Transcript Document

Here are the 13 statements on
page 8 and comments on
Them. (1-7)
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A translation must reproduce the words of the
SLT.
A translation must reproduce the ideas
(meaning) of the SLT.
A translation should read like an original work.
A translation should read like a translation.
A translation should reflect the style of the
original.
A translation should possess the style of the
translator.
A translation should retain the historical stylistic
dimension of the SLT.
Statements 8-13
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A translation should read as a contemporary
piece of literature.
A translation may add to or omit from the
original.
A translation may never add to or omit from the
original.
A translation should let the readers of the SLT
and the target language text (TLT) have
essentially the same response.
A translation should convey what the SLT
author intends to convey.
A translation should satisfy the need of the
client.
Comments on these
statements
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Evidently, though each of the above
statements is right in a certain sense, yet it is not
adequate or comprehensive enough to serve as a
translation principle. Some of the principles
proposed by various translation theorists can find
their expression in the statements given above.
Interlinear translation is an illustration of the first
statement. Yan Fu’s three-character principle can
be a combination of statements 2, 3 and 6. Nida’s
functional equivalence is best expressed in
statement 11.
What do you know about Yan
Fu’s triple principle for
translation?
• Strictly speaking, a translation theory in its true sense in
China originated from Yan Fu(严复).
• He proposed the famous triple principle for translation,
namely, faithfulness(信), expressiveness(达) and
elegance(雅).
• His faithfulness means that the translated text should be
faithful to the original text, ie, the version should keep the
content or ideas of the original.
• His expressiveness means that the translated text should
be expressive and coherent without anything awkward. In
other words, his expressiveness requires that the version
should be fluid, smooth, and easy to read and understand.
• His elegance demands that the translated text should be
exquisite and that its style ought to be very graceful.
Question 1
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Why does Professor Liu argue against “elegance” as a principle for
translation of the original style?
He argued eloquently against “elegance” as a principle
for translation of the original style. We all know that not
all works are characterized by the elegant style. Different
writers display different styles. For instance, Lenin wrote
in a bold style, and Hemingway wrote in a simple,
symbolic style. Even the same writer shows different
styles on different occasions for different purposes.
Naturally, different works demonstrate different styles.
Thus, it is impossible & absolutely wrong to achieve the
effect of elegance in the translated text if the style of the
original is not elegant.
Question 2 --Why does the compiler
think highly of “closeness”? (1)
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We are in favor of Professor Liu’s
triple translation principle. He
changed Yan Fu’s “elegance” into
“closeness”, which represents his
contribution to the translation theory.
His “closeness” is central in meaning.
It is suitable for translation of all
types of texts with different styles.
Question 2 --Why does the compiler
think highly of “closeness”?(2)
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If the original text is characterized by
the elegant style, the translator should do
his utmost to render it into a graceful text
in the target language whose style is close
to the original elegant style.
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If the original style is highly technical
with a wealth of technical terms, the
translator ought to employ plenty of
corresponding technical terms in the
target language and make the translated
style as close to the original technical style
as possible.
Question 2 --Why does the compiler
think highly of “closeness”?(3)
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If the original style is colloquial with a lot of informal
words and colloquial sentences, the translator should
translate it into a text with an informal style as close as
possible to the original one by using many colloquial words
and informal sentences.
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If the original style is ornate, the translator should follow
suit and make effort to render the translated style as close
to the original as possible.
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If the original text contains some vulgar words and
sentences, the translator is not entitled to replace them
with elegant words or sentences, and he should reproduce
the original by using some corresponding vulgar words and
sentences in the receptor language. Translators are dutybound to do so, for the simple reason that they are
translators.
Question 2 --Why does the compiler
think highly of “closeness”?(4)
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As we know, Yan Fu’s triple translation principle is highly
concise and well rhymed and quite easy to learn by heart,
which is one of the reasons why it is still very popular in
China today.
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Professor Liu’s triple principle is similar to Yan Fu’s in
that it is equally concise and easy to remember.
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Though Professor Liu’s triple principle is not rhymed, yet
it is very forceful and impressive, for the Chinese character
“切” is uttered in the falling tone, carrying the implication
that faithfully conveying the original style or rendering the
translated style as close to the original as possible is
absolutely necessary and worth the translator’s great effort.
Task 1--Repeat Tytler’s
three-point principle
• 1) The translation should give a
complete transcript of the ideas of
the original work.
• 2) The style and manner of writing
should be of the same character with
that of the original.
• 3) The translation should have all the
ease of the original composition.
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Task 2--Make a comparative
study of Professor Liu’s
principle with Tytler’s
Clearly, Tyter’s three-point principle is precise
in diction and scientific in narration. What he
highlights is that the translated text should
preserve the original content, retain the original
expressiveness, and keep the original style. In
other words, the translated text should reflect
everything in the original as much as possible.
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Professor Liu Zhongde’s triple principle “ 信、达、
切” is in essence similar to Titler’s three-point
principle. As a matter of fact, the former is based
on the latter.
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As far as we can see, the only difference
between the two is that the former is more
concise and much easier to remember.
What is Nida’s principle for translation?
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Eugene A. Nida and Taber stated emphatically
(1969:12): “Translation consists in reproducing in the
receptor language the closest natural equivalence of the
source language message, first in terms of meaning and
secondly in terms of style”.
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His dynamic equivalence is defined as a translation
principle, according to which the translator seeks to
translate the meaning of the original in such a way that the
target language text wording will produce the same impact
on the target text audience as the original wording does
upon the source text audience. Later on, Nida changed
“dynamic equivalence” into “functional equivalence”,
because it seemed much more satisfactory to use the
expression “functional equivalence” in describing the degree
of adequacy of a translation.
A summary of main
translation principles
• Yan Fu’s: Faithfulness, Expressiveness, and
Elegance
• Liu Zhongde’s triple principle: Faithfulness,
Expressiveness, and Closeness.
• Tytler’s Three Point Principle: 1) The
translation should give a complete transcript of
the ideas of the original work. 2) The style and
manner of writing should be of the same
character with that of the original. 3) The
translation should have all the ease of the
original composition.
• Nida’s principle for translation: Dynamic
Equivalence or Functional Equivalence.
Assignment
• Why did Professor Liu Zhongde
disapprove of Yan Fu’s ‘”elegance” ?
• What is your translation principles?