The Translation of Public Signs 英译公共标语

TheTranslationofPublicSigns,Members:TransLiBomyZhou,Contents,1.WhyShouldWeTranslatethePublicSignsCorrectly？,Publicsignscanbringconveniencefortheseforeignersdailylife;meantimeitalsocanhelpthemknowbetteraboutChina.,Ifnotcorrect,Englishtranslationofpublicsignscancausethefailureanddamageourinternationalimage.Itmaybringalotoftroubles.,Somefunnyexamples,对公业务,TOMALESERVICE,TOCORPORATIONSERVICE,Takethechild,Takecareofyourchild,Fallintowatercarefully,Danger：DeepWater,带好孩子,小心落水,不可回收NOMAYRECLAIM,Non-recycledRubbish,一次性用品,ATIMESEXTHING,Disposables,市民中心站,ShiMinZhongXinZhan,Civilcentre,高新技术产业园区,High-techIndustrialPank,High-techIndustrialPark,Moreexamples,垃圾在此投放，烟头切勿投入Garbageonly,notforcigarettebults.,危险！请勿动。Danger!Keepout!,Danger!Notouch.,(火车标语)车辆连接处，请注意安全。Vehicleconjunction,pleasewatchforyoursafety.,Carriageconjunction,pleasebecareful.,人民南路RenMinNanLu,SouthRenMinRoad,2.LanguageFeaturesofPublicSigns,1.Conciseness(形式简洁)Usuallythereadersjustlookattheboardwithsignsquicklywhentheypassby,sothelanguageonitneedstobesimple,aphraseorawordisenough.,Examples,禁止吸烟“pleasedonotsmoking?“NoSmoking”正在营业“weareonbusiness”?Open,Translatepublicsignsasconciseaspossible,2.Simplewords(用词简洁)Becausethetargetreadersalwaysspendalittletimeonreadingthesigns.Themeaningofthesignsshouldbeclearandeasytounderstand.,Examples,严禁客货混装A.“Dontputpassengersandcargostogether?B.“NoPassengersonTrucks”,Thesignsaresetforthepublicandmanyreadersarentprofessional,thereforewhentranslatesign,weshouldgetthepointdirectlyandclearlyandshouldnotjusttalkaroundthebush.,3.Clearness(释义清晰)IftheEnglishversionsarefullofrarewordsandexpression,itwillcausefailureofcommunicationandevenmisunderstandings.,Examples,“景区坏境卫生，需要你的维护”A.“EnvironmentalSanitationoftheScenicSpotNeedYourConserve,B.“KeepClearorNoLittering”,Soweknowifwewantreaderscatchthemeaningatfirstglance,weshouldusetheconcise,clear,simplewordsandexpressionsinCEtranslationofpublicsigns.,3.TheTypesofPublicSigns,1.TelltalePublicSignsThesesignscangiveussomeusefulmessageswithoutanyrestrictormandatorymeaning.Example:旅游者服务中心VisitorCenter双向行驶TwoWay单线行OneWay,2.InstructionalPublicSignsThesesignsworkonlyforhintrole,withoutanyreferstothesignificance,yetuseveryextensive.Example:油漆未干WETPAIN售完SOLDOUT小心轻放HandleWithCare,3.RestrictivePublicSignsThesesignsproposerestrictionstorelevantpublicbehavior,whoslanguageshouldbestraightforward,butwontmakepeoplefeeltoughorunreasonable.Example:凭票入场TicketOnly60千米/时60km/h(限速),4.MandatoryPublicSignsThesesignsrequirethepublicthingmustornottotakeanyaction.languangeshouldbestraightforwardwithoutanynegotiations.Example:禁止驶入NoEntry此处禁止钓鱼NoFishingHere,4.TipsfortheTranslationofPublicSigns,1.Asitneedssimple,aphraseofwordsorverbsisenough.Clear,concise登记入住CheckIn安全出口SafetyExit,2.Usingimperativesentences请勿践踏草坪KeepoffTheGrassPlease留意脚下WatchtheSteps请勿打扰DONOTDISTURB,3.Usingprecisewordsnotionalwords,corevocabularyandkeywordsareenough,auxiliaryfunctionwordsandpronounscanbeomitted.examples:洗车场WashingBay非客莫入Staffonly,4.NouncommonvocabularySinsepubliclanguageshouldseriously