语用翻译策略

1、“根据计算机统计，西方语文之间同多于异，有90%以上可以对等，所以西方翻译理论学家提出了对等译论。但是西方语文和中国语文之间却是异多于同，只有40%左右能够对等，因此，对等译论只能解决40%左右的中西互译问题；50%以上的问题都要用”创作论”“艺术论”的思想才能解决。”“西方译论只能解决低层次的科技翻译问题，而中国译论却能解决高层次的文学翻译问题。” 王秉钦20世纪中国翻译思想史P12重读传统译论目的与课题张佩瑶 中国翻译 2008（6）Information focus of fronted sentences (marked focus)Translation strategiesa. S

2、entences with a fronted object An object can be fronted in both English and Chinese. The fronted object gains the highest information value as a marked information focus. It is possible to achieve the equivalence of information focus by following the word order of the original sentences in E-C trans

3、lation. e.g. That magazine story, and the person who wrote it, I have never been able to track down. 登在杂志上的那篇故事以及写那篇故事的人，登在杂志上的那篇故事以及写那篇故事的人，我却一直未能找我却一直未能找到。到。 我却一直未能找到我却一直未能找到登在杂志上的那篇故事以及写那篇故事的人。登在杂志上的那篇故事以及写那篇故事的人。b. Sentences with a fronted predicationA predication can be fronted in both English

4、and Chinese and the fronted predication is the marked information focus in two languages. It is natural for a translator to translate an English sentence with a fronted predication into a fronted Chinese sentence.e.g. Travel twelve and a half miles for so simple an affair I would not. 我不愿意为了一件普普通通的事

5、情而我不愿意为了一件普普通通的事情而跋涉十二英里之远跋涉十二英里之远。a.a.跋涉十二英里之远跋涉十二英里之远只是为了这样一件普普通通的事情，只是为了这样一件普普通通的事情，我是不干的。我是不干的。c. Sentences with a fronted object complementIn English, the object complement can be fronted and the marked information focus falls on the fronted complement. But in Chinese, the object complement is

6、rarely fronted. This difference makes it difficult to translate English sentences with a fronted object complement by following the original word order. Normally these sentences are translated into sentences with normal word order in target language.e.g. Chairman of the committee they have elected J

7、ake.他们选举杰克为他们选举杰克为委员会主席委员会主席。d. Sentences with a fronted adverbialWhen the fronted adverbial is an adverbial of manner, the marked information focus falls on this adverbial. This phenomenon also exists in Chinese. So, we translate the original sentence into a fronted Chinese sentence. e.g. Stealthil

8、y the girl crept out of the room.偷偷地偷偷地，那个女孩溜出了房间。，那个女孩溜出了房间。e.g. Slowly he rose from his seat. 慢慢地，慢慢地，他从座位上站了起来。他从座位上站了起来。When the fronted adverbial is an adverbial of location or adverbial of frequency, the marked information focus falls on the fronted adverbial. In Chinese, the adverbial of loca

9、tion or adverbial of frequency is hardly fronted. When translate such English sentences, we change the fronted word order into normal word order in the target language. e.g. Many a time has Mike helped me.迈克已经帮我迈克已经帮我好多次了好多次了。e.g. Down the hill did John run.约翰约翰从山上从山上跑了下来。跑了下来。Summary: Through the a

10、nalysis above, we can find that word order should draw translators attention. Ignorance of word order in translation can mistranslate the meaning of the original and reduce the degree of the equivalence of information focus of target versions. In E-C translation, we should not only transfer the info

11、rmation focus of ST to TT but also translate according to grammatical resources of TL.II. Syntactic structures and information focusPassive sentences in Englishe.g. When he came back, he gave a huge feast for all in the village. Everyone was invited. Passive verb occupies the final position, and it

12、receives the unmarked end focus.e.g. A police officer was killed last night in a road accident.Final elements at the end of an agentless passive sentence, unmarked focus falls on that element.e.g. When we got home, we were greeted by Henry.In agentive passive, the end focus falls on the agent.Passiv

13、e sentences in Chinesee.g. e.g. 羊被狼羊被狼吃掉了吃掉了。e.g. e.g. 我的方案被董事会我的方案被董事会否定了否定了。 Agentive Passives in Chinese are mainly to Agentive Passives in Chinese are mainly to place the end focus on the final verb or other place the end focus on the final verb or other final elements.final elements. e.g. e.g.

14、他被选为他被选为人大代表人大代表。The final element is the unmarked end focus in The final element is the unmarked end focus in the agentless passives in Chinese.the agentless passives in Crmation focus in Passive sentencesActive sentences and passive structures have different information focus, though th

15、ey have the same propositional content. e.g. The heavy rain damaged the crops.那场大雨毁坏了庄稼。那场大雨毁坏了庄稼。 e.g. The crops were damaged by the heavy rain. 庄稼就是被那场大雨毁坏了。庄稼就是被那场大雨毁坏了。NOTE: Though English and Chinese can use passive NOTE: Though English and Chinese can use passive structures to mark information

16、 focus, there are many structures to mark information focus, there are many differences between them. English passives are far differences between them. English passives are far more frequently used than their Chinese more frequently used than their Chinese counterparts, so it is natural that most E

17、nglish counterparts, so it is natural that most English passive sentences are turned into active Chinese passive sentences are turned into active Chinese sentences. In translation of them, sometimes we sentences. In translation of them, sometimes we have to abandon the information focus of the origi

18、nal have to abandon the information focus of the original sentence according to grammatical features of sentence according to grammatical features of Chinese.Chinese. Passive sentences in English into Passive structures in Chinese Agentless passive sentences in English into Agentless passive sentenc

19、es in Chinese e.g. He was soon overpowered. 他很快就被他很快就被制服了制服了。Passive verb occupies the final positionPassive verb occupies the final position unmarked end focus unmarked end focuse.g. He was appointed e.g. He was appointed chairmanchairman. . 他被任命为他被任命为主席主席。 A clause element at the end of an agentle

20、ss A clause element at the end of an agentless passive sentence passive sentence unmarked end focusunmarked end focusb. Agentive passive sentences in English into agentive passive structures in Chinesee.g. The young woman was abandoned by her husband.这个年轻妇女这个年轻妇女就是就是被她丈夫被她丈夫遗弃遗弃了。了。e.g. e.g. Note: s

21、ome passive sentences can be Note: some passive sentences can be translated into corresponding structures, but translated into corresponding structures, but information focus of the original sentence is information focus of the original sentence is changed. In the original agentive passive changed.

22、In the original agentive passive sentence, information focus falls on the agent, sentence, information focus falls on the agent, while it falls on the final elements in Chinese while it falls on the final elements in Chinese version, according to its grammatical system. version, according to its gra

23、mmatical system. 2. Passive sentences in English into cleft 分裂变句分裂变句or pseudo-cleft 准分裂句准分裂句structures in ChineseIn English agentive sentences that shows the process, nature or a state of a matter, information focus falls on the agent. In translation, we can use cleft or pseudo-cleft sentences to hi

24、ghlight the information focus of the original sentence. e.g. The picture was painted by Professor Smith.史密斯教授画了史密斯教授画了这幅画这幅画。这幅画这幅画是是史密斯教授画史密斯教授画的的。3. Passive sentences in English into active sentences in ChinesePassive sentences are used very frequently in English but not in Chinese. The verb is tr

25、ansitive in English while the corresponding verb in Chinese is intransitive and it is difficult to preserve the original information focus in its translated active sentences. To make the target version be accepted by the target readers, we have to abandon the original structure or even the informati

26、on focus and render some passive sentences in English into active structures in Chinese. And this Chinese verb is active in form but passive in meaning. e.g. The whole country was armed in a few days.几天之内全国就几天之内全国就武装武装起来了。起来了。Cleft structure and information focusCleft structure is the consequence of

27、 dividing two sub-clauses with intention of emphasizing some certain elements as marked focus. Quirk discusses that cleft sentences comprising the subject pronoun it as an empty theme, followed by the verb be, makes it natural to achieve focus on the item that follows.e.g. It is in the hour of trial

28、 that a man finds his true profession.e.g. It is a good horse that never stumbles.Cleft sentences in EnglishThe formation of cleft structure is It +be + that The structure usually serves to give prominence to one particular element as the marked focus by placing it between “It+ be” and “that +”.Bake

29、r confirms that “ one of the most important function of cleft structure is English is to signal information status. In cleft structure, the item in theme position is presented as new information and the one in a rhyme position as given information. ”Therefore, the information focus of a cleft senten

30、ce is the elements after the verb be.The focusing part in the cleft sentence can be acted by: The subject e.g. It is the students who should undertake the responsibility to find books. 2. The object e.g. It is money that she has been pursuing. 3. The complement e.g. It is monitor that they appointed

31、 him. 4. The adverbial of time, location, reason, instrument, purpose, etc.1.e.g. It was in September that I first noticed it.Cleft sentences in Chinese Cleft structures in Chinese as cleft or rather “cleaving”, is a syntactic description referring to the marking, by means of a syntactic device, of

32、a constituent of a sentence for the purpose of focus. In Chinese, cleft sentences are of the structure of “ 是 ” to give prominence to the focusing part after “是” and the highlighted part may be: The subjecte.g. 是是他妈妈他妈妈揍了他一顿。揍了他一顿。e.g. e.g. 是是哪个问题哪个问题使他如此苦恼呢使他如此苦恼呢？ 2. The predication e.g. . 那个孩子是那个

33、孩子是走到走到学校的。学校的。 e.g. e.g. 我希望是如此，但是希望只是我希望是如此，但是希望只是希望希望。 3. The adverbial of time, place, reason, 3. The adverbial of time, place, reason, manner, condition, purpose, etc.manner, condition, purpose, etc. e.g. e.g. 他是他是昨天昨天到达上海的。到达上海的。 e.g.e.g.我们是我们是在这间教室在这间教室开会的。开会的。Information focus of cleft sente

34、ncesPseudo-cleft structure and information focusPseudo-cleft sentences are similar to cleft sentences with syntactic strategy to divide the new and the given information. But they are distinct from cleft sentences in forms.Pseudo-cleft sentences in EnglishStructure in English: WH- + be + ” or“ +be +

35、WH-”In a pseudo cleft sentence, the element, which is singled out for prominence hence the information focus usually comes before/after the verb be.Pseudo cleft sentences can freely focus on the predication by using the substitute verb do. The structure of pseudo cleft sentences in English may be su

36、mmarized as follows:a. WH- + + be + S./O./adverbial/predicationb. S./O./adverbial/predication + be + WH-e.g. What I shall ignore is his callousness.e.g. Her sense of humor is what I like about Joan. Pseudo cleft sentences in ChineseStructure in Chinese is “的是的是+S./O./ adverbial/Predication”, in whic

37、h the part following “是是” is normally highlighted and is information focus.e.g. 她手里拿着的是她手里拿着的是一本书一本书。e.g. 李教授做报告的地方是李教授做报告的地方是人民大会堂人民大会堂。Information focus of Pseudo-cleft sentencesTranslation of cleft and pseudo-cleft sentencesCleft and pseudo-cleft sentences are used in English and Chinese to highl

38、ight some elements for marked information focus. The similarities of cleft and pseudo-cleft sentences in English and Chinese make it possible to translate English cleft or pseudo-cleft sentences into corresponding structures. Cleft sentences It refers to a sentence which has been divided into two pa

39、rts, each with its own verb, to emphasize a particular piece on information. e.g. The master killed his dog. It was the master who killed his dog.1. It was his dog that the master killed.To transfer the information focus of English cleft sentences, we had better render them into Chinese cleft senten

40、ces or pseudo-cleft sentences which have almost the same way to mark information focus.e.g. It was Jane who played Mozart at the party last night.昨晚昨晚是珍妮是珍妮在晚会上演奏了莫扎特作品。在晚会上演奏了莫扎特作品。e.g. It is e.g. It is to men like Edisonto men like Edison that we should be that we should be grateful.grateful.我们应该感激的我们应该感激的是是像爱迪生那样像爱迪生那样的的人。人。2.Pseudo-cleft sentenc