religions, different life styles, and different histories. Different languages refer to different standards to distinguish parts of speech and different language structures. They have different standards to distinguish their own parts of speech, because they belong to different language families. Translation is not as easy as you imagine. To reproduce the message in SL, one must make a good many adjustments. There are some adjustments, such as semantic adjustment, word order adjustment and grammatical adjustment.3 The shifting of parts of speech is widely used by translators as one method of grammatical adjustment. As a translation method, the shifting parts of speech must obey some objective rules. First, it must correspond with the basic principles of translation. The most influential translation principle in the history if Chinese tradition theory was formulated by Yan Fu, who put forward the famous three-character principle of translation: faithfulness, expressiveness and elegance.4 Moreover, as we shift parts of speech, we must take different writing styles into consideration. Shifting of parts of speech is not only common but also of vital importance in translation in the course of translating activity. We can learn from the following examples: SL: He bent solely upon profit. TL: 他只屈身于利润之前。 只有利润才能使他低头。 他唯利是图。 The third one is the best because of adopting the technique of the shifting of parts of speech. Only by this can the accurate messages be conveyed and understood by readers. Though parts of speech in English and Chinese both can be classified into two groups, content words and functional words, the parts of speech and its number are respectively different. In English the content words are nouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, pronouns and numerals and the functional words are prepositions, articles, interjections and conjunctions.5 In Chinese the content word are nouns, verbs, adjectives, distinguished-words, numerals, quantifiers, adverbs, pronouns, interjections and onomatopoeia. The functional words are prepositions, conjunctions, auxiliary and modals.6 However, shifting of parts of speech does not mean that every word should be translated into a different part of speech. Thus, we mainly discuss on when English nouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, pronouns and prepositions in SL can be translated into another parts of speech. And we are trying to make a relatively comprehensive shifting rule among those parts of speech through examples which could be helpful for translators in translating practice. Now we come to discuss the rules of the shifting with examples. The shifting of parts of speech in English-Chinese translationA. The shifting of English nouns In comparison, English nouns are more frequently used and they occupy a dominant position while Chinese is a language in which verbs are used more widely than those in English.(1) Some English nouns translated into Chinese verbsa. Some English nouns which derived from English verbs are often translated into Chinese verbs. These nouns often appear in political essays, such as eater, sleeper, absence, agitation, findings, savings, belongings, feeling, sufferings, and so on. They are often translated into Chinese verbs. The following are some examples: SL: In China, there is a lot of emphasis on politeness. TL: 在中国，人们非常注重礼貌。SL: Rockets have found application for the exploration of the universe.TL: 火箭已经用来探索宇宙。b. Some nouns which possess the property of verbs, such as view, glance, are often translated into Chinese verbs, too. The following are some examples:SL: The love of parents for their children is perfect and minute.TL: 父母爱其子是无微不至的。SL: Indo-China is a drain on French resources.TL : 印度支那战争不断地消耗法国的资源。c. The nouns in some phrases, such as “have a look, take a shower, make no mention”, can be translated into Chinese verbs, such as “”. The following are some examples:SL: He takes a shower before going to bed.TL: 每天睡觉前他都要冲个澡。SL: The next bulletin, shorter than usual, made no mention of the demonstration.TL: 下一个新闻节目比通常短，没有提到游行。d. Nouns with suffix er which possess intense property of verbs can be translated into Chinese verbs. The following are some examples:SL: I am afraid I cannot teach you ice-skating, I think my little brother is a better teacher than I .TL: 我未必会滑冰，我想我的小弟弟比我教得好。SL: Talking with his son, the old man was the forgiver of the young mans past wrong doings.TL: 在和儿子谈话时，老人宽恕了年轻人过去所干的坏事。(2) Some English nouns translated into Chinese adjectivesa. Some English nouns which derived from English adjectives can be translated into Chinese adjectives, such as absurdity, difficulty. The following are some examples:SL: We found difficulty in solving this complicated problem.TL: 我们发现解决这一复杂问题是很困难的。 b. Some English abstract nouns with indefinite articles which are the predicative can be translated into Chinese adjectives. The following are some examples: SL: The experiment was a great success.TL: 这个实验很成功。SL: Independent thinking is an absolute necessity in study.TL: 独立思考在学习中式绝对必要的。c. Some English nouns which show special characteristics or status, such as friend, gentleman, blunder, fool can be translated into Chinese adjectives. The following are some examples: SL: I take him to be more knave than fool. TL: 我认为他比较恶而不是蠢。d. Some English nouns with preposition “of” ahead which are the predicative in sentences can be translated into Chinese adjectives. The following are some examples: SL: This issue is of great importance. TL: (这件事很重大。)(3) Some English nouns translated into Chinese adverbs The following are some examples:SL: Dont make the mistake of using the title “Mr.” with the first name.TL: 要把Mr.这个称呼语和名字错误地用在一起。SL: He had the kindness to show me the way.TL: 他好意地给我指路.B. The shifting of English adjectivesEnglish adjectives generally serve as attributive, predicative, complement in English sentences which are often translated into Chinese nouns, verbs and adverbs. (1) Some English adjectives translated into Chinese verbsa. Psychological adjectives which show peoples emotions, perceptions, beliefs, desires, are often translated into Chinese verbs, such as confident, certain, careful, afraid and so on. These adjectives with prepositions behind are often translated into Chinese in fixed meaning, such as ignorant of （ 不了解）, content with （满足于）, careful of（留心）, empty of （缺少）,free from of （免于）, next to（次于）, responsible for（担负）, similar to（类似于）, short of （缺乏）, subject to （受支配）,and so on. The following are some examples:SL: He is very anxious about his mothers illness.TL: 他很担心他母亲的病情。SL: I am not content with the present achievement.TL: 我不满足我现在所取得的成绩。b. Some English adjectives in comparative form can be translated into Chinese verbs. The following are some examples:SL: His advice we should lower carbon emissions and larger forest coverage.TL: 他的建议是我们应该减少碳排放量，加大森林覆面积。c. Some English adjectives which are derived from English verbs in present participle (-ing) or past participle form (-ed) often are translated into Chinese verbs. The following are some examples:SL: We are convinced that you can finish the task in a short time.TL: 我们深信你能在短时间内完成这项任务。(2) Some English adjectives translated into Chinese nounsa. The form” definite article + adjective” which denotes a group of people or things, such as the poor, the young. The following are some examples:SL: The unemployed in capitalist society live a miserable life. TL: 资本主义社会的失业者过着悲惨的生活。 SL: Theyre trying their best to save the sicks lives. TL: 他们正尽力挽救这些病人的生命。b. Some English adjectives which indicate characteristics and nature of people or things are often translated into Chinese nouns. The following are some examples:SL: The more carbon the steel contains, the harder and stronger it is.TL: 钢含碳量越高，钢的强度和硬度越好。(3) Some English adjectives translated into Chinese adverbsa. As the English nouns are translated to Chinese verbs, one of its most common modifiers - adjectives are often translated into Chinese adverbs. The following are some examples:SL: Warm discussion arose every corner as to his achievement.TL: 到处都在热烈地讨论它所取得的成就。b. The English adjectives which modify English nouns or emphasize the nouns are often translated into Chinese adverbs. The following are some examples:SL: This is the very house where I was born.TL: 这正是我出生的那座房子。SL: This was sheer nonsense.TL: 这完全是胡说。C. The shifting of English verbs(1) Some English verbs translated into Chinese nounsa. English verbs which are derived from nouns can be translated to Chinese nouns, because its often hard to express with the corresponding Chinese verbs. The following are some examples:SL: The electronic computer is chiefly characterized by its accurate and rapid computation.TL: 电子计算机的主要特点是计算迅速、准确b. Some English verbs in passive form are often translated into受（遭）到 (名词) ，予（加）以（名词）in Chinese. The following are some examples:SL: His image as a good student was badly tarnished.TL: 他作为好学生的形象已遭到很大的玷污。SL: Satellites, however, must be closely watched, for theyre constantly tugged at by the gravitational attraction of the sun, moon and earth.TL: 由于经常受到太阳、月亮以及地球引力的影响，卫星活动必须加以密切的观察。c. Some other English verbs with inflectional affixes like ed and ing, are often translated into Chinese nouns. The following are some examples: SL: Our age is witnessing a profound political change. TL: 我们的时代深刻政治变革的见证。 SL: Most U.S. satellites are designed to burn up in the earths atmosphere after completing their missions. TL: (美国绝大多数间谍卫星，按其设计，是在完成使命后，在大气层中焚烧。)(2) Some English verbs translated into Chinese adverbsSome English adverbs can be translated into Chinese adverbs. The following are some examples:SL: I succeeded in persuading him.TL: 我成功地说服了他。D. The shifting of English Adverbs(1) Some English adverbs translated into Chinese nounsSome adverbs that modify predicative adjectives are sometimes transferred to Chinese nouns. The following are some examples:SL: He is physically weak but mentally sound.TL: 他身体虽然虚弱，但心理健康。(2) Some English adverbs translated into Chinese verbsEnglish adverbial phrase is one the most common modifiers of verbs which describe manner and time. English is a static language which tends to use more nouns, preposition phrases; and so on .But Chinese is a dynamic language which there could be more than one verb in one sentence. So some English adverbs are often translated into Chinese verbs. The following are some examples:SL: That day he was up before sunrise.TL:那天他在日出之前就起来了(3) Some English adverbs translated into Chinese adjectivesAs English verbs and adjectives are translated into Chinese verbs, the modifiers-adverbs are translated into Chinese adjectives to act as attributives. The following are some examples:SL: He was deeply impressed by what they did in the critical moment.TL: 他们在关键时刻的行为给他留下了深刻的印象。E. The shifting of English pronounsAll kinds of pronouns in English can be generally divided into nine categories. They are: 1) personal pronouns,2) possessive pronoun, 3) self-pronouns, 4) each pronoun, 5) demonstrative pronouns, 6) indefinite pronouns, 7) interrogative pronouns, 8) to connect pronouns,9) relative pronouns. And there are only personal pronouns, demonstrative pronouns and interrogative pronouns in Chinese.Some English pronouns can be translated into Chinese nouns. The English pronouns which can be translated into Chinese verbs are mainly English personal pronouns and indefinite pronouns. The following are some examples:SL: He is just a nobody.TL: (他只是一个无足重轻的人而已。)SL: If you had studied harder at college, you might have become a somebody.TL: 假如你在大学更努力一些的话，你或许已成为一位了不起的人了。F. The shifting of English prepositionsEnglish prepositions are not only numerous (about 280), but also flexible. Most of the Chinese prepositions from the verbs, even many are still verbs. Therefore, the translation between the two languages, prepositions and verbs can often be translated into each other.(1) Non-translation Prepositions in the verb phrases are the grammar need and it has no lexical meanings，such as arrive in/at（到达）look after（照看）persist in（坚持）put up with（忍受）.(2) Most English prepositions translated into Chinese verbsIt is very common that prepositions or prepositional phrases with slight action meanings are often translated into Chinese verbs. The following are some examples:SL: Without steel, there would be no modern industry.TL:如果没有钢，就不会有现代工业。SL: Your suggestion will be before the committee.TL:你的建议将提到委员会上去。SL: Are you for or against this plan?TL: 你是赞成或反对这个计划?And they can be divided into more detailed groups as followings:a. The preposition phrases which serve as predicative in a sentence are often translated to verbs, and the link-verbs can be omitted in translation. The following are some examples:SL: This machine is out of repairTL: 这台机器失修了。b. The prepositions in purpose or reason adverbials sometimes can be translated to verbs. The following are some examples:SL: The plane crushed out of controlTL: 这架飞机失去控制而坠毁。SL: The letter E is commonly used for electromotive forceTL: 通常用E这个字母表示电动势。c. Prepositions in the conditions, manner or methods Adverbials are sometimes translated into Chinese verbs. The following are some examples:SL: But even the larger molecules with several hundred atoms are too small to be seen with the best optical microscopeTL: 但是，即使有几百个原子的分子也是太小了，用最好的光学显微镜也看不见它们。d. The prepositions in preposition phrases which serve as complement in a sentence are often translated to verbs. The following are some examples:SL: Heat sets these particles in random motionTL: 热量使这些粒子作随机运动。. ConclusionAll in all, we have seen some certain rules in the shifting of parts of speech from above examples. Its obvious that English is a noun-dominated language in which nouns are widely used while Chinese is a verb-dominated language in which verbs are widely used. We have discussed when English nouns are often tr