AComparativeStudyontheWTODocumentTranslation

1、A Comparative Study on the WTO DocumentTranslationContents内容提要3Abstract4Acknowledgements5Introduction.61. The WTO Translation in TheoreticalPerspective.71.1Peter Newmarks approaches to translation71.1.1 Language functions71.1.2 Semantic translation and communicative translation81.2 The WTO translati

2、on101.2.1 Legal document and its translation111.2.2 The WTO document and its translation112. Errors Occurred on the Lexical Level.132.1Nouns . .132.1.1Technical words . .132.1.2Semi-technical words.162.1.3 Common nouns .172.2Pronouns . .192.3Verbs . .202.4Adjectives and adverbs.212.5Figures .212.6Se

3、t phrases . .222.7 Summary .233. Errors Occurred on the SyntacticalLevel .243.1Attribute.243.1.1Which one is the real headword?.243.1.2Attribute or adverb?.263.1.3Predicate or attribute?. .263.1.4Infinitive or attribute?.273.2Adverbial .273.2.1Scope of modification.283.2.2Adverbial or object?.293.3O

4、bject .313.3.1Which is the real object?.313.4Addition and omission.313.4.1Addition . .323.4.2Omission . .333.5 Summary .344. Grammatical and Logical Errors.354.1 Grammar354.1.1 Collocation problems354.1.2 Lack of component364.1.3 Structural defect364.2 Logic.374.2.1 Concept374.2.2 Judgment .384.2.3

5、Cause and result394.2.4 Order of words404.3 Summary41Conclusion42References44内容提要从 1995 年世界贸易组织成立到现在，有关 WTO的法律文献已有很多。在许多高质量的中文译文不断问世的同时， 由于种种原因， 其中文翻译中也存在一些问题。对于 WTO文献翻译这个问题之前已经有很多学者研究过。 他们中有些是从WTO文献翻译的特点出发，有些是从某个特定的角度进行研究。本文作者比较研究 乌拉圭回合多边贸易谈判结果 的两个中文译文后， 从不同角度分析两者的差异， 并试图寻找一种最佳的翻译。 由于所涉文献及其两个中文版本已出

6、版多年， 因此研究的目的并不在于评判所涉译文的优劣， 而是希望通过比较研究找出一些 WTO文献翻译中普遍存在的问题， 包括一些权威版本中存在的问题，从而对今后翻译中可能会碰到的问题起一个抛砖引玉的作用。本文采用比较分析的研究方法， 从多个角度分析问题。 对所涉问题有一个比较全面的研究。本文共分四章：第一章为理论部分， 主要运用了彼得 纽马克的翻译理论。 第二章到第四章是具体分析。 第二章从词汇翻译层面出发， 第三章从句段翻译层面出发， 第四章从语法逻辑和修辞层面出发分别罗列了一些翻译中出现的问题。 通过讨论和比较得出一个较为得体的翻译。当然，本文只是管中窥豹，有更多的问题有待进一步的发现和验证

7、。AbstractBoundlessofWTO documents have come intoexistencesincetheestablishment of the World Trade Organization. However, a number ofproblems occur in their translation correspondingly. Studies have beenconducted on the issue of WTO document translation, among which areresearches of the featuresas we

8、llas analysisfrom some specificangles.This paperputs its focuson the twoChinese versionsof The Resultsof the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations, aiming to find out the better one through a comparative study. Since this document has come into effect and been published for quite a long t

9、ime, it would notbe the purpose here to have any commenton these two versions.Anyway theauthor of thispaper does hope to pointout somepossiblemistakes incurredin the WTO translation even in the authorized versions and make my duecontribution to the later work of WTO translation.The whole paper is ba

10、sed on a comparativestudy and ample of examples,which makethe analysisthorough and comprehensive. There are totallyfourchapters, which are as follows:Chapter One containsthe translationtheoryof Peter Newmark, namelysemanticand communicativetranslations.SpecificanalysisisfromChapter Two through Chapt

11、er Four. They are about the translationproblemsof the words, sentences, grammar and logic respectively. The discussionfollowing each example will make the conclusion clear.Anyway the examples and problems quoted here are only tip of theiceberg. There is still a long way to go in the field of WTO doc

12、umenttranslation.AcknowledgementsI wouldnt callitan easy job to finishthispaper, as the exampleshere are all collected through pains. During the tedious work, however,I luckilyreceivedquitea lotof help from many, to whomI would sincerelyexpress my gratitude.First and foremost, I owe much to my instr

13、uctor, Prof. YE Xingguo, who has been so supportive all the way, and who I respect the most. Manythanks also go to all the other teachers who have taught me and helpedmein the past semesters withheart and soul,they are Prof.LUOGuoliang,Prof.LU Naisheng, Prof.HUANGYuanshen, Prof.XUYaqin, Prof.ZHUPeif

14、en,Prof. WU Xiaoyu, and Prof. WANG Guanglin, etc.I feel deeply grateful to Mr. QIAN Jianqing as he made valuablecontributionto the examples quoted here. I have to admit thathe did giveme a hand.Many otherfriendsand relativesas wellas my familyhave also shownmetheirencouragement and support both mate

15、rialisticallyand spiritually.I could do nothing but thank them all.And I wouldalso liketo thank thepatient readers,whom I sincerelyexpect to give me valuable hints and tips.IntroductionA famous Chinese writer had once made some comments on writing to the effect that it is much easier for a reader to

16、 understand the right wayofwritingafterhe knows the incorrectone. Therefore itshouldalsomakesense in the field of the WTO translation.For common Chinese people who have little knowledge of English andfor businessmen who have little time to consult the original documents,theonlywaytoacquireinformatio

17、nabouttheWTO istoreadthetranslation. That becomes the authoritative document for them and theymake judgment based on that.However, quite a great number of mistakes and mistranslations occurinthe Chineseversions,even theauthoritativeeditions.Due tovariousreasons like diversitiesofculturesand language

18、s,ignorance ofrelevantknowledge,translator s irresponsibilityor word-for-wordtranslation,etc. some errors and mistakes can be seen in the two versions11 ofTheResults of the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations.PeterNewmarks translationtheoryis employed in thispaper,namely,semantic and co

19、mmunicativetranslations,and a comparativestudyismadeof the two versions ofThe Results of the Uruguay Round of MultilateralTrade Negotiations.The analysisconsists of three parts,forsemantictranslationthereisChapterTwo and ChapterThree,forcommunicativetranslationthere isChapter Four.It is no easy job

20、to apply Peter Newmarks theory to thefield of WTO translation and this paper has only made some attempts inthis field. The examplescited here maybe far fromenough to illustratethe points, and any comment and suggestion will be welcomed.11 Version A: 对外贸易经济合作部国际经贸关系司乌拉圭回合多边贸易谈判结果法律文本法律出版社; Version B:

21、 汪尧田（1995）乌拉圭回合多边贸易谈判成果，复旦大学出版社1. The WTO Translation in Theoretical Perspectives1.11.1Peter Newmarks approaches to translationBefore embarking on the comparison, we need to spend some while onthe definition of translation, the basis on which we can judge whichversionofthediscussed isthe betterone.

22、Although the nature oftranslation has been repeatedly discussed, it seems that theorists havenever reached a consensus on what translationis.Eugine A. Nida definestranslation as“Translation consists in reproducing in the receptorlanguagetheclosest naturalequivalentofthe source language, first interm

23、s of meaning and second in terms of style.22Catford thinks that”translation is the“replacement of textual material in one languageSource Language by equivalent textual material in another languageTarget Language ” 33 . Perter Newmark puts forward his definition oftranslation as“it is rendering the m

24、eaning of a text into anotherlanguage in the wa y that the author intended the text” 44 .Thispaper will be based on Newmarks theory on language functionsand his corresponding approaches to translation, namely semantic and communicative translations.1.1.1 Language functionsPeter Newmark suggested tha

25、t all translations were based implicitlyon a theory of language, and he took Buhler s functional theory of language as one that is extensively applied to translating. Accordingto22Nida, E.A.&Taber 1969. The Theory and Practice of TranslationE.J. Leiden: Brill P.1233Catford J.C. 1965. A Linguistic Th

26、eory of Translation: An Essay in Applied Linguistics,Oxford UniversityPress P. 2044Newmark, Peter 1988. A Textbook of Translation, Prentice HallP. 5Buhler, the three main functions informative and vocative functions: a language.oflanguagearetheexpressive,these are the main purposes of usingThe core

27、of the expressive function is the mind of the speaker, thewriter, or the originator of the utterance. He uses the utterance toexpress his feelings irrespective of any responses. Into this categoryfallworks ofpoetry,shortstories,novels,and drama. And thecategoryalsoincludesauthoritativestatements lik

28、epoliticalspeeches,statutesand legal documents, academic works, etc. as well as autobiography,personal correspondence.The core of the informative function of language is the externalsituation, the facts of a topic, reality outside language, includingreported ideas or theories. The format of an infor

29、mative text is oftenstandard: a textbook, a technical report, an article in a newspaper ora periodical,a scientificpaper,a thesis, minutes or agenda of a meeting.The readership or the address is central to the vocative function.The term “vocative” isused inthesense ofcallingupon the readershipto act

30、, thinkor feel,ortoreactinthe way intendedby the text.Typicalvocative texts include notices, instructions, publicity, propaganda,persuasive writing(requests,cases,theses)and possibly popularfiction,whose purpose is to sell the book or entertain the reader.1.1.2 Semantic translation and communicative

31、 translationNewmarkdeemsitthe theorists main concern to selectan appropriategeneral method of translation and he proposes only two general methodsoftranslationthatareappropriatetoanytext:semanticandcommunicative translation.Semantic translation attempts to render, as closely as the semanticandsyntac

32、ticstructuresofthetargetlanguageallow,theexactcontextual meaning of the source language.Communicative translation attempts to produce on its target readersan effectas closeas possibleto that obtained on the readersof the sourcelanguage. It is an attempt to communicate the authors attitudes andfeelin

33、gstothereaders byputtingthem intoequivalentterms andexpressions in the target language; that is to say, the ultimate aim isto produce in the target language a piece of writing that will have aneffect on itsreadersequivalent to that producedby the source languageon its readership.Thedifferencesbetwee

34、nsemanticand communicativetranslationsmight be listed as follows:Semantic translationAuthor-centered (source-oriented)Followstheauthor sthought;processesmoreclosely;thus, it isfaithful but more literalPlaces greateremphasisonconveyinginformation or transferring formMay be clumsierSource-language bia

35、sedDoes not undertake correction of theoriginalTakes thewords,collocationor phrasesas its unitsCommunicative translation Reader-centered (target-oriented)More faithful to the autho r s intention but, at the same time, it is freerPlaces greater emphasis on effectFlows more smoothlyTarget-language bia

36、sedOpento correction and clarification by the translatorTakes the sentences or paragraphs as its units“There isa certainparallelbetween, on the one hand, semantic andcommunicativetranslation,and on theothertherelativistand theuniversalistthesesoflanguageand thevariousgraduationsbetweenthem. ” 55 The

37、 relativistthesisis thatmens thoughtsand feelingsarepredeterminedby the variouslanguageshence culturestheyare born into,and therefore communication is not possible. Theuniversalist thesis isthat since men have common thoughts and feelings, they should have nodifficultyincommunicatingwitheach other,w

38、hateverlanguagetheyuse.Standing in a relativist position, semantic translation implies thatcomplete meaning or significance whether of word, sentence or text, canhardly ever be transferred and so semantic translation tends to be morecomplex,more awkward. By assuming thatexacttranslationmay be possib

39、leand may be perfect,communicativetranslationadoptsauniversalistposition.In general, semantic translation is preferably used for expressivetexts, and communicative translationfor informativeand vocativetexts.An original expression, where the specific language of the speaker orwriter is as important

40、as the content, whether it is philosophical,religious, political, scientific, technical or literary, often needs tobe translated semantically; and works such as autobiography, privatecorrespondence, and any personal effusion require semantic treatment.Most non-literary writing, journalism, informati

41、ve articles and books,textbooks, reports, scientific and technological writing, non-personalcorrespondence,propaganda,publicity,publicnotices,standardizedwriting, popular fiction, all these comprise typical material suitablefor communicative translation.“Admittedly,alltranslationmustbeinsomedegreebo

42、thcommunicative and seman tic ” 66 . There is no one communicative nor onesemanticmethodoftranslatingatext-theseareinfactwidelyoverlappingbandsofmethods.Atranslationcanbemore,orless,55 Newmark, Peter 1981. Approaches to Translation , Pergamon Press P. 6866 Newmark, Peter 1981. Approaches to Translat

43、ion , Pergamon Press P. 62semantic-more,or less,communicative-evena particularsection orsentence can be treated more communicatively or less semantically.In 1994,Newmark putforwardanew concept of translation:“acorrelativeapproachtotranslation”, whichrequiresthatthemoreimportant the language of the o

44、riginal or source language text is, themore closely it should be translated. Here,“the more closely” means“more closetoword-to- word translation”.Thisapproach isnot a denialof semantic and communicativetranslationbutto combine them more closely.In other words, the semantic translation and communicat

45、ive translationcan not be separated from each other; they can only be regarded as acorrelated whole.Newmark believesthatwhethertoemploysemantictranslationorcommunicative translation depends on the text style, the importance ofsemanticunitand thepurpose of translation.Most informativetextsaresuitable

46、forcommunicativetranslation,fortheyaremainlyforinformation purposes; however, if the text also falls into the category of expressive function where the form is of the same importance as the content, semantic translation should also be employed.1.2 The WTO translationIt is by no means an easy job to apply Newmarks theory to the WTOtranslationpractice,becauseon theone