修改版Syntactic-Differences-between-English-and-Chinese-and-Their-Impact-on-Translation.doc

安徽工程大学毕业设计（论文）CONTENTSAbstract3摘要：41. Introduction51.1. Background information51.2. Significance of this study72. Syntactic differences and corresponding translation skills82.1. Subject and topic82.1.1. Introduction82.1.2.Topic-prominent language and subject-prominent language92.1.3. Translation skills102.2. Hypotaxis and parataxis132.2.1. The definitions132.2.2. Hypotactic language VS paratactic language142.3. Impersonal subjects and personal subjects162.3.1. Impersonal subjects in English162.3.2. Personal subjects in Chinese172.3.3. Translation skills182.4. Static language and dynamic language202.4.1. Dynamic Chinese and static English202.4.2. Translation skills212.5. Passive voice VS Active voice242.5.1. Different frequencies of passive sentence242.5.2. Translation skills263. Conclusion30Acknowledgements32Bibliography33Syntactic Differences between English and Chinese and Their Impact on TranslationAbstractNowadays, many Chinese can understand some English materials, but they might not be able to translate them into proper Chinese. Nor can they translate Chinese texts into idiomatic English. It is essential to have a good understanding of the differences between English and Chinese languages before one can translate adequately as translating techniques and methods are mostly generated according to linguistic and cultural comparisons. Dozen of studies on syntactic comparison carried out over the past 80 years have mostly focused on syntactic differences between English and Chinese, while how to deal with the syntactic differences have been seldom discussed. This article summarizes the syntactic differences between the two languages and illustrates how to address the differences in translation in order to make the translated texts both faithful in meaning and appropriate in style.Key words: syntactic differences, translation skills英汉句法差异及翻译摘要：在当今的社会，很多人能够看明白一些英语文章的意思，却不能够把它翻译成地道的汉语。同样地，他们可能也很难把汉语文章翻译成地道的英语。大部分的翻译技巧和方法来自于两种语言的文化和语法的对比，所以要想使译文地道合适，在翻译之前必须对英汉两种的区别有个清晰地认识。在过去的八十年里，人们做了很多英汉对比的研究，但是大部分的研究着重于英汉句法的对比，而有关在翻译里如何处理英汉不对等的句法现象的话题，却很少被关注。本文旨在总结英汉句法区别的同时，具体分析如何处理英汉句法的不对等，以使译文不仅忠实于原文，而且合适地道。关键词：句法区别，翻译技巧 1. Introduction1.1. Background information If the translation is a journey, it begins with the first step-making a comparison between the two languages. Translation is difficult, because you have to face the challenges, such as how to deal with language differences and how to find an approximation of the meaning expressed in the other language. Lu Xun, one of the most famous writers in China once said, “I have always believed that translation is not as difficult as authoring, and it need not to think about how to make the construction of the article at least. However, when starting on it, I meet many obstacles. For example, forgetting a noun or verb in the process of authoring is not a serious problem, because another substitute can solve the problem easily. While it is really a serious problem in the process of translation, the translator has to think it out until he is dizzy. This experience is similar to looking for a key to the box, which is eagerly needed to be opened, but nothing is found. (Song Tianci，2003：60 )The obstacles in Lu Xuns words are the differences between the two languages. Therefore, making an in-depth comparison between the two languages is the only way to shed light on these differences and remove these obstacles in translation.It is possible to make a comparison of two languages because there are some universality both in the forms and semantic meanings of different languages. As tools for communication, there are some universality in the forms of language, for instance, all the parts of speech can be divided into noun, verb, and adjective, numeral and so on. As for semantic meanings of language, the universalities of them make it possible to use synonym or near-synonym to replace a word that is used to describe human lives. Making a contrast of two languages is also to illustrate the differences and relationships between the two languages. One of the famous Chinese linguists Lv Shuxiang argues that “There are some similarities as well as some differences between Chinese and English. Similarities do not need much attention, while the differences are needed to be concentrated on.” (Hu Wenzhong，1998：241) That is to say, the differences usually are more important than the similarities and need to be studied. In terms of English and Chinese, most of the obstacles in the translation are caused by the differences between them. Besides, “syntax can be the best embodiment of national characteristics of a language, because it is the rule that governs the formation of a language and are abided by all the ethnic members or all the members of the same language community.”(He Shanfen，2012：181) Namely, as the rules that all components of a language should follow, syntax is the core of a language and the best embodiment of characteristics of a language, so the obstacles in English-Chinese translation stem from their syntactic differences. Making a syntactic contrast between English and Chinese is needed, in order to remove the obstacles in translation.1.2. Significance of this studyIn order to translate adequately, it is essential to figure out the syntactic differences between English and Chinese and to make some corresponding adjustments according to the differences. If the translator pursue mechanically the formal correspondence, but not take the ways of thinking, idiomatic expressions and syntactic differences into consideration, no satisfying translation will be generated. Due to the key role that the syntactic difference plays in translation, many syntactic comparisons have been conducted in the past. But most of the researchers concentrate on finding out the syntactic differences between English and Chinese, rather than pay attention to how to deal with the syntactic differences in translation. This preference fails to combine the syntactic differences with translation and do little favor in improving and perfecting translation. To remedy this, this article will not only make a tentative study of English-Chinese syntactical structure from the following aspects: hypotaxis and parataxis, subject and topic, impersonal subjects and personal subjects, dynamic language and static language, active voice and passive voice; but also summaries some translating techniques an methods on the basis of these syntactic differences. This article put the theoretic syntactic differences into practical use in translation, which helps make translation both faithful in meaning and suitable in style.2. Syntactic differences and corresponding translation skills2.1. Subject and topic2.1.1. Introduction “Topic is a semantic notion mainly for it is the core of a whole sentential frame; meanwhile it is a syntactic notion for it is a key constituent in a Chinese sentence” (Pan Wenguo, 1997: 215). Due to its different functions in a whole sentential frame and in a Chinese sentence, topic is not only a semantic notion, but also a syntactic notion. However, subject is a notion in pragmatics. To some extent, subject referents have the same informational statue as required for topic referents. According to C. N. LI and S. A. Thompsons (1967:38) new theory on the how to classify languages, they divide languages into four types: topic-prominent, subject-prominent, languages whose topic and subject are both prominent, languages whose topic and subject are not prominent.Jack Richard once made a comment on subject-prominent language and topic prominent language: Subject-prominent language is a kind of language in which the grammatical units of subject and predicate are basic to the structure of sentences. While topicprominent language is one in which the informational units of topic and comments are basic to the structure of sentences (Cai Jigang, 2000: 173-174). In other words, subjects are necessary in subject-prominent language in which sentences usually have subject-predicate structures; informational units of topic and comments are needed in topic-prominent language.2.1.2. Topic-prominent language and subject-prominent languageChinese is a language in which syntactic units of topic and comment are basic to the structure of sentences, and for this reason, it is regarded as topic-prominent language. Here are some features in topic-prominent Chinese: Firstly, topic is chiefly determined by the surface order in the syntactic structure, and it is generally the leftmost noun phrase in a sentence. It means a person, an animal or a thing about which something is narrated. Secondly, Baker argues that “a topic has to be definite because of its function setting the framework for interpreting for the sentence as a whole” (1992:144). This means that a topic is not necessarily needed to act as a theme. What is more often is that it acts as a kind of framework within which the sentence is built. Besides, according to Xiao Liming(2002)，Chinese topics could be divided into the following categories: nominal topic, verbal topic, adjective topic and clause topic. Unlike Chinese, a subject-prominent language is a language in which the syntactic segments of subject and verb are fundamental to the structure of sentences. Subject is a crucial component in an English sentence and always located before the core verb and the topic of the sentence. English subjects can be divided into four types: causative subject, object being a subject, formal or empty subject and theme subject. Subject in English has something in common:. There usually must be a subject and the subject possesses the preverbal position. Subject is the theme of the sentence. Subject takes the control of the case of the verb and its morphological change. Only a noun, a noun structure or a pronoun could be subject.2.1.3. Translation skillsBased on the syntactic contrast above, translator should bear the syntactic differences and characteristics of languages in mind during the process of translation. In addiction to this, translator also should apply proper translation techniques to translate the original language into the most suitable target language. In general, translating English into Chinese is to change subject-prominent sentences into topic-prominent sentences. Conversely, it is the other way. The author lists some specific translating techniques about how to translate Chinese into idiomatic English as follows. Put the subject in the frontMake the subject occupies the front position, reverse the order of the sentence and add some new materials.Example1: 工作的问题嘛，我想说几句。I would like to say a few words about job. Example2: 英语、语文、数学和物理我都感兴趣。I am interested in English, Chinese, math and physics. The above examples are topic-prominent sentences. As topics, “工作的问题” and “英语、语文、数学、物理” are put before the subject “我”. In Chinese-English translation, translators should make the subject “I” occupy the front position, besides, in order to make the translation more idiomatic, “about” and “in”, two prepositions also should be added in. Add the subjectMany sentences in Chinese do not have subjects for the reason that Chinese is a topic-prominent language. However, English is a subject-prominent language, it is necessary to add a proper subject when translate Chinese into English.Example1: 今年比去年生产更多的粮食。This year we will produce more grain than last year.Example2: 衣服、鞋子买了一大堆。She has bought a lot of clothes and shoes.There are no clear subjects in the above two examples, new subjects “we”and “she” are added. Make abstract nouns or nominal structures as subjectsDue to English preference, translators could choose some abstract nouns or nominal structures in original sentences to act as subjects in target language in Chinese-English translation.Example1: 语言这东西不是随便可以学好的。非要下苦工不可。The mastery of a language is not easy and it requites painstaking efforts.In this example, “the mastery of a language”, an abstract nominal structure is used as the subject in the translation. Apply personificationTranslators could use the topic of Chinese directly as the subject of English with the help of applying personification.Example1: 这几年中国的经济增长很快。These years has witnessed a growth in Chinas economy.Example2: 这几年西欧的经济和工业不景气。 These years have witnessed an economic and industrial depression in Western Europe.In the above two examples, “这几年”is the topic, it is used directly as the subject in translation with the help of personification. Use the structure of “there-be”The structure of “there-be” is often used in English. In Chinese-English translation, translators usually translate the Chinese sentences which do not have subjects or have impersonal subjects into sentences which apply the structure of “there-be”.Example1: 从河那边传来了“救命”的喊声。There came shouts for help from the river.Example2: 价格突然上升了。There is a sudden rise in price.There-be structure is used in the above examples; “there” is made the subject of those sentences.2.2. Hypotaxis and parataxis2.2.1. The definitions Throughout history, different definitions for hypotaxis were made by people. In Collins Dictionary of the English Language, the definition of hypotaxis is the subordination of one clause to another by a conjunction. Specifically, the logic relationship between clauses and sentences is shown in how they connect with language forms, including lexical means and morphological means. It is to say, in this type of language, “and”, “but”, “if”, “when” and so on-all these function words connect clauses, sentences and paragraphs together. Besides, some short phases and short sentences, such as “whats more”, “in addition”, “generally speaking” also make a contribution to connection. In addition to this, there is also a definition for parataxis in Collins Dictionary of the English Language. It is defined as juxtaposition of clauses in a sentence without the help of a conjunction. Namely, in this kind of language, cohesion and coherence are realized with the help of semantic and logical connection of words instead of function words.2.2.2. Hypotactic language VS paratactic languageDue to their different philosophical thoughts and methods of thinking, English and Chinese have a big difference in this field. Namely, English is a hypotactic language, while Chinese is a paratactic language. English philosophy stresses on the dualism, but Chinese philosophy emphasizes the overall concept. In addition, Chinese methods of thinking are synthetic in general. Chinese people are accustomed to make a entirely systematic review about a subject. In contrast, English methods of thinking are analytic. Unlike Chinese people, for the same thing, English people like to analysis and assess the every independent units of it.An agreement has been reached that most of the features in language organization in English are hypostasis, which can be clearly shown at every language level of English, from word, phase to sentence and paragraph. The integrity of grammatical forms in English is achieved by the dependent constructions, subordinate constructions or relationships of clauses with the connective ruled by logical forms, which indicates that English has a strict sentence organization and every component of a sentence has an obvious syntactical function. It is known to us, Chinese is a paratactic language. The form of a sentence is decided by meanings, in accordance with them, clause is arranged one after another without making use of connectives to show their relationships. As a result, sentences in Chinese are looser than those of English, and what is more often is that the syntactic function of every part is hidden in Chinese sentence.From the above-mentioned differences, the author concludes two main translating skills here. One is to add some necessary conjunctions and other components in Chinese-English translation. The other is to omit these components. Here are some examples to show how to put these two principles into practice:Example1: 老鼠过街人人喊打。When a rat is seen to run across the street, everyone calls to “kill it.In this example, the conjunction “when” is omitted in Chinese version, so when translate the sentence into English, it should be added.Example2: 他跳上岸，爱姑跟着，经过魁星阁下，向着慰老爷家走。朝南走过三十家门面，再转一个，就到了，早望见门口一列地泊着四只乌篷船。（鲁迅离婚）Chuang jumped ashore, Ai Gu followed him. They passed the pavilion and headed for Mr. Weis house. After passing thirty houses on their way south, they turned a corner and reached their destination. Four boats with black awnings were moored in a row at the gate. (Li Yunxing，2001:157) This is a small sentence group containing several short sentences. Except for the first two short sentences, there are not subjects in the rest of the sentences at all. Because Chinese is a paratactic language, readers can deduce the subject according to the context. In this way, these subjects can be omitted. When translating this kind of sentence into English, translator should deduce the logical subject and add it. In the example, as the logical subjects, “chuang” and “they” are added in the translation. Example3: I have got into the habit of going to bed and getting up early. 我习惯了早睡早起。When translate the above sentence into Chinese, translators should omit the word “and” in order to be in accordance with paratactic Chinese.Example4: If it does not rain tomorrow, we will go to the park.明天不下雨，我们就去公园。Conjunction could be usually omitted in Chinese, so the conjunction “if” is omitted in the above translation.2.3. Impersonal subjects and personal subjectsAnother contrast that makes English and Chinese different from each other is in the matter of the subject. Imperso