The Comparison between E and C and the countermeasures in the translation from English to Chinese

The Comparison between English and Chinese and the countermeasures in the translation from English to ChineseEnglish and Chinese belong to two different language families: English, the Indo-European family and Chinese, the Sin-Tibetan family. The two languages also have different cultural backgrounds: Western and Chinese. So I would like to list ten aspects which comparison between English and Chinese. 1. Synthetic vs. Analytic English is a synthetic language which characterized by frequent and systematic use of inflected forms to express grammatical relationships. The three grammatical devices in building English sentences are inflection, word order and the use of function words. Chinese is an analytic language which marked by a relatively frequent use of function words, auxiliary verbs, and changes in word order to express syntactic relations rather than of inflected form. 2. Inflectional vs. Non-inflectional In English, nouns, pronouns, and verbs are inflected. Such grammatical meanings as parts of number, person, tense, voice can be especially expressed by the use of inflected form with or without the help of function words and word order. In Chinese, the above grammatical meanings are mostly implied in contexts or between the lines, though often with the help of word order and function words. E.g. (1).Function words:Thus encouraged, they made a still bolder plan for the next year.(由于)受到了这样的鼓励，他们为第二年制定了一个更大胆的计划。(2).Word order: He astonished us by the rapidity of his movements.我们对他的快速行动感到惊讶。3. English and Chinese Make use of Different Types of Function WordsEnglish function words include the articles, prepositions, auxiliary verbs, coordinators and subordinators Chinese function words include particles, connectives, and prepositions. (1)The extensive use of English articles poses a big problem for translation.E.g. She was with a child. 她带着一个孩子。 She was with child. 她怀着孕。(2).English has a large number of prepositions which are often in use, while Chinese has a few prepositions which are mostly “borrowed” from their corresponding verbs. A conversion of English prepositions into Chinese verbs is often necessary. E.g. Peter drew his knife on the robber. 彼得拔刀向那个强盗砍去。(3)English frequently uses its various connectives, coordinating or subordinating, including conjunctive and relative pronouns or adverbs, Such as who, whom, whose, that, what, which, when, where, why, and how. Chinese has no such kind of conjunctives and relatives, and other connectives are not often used, except in formal writings.E.g. Practically all substances expand when heated and contract when cooled. 几乎所有的物质都是热胀冷缩的。(4)Chinese is rich in particles， which can be classified into aspect particles, structural particles, and emotional particles。e.g. 1) 这回我可亲眼看见啦！（感叹语气） This time Ive actually seen it myself. 2)打吧，打不下去了；跑吧，跑不了，敌人只好投降了。（假设语气）Unable to fight on or to escape, the enemy was forced to surrender. 4. Intonation vs. ToneEnglish is an intonation while Chinese is a tone language 5. Rigid vs. SuppleEnglish sentence structure is composed of known phrase(s) and verb phrase(s).It has become an invariable custom to have a subject before a verb and therefore a sentence that dose not contain a subject and a verb is felt to be incomplete. The subject(s) must agree with the predicate verb (v) in person and number, etc. This rigid S-V concord forms the kernel of a sentence. There can be reduced to fire basic patterns: SV, SVP, SVO, SVoO, and SVOC.English sentences can be summarized as these five patterns or their variants, expansion, combination, omission, or inversion.Chinese is relatively free from the government of S-V concord and formal markers. The subject predicate structure is usually varied, flexible and therefore complicated and supple.e.g.:他有个女儿，（）在北京工作，（）已经打电话去了，（）听说明天就能回来。He has a daughter who works in Beijing. Someone has phones her and it is said that she will be back tomorrow.6. Hypotactic vs. ParatacticEnglish sentence building is featured by Hypotaxis. Hypotaxis is the dependent or subordinate construction or relationship of clauses with connectives, for example, I shall despair if you don not come. To clarify the relation between words, phrases or clauses. English more often resorts to overt cohesion, frequently using various cohesive ties such as relatives (e.g. who whom that which etc.), connectives (e.g. and or but etc.), prepositions, and some others. E.g. When I try to understand what it is that prevents so many Americans from being as happy as one might expect it seems to me that there are two causes of which one goes much deeper than the other.为什么如此众多的美国人不能像想象中的那样幸福呢？我认为原因有二，而两者之间又有深浅之分。Chinese sentence building is featured by parataxis. Parataxis is the arranging of clauses one after the other without connectives showing the relation between them.E.g. the rain fell; the river flooded; the house washed away. By contrast, Chinese more frequently relies on covert coherence and context, focusing on temporal or logical sequences. Instead of using various cohesive ties such as relatives, connectives and prepositions as in English, Chinese more often resorts to word order, contracted sentences, four-character expressions, and some grammatical or rhetorical devices such as repetition, antithesis, and parallelism.e.g. 1) 人（若）不犯我，我（则）不犯人。We will not attack unless we are attacked.2)说就是说了，没有结果。（=我虽然说了，但是没有结果）Ive made proposals, but they proved futile.7. Complex vs. SimplexEnglish sentences are often complex. A fundamental feature of English is subordination, the placing of certain elements in modifying roles. With plenty of subordinate clauses and phrases, it is marked by its coordination, loose or miner sentences, contracted sentences, elliptical sentences, run-on sentences, and composite sentences. English sentence-building is characterized by an “architecture style” with extensive use of longer or subordinate structures.Chinese sentences are often simplex. Chinese, a chronicle style with frequent use of shorter or composite structures. Chinese has comparatively shorter and less complicated sentences than English which.E.g. 1) In the doorway lay at least twelve umbrellas of all sizes and colors.门口至少有十二把五颜六色，大小不一的雨伞。2)There are many wonderful stories to tell about the places I visited and the people I met.关于我所访问的一些地方和遇到的一些人有许多奇妙的故事可以讲。8. Impersonal vs. PersonalFormal written English often goes with an impersonal style. It avoids the pronouns I we and you. Some of the common feature of impersonal language are passives sentences beginning with introductory it and abstract nouns as subjects.Chinese, by contrast, prefers to use a personal style, which is feature by much more actives or actives in form but passive in sense, personal (animate) subjects or subjectless and subject-omitted sentences when the subject is self-evident, unknown or implied in the context.E.g. 1) A current search of the files indicates that the Letter is no longer in this Bureaus possession. It is noted that the letter was received two months ago, and after study, returned to your office. In view of the foregoing, it is regretted that your office has no record of its receipt. If the letter is found, it would be appreciated if this Bureau was notified at once. 我们最近查找了卷宗，发现本局并无此信。可以肯定的是，我们于两个月前收到此信，经研究后，已寄还贵处。鉴于以上情况，贵处仍无收信的记录，我们感到遗憾。如果你们找到此信，请即通知本局，不胜感激。2）An idea suddenly struck me.我突然想到一个主意。9. Passive vs. ActivePassives of various forms are frequently used in English mainly due to the following reasons:1）When the agent of an action is self-evident or unknown, or it is necessary or impossible to mention the agent.E.g. The murderer was caught yesterday, and it is said that he will be hanged.2) Syntactic factors: for cohesion, balance, end focus, end weight, etc.E.g. I was astounded that he was prepared to give me a job.3) Rhetorical factors: for variationE.g. There are many ways to vary the basic English sentence pattern of subject-verb-subject.The basic English sentence pattern of subject-verb-object can be varied in many ways.4) Stylistic factors: more passives in informative writing, notable in the objective, nonpersonal style of scientific articles, news items, and government communications.E.g. The resistance can be determined provided that the voltage and current are known.By contrast, active forms, including those in passive sense are often used in Chinese, There are some reasons for the limited use of the Chinese passives forms marked by 被，让，给，叫，挨，遭，受Chinese generally prefers to use active forms; besides, there are many other ways to denote passive sense which is usually expressed in the English passive form.e.g. 这锅饭能吃十个人。（不说“这锅饭能被是个人吃”） A pot of rice like this can feed 10 people.10. Static vs. dynamicEnglish makes more use of nouns, adjectives, and prepositions, and is therefore more static. Conversely, Chinese often employs verbs, adverbs, verbal phrases, repetition and republication of verbs, and is therefore more dynamic.E.g. The doctors extremely quick arrival and uncommonly carefully examination of the patient brought about his very speedy recovery. 医生迅速到达，并非常仔细地检查了病人，因此病人很快就康复了。As a result of the above difference, the conversion of the English nominal style into the Chinese verbal style.e.g. He is a good eater and a good sleeper. 他能吃能睡。11. Abstract vs. concreteIn English, nominalization often results in abstraction. An excessive reliance on the noun at the expense of the verb will, in the end, detach the mind of the writer from the realities of here and now, from when and how and in what mood the things was done, and insensibly induce a habit of abstraction, generalization and vagueness. This method of abstract diction is found in the frequent use of abstract nouns.Chinese prefers to use concrete or specific words and employs a down-to-earth style, expressing abstract ideas often by metaphors, similes, allegories, or other devices for making a thing plain.E.g. He waited for her arrival with a frenzied agitation. 他等着她来，急的像热锅上的蚂蚁。As a result of the above difference, the conversion of English abstract words into Chinese concrete words, figurative expressions or verbs is often employed in translation.E.g. He had surfaced with less visibility in the policy decisions. 在决策过程中，他已经不那么抛头露面了。Given above are the ten pairs of ten pairs of major features of English and Chinese, mainly involving the differences in grammar, rhetoric and modes of expression. Besides these, many others are related with the two cultures and other aspects of the two languages.So we should pay attention to the countermeasures in the translation from English to Chinese.1. Conversion:As we all know, Formal written English is an impersonal style. By contrast, Chinese is a personal style. So we must converse English impersonal subject into Chinese personal subjects and English passives into Chinese actives.E.g. An idea suddenly struck me. 我突然想到一个主意。English makes more use of nouns, adjects, and prepositions. Conversely, Chinese often employs verbs, verbal phrases. As a result of above difference, the conversion of English nominal style into the Chinese verbal style.E.g. He is a good eater and a good sleeper. 他能吃能睡。2. Addition:1). Substitution English generally use pro-forms or substitutes to avoid repetition, while Chinese often repeats the same words or clauses substituted.E.g. In any case work does not include time, but power does (=include time).(动词性代替)在任何情况下，功不包括时间，但功率却包括时间。2). EllipsisEnglish usually leaves out the same words from a sentence to avoid repetition, while Chinese often repeats the same words.E.g. Work with, and not against, nature.要顺应自然工作，不要违反自然工作。3). VariationEnglish often uses synonyms or near-synonyms, superordinates, hyponyms or general words to avoid repetition, while Chinese usually repeats the same words.E.g. Johns bought himself a new Ford. He practically lives in the car.约翰给自己买了一辆新的福特牌汽车，他几乎就住在这部汽车里。3. Repetition