王晓农翻译理论与实践2 Lecture Six

1、Lecture Six Commonly Used Translation Methods (2): Variation and Adaptation Translation Theory & Practice(2) Course No. 1400142Because of different rhetorical preferences, the English version, if intended to put across any really useful information, should present a realistic picture out of what is

2、expressed in the Chinese original, in a varied way to adapt to English to foreground the plain facts and the specific references. Definition of Variation and AdaptationVariation and adaptation should be applied to translating the Chinese sentences that are not appropriate to be rendered literally, s

3、o in this sense it is a free way of translation. (1) 欢迎各位领导莅临我校（e.g. 鲁东大学）指导工作。 Welcome to Ludong University (2)坚持走生产发展生活富裕生态良好的文明发展道路。 Follow a road of well-balanced development ,ie, production gets promoted ,peoples life gets improved and ecosystem gets protected.(3) 改革还处在探索阶段，要摸着石头过河，使其健康发展。Since

4、 the reform is still at the exploratory stage, to ensure its healthy development, we should be very cautious and prudent. Variation for clarification of meaningIf context makes it appropriate to turn a concrete expression in Chinese to abstract one in English, or vice versa, it should be done, which

5、 is a form of variation.(4)主持人极富人格魅力,令我们佩服地五体投地。Quite personable / With his rich personality, the host is totally disarming us / earns admiration from our heart.(5) 经济特区发挥了示范、辐射、带动的作用。The SEZs have served as models, radiators and powerhouses / engines. (6) 我国是一个发展中国家，要靠长期艰苦奋斗才能改变落后面貌，但现在铺张浪费相当严重，摆阔气

6、、讲排场之风愈演愈烈。Version A: As a developing country, China can overcome its backwardness only by working hard for a long time, but for the time being, the question of extravagance and waste has become increasingly serious, and the practices of ostentation have become more and more grave. (?a misleading pi

7、cture and a false impression)Version B (improved): Only by working hard for a long time can China, a developing country, overcome its backwardness, but for the time being, extravagance and ostentation constitute serious problems. (7) 九寨沟是著名的风景名胜区，在那里，古树摇曳春秋，山花自谢自开，植被茸茸生烟。 Consider: Jiuzhaigou is a w

8、ell-known resort of natural scenery, where aged trees wave the seasons by, amid carpets of wild flowers and thick green vegetation. Improved: , where aged trees wave the seasons by, and wide flowers amid the vigorous vegetation witness the year in and out. Variation for intra-sentence cohesion & coh

9、erence （8）自1979年中美建交以来，双边经贸 关系虽受两国总体关系的影响经历了一些波折，但一直保持较快发展速度。 Since 1979 when China and the United States established diplomatic relations, the two countries economic relationship and trade have been growing rapidly despite a number of twists and turns which occurred under the influence of those in

10、the development course of their overall relations.(9)“十五”计划纲要突出了战略性、宏观性、政策性。Chinas Outline for Tenth Five-Year Plan highlights its strategic vision, broad perspectives, and policy considerations. A concluding double-example:(10)cf:上海世博会“城市，让生活更美好”这个主题突出了三方面的特点：时代性、独创性、普遍性。The theme “Better city, bet

11、ter life” of the Shanghai World Exposition is characterized by three distinctive features: times reflecting, originally conceived, and universally significant. 厚德 博学 日新 笃行Perfecting MoralityPursuing KnowledgeProgressing EverydayPracticing Earnestly Paraphrase (or metaphrase) Re-expression of somethi

12、ng written or said in different words, especially, words that are easier to understand. Paraphrase is, in its broad sense, as G. Steiner says in his After Babel, the “true road for the translator”. This represents an interpretive treatment in C-E translation.(13) 中国先秦的数学家提出了勾股定理。Chinese mathematicians in the pre-Qin days over 2,200 years ago put forward the proposition known as the Pythagorean theorem in the West today.(14) 故宫耗时